This is the third in a series on how to cast a magic circle in a correct and effective manner. As I said in the first installment, there are many ways to cast a circle that are effective. This is a method I was taught when I was first studying witchcraft, and it is a solid, proven method. With this method, you can cast a circle that can be used for almost any purpose or working, regardless of pantheons or intent, short of a working intended to cause real harm to another or others.
In earlier posts I discussed how to construct an altar and, in part 1 of this series, how to cleanse your ritual area. In part 2, we learned how to call the Watchtowers and how to lay the circle. If you are not familiar with these, I highly recommend that you go read them before attempting to use the information in this post.
Here in Part 3, we will, as the title says, Learn how to raise the cone of power and how to call the Gods. I can tell you the forms to use, the motions to go through and the visualizations needed. The difficult part of this is that this alone is not enough. You’ll need to empower those visualizations, add power to them to make them actual, and that is something where a simple description falls a bit short. You’ll need to make these methods real, by the power of your own visualizations and by pushing energy into them.
It’s easy to fool yourself when first learning these techniques into thinking you are doing more then you really are, if you’re doing anything at all. When I normally teach these things to students, I do it in person so that I am there and can tell whether they are really doing something and help them in the process. So you are going to have to being the one who makes that call.
You’ll need to find within yourself the truth of what you are accomplishing, and tweak your visualizations and work to improve it, if needed. I wish I could be there to help, but this is the method we’ve got. Be honest with yourself, be willing to admit it if you haven’t got it yet and know that you can and will get it, with practice and work.
Raising the Cone of Power
So just what is a “Cone of Power?” The cone of power or simply the cone is composed of energy that provides both a source of power and a way of focusing your work. Think of it as a construct of energy that is shaped like an ice cream cone. The rim sits on the circle that you have and is attached to it. The point of the cone extends upwards to infinity. The energy is white and rotate in a clock-wise direction. Techniques vary and you will eventually find a method that best suits your personal needs and talents. We’ll go over two different methods here: one for working alone and one for working in a group. They are very similar in many ways.
Working Alone
Stand before your altar, in your bare feet, and relax. Allow your shoulder to sag and all the tension of your body release and flow down your body from top to bottom and finally allow the tension to flow into the floor or ground, becoming separate from your body. When you are quite relaxed, think of the soles of your feet.
Imagine roots extending from your feet (if standing) or spine (if sitting) into the earth. See them growing into the Earth, going deep. Go deep. See these roots going down through the layers of soil, through the layers of rock, through layers of the Earth’s crust. See the roots approaching the ball of white energy at the very center of the Earth. Now attach them to that ball of light, and feel the energy in it.
As you do, feel and see the energy start to flow easily back up the roots, back up the strata, rocks and soil, until it starts to enter your feet, to raise up into your body. Draw up that pure white light from the earth into your body. See the energy raising up out of your head and going up and up, to the highest point there is directly above you, to infinity and attaching there.
Once attached, start to slowly move that beam of white energy as though it was a pendulum going clock-wise. Move it slowly at first and then faster and fast until it swings out from your body and reaches the circle you drew. Keeping it at the diameter of the circle, move it faster and faster until it becomes a blur, a solid form of energy forming a cone reaching from infinity overhead to the circle you created. Firmly visualize this cone of energy and strengthen it until it feels as though it is a solid object. Relax for a few minutes, visualizing your cone and reinforcing it before proceeding.
Working In A Group
One person needs to lead this working, to coordinate the participants and keep them together. Use a calm voice that can be heard by all. The one leading this needs to be in the center of the circle. Have everyone stand at the perimeter of the circle and hold hands with each other, right hand up, left hand down. The one leading this will need to feel the energies of each one, and the flow of the energies around the circle. If needed, they will need to smooth those flows and make them even. This takes practice and the ability to feel those energies. When ready, say:
Imagine roots extending from your feet (if standing) or spine (if sitting) into the earth. See them growing into the Earth, going deep. Go deep. See these roots going down through the layers of soil, through the layers of rock, through layers of the Earth’s crust. See the roots approaching the ball of white energy at the very center of the Earth.
Now attach them to that ball of light, and feel the energy in it. As you do, feel and see the energy start to flow easily back up the roots, back up the strata, rocks and soil, until it starts to enter your feet, to raise up into your body. Draw up that pure white light from the earth into your body. Fill your body with that energy to the very top.
Now start to hand that energy off to the person on your left gently, and accept it from the person on your right. Feel and see that pure white light start to flow around the circle, person to person, in a clock-wise direction. Slowly at first and then faster and faster until it starts to flow in a solid wall of white light, humming with power.
Feel it flowing faster and faster until the wall of power starts to rise up above your heads. Push it faster now and see it rising higher and higher. Continue this until the wall reaches the top point of the cone at an infinite point directly overhead. Attach the energy at that point and feel the strong, powerful, protective energy, solid and impenetrable. Relax for a few minutes, strengthening your cone and reinforcing it before proceeding.
Invoking Deity
An invocation of a deity can be specific to a particular deity (i.e. Zeus, Hecate, Geb, or Freyja), or for a more general form of deity (The Great Mother, The Horned God, etc). An invocation needs to include calls to that deity: descriptions, names, attributes and others. Here I include examples of invocations to generalized forms of deity which you can use, or write your own. If your invocation is to a particular deity, do some research to make sure your call to them is appropriate or you can get a pretty confusing response. Think of it as a phone number, you need to use the right one.
Invoking the God
Great God, Mighty Father, Oh, He of a thousand names
Whom we have sought since the beginning of time. Come to me this night.
Raise the power for this sacred rite, warm us with thy smile
And grant us the pleasure and peace of thy company.
Thy children within the circle stand to welcome thee.
Embrace us with thy powerful strength and bless this work we do in thy name.
I call to thee Mighty Lord, across time, across space, to this consecrated place.
I call thee, to share the magic of this moment
Hear my plea, my praise to thee! Come! Be here now Celestial Father.
Blessed Be!
Invoking the Goddess
Great Goddess, Mighty Mother, Oh, She of a thousand names
Whom we have sought since the beginning of time, come to me this night.
Raise the power for this sacred rite, refresh us with thy kiss
And grant us the pleasure and peace of thy company.
Thy children within the circle stand to welcome thee.
Nurture us within thy gentle embrace and bless this work we do in thy name.
I call thee beautiful Lady, across time, across space, to this consecrated place.
I call thee, to share the magic of this moment
Hear my plea, my praise to thee! Come! Be here now Celestial Mother.
Blessed Be!
It’s not uncommon to light a candle to the deity (Deity candles referenced in “Creating Your Witches Altar”) When invoking a deity. Do so. You should feel the presence of the deity/deities, a warm, comforting, strong presence.
Well there you are. Your circle is created, your cone is raised, deity is present, so it’s time to go ahead with your working, whatever that might be. It’s not always necessary to invoke deity every time you do a circle. A simple spell or such doesn’t require the presence of deity unless you want their approval of your working and it’s good to realize that they might not give it.
When you add deity to a spell working, you are basically saying that the decision of whether it will work as written is given over to that deity. And not all deities have the same opinion of your spell, whatever it might be. Do your research. Deity is needed at any sabbat, Full Moon or other such religious observance or blessings/consecrations. For spellwork, make your own choice.
I’d recommend that you hold off on casting circle until the rest of this series is posted because you don’t yet know how to properly take one down. In the next installment we’ll cover Cakes & Wine, saying farewell to Deity and taking down the cone of power.
Thanks so much for reading this post, I greatly appreciate it. Please feel free to add your comments and questions in the Comments section, plus any suggestions for subjects you'd like to see covered! And subscribe to get our Free monthly newsletter with upcoming happenings an tips on magic. I’ll see you then!
Blessed Be
Sterling Knight
