This is the fifth 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. In part 4, we covered Cakes & Wine, Farewell to the Gods and Lowering the Cone of Power. If you are not familiar with these, I highly recommend that you go read them before attempting to use the information in this post.
Opening the Circle
Starting in the east, take your Athame, wand or index finger and walk the perimeter of your area one time, blade pointed down at the circle, and walk along the boundary of your circle. As you walk the perimeter, draw up the energy you laid down when setting the circle and returning it to the earth. Visualize this happening as you go. As you walk say:
I release thee, O Circle of power, you that wast a meeting place of love and joy and truth,
a shield against all wickedness and evil,
a boundary between the world of man and the realm of the mighty ones,
A rampart and a protection that preserved and contained the power that we raised within thee.
Therefore do I bless and release thee.
As My Will, So Mote It Be!
The Circle boundary is now removed.
Farewell to the Watchtowers
Here you will need to use the appropriate Banishing Pentagram at each quarter, so let’s review this. Each element, and so each Quarter, has both an invoking and banishing pentagram. The invoking one is used here to call the Quarters when setting up the circle and the banishing one is used to release the Quarters at the closing of a circle.
As shown in the diagram below, to draw an Air Banishing Pentagram, you start at point 4, then draw over to point 5, then continue to points1, 2, 3, and then back to point 4. As you do, see the energy line that you drew there when setting the Quarter being drawn into your athame, wand or finger and returning to the earth, draining out of you. After that, starting at point #2, draw a clockwise circle around where the pentagram once was and again see the energy you put there being drawn into your athame, wand or finger and being returned to the earth.
Starting at the East, do this at each quarter in turn, East, South, West and North, using the correct Banishing Pentagram at each Quarter. After drawing the Pentagram, say,
Hail ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the (Eastern, Southern, Western, Northern) quadrant.
I thank thee for thy attendance and protection this might, And bid thee a farewell as you return to your Lovely realm.
May there always be peace between thee and me.
Blessed Be!
After the North, return to the East and raise your athame, wand or finger to the Quarter, completing the circle and acknowledging the completeness of the work. The four Quarters are now released and thanked.
Check to see if any in the circle are retaining more energy than they need, or are lacking energy that they need and if so, balance them out. Release any remaining energy and then face the altar and say:
The circle is open, yet unbroken! Merry meet, merry part, And merry meet again.
Clap loudly three times. The circle is now open and your rite completed.
So there it all is, the casting and releasing of a magic circle, the real thing. This is the basis of almost every work you will do in your magical career, so it cannot be overstated how important it is to practice until you know it and can do it as easily as riding a bike. This should become automatic for you, like tying your shoe.
When I was training for my first degree, my Priestess had us do this ritual at least once a day, every day. To test us, we would have to cast a circle in class, in front of everyone. After that, everyone would point out what needed improvement. That wasn’t much fun but you learned how to cast a circle really, really well. And it’s served me well over the years.
So try doing a circle a day. With practice, it shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes from set up to break down.
Thanks for reading this post, I hope it’s useful to you. Any questions, please leave them in the comments and I’ll get to them as soon as I can.
Blessed Be
Sterling Knight
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