I have a lot of open-minded friends who, while they may consider themselves generally sceptical about esoteric matters, nevertheless are happy to accept that meditation, yoga, T'ai Chi and so on can have positive benefits. They even respect my spiritual beliefs, even if they don't share them.

Where they usually draw the line, however, is ritual. Some fluffy-headed New-Ager sitting on the floor meditating is one thing, but waving around magic implements in the front room, vibrating the names of God and summoning up archangels is quite another.

I, on the other hand, like ritual. I tend to be a bit furtive about it, and I would feel embarrassed about doing it in front of people that didn't understand - but I do find it powerful. Some of my more sarcastic friends have asked "Do you get zapped by lightning if you get one of the names wrong?". No, I don't. I don't go round summoning up agents of Satan, eat babies or sacrifice children either (I'm vegetarian, you see).

Ritual is something I do because I feel that it focuses my intention. I also believe that a lot of meditation involves getting the logical side of your brain to be quiet and let the intuitive side do its stuff. Unfortunately, for most of us the logical side insists on interrupting and being the centre of attention. So rather than yell at it all the time, I give it something pointless to do. While it's busy getting the Hebrew names right, my intuitive side gets on with the real work - the inner work.

The following ritual I find very powerful - I always used to have negative connotations with the word "banishing" - I like my house to be friendly and welcoming - but this ritual is to clear a space of energy, both good and bad. This is a useful thing to do before doing a Tarot reading, or some kinds of meditation.

Before going into the details, I should just mention a couple of points. Firstly, these rituals are Qabalistic - they are based on Judaism for their symbolism, but are universal. I'm not Jewish, but that doesn't stop me using the same symbolism that Judaism uses - the ritual still works. Secondly, the word "pentagram" has negative connotations for many Christians, who consider it to be "Satanic". Satan is mentioned in the Old Testament, as "ha-satan", meaning "adversary". Satan only appears as the prince of evil in the New Testament, so he's something of major character in Christianity - but as I'm not a Christian, I certainly wouldn't bother trying to invoke him even if I did believe in his existence. The pentagram is an ancient symbol, and was adopted by the early Christians too. It is a very spiritual symbol if the point is upwards, towards heaven.

This ritual summons up the four heavenly archangels to clear a space of energy, and to protect it. Once they have performed their duty, I think it is only polite to thank each of them and ask them to depart with your love and thanks.

You can do this ritual directly, or use some accessories to make the associations stronger; for example, burning incense and lighting candles. The instructions indicate that a word should be "vibrated". This is done by saying the word slowly and in a very deep voice.

The words for this ritual are taken from the last part of the Lord's Prayer: "For thine... the kingdom... the power... the glory... for ever... Amen".

Stand upright, breathing slowly and regularly. Raise your right hand high in the air, index finger pointing directly upwards to the ceiling. Draw divine energy down from the sky and to your forehead, touching your third eye. Vibrate the word "ATAH". Visualise yourself standing on the world, drawing in energy from the Universe.

Move your finger down to your groin, and visualise a line of white light following your finger. Vibrate: "MALKUTH" (pronounced Mal-Koot). Be aware of standing on the Earth and being grounded.

Now move your finger to your right shoulder and vibrate "VE GEBURAH". Be aware that you are doing this as a result of your WILL. You "will" this ritual to happen. You have the power to do what you want.

Now move your finger across to your left shoulder, visualising a line of white light as you go. Vibrate: "VE GEDULAH". Be aware that you harbour no hatred for anyone, and that your love is unconditional and universal.

Now cross your arms across your chest and vibrate "LE OLAHM" (pronounced "Lay O Lahm"). Be aware of being HERE, NOW.

Open your arms wide apart in a cross, and vibrate "AMEN".

Face East. Draw a pentagram in the air with the index finger of your right hand, and imagine it blazing in fire:

Thrust your index finger through the middle of the point and vibrate "YOD HEH VAV HEH". This is the tetragrammaton - the four-letter name of God.

Turn round clockwise, finger still pointing out, and inscribe a line of pure white light as you move towards the South.

Draw another flaming pentagram and vibrate "ADONAI". This means "Lord".

Turn to the West, inscribing white light as you go. Draw another flaming pentagram, and vibrate "EH HEH EE EH". This means "I am that I am", the obscure answer that God gave to Moses when Moses asked God his name.

Turn to the North, inscribing white light again. Draw another flaming pentagram, and vibrate "AH GAH LA". This is AGLA, short for "Atah Gibor Le-Olahm Adonai" - which means "Thou art great forever, my Lord".

Turn round to the East again, inscribing white light as you go.

Say "before me - RAPHAEL", vibrating the angelic name and visualising the archangel of Air rising up before you, facing outwards. He is wearing robes of yellow and violet.

Say "behind me - GABRIEL". Visualise the archangel of Water dressed in robes of blue and orange stepping out of the sea behind you.

Say "at my right hand - MICHAEL" (pronounced "Mee-kye-el"). Visualise the archangel of Fire dressed in robes of red and green rising up.

Say "at my left hand - URIEL". Visualise the archangel of Earth, dressed in robes of citrine, russet, olive and black.

Visualise all the angels - facing outwards - and the flaming pentagrams. Now imagine a six-rayed star above your head (the hexagram):

Say:

"For about me flame the pentagrams, and above me and within me shines the six-rayed star."

Repeat the Qabalistic Cross.