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As many Pagans will tell you, the Circle is an important element in performing rites and making magick. Some will take
the ceremonial magician's stance and tell you that the Circle prevents any and all negative energies from disturbing your
sacred space. Others will claim that the Circle captures the energy and power you've generated until it can be sent out into
the Universe. Both of these reasons are perfectly valid, but there is yet another reason why casting a Circle is important:
it promotes a shifting of consciousness.
I personally do not believe that you MUST cast a Circle. I find that simply cleaning up the area and burning a
cleansing incense (i.e., sage, lavender, cedar, etc.) will suffice. If you believe that casting a Circle makes you feel
safer, then go for it. Sometimes casting a Circle in the manner that I describe isn't feasible or necessary. In
these cases, if one wishes to cast some sort of Circle, then scratching a Circle into the ground around you will work.
Visualizing a white, protective light around you will also work just fine.
Our ability to shift our consciousness into
a trance-like state is important. In such a state, we are able to pay attention to our intuitive thoughts. Meditation, light
sleeping, and simple astral projection occur when we are in this state. This state also aids us in visualizing our goals and
needs in spellwork.
While you don't need to know this particular method by heart, it certainly makes things a little easier.
:o)
The first thing you should do is physically clean your working area. Vacuum, sweep, dust, polish, etc. Think of
this task as something you would do before a guest comes to visit. It's simply the polite thing to do. If the area is heavily-used
in the "mundane" world, burning a cleansing incense like sage, lavender, or cedar would be a good idea. This removes any negative
energy that may have collected over time and gives the working area a lovely aroma too!
Next, you will need to gather
your essential Circle-casting supplies: two white candles in holders (these enable you to see what you are doing. They will
simply be referred to as Altar Candles); a cup or bowl filled with cool water; sea salt (you can buy Kosher salt at your local
supermarket); incense and something to burn it in (i.e. a bowl filled with soil, a simple stick incense burner, etc.); four
colored candles or stones to mark the quarters (yellow=East, red=South, blue=West, green=North); a lighter or matches; something
to dispose any used matches in; a pentacle (five-pointed star with one point at the top, denoting the importance of Spirit)
that's been drawn or carved onto a circular stone, circle of wood, or a round piece of paper; an athame (double-bladed knife),
sword, wand, or your own hand (I suggest using your first two fingers as a starter. This makes using an athame or wand easier
to use when you wish to employ them into your ritual at a later date); a surface on which to place your items, such as a small
table, the top of a bureau, or the floor.
To prepare your working area, arrange the four candles or stones in their
proper quarters, leaving enough space in the middle to accomodate your working area and for you to move around and sit comfortably.
You can use a 9-foot length of cord to mark the Circle's perimeters. Simply place the stones or candles in the appropriate
direction (use a compass or, better yet, pay attention when the Sun rises in the morning. This will tell you where East is.)
Here's a visual way of describing the Quarter layout:
Once you've arranged the Quarter candles/stones, the altar and your supplies must be arranged. Here's a popular way in which
Witches and other Pagans arrange their altars:
Now, we get to the fun part. :o) Light the altar candles. Sit before your altar and breathe deeply, relaxing every muscle
in your body, exhaling all of your worries and cares. Continue to breathe deeply, clearing your mind of mundane thoughts as
best as you can, centering yourself. Focus on any body parts that are touching the floor. Feel the stability of Mother Earth,
focusing on Her energy seeping into those body parts and filling your entire body. It is an energizing, yet relaxing, feeling.
After a few moments, stand up, allowing the energy within you to equalize itself. Now, hold out your power hand (the hand
you write with) and extend your index and middle fingers together. Visulaize a bright blue flame shooting out of these two
fingers. This may seem difficult at first, but this will become easier with practice. Starting in the East, moving clockwise
(known as "deosil") draw a circle around you. As you draw the circle, say:
"Maiden, cast Your circle white
Weave
a web of glowing light
Stag and bear, hawk and wolf,
Bind me to thee."
Cast another circle, still moving clockwise,
saying:
"Mother, cast Your circle red
Weave the strands of glowing threads
Earth and Air, Fire and Water,
Bind me to thee."
Cast a third and final circle, saying:
"Old Crone, cast Your circle black
Weave
the wisdom that I lack
Sunlight, moonlight, starlight's shimmer,
Bind me to thee."
Your circle is now cast.
You now have to consecrate and cleanse the water, salt, and incense. Place the bowl of water on the pentacle. Hold your hand
over the water, imagining a white, purifying light entering into the liquid. As you do this, say:
"Great Mother, I
cleanse and consecrate this symbol of water to Your service. May I always remember the sacred cauldron waters of rebirth."
Replace the bowl at its appropriate place on the altar. Now, place the bowl of salt on the pentacle and cleanse it
in the same you did with the water, saying as you do so:
"Great Mother, I cleanse and consecrate this symbol of Earth
to Your service. May I always remember Your blessed Earth, Your many forms and beings."
Add three pinches of salt
to the water, mixing it 13 times. Now, walk around the Circle (clockwise), sprinkling the salt water mixture, saying:
"By
the powers of Earth and Water is this Circle cleansed and blessed. Not but love shall enter in. Not but love shall emerge
from within. In the name of the Mother Goddess is this Circle cleansed."
Replace the water and salt in their appropriate
areas. Place the incense holder with the UNLIT incense in it on the pentacle. Hold your hand over the burner to cleanse it
and say:
"Great Mother, I cleanse and consecrate these symbols of Air and Fire to Your service. May I always remember
the sacred fire that dances within the form of every creation and may I always open myself to the Spirit Winds that bring
to me the voices of the Ancient Ones."
Light the incense and go around the Circle, wafting the smoke around it. As
you do this, say:
"By the powers of Air and Fire is this Circle cleansed and blessed. Not but love shall enter in.
Not but love shall emerge from within. In the name of the Mother Goddess is this Circle cleansed."
Place the incense
burner on the altar. It is time to call the Elements. Face the East and hold up your arms. Say:
"Winds from the East,
strong and fast,
Encompass this magick Circle cast.
Communication swift and clear,
I summon You to guard me here.
Element of Air, come join me this night."
Visualize Air-related symbols like balloons, birds, trees swaying in
a strong breeze, clouds, etc. Light the East candle. When you feel as if the Element of Air has entered the Circle, turn to
the South, raise your arms, and say:
"Winds from the South, bring warmth at last,
Encompass this magick Circle
cast.
Burning with flames of heart's desire,
Fill me with longing and passion's fire.
Element of Fire, come join
me this night."
Visualize Fire-related symbols like candles, snakes, scorpions, bonfires, the Sun, etc. Light the
South candle. When you feel as if the Element of Fire has entered into the Circle, turn to the West, raise your arms, and
say:
"Winds from the West, born of ancient past,
Encompass this magick Circle cast.
Emotional waters that
ebb and flow,
Help spiritual oneness to flourish and grow.
Elements of Water, come join me this night."
Visualize
Water-related imagery like dolphins, the ocean, lakes, rain, menstruation, etc. Light the West candle. Once the Element of
Water has entered the Circle, turn to the North, raise your arms, and say:
"Winds from the North that blow with cold,
Encompass this magick Circle bold.
Sweeping away the old for the new,
Bring life to the Earth that is due.
Element
of Earth, come join me this night."
Visualize Earth-related imagery like forests, gardens, deer, rich soil, stones,
etc. Light the North candle. Once the Element of Earth has entered the Circle, face the East with your arms raised and say:
"The Circle is bound
With power all around.
Between the worlds I stand
With protection at hand."
You
are now ready to perform you ritual or cast magick spells. Have fun! :o)
So, you've cast your spell and the rite has
ended. What do you do now? Extinguish the East candle with your fingers or, better yet, with a candle snuffer. DO NOT BLOW
OUT THE CANDLES, FOR IT IS CONSIDERED AN INSULT TO THE ELEMENT OF FIRE! Say:
"Depart in peace, O Powers of Air.
Please
take my blessings and my thanks with You."
Move counter-clockwise to the North. Extinguish the candle and say:
"Depart
in peace, O Powers of Earth.
Please take my blessings and my thanks with You."
Move to the Western Quarter. Extinguish
the candle and say:
"Depart in peace, O Powers of Water.
Please take my blessings and my thanks with You."
Move
to the South, extinguish the candle, and say:
"Depart in peace, O Powers of Fire.
Please take my blessings and
my thanks with You."
Return to the altar, raise your arms high, and say:
"To the Lady and all beings and powers
Of the Visible and Invisible,
depart in peace and may there always be harmony between us.
Please take my blessing
and my thanks with You.
Blessed Be!"
To uncast the Circle, take up whatever you used to cast the Circle and move
counter-clockwise around the area three times. Imagine the Circle sinking int the Earth. Replace the tool and say:
"The
Circle is open,
Yet it is unbroken.
Around and through me always flows its magickal power.
So mote it be!"
Clean
your ritual area. It is done.
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