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Circle Casting |
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| By Nimuel | 2008-12-04 12:49:20 |
| (Found:http://www.bewitchingways.com/rituals/circles/circle.htm) Sacred Circles are a must for any spell or ritual work. The purpose of a circle is to contain the energy you are raising until you chose to release it. It also works well at keeping negative energy out. A circle is regarded as a space "between the worlds," neither in this world nor yet in the next. It is a place to commune with the deity and be at one with the gods. (Raymond Buckland) The circle is constructed with personal power which is felt (and visualized) as a stream from the body through the Athame and out into the air. When completed, the circle is a sphere of energy which encompasses the entire work area. (Scott Cunningham). There are several ways to cast a circle. You can write an all-purpose one or you can refine it to fit the specific work you are doing. There are circle calls for specific spellwork, rituals, healing etc. Although referred to as a circle, what most Witches deal with is really a sphere, a 3-D circle. You want your energy to be protected from all points. Some believe that a proper circle should be 9 feet across. But for those of us city dwellers with apartments, that's not always possible. As long as the circle is big enough to encompass your work area, you are good to go. Before you begin to cast your circle, always make sure that you ground and center. The main goal is to connect yourself with the energy of the Earth and your surroundings. If you don't properly ground, you will be using your own energies and this can get very draining very fast. It also helps you mentally prepare for the work your are about to do. There are several ways to do this. My personal favorite is the tree method. There are many variation, but the basic principle is this. Imagine yourself as a tree, your legs are the roots and they draw up the energy from the Earth into your legs and up your body. The energy then sprouts from the top of your head and your hands (your branches) as it flows down to the ground, completing the circle. It's best to really get the energy flowing before starting. Once you are ready, it's time to cast the circle. Click here to see some sample circle castings. As always, feel free to modify them in any way. Once a circle is cast, it is best not to open it until all work is done. But, life is not perfect and there will be times you need to exit the circle. To do this, you must create a door. A simple way is to take your athame, sword or wand and cut a doorway. Some Witches automatically create a door when casting a circle and then place their besom at the base of the door. And remember that every circle must always be reopened and all energies must be grounded when you are finished. A good way to ground energy is to go back to the tree scenario. This time, instead of drawing up the energy, send all the extra magickal energy back into the Earth. Excess energy can also be stored in a tool for future use. Apythia's circle cast This is a mix and match of different circle castings I've come across. I first start with grounding and centering. Then I imagine a swirl of light (the color depends on the work I am about to do) starting at a center point below the Earth and working its way up the sides until it meets again at the top, forming a perfect sphere. Once I feel that my circle is properly erected and enforced, I say the following: Between the night Hidden from sight I conjure a circle of mystic light By the earth that is her body And by the air that is her breath And by the fire of her bright star And the waters of her womb, The circle is cast And we are between worlds Beyond the bounds of time Where night and day Birth and death Joy and sorrow Meet as one. Blessed be. Airts circle cast Black spirits and white, Red spirits and grey Come ye, and come ye, come ye that may! Around and around, throughout and about, The good come in and the ill keep out. Airts circle cast II Black spirits and white, Red spirits and grey Hearken to the runes I say Four points of the circle, weave your spell West South West North, your tale to tell East is for the red bread of day South is white for the noontide hour In the west is twilight grey And the north is black for that place for power Three times round, the circle's cast Great ones, spirits from the past, Witness it and guard it fast. - Silver Ravenwolf Christopher Penczak Circle Casting Penczak uses three steps to create his circle: one for protection, one to qualify energy and one for manifestation. I create this circle to protect me for all forces coming to do harm. I ask for only those energies coming in perfect love and perfect trust, in complete harmony with my magickal intentions, to create this circle. I create a scared temple beyond time and space, between the worlds, where my magickal intentions will manifest. So mote it be. Circle for Goddess Worship By the strength of the witch's honor Conjure the magick circle Feminine steel, a powerful boon I am safe within the Goddess' womb. A sacred space a world apart Where enchantment births and magic starts With air and fire, water and earth I circle round the mother's girth The legions of life await my word. The circle is cast. - Silver Ravenwolf Casting a god worship circle Black and white, light and dark In between the balance starts Strong and powerful, safe place about God's strong energy I circle out With earth and air, this circle grows, I activate, his spirit glows With fire and water this circle bend I conjure all his energies in. - Silver Ravenwolf Mental circle casting I call air for speed Fire to cleanse Earth to manifest Spirit to seal [visualize circle] as above, so below. The circle is cast. - Silver Ravenwolf Permanent Protective Circle Ground and center. Go around the house widderhsins with a bell, broom and charged salt water. Ring the bell to scare away negative energies. Sweep away unwanted forces with the3 broom or use a wand to wave them out. Sprinkle each entrance -- each window, door, mirror and major water outlets -- with salt water. Also sprinkle the corners of every room. If necesary, preform a banishing and/or salt water purification. Now go around the house desoil, with salt water, athame and incense. Invoke a pentacle at each entrance with the athame then with the salt water. Concentrate on forming a deal of protection that cannot be broken. With the incense, charge each entrance and corner, inviting good forces to enter: Salt and sea, Of ill stay free. Fire and air, Draw all that is fair. Around and around The circle is bound. Formally cast a circle in the room you will use for ritual. Chant and raise power to fill the house with protection. Thank the dieties, earth the power and open the circle. - Starhawk Silver's healing circle This circle cast is one of Silver Ravenwolf's I conjure thee o great circle of healing so that you will be for me a boundary between good health and dis-ease, a healing place of perfect love , trust, peace, joy, containing positive healing energies I will rise herein. I call upon the angelic beings of the East, South, West and North to aid me in the construction and healing purpose of this circle and to help me dispel dis-ease from -----. In the name of the Golden Lord and Silver Lady, thus I conjure thee, o great circle of healing. This circle is cast. +++++++++++++ Opening the circle Properly opening the circle is important to make sure the energy is released and everything returns to its "normal" state. Basically to open a circle, you do the opposite of what you did to cast it. Some people visualize the circle coming down, just as the did erecting it. Those who walk around to create it, now walk Widdershins to open it. It is a common practice to sing or chant the following after opening a circle. It signifies the end of your ritual or spell work: The circle is open but unbroken May the peace of the Goddess be ever in your heart Merry Meet and Merry Part And Merry Meet again! Blessed Be! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Internet Book of Shadows at sacred-texts.com Casting the Circle Set up: place a candle in each of the four cardinal directions. Lay the rest of the tools on the altar cloth or near it. The altar can be on the ground, a table, a rock or a stump. The altar should be in the center or just north of center of the Circle. Light the six candles and the incense, start the music and begin the ritual. The Ritual Facing North, the High Priest and Priestess kneel in front of the altar with him to her right. She puts the bowl of water on the altar, places the point of her athame in it and says: "I exorcise thee, O Creature of Water, that thou cast out from thee all impurities and uncleanliness of the world of phantasm; in the names of Cernunnos and Aradia" She then puts down her athame and holds up the bowl of water in both hands. The High Priest puts the bowl of salt on the altar, puts his athame in the salt and says: "Blessings be upon this Creature of Salt; let all malignity and hindrance be cast forth hence, and let all good enter herein; wherefore so I bless thee, that thou mayest aid me, in the names of Cernunnos and Aradia." He then puts down his athame and pours the salt into the bowl of water the High Priestess is holding. The High Priest then stands with the rest of the Coven outside the Circle. The High Priestess then draws the Circle with the sword, leaving a gap in the Northeast section. While drawing the Circle, she should visualize the power flowing into the Circle from off the end of the sword. She draws the Circle in a East to North or deosil or clockwise direction. She says: "I conjure thee, O Circle of Power, that thou beest a meeting place of love and joy and truth; a shield against all wickedness and evil; a boundary between men and the realms of the Mighty Ones; a rampart and protection that shall preserve and contain the power that we shall raise within thee. Wherefore do I bless thee and consecrate thee, in the names of Cernunnos and Aradia." The High Priestess lays down the sword and admits the High Priest with a kiss while spinning him deosil and whispers "Blessed Be". He then admits a woman the same way. Alternate male/female/male. Then the High Priestess finishes closing the Circle with the sword. She then names three witches to help strengthen the Circle. The first witch carries the bowl of consecrated water from East to East going deosil, sprinkling the perimeter as she/he goes. They then sprinkle each member in turn. If the witch is male, he sprinkles the High Priestess last who then sprinkles him. If female she sprinkles the High Priest last, who then sprinkles her. The bowl is replaced on the altar. The second witch takes the incense burner around the perimeter and the third takes one of the altar candles. While going around the perimeter, each person says: "Black spirits and white, Red spirits and grey, Harken to the rune I say. Four points of the Circle, weave the spell, East, South, West, North, your tale tell. East is for break of day, South is white for the noontide hour, In the West is twilight grey, And North is black, for the place of power. Three times round the Circle's cast. Great ones, spirits from the past, Witness it and guard it fast." All the Coven pick up their athames and face the East with the High Priest and Priestess in front, him on her right. The High Priestess says: "Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the East, ye Lords of Air; I do summon, stir, and call you up to witness our rites and to guard the Circle." As she speaks she draws the Invoking Pentagram of Earth in the air with her athame. The High Priest and the rest of the Coven copy her movements with their athames. The High Priestess turns and faces the South and repeats the summoning: "Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the South, ye Lords of Fire; I do summon, stir and call you up, to witness our rites and to guard the Circle." She does the same pentagram and then faces West and says: "Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the West, ye Lords of Water, ye Lords of Death and Initiation; I do summon, stir, and call you up, to witness our rites and to guard the Circle." She faces North with rest of the Coven and says: "Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the North, ye Lords of Earth; Boreas, thou gentle guardian of the Northern Portals; thou powerful God and gentle Goddess; we do summon, stir and call you up, to witness our rites and to guard the Circle." The Circle is completed and sealed. If anyone needs to leave, a gate must be made. Using the sword, draw out part of the Circle with a widdershins or counterclockwise stroke. Immediately reseal it and then repeat the opening and closing when the person returns. * Farrar, Janet and Stewart; "Eight Sabbats For Witches"; Robert Hale 1983 * Valiente, Doreen; "Witchcraft for Tomorrow"; Phoenix Publishing 1985 |
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