basic circle casting

There are many variations on how to cast a circle (also named “calling corners”). If you belong to a specific Witchcraft tradition, you should follow the methods of your own tradition. If you are an Eclectic Witch (picking the best of each tradition) or still exploring which tradition you want to join, then you can cast a circle with the basic elements and experiment with what works best for you.

Most circle castings call on the four elements (air, earth, fire, and water), once for each direction (north, east, west, and south). Some circle castings also call on a deity (one per direction, or sometimes your male God for two directions and your female Goddess for the other two, alternating between male and female — with water and earth traditionally being associated with the female). The choice of which element to match with which direction varies by tradition. If you are casting the circle with others, each person can make the call for each “corner” or direction. You can experiment and each try different corners at different castings to see which fits each member of your coven best.

Your tradition may have specific sayings, ritual, or poems for calling each direction. You can make up your own poem or song.

The castings are done in a circle, typically clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere (although some Witches in the southern hemisphere also cast circles clockwise). Typically the castings start with the east “corner”.

Often the castings include ceremonially walking around the circle. Some castings will actually draw the circle (with chalk or sand), while others will mark it with incense smoke or candle flame. Some castings are entirely magickal (with the marking of the circle being a magick aura). You can combine methods.

Sometimes there are specific chants done while walking around the circle (a general chant of your God’s and Goddess’s names will do — some traditions have specific poems — you can make up your own circle casting poem or song). Some Witches dance instead of walk. Often there are three passes around the circle (but only one calling for each direction).

If you use elements in calling each direction, you should also have a ritual that matches that element. Examples include lighting incense for air, lighting candles for fire, pouring water for water, and pouring dirt for earth. Your crystal can also be used as your earth symbol.

The ritual can be done at the corner or at the altar in the center of the circle (with a coven, it is common to have the high priestess and/or high priest perform the ritual at the altar while other coven members call the directions). If you perform the ritual at the corner, you will want to carry the element symbol (burning candle, etc.) around the circle while casting and then place them all on the altar before ending the casting of the circle.

If you are performing the casting solo, then you may need to carry the element symbol to the altar right away. This can be combined with the three times around the circle: cast the first element in the east, travel around the complete circle and place the element symbol on your altar, cast the second element in the south, travel around the complete circle and place the element symbol on your altar, cast the third element in the west, travel around the complete circle and place the element symbol on your altar, cast the fourth element in the north, and place the element symbol on your altar (going directly to the altar).

Many Witches end the casting with a ritual at the altar. Often this involves invoking the spirit of life as represented by salt (such as pouring salt). And usually this ends with a dedication or prayer to your deity (or deities). If the circle will be used for casting magick, then you might want to dedicate the circle to a God or Goddess associated with the kind of magick you will be performing. If the circle will be used for a holy day, then you will want to dedicate the circle to the Gods or Goddesses associated with that holy day. Of course, it is always appropriate to dedicate your circles to your personal God or Goddess (or both) for any purpose.

Your magick is done inside the circle. You should not cross the line of the circle except for emergencies. If you have to cross the line of the circle for an emergency, you should perform a ritual to “repair” the circle at your earliest convenience — and before casting any new circle (the “repair” ritual does not have to be in the same location, although that is better).

When you are done, you need to ritually take down the circle. This can be simple or elaborate. Often it involves going three times in the opposite direction as the casting (usually counterclockwise). Often there is a thanking in each direction (instead of a calling) — either thanking the element or thanking the deity (if you called on a deity for each direction).

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my name is Excaliber i just read the directions for Basic Circle Castings. I found it to to be interesting but a little confusing.

To cast a circle is to place a protective energy barrier around you and anything else you need to have in the circle with you.

To start your cast you should ground and center then gather some energies to use for the casting. Pick up the tool in which you want to use for the casting. This can a wand, knife, finger, etc. You may start in the north or east depending on your liking. There you will cast the energies you gathered into a ring around you. Point your tool outward and walk clockwise around your circle moving through each direction. You may need more than one pass depending on what you feel. You can also do this in your mind when there is no room to walk the circle.

To open the circle back up take a broom and sweep the circle open moving in a clockwise manor.

You know a circle doesn't just have to be cast, many people believe that their body is this sacred space, and casting a circle is unnecessary, wherev. But I always recommend a circle, just in case.

I remembered someone saying that the original post was confusing, so I decided to copy and paste my article of Casting and Dismissing the Circle from the General info thread as a response here. Maybe this will clear up any confusion.
The original article was about circle castings, what they are used for etc, not really the actual casting like Below. Hope this helps.

Circle Casting and Dismissal.


First- Start by determining how big your space needs to be. If you are solitary it usually doesn't need to be more than 3 feet, but if you wish to work with something bigger, that's ok too.

Next- Figure out where your Circle should be cast. Are you doing this in your room, outside, and if so where.

Then- Which direction will your circle face? The circle is almost always oriented to the four cardinal points.

Once you get the first three steps out of the way, get all your tools, and anything else you need together and place it within the boundary of where your circle will be. You want everything inside before you cast so you don't have to run all over the place like a chicken with it's head cut off.

Now you can actually cast your circle.

But how exactly is this done? For the purposes here, I'll describe a solitary circle casting as this is the internet and most of the people here are solitares. I will also include the calling of the quarters.

You can begin by marking the circle out if you want, whether by candles, or just keeping the image of how big you want your circle in your mind. There are many methods to this, but candles and visualization are usually the best if you are secretive about it all.

Go ahead and call your quarters, and if you chose to mark with candles, light them as you come to each quater (please note this is only one way to do this, that doesn't mean you have to do it this way), starting in the East.

''Guardians of the East, I call upon you
to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven.
Powers of knowledge and wisdom, guided by Air,
we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle.
Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust.''

South:
''Guardians of the South, I call upon you
to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven.
Powers of energy and will, guided by Fire,
we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle.
Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust.''

West:
''Guardians of the West, I call upon you
to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven.
Powers of passion and emotion, guided by Water,
we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle.
Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust.''

North:
''Guardians of the North, I call upon you
to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven.
Powers of endurance and strength, guided by Earth,
we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle.
Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust.''

Now take up your athame (your index and middle together if you don't have one) and stand in the northeast point of your circle. Visualize an electric blue energy just for the circle, moving it's way from your chest, down your arms, and through the athame and hovering just an inch or two above the ground. Walk sunwise (or clockwise as an alternative) and let this blue light flow through you and out to hover above the ground as you walk the area of your circle. Go all the way around, and make sure to overlap a bit at the starting point so that your circle is closed. From here raise the light to form a complete sphere around your area, as well as below it.

Then you can go about your ritual or spell.

This circle is for you to work without distraction, and within yet without, time and space itself. It helps you to focus your energy that you raise within it, and to direct it towards your goal.


To dismiss the circle, You need to dismiss elements and deities if you call them. Then you will start at the Northeast corner again. This time instead of sending out the electric blue light, you will be reabsorbing it. Draw the light up and through your athame back into you. Walk counter clockwise (also known as widdershins) around the circle until you once again, over lap. You can say something to the effect of ''May the Circle be Open yet Remain unbroken''

Ground and Center then do you clean up.

I use a slightly modified version of the method above. I quite like it.

A lot of people use this method, or a slightly modified one. I'm one who teaches practicality and to keep things simple, so I really like this method.