Casting a Wiccan Circle
The Creation of a Magic Protective Circle for Subsequent Rites
For a long time society as a whole had simply decided to shun anything having to do with witchcraft, as there was no way to govern it. It was a force, nothing more. A force that had been mistaken as inherently evil or wrong, when in reality any harmful effect magic may have had was the result of the spell caster’s will, not the power itself. The promise of power in magic can be seductive, and many have fallen to its siren song in the past.
Wiccan Religion
The Wiccan religion had to emphasize morality for this very reason. Once the Wiccan’s character has been established and the warnings of possible dangers are taken to heart, the first thing a Wiccan is taught is how to open or create a circle. This circle is meant to create a spatial void in which magic can be worked without outward distraction by natural energies or evil spirits.
An imported Hermeticist equivalent is to actually draw a circle which clearly defines a free and empty space in which to work. This is believed to work just as well, but traditionalist Wiccans will often prefer to go with this other option as it requires little in the way of materials and aids one in focusing the mind prior to spell casting. One will only need an athame, which is a ritual sword or knife.
Opening The Circle
To cast a circle before casting a spell, one must first find an open space to work. Face east and draw a pentacle in the air with your athame. To do this one should hold the athame forward and slightly to the right at shoulder height, bring it diagonally down to then left at hip height, then diagonally up to head height, then diagonally down to then right at hip height, then diagonally up to the left at shoulder height, then straight across to the right where the ritual blade first started.
With this done one should hold the athame in both hands upright, slightly tipped forward, and speak the words loudly and clearly “Masters of the Watchtowers of the East, Masters of Air; I do wake and summon you up to witness my works and to guard the Circle”.
Turning south, to the right, one repeats drawing the pentacle. While holding the athame as described one says “Masters of the Watchtowers of the South, Masters of Fire; I do wake and summon you up, to bare witness to my works and to guard the Circle”.
Turning west, to the right, one repeats drawing the pentacle. While holding the athame as described one says “Masters of the Watchtowers of the West, Masters of Water; I do wake and summon you up, to bare witness to my works and to guard the Circle”.
Turning north, to the right, one repeats drawing the pentacle. While holding the athame as described one says "Masters of the Watchtowers of the North, Masters of Earth; I do wake and summon you up, to bare witness to my works and to guard the Circle”.
With the circle cast one may now go about working the spell in safety. In order to make a bigger circle to work in, one should simply pace out to any distance wished when calling each of the watchtowers instead of standing in the same spot. When finished one must bring down or open the circle before leaving, which is the second thing a Wiccan should learn.
