I was wondering how you all do your circles, i.e., if you like to dress up for a circle or if you do a circle alone...
I, personally, like to wear a simple but nice-looking dress when I cast a circle, and since I don't have any friends, I do my circles alone. I usually like to include Spirit in my circle, as a kind of closing element, I also find it kind of boosts the energy.
So, if you want to, go ahead and talk about your circle. I love hearing how individual magicians do their work.
Re: Personal Circles By: Weatherwax / Knowledgeable
Post # 2 Sep 28, 2017
In my personal practice, I do it simple - it takes a couple of minutes and usually involves walking around singing a song based on what my intent is.
In my 'Coven' I use that word loosely here for a group of a practitioners, not a legitimate Coven. We take about 10 to 20 minutes to cast our circle, we set the space together, placing candles at each of the Cardinal Directions and we call to the elements and welcome them, introduce ourselves and state our intent and welcome each other in - then we actually cast the circle in a very simple way - through holding each others hands and looking into the other persons eyes - it's a lengthy process and for a very good reason.
Circle casting to works isn't just for consecrating/blessing/protecting the space - it's the Introduction to a long essay - you are getting yourself into the place and mind frame, the human mind likes to work on triggers - certain colours, words and acts trigger different states and feelings - so the point of the Circle is not just to Bless the space, but also to bring you into the mindframe for the work.
A good example is you and wearing your nice dress, it tells your Mind/body 'Right, I am wearing the special dress, I am going into this -mode-' and you become more focused on your intent.
Circles aren't always needed though - thankfully, I don't want to have to lay a full circle, call the elements and do other business for a simple work - sometimes just picking up the candle you usually use for Circles and lighting it is enough to put you into the mindset.
I don't do circles anymore as I don't really have time in my practice to do so (it's more of a thing on the fly for me), but I used to do circles.
I didn't dress up or anything. I would only settle up my altar and candles and with the four cardinal candles and the God and Goddess candles (this was when I was a solitary Wiccan) I would start to light them up calling upon them to protect the circle and "round it up" three times counterclockwise to open and clockwise to close (I'm on the Southern Hemisphere).
Considering that my main method of practice is through energy working, I only have built a circle when i was really wanting to put some intense energy behind what I was trying to accomplish. Most often I find it sufficient to do a meditation on channeling and building up positive energy and a visualization of having 'radiant light'. It was a practice I adapted from the idea of a healer developing 'radiant health', where a person becomes so healthful and practiced in connecting to healing energy that it radiates from them constantly.
When I build a circle I look to my current knowledge and understanding, instinct, intuition, and whatever tools I have on hand at the moment to connect myself with the intent. Because I recognize magic and knowledge as fluid, I build from scratch every time.
The last time I drew a circle, it was for a protective banishing. I have a cherished sword that has been anointed by my blood and dragon's blood resin, and is blessed and awakened. I was in a house basement at the time and couldn't physically draw the circle, so I stood in an open space and built it as a mental construct. Because of this I kept it a simple circle with nothing drawn inside or around it.
Instead of the tradition of calling the corners I wanted to draw on personal power and authority. So I called to the lessons of my past lives, the wisdom of my guide, the light of my higher self, and the experience of my ancestors.
At other times I have used a rawhide drum I have to center and focus. I connect very well with drums and they bring about a natural mental focus and intensity. I like to refer to it as listening to the heartbeat of the earth. Again I tend to keep things simple and direct by just making a simple one line circle. Sometimes I will draw a dragon's eye as well. It was one of the first sigils I learned so it became my go-to for representing external energy gathered into one point. Either way I just sit in the center, hit out a constant beat, close my eyes, and listen until I can feel the beat through my body.
