My Circle Casting Method

My method of casting is a blend of Scott Cunningham (see "Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner" and "Living Wicca") and others, with a bit of my own methods thrown in for good measure. My method of casting a circle is fairly elaborate. Casting can be simpler! I don't cast circles very often (I usually only cast for formal sabbat rituals), so perhaps that's why I'm fond of a more elaborate ritual.

• Purify self with ritual bath. I use a bath salt mix appropriate for the purpose of the circle (a purification mix for religious celebrations, etc.)


• Purify space with music and/or incense (I usually use one of my drum CD's)


• Create space:



1. Mark physical boundary of circle on ground (I use a length of yarn)


2. Place white candles at four compass points of your "physical" circle and light them.


3. Place the altar in the center


4. Place your directional candles (green on the north side of the altar, yellow on the east, red on the south, and blue on the west).


5. Place a small tray of salt and pentacle altar tile on north side of altar


6. Place wand and incense at east side of altar


7. Place censer and athame at south side of altar


8. Place water and ale at west side of altar


9. Place cakes near the north, and matches near the south


10. Place gold and silver candles at center of altar


11. Place white illumination candle and black candle near center of altar (they represent balance)



• Take a moment to relax and clear your mind, then pick up your athame. Remember to only move clockwise from this point on.


• Go to the east side of your altar, and light the east candle. Turn to face east, hold up your athame in greeting and say, "I call upon you, powers of Air, to witness and guide this rite and guard this circle." Draw an invoking pentagram using your athame, then kiss your athame and hold it to your heart for a moment (not like you are going to throw yourself on it, but like you are giving it a hug) and reflect on the power of air.


• Go to the south side of your altar, and light the south candle. Turn to face south, hold up your athame in greeting and say, "I call upon you, powers of Fire, to witness and guide this rite and guard this circle." Draw an invoking pentagram using your athame, then kiss your athame and hold it to your heart for a moment and reflect on the power of fire.


• Go to the west side of your altar, and light the west candle. Turn to face west, hold up your athame in greeting and say, "I call upon you, powers of Water, to witness and guide this rite and guard this circle." Draw an invoking pentagram using your athame, then kiss your athame and hold it to your heart for a moment and reflect on the power of water.


• Go to the north side of your altar, and light the north candle. Turn to face north, hold up your athame in greeting and say, "I call upon you, powers of Earth, to witness and guide this rite and guard this circle." Draw an invoking pentagram using your athame, then kiss your athame and hold it to your heart for a moment and reflect on the power of earth.


• Return to the east side of your altar, face east, hold athame high in greeting and say, "Blessings and Welcome, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. Bless and protect your child with your light and love. Bless me with the wisdom and freedom of Air, the power and strength of fire, the serenity and flexibility of water, and the stability and generousness of earth. May I always remember to live by the lessons you teach."


• Turn clockwise to face your altar. Hold your athame over the censer and say, "Great God, bless this creature of fire to your service. May I always remember the sacred fire that dances within the form of every creation."


• Hold the athame over the incense and say, "Great God, bless this creature of air to your service. May I always listen to the spirit winds that bring me the voices of the ancient ones."


• Place incense in censer. Touch censer to pentacle tile, then lift it into the air and say, "Great Father, I give you honor."


• Beginning in the easy, carry the burner around your physically marked circle, clockwise (without stepping across the boundary) three times. While doing this, visualize any negativity blowing out of your marked circle like smoke blowing away in the wind.


• Return to the east side of your altar and place the censer at the south edge of your altar. Place the water chalice on the pentacle disk, hold the athame over it and say, "Great Goddess, bless this creature of water to your service. May I always remember the cauldron waters of rebirth."


• Hold the wand over the salt and say, "Great Goddess, bless this creature of earth to your service. May I always remember the blessed earth, its many forms and beings."


• Scoop up a little of the salt on the tip of your athame and sprinkle it into the water chalice as you say, "Great Mother, I give you honor."


• Beginning in the east and moving clockwise, sprinkle the salt water lightly on the edges of the circle. Do this three times.


• Return to the east side of your altar and place the chalice at the west side of your altar. Sit quietly for a moment and visualize energy building within your athame, until you can visualize it glowing blue-white.


• Move to the east edge of the circle. Moving clockwise (always), point athame at physical boundary of circle, and visualize blue-white light flowing from it. Circle three times clockwise this way, visualizing blue-white light flowing down to mark the spiritual boundary of your circle, and saying, "I consecrate this circle of power to the ancient gods. Here may they manifest and bless their child." Visualize the blue-white light growing brighter and stronger with each pass.


• Return to east, raise athame high and say, "This is a time that is not a time, in a place that is not a place, on a day that is not a day. I stand at the threshold between the worlds, before the veil of mysteries. May the Ancient Ones guide me and protect me on my journey."This circle is bound with power all around. Between the worlds I stand, with protection and knowledge at hand."


• Return to the altar and light the goddess (silver) candle, while saying, "Goddess of the moon, you who are all that ever was, all that is, and all that shall be; come, veiled queen of the night, charging my circle with love and magick."


• Light the God (gold) candle, while saying, "God of the sun, blazing God, lord of the sun, master of all that is wild and free; lover of the moon goddess and strong protector of all; come, shining hunter in the sun, charging my circle with power and strength."


• Say the circle blessing: "May the powers of the one, the source of all creation; all-pervasive, omnipotent, eternal; may the goddess, lady of the moon; and the god, horned hunter of the sun; may the powers of the spirits of the stones, rulers of the elemental realms; may the powers of the stars above and the Earth below; bless this place, and this time, and I who am with you."


• If I'm planning on doing magickal workings, then I raise energy by doing a "Witches' Rune". Dance clockwise around the circle while saying:




"Darksome night and shining moon,


East, then South, then West, then North;


Hearken to the Witches' Rune--


Here I come to call you forth!


Earth and Water, Air and Fire,


Wand and pentacle and sword,


Work ye unto my desire,


Hearken ye unto my word.


Cup and censer, wand and knife,


Powers of the witch's blade--


Waken all ye into life,


Come ye as the charm is made.


Queen of cauldron, moon and well,


Horn-ed hunter of the night--


Lend your power to the spell,


And work my will by magick rite.


By all the power of land and sea,


By all the might of the moon and sun--


As I do will, so mote it be;


Chant the spell, and be it done!




• Perform rituals, magick, dedications, consecrations, etc.


• After all "work" has been completed, it's time to ground. Touch forehead and palms to the earth and relax. Be still and quiet for a few moments. Once you feel relaxed, pick up ale, hold cup high, and say, "Gracious goddess of abundance, bless this ale and infuse it with your love. Let me always remember and appreciate the bounty of gifts you give. In your names, Lord and Lady, bless this ale. Return ale to altar, and pick up cakes. Hold high and say, "Powerful God of the harvest, bless these cakes and infuse them with your love. Let me always remember and appreciate the bounty of gifts you give. In your names, Lord and Lady, bless these cakes." Relax and enjoy cakes and ale, remembering to save a bit to use later as an offering. When you are ready, you can begin "ending" the circle.


• Extinguish god and goddess candle while saying, "Thank you, oh great God and Goddess. May your blessings and love stay with me even after the circle is done."


• Moving clockwise, move to the east. Extinguish east candle while saying, "Depart in peace, powers of air. My thanks and blessings."


• Move to the south. Extinguish south candle while saying, "Depart in peace, powers of fire. My thanks and blessings."


• Move to the west. Extinguish west candle while saying, "Depart in peace, powers of water. My thanks and blessings."


• Move to the north. Extinguish north candle while saying, "Depart in peace, powers of earth. My thanks and blessings."


• Return to altar and extinguish black and white candles (balance candles) while saying, "To all beings and powers of the visible and invisible, depart in peace. May there always be harmony between us. My thanks and blessings."


• Pick up athame again, and walk around circle, visualizing the blue light returning to the athame. Return to east, raise athame, and say, "The circle is open, yet ever remains a circle. Around and through my always flows it's magickal power. As above, so below, with perfect love and perfect trust. Blessed be."


• Clean up the altar area and put away your tools. Take the remains of the cakes and ale outside to leave as an offering.
  
  

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