The Magick Circle One of the most common questions I am asked is about casting circles (the even more popular one would have to be the difference between Wicca and Witchcraft....this one to be answered somewhere else..) There are many reasons for casting a circle, depending on who you talk to. Casting a circle is creating sacred space wherever you are, making that space separate from the mundane. Some cast a circle to contain energy, some to keep unwanted energy out. Some cast circles as way to get into a certain frame of mind for what they plan on doing. A circle can be cast in many ways as well. Some do it with great pomp and circumstance, really hauling out the ceremonial magic, others simply acknowledge the elements and directions, and some simply just create a line within their mind. Some people only cast circles when working with groups and never when they are working by themselves (which describes most Traditional Witches). What you choose to do is up to you, as each of these ways is perfectly valid. Any Wiccan book can give you the fancy version of casting a circle, I will try to provide for you some simple ways of creating sacred space through circle casting so that you can develop your own personal style. Most people use the elements and directions in some way. They are : East/Air, South/Fire, West/Water, and North/Earth. . You can also say above and below, all of these bound by Spirit. Depending on where you live, you can alter the correspondences to match. Living in New England, I find the ones as I listed them to work the best Circles are usually cast in a clockwise direction, following the elements and directions in the order previously listed. Clockwise motion, also known as deosil, is usually used most often because it is thought to be a direction of increase. Counterclockwise, or widdershins, is a direction of banishing, decreasing. Many traditions start with the East, for either direction. Circles can be cast in any place that has suitable room for your purposes. However, I discourage casting a circle anywhere near where you sleep. This cannot be avoided for a lot of teens that practice Witchcraft unbeknownst to their parents, but if another space is available, then use it. Someone who cannot properly regain energy after being interrupted in the middle of doing something within circle can have an energy problem. The best place is a private place. Now, if you like a visual circle, you'll need to collect a few things, at least 4 -5 candles in holders (votives in glass are fine)---you can use all one color, or have a special color for each direction/element. To get a bit more fancy, you can have an object that represents the element at each corner as well. If the surface provides, you can physically draw a circle out with a wand or athame, or the blessed piece of chalk *grin*. Set up the candles in each appropriate corner, and if you're going to have an altar, or some place of focus, place a fifth candle here. Now, you are going to evoke the direction and element...you can do this vocally or mentally. Some people like to also invoke a deity that is associated with that direction or element as well, so how you go about it depends on what feels right to you. Here are a few examples for each direction: "I call upon the guardian of the East and the element of Air to enter this circle, and be witness t o and aid in my purpose here tonight--so mote it be!" "I call upon the spirit of the South, the element of Fire to become part of this circle! Dhavata, goddess of the hearth fire, warm us with your wisdom and insight this evening, light our path! So mote it be!" "I call upon the direction of the West and the life-giving element of Water. Bless us with your powers of rebirth and change! So mote it be!" "I call upon the watchtowers of the North, direction of the mysterious and unseen, place of Earth, from which all things come. Cernunnos, the Horned One of the forest, bless us with your presence and preside over our circle tonight! So mote it be! Now, if I have gone to the lengths of casting a circle like this, I like to call upon the fifth element, which is Spirit (the Divine) itself...that spark of life that connects us all. Simply follow any of the guidelines above for this. Another idea is to simply call the elements and directions, then when you get to Spirit, invoke a deity, or multiple deities at this point. If you Śre working in a large enough space, it would be good to travel around your circle to each of the points as you say the incantations. If you wish to draw a circle physically, I suggest after walking around the circle and doing the fifth, walk around your circle three times, drawing your circle out, and then decree that the circle is now closed, between the worlds. You now do whatever your purpose was for casting the circle in the first place. When finished, thank each of the elements and directions.