Dear Friends,
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that I often give the instruction to “cast a circle as you normally would†before launching into ritual. You may have wondered what a circle is and why it is important in magick. In magickal practice, or any type of spiritual practice, it’s as basic as learning the ABCs. Casting a circle is not just something to be taken lightly. Even though I sometimes gloss over the process when I write of rituals, it doesn’t mean it’s significance is any less than that of the actual ritual. My gloss over from time to time is simply a result of having this part of the process so ingrained into my understanding that I tend to forget that I need to explain it.
Circles are cast in order to protect you (psychically) from dark forces that you can be susceptible to during your magickal work. By dark forces, I mean that there is dark and light to everything….and that includes energy and spirit. When you put yourself into a highly positive spiritual state, like you do when you are doing spellwork, while you are meditating or while you are attempting to do psychic work, you are sending out a little beacon to the dark that exists around you. Your normal psychic defenses are incapacitated on these moments. When you open yourself up to being spiritual, you are relinquishing control over your life. It’s a state of being “open.†Casting a circle ensures that you are opening yourself to the right types of things.
Being a wise Pagan, I’m sure you always cast a circle before you start magickal work. But if you don’t the time to start is now. A circle is like a psychic shield that goes out and prevents anything that you do not want from coming in. It’s like a sandbox. You decide what comes in that you want to “play†with, and everything else stays out according to your will. Casting a circle is the most basic and most important type of protective magick.
It’s vitally important that you cleanse yourself and your space, cast a protective circle and then do your magick. Doing it in this fashion will help you stay safe while you open yourself psychically and spiritually. Before doing a ritual, you should also take some steps to cleanse and clear yourself from any “residue†you may be carrying from the outside world. Take a ritual cleansing bath, immerse yourself in incense or sprinkle yourself with some salt water.
Some could argue that the act of making a circle is more psychological than physical. And there’s definitely some validity to that point. I can’t physically see my circle. I can feel the subtle vibration of energy around me. And I feel the energy flowing between me and the rest of the room. But I’m not sure if my circle would stand up to scientific tests. That being said, there’s no reason why a circle shouldn’t work…even if it is just psychological and not physical.
Drawing out the circle and taking the steps to make it “real†to you is a powerful action, whether it is physical or not. When you create the circle you are declaring that “this†is in your control. The space inside of the circle is under your command. Anything outside of the circle that you do not want to come in is not welcome. You decide what enters your space. This declaration combined with the physical action of walking around your circle signals your subconscious mind that something special is happening and that this time needs to be revered.
Creating a circle is creating a shift in your mind. So much of the time, we walk through life without taking notice of what is really happening around us. We live half lives with our energy scattered here and there. We don’t realize the impact that our energy has until we focus it. Rituals help focus our energy, and it all starts with casting a circle.
Casting a circle should be done before every ritual, spellwork or even meditation. I know many people, including myself, that do a modified circle casting before we read tarot cards. This was we can focus our attentions and block negative energies from entering the space.
Begin your circle casting by purifying the area with sprinkled salt water. Walk the boundary of your circle and sprinkle the water as you go. Then ask for protective spirits to enter and stand watch over the circle. Many people call upon the elementals to serve this purpose. You could used Christian images, like angels, or specific Gods from a pantheon that you are attracted to.
Once you call in the protectors, you’re ready to being doing the work that you are intending to do. This may include invoking the God and Goddess for an elaborate ritual, or doing something as simple as telling your own fortune with some runes. Whatever the purpose, you can go foreward knowing that you are adequately protected.
Brightest Blessings,
Rose Ariadne
Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”
I still have not recieved my stuff can u please send it to me
Thank you so much for your info on circle-casting. I so very much appreciate you and am looking forward to receiving all of your informative “blogs” along with all the other info you email. You are truly a “Warm and Caring Resident Witch in Charge!”