The Casting Of The Circle:
In witchcraft the circle is used for several purposes, mainly though for containing enrgy and power raised and also to keep away any unwelcome or unwanted influences. The circle is a scared space shared with witches and is the boundary of a place "between the worlds" where witches meet "in perfect love and perfect trust". The circle is cast at the start of a ritual, sometimes by the priest and/or priestess alone and it can, if required, have a "doorway" ritually cut in it to allow someone to enter or leave later.
How it's done (this is a very elaborate way to do it, virtually guaranteed "belt and braces" wey to get the job done):
The athame is charged with the four elements:
| (Touching pentacle) | I call on earth to bind the spell |
| (Waved in the air) | Air to speed its travel well |
| (Held in incense smoke) | Bright as fire may it glow |
| (Dipped into the cup) | Deep as tides of water flow |
| (Held upright) | Charged
by powers all four fold In the fifth the circle hold |
The circle is drawn 3 times deosil beginning in the east using blue visualised energy and then spinning bands of white light - sometimes salt is used to mark out the edge of the circle or just sprinkled around the boundary as the caster proceeds. The following chant can be used:
| Spirits black, white, red and grey | |
| Harken to this rune I say | |
| Four points the circle weave the spell | |
| East, South, West, North the tale to tell | |
| East is red for break of day | |
| South is white for noontide hour | |
| In the west is twilight grey | |
| The north is black, the place of power | |
| Three times round the circle cast | |
| Ancient spirits of the past | |
| Witness it and guard it fast! |