Circle
Title: Circle Casting, Scarlet Style
Author: Scarlet
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Here is the method I use to open and close circles:
I cover any clocks and remove my watch so as not to be distracted by the sight of normal mundane
time passing while in the timelessness of my sacred space. I might choose to place emblems of the
elementals in the four directions, perhaps a stone for Earth in the north, a feather for Air in the east,
incense for Fire in the south and a shell for Water in the west.
I use my dagger (some call it an athame, but I don’t, and a wand is another option) to salute each
elemental, starting with the earth elemental in the north. I invite the Earth elemental in (“In the name
of the Earth and the North Wind, I cast this Circle”), feel it coming towards me and occupying the space
around me and then I move to create part of my circle with the dagger until I reach the next one and
the next one in turn. When the circle is almost complete, I stop, I sort through the energies around
me and I invite the final elemental of Spirit in. This could includes any deities or specific entities I might
desire to work with. I let the spirits know that any who love me may enter my circle and any who do not
love me must wait outside the boundry (perhaps love is not necessary for a particular working for some
reason, in which case, I might simply suggest that anything that wishes me harm should stuff it and
anything else is welcome). When I feel that the circle is saturated, I “seal” it, creating the finished
foggy blue sphere or dome of light and energy around me, the sacred space in which I will work full
of the spirits and energies I have invited while anything unwelcome, if any such thing were present,
would have to slog hopelessly around in the slow-moving energy outside the boundry, waiting until the
circle is broken. At this time, I often start with a meditation to balance and ground myself and to enjoy
the company and communion of the spirits around me.
When I’m thoroughly finished with my task inside the circle, I pause to thank the entities present for
being there, then I cut my circle at the point where it was sealed and send them on their way. I then
salute and thank each of the elementals in reverse order, ending in the north. I then feel comfortable
stepping outside the circle to clean up my working. I’ll grab my broom (some call it a besom, I don’t
and sometimes I just use a handful of grasses or something if I’m outdoors) and sweep away the
remnants of the blue light-energy, sending them back into the balance of the universe, often not even
touching the floor, just sweeping the air around me.
If I’m indoors, I go around the room making noise, drumming, shouting, banging on furniture, ringing a
bell or clapping my hands, covering all the corners and crannies in an effort to scare up and herd any
lingering uninvited spirits that have tucked themselves away towards the door and out of the house.
It’s a cleansing technique I learned when trying to shoo my mother’s cats out of the ritual room one
day… I found that the commotion not only sent the cats a-running, but I also noticed a clearing effect,
the room seemed neutralized, pointedly empty, as if something unseen had been startled away with
the cats. This could be done prior to any ritual as well, but some spirits that could be allies, especially,
I’m told, the faerie folk, don’t like such noise and also flee, so I try to let any that happen to be around
stay for the ritual and shoo them out afterwards to go do their thing. It’s also a grounding technique.
Loud sounds like drumming or clapping help return you to your immediate physical surroundings,
always helpful after working in the sacred space of a circle.
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lilacphilex@yahoo.com
Author: Scarlet