This is the fourth 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. In part 3, we learned how to raise a Cone of Power and how to Call the Gods. If you are not familiar with these, I highly recommend that you go read them before attempting to use the information in this post.
Cakes & Wine (if needed)
What is the Cakes & Wine? If you have called the Gods in your ritual, it’s a way to honor them, to share with them and grow closer to them. It’s literally sharing some sort of food, often small cakes (or cookies, bread etc.) and some sort of drink, often wine. It can be another type of drink, if you prefer, or have a non-alcoholic option for those who don’t drink. This part of a ritual is also a great way to relax or unwind after hard work in the ritual and for all involved to grow closer as well. If you are working alone, you needn’t celebrate the Cakes & Wine, but you always can.
You do need to note that once food and drink is blessed, it needs to be consumed in the ritual, so don’t go blessing a big jug if you don’t intend to drink it all. Remember that this is not a feast, but just a sharing. Feast after the circle is down.
Some sanitary considerations need to be mentioned here. I remember a time when a single cup of wine would be blessed and then passed around the circle with everyone taking a sip. Ahh, for those days! But then came the HIV scare, when no one was sure entirely how it was passed, and just plain clods, the flu, etc. and this was generally stopped as a common practice.
Today it’s Covid and RSV and who knows what it’ll be tomorrow. So everyone should have their own cup, ideally their consecrated chalice. If not, any cup will do but please, no plastic. Plastic simply adds an uncertain energy that should be avoided in circle.
I’d suggest that if you have a group in your circle, I suggest that you bless the wine in your cup as shown below and then go around the circle pouring a little bit into everybody else’s chalice, filling theirs with unblessed wine, so they will then have a cup of blessed wine. Adding blessed wine to unblessed wine makes the whole thing blessed. As for the cakes, it’s a good idea to set aside a plate to be used for just that purpose only.
When your purpose work is done, you would then bless the cakes and wine before serving. The following is an example of a blessing.
Oh God and Goddess of magnificence and joyous strength
Cast now thy blessings on this feast of sacrament
That we may honor thee, and learn of thy mysteries of life,
And the Magick of the earth. We ask that you join us in this feast.
Blessed Be!
Then draw three Earth Banishing Pentagram over the cakes and wine and distribute them around the circle in a clock-wise direction, starting in the East.
After you have served the cakes and wine, and everyone has eaten and is ready, you can then begin taking down the circle. A circle is taken down in the exact opposite order from casting it (walk in, back out).
Farewell to those Invoked/Evoked
Any entity called must be released. In the case of Deity, think of it as a "Farewell." Of course, you have no real control over the actions of a God, but it seems terribly rude not to say good-bye, doesn’t it? Here are examples of farewells to generic deities.
Farewell to the Goddess
Great Goddess, Mighty Mother, Oh, She of a thousand names
Whom we have sought since the beginning of time.
My thanks to you for having come to us this night from so far
Return to your home now, or stay with us here if you wish.
Hail and farewell, Blessed Be!
Farewell to the God
Great God, Mighty Father, Oh, He of a thousand names
Whom we have sought since the beginning of time.
Our thanks to thee for coming to us from afar.
Return to your home now, or stay with us here if you wish.
Hail and farewell, Blessed Be!
Taking Down the Cone of Power
Working Alone
Again, visualize the tip of the cone. See or sense your cone. Reach up to the topmost tip of the Cone and detach it from the infinate point to which it was connected. Slowly, pull the energy down through your body. See it unravel, melt or whatever visualization works best for you. Absorb what energy you need to revitalize yourself and let the rest slowly go down through your body, into your roots and from there into the earth.
Make sure all excess energy is grounded thoroughly through you and from you before proceeding. Then visualizing the roots extending into the earth, see or sense them either slowly returning into your body or disconnecting from the base of your body and slowly melting into the earth.
Working In A Group
Directed by the one who led the raising on the Cone, have everyone stand on the edge of the circle and hold hands, right hand up, left hand down. Now say:
Look now up to the infinite point to which the Cone is attached, and gently detach it. Now reach behind you where the cone is attached to the circle and gently detach it. See the rotating energy of the Cone start to come slowly downwards. Lower and lower it comes, past the high clouds, down through the atmosphere. Slowly and smoothly, it comes lower yet, past the low clouds and the high mountains, down to the tree tops, down to the roof tops. See it now at the level of the tops of your heads, spinning gently. If you need some energy, feel free to take some portion of it and allow the rest to start to return to the earth through the roots in your feet. When all that energy is returned to the earth, scuff your feet to detach the roots and see them melt back into the earth.
Take a deep breath, release your hands and open your eyes, if they’re closed. The Cone is down.
All right then, the Cakes & Wine have been celebrated, Farewell has been said to the Gods and the Cone of Power has been lowered. In the next and final installment, we’ll learn how to release the Watchtowers and Open the Circle. And that’ll be the whole thing, how to cast and open a Circle. As I’ve said, this is the basic act of magic that all practitioners need to know how to do and do well. By that I mean you need to practice this until you can do it as easily and naturally as getting dressed. I can’t emphasize that enough. Practice, practice, practice.
Thanks so much for reading this post and indeed, this entire series. We're almost finfished here so hang on, you can do this! Please leave your comments, suggestions and opinions in the comments section. I'll talk to you in the next and final installment of this series. You can also subscribe to get our monthly newsletter with news on upcoming posts, and events, plus additional articles on magic. Until then, be well and healthy.
Blessed Be
Sterling Knight
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