Magic Circle

The Purpose of a Magic Circle
The main reason you create a circle is to define your ritual area. This cleanses the area and creates a kind of barrier that keeps the energies your summon from spilling out before you can use them. The circle does not need to be physically represented (drawn or otherwise marked out), but many people find it to help. Easy ways are by sprinkling salt or drawing it in chalk.

Casting the Circle
Set up your altar and get your supplies. Once you've made the circle you shouldn't leave it until you're ready to close the circle. If you have any candles or incense you should light them now. Either use a ritual blade or your finger while visualizing a blade.

Walk the circumference of the circle tracing the edge with your blade and say: "With this sacred blade I cast the circle of my craft."

Stand at the altar (or circle center if not using an altar) and say: "In the names of the Goddess and the Horned God, I case this as my working circle."

Stand in the north and raise your blade high and call out: "Bear witness, Spirits of the North, guardians of Magic!"

Do this in the East, South, and West (in that order) and do the same calling out the correct direction.

Lower the tip of your blade (or finger) into a small bowl of salt and say: "I exorcise thee."

Then lower it into a small bowl of water and say: "I cleanse and consecrate thee."

Walk once more around the circle while holding the blade against your chest, pointing up, and then raise it high at the altar and say "So mote it be!"



** About saying "In the names of the Goddess and the Horned God," the idea is that you're calling forth both halves of nature: the male and female. You can do this however you want if you're not comfortable calling those names.

Closing a Circle
(respectfully tearing down the walls you made)

Go to the north and hold up your blade and say "Guardians of the North, my ritual is complete. I thank thee and bid thee farewell.

Do this in the West, South and East and call out the same in each direction. When done in the East, walk back to the North so that you've walked around the entire circle.

Go to the altar and extinguish any candles and incense still burning unless this ritual requires that they remain burning. If that's the case simply lower your head for a moment. Either way, say "I declare this circle closed. So mote it be!"