Magic Circles
A magic circle is a sacred space that is prepared for rituals or magic. The sexual act is just the sexual act, until it takes place inside a magic circle. Then it becomes the Great Rite, a ritual of the Goddess. Witches make magic circles and invoke the Lords of the Watchtowers because it works, because this is the best way to make magic. We make magic in circles because circles contain and amplify the power that we raise. Magicians and other practitioners make circles to protect themselves from the forces that magic can unleash. Magic is serious business, not something to be fooled around with unless you know what you are doing. A magic circle is made by by facing each of the cardinal points in turn and invoking a god or goddess of that direction. There is no right or wrong way to do this, just whatever feels proper to you. A magic circle can exist in your mind or have physical reality. It can be a physical circle of earth, candles, sand, shells, stones, bones, glitter, chalk marks or anything else that appeals to you. It could also, like mine, be a circle described in the air with incense, a sword or a wand. Circular clearings in forests or groves are excellent places for magic. If I lived in the country I would plant a circle of trees and add a slab of rock for an altar. A circle of standing stones, like a miniature Stonehenge, would also be great. Your circle is your own, it can be made anywhere. If you feel threatened in public, you can visualize a sphere arouund you that blocks all negative energies - this is often one of the best methods for shielding yourself.
You can create your own circle ritual, or use one found in a book or on the Web. The invocations should be made aloud. These can be very simple:
"Hail to the Lord/Lady of the Watchtower of the _______."
Or they can be quite elaborate, naming the deity and the powers he or she represents:
"Hail Isis, Queen of the South, gentle Lady whose strength is love. Let your spirit inform this circle, add your will to mine."
You can write your own prayer or invocation with the information given here. Prayers from The Book of the Dead included for each direction could serve as circle invocations.
Have everything you need for
the spell or ritual ready in the place where you will make a circle. No one
should enter or leave a circle once it is cast, until the spell is finished and
the power has been grounded. Again, there are many ways to do this. I usually
open my palms, face down, and imagine the power flowing from me back into the
Earth. I say:
"Circle open / but unbroken.
Power down / to the ground."
Never forget this step, because omitting it can leave the Door open and cause strange things to happen. I made this mistake once, and once is enough.
Components in Casting a Circle
The instructions given here to make a circle are not all inclusive of every method used.
1. Clearing the Area
2. Calling the Corners
3. Creating the Sphere
4. Invoking Deity
5. Trance or Visualization
6. Raising the Cone of Power
7. Grounding the Energy
8. Opening the Circle
As magick works by visualizations made concrete in the material realm, by way of energy patterns, casting a circle is largely about imagination. Let's look at each component and find out why it is important.
Creating Sacred Space
All this requires is that you use any clarifying tool, or none at all, to aid you in clearing all negativity from the space you'd like to cast the circle. Some favorite tools and visualizations:
Besom, or broom used for ceremonial purposes. Imagine a layer of thick grey mist floating just above the floor. Sweep it away with the besom in slow methodical movements, not letting it touch the floor, untill you are certain that the site is clear of unwanted energy.
Incense. Imagine the tendrils of smoke as a snake, slithering sensually toward black pockets of air, scaring them and chasing them back. As the smoke disappears it forms an invisible barrier of scents that are impossible for unwanted energies to penetrate.
Salt. Take a bowl of salt water or rock salt, and sprinkle it around the area. Imagine all black or unwanted energy being sucked into the drops or rocks. They grow fat as the energy is digested.
The Elements (or the Powers of the Watchtowers)
Placement of the elements in the directions varies from tradition to tradition. Check up on the Directions page if you want to know which directions corresponds to which element.
Each element has certain associations with the way humans interact. Briefly, Earth is what we possess, what we build, and what we are able to maintain. Air is the way we communicate, our diverse interests, the way we move through life. Fire is passion, interests in religion and philosophy, and Water is our emotions, that which knows no logic.
We recognize the elements in ritual because they embody all that is nature. But, there is one more elemental component we must consider, spirit.
Spirit is difficult to define, but everyone knows exactly what it is. It is the center of the ritual circle, or the top and bottom. It is that which holds everything together, or, if one wants to use the symbolism of the pentacle, spirit is the top most point and the One, goddess, god, or both, is the circle which binds them all together. Spirit is conscious, it is morality, and it is the basic essence of life upon which all else is built. I consider love to be a spirit emotion, for it is the only one which makes you feel as bad as you do good, and you absolutely cannot control it. When you work with spirit you can easily become confused, so I suggest a deep understanding of the other elements first. Spirit is the sum of all things that cannot be defined.
Cast the Circle
This is my favorite sphere
creation visualization; I wish I remembered where I read it! Sit in the center
of the circle facing North. Breathe in through your nose and out through your
mouth, 
picturing
black smoke billowing out of your mouth at each exhalation, white light entering
your nostrils at each inhale. Slowly allow the energy within you build as all
tension leaves your body in the smoke. The smoke gets lighter and lighter, until
at last it is white. You are ready. Hold your power hand in a loose fist before
you, fingers pointed up. Focus all of the energy you have accumulated on to that
hand, letting it build in your fist. When you feel it is enough, open your hand.
See a stream of purple energy flow from your hand and form into a large,
protective sphere around you, marking the boundaries of the circle.
Invoking the Gods
From the time that humans first became aware of themselves they have been calling upon a higher power to help explain things. Development and civilization have not changed this ancient practice. I am assuming that most of us have prayed at some point during our lifetimes, and those who haven't probably have some idea how it's done. Call to the gods, praise them, and tell them why you have asked them. You may use whatever words you choose to do this, be it a planned and memorized script, or an impromptu outpouring of feeling. Do what feels most appropriate.
Trance
There are many good methods to try out there that will help you get into a magickal mood. Sometimes this is done before the ritual in a ritual bath. I recommend these books for having great meditations:
Love Magic-Marina Medici
The Spiral Dance-Starhawk
Wicca-For the Solitary Practitioner-Scott Cunningham
Raising the Cone of Power
Picture this...you are raising energy by drumming, chanting, etc., but where does it go? Why not above you, in the shape of a cone, so that when it's time to release it to do its work it will hit it's target with great accuracy. No big deal.
Grounding the Energy
Put your hands and feet flat on the ground or floor and feel all of the energy flowing out through your palms and soles untill you are left only with what you began with. Or try focusing your energy into a loadstone, also a very effective method.
Closing the Circle
Take your athame and cut an opening in the wall of the circle. Or, if you haven't got an athame (like me) take your less powerful hand and draw the energy back into yourself untill it is gone. Then say, "Circle open but unbroken, power down, unto the ground."