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How Do You Cast a Circle?

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 11:28 am
by Gray Pool
How does one cast a circle? I have heard someone saying they cast a circle in their shower but for all I know you need candles. Can someone please help?

Re: How do you cast a circle?

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 5:41 pm
by Heartsong
Well, there are different kinds of circles, I think, although all of them are protective. There's the personal circle, which is basically just visualizing a protective circle, or barrier, of energy around your person, which is used in circumstances ranging from a need to protect yourself from harm to repelling energies (or people, in some cases). And then there is a ritual (or spell) circle, which traditionally uses candles to represent the Four Quarters.

Re: How do you cast a circle?

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 6:29 pm
by loona wynd
Spiritus wrote:How does one cast a circle? I have heard someone saying they cast a circle in their shower but for all I know you need candles. Can someone please help?
I have called a circle and cast a circle in the shower before. All of the elements are present even if you cant see them. You have the element of fire from the hot water heater, you have the element of earth in the soap. The water is in the shower itself and the air would be the steam of the shower. By thinking in these terms you can see the elements in basically any form and can cast a circle and call upon them in basically any location. You could use the sun for fire, the wind for air, the earth for earth, and dew/moisture in the air for water. The elements are always all around us. We just need to be creative at times to see them and work with them.

Re: How do you cast a circle?

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 7:12 pm
by Gray Pool
So if I was to cast a circle in the shower, I would use the mental circle?

Re: How do you cast a circle?

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 7:15 pm
by Heartsong
I would say so, yes.

Re: How do you cast a circle?

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 7:29 pm
by Gray Pool
Thank you for your replies! This has helped very much. :)

Re: How do you cast a circle?

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 7:36 pm
by loona wynd
Spiritus wrote:So if I was to cast a circle in the shower, I would use the mental circle?
Basically yes. You can still face the directions and make a call to the elements. However you would be more feeling them and seeing them in your mind and with your psychic/spirit senses. The shower circle is something I had to develop when I was in a place where I really only had my shower for my time to connect with the elements and the forces of the universe. It wasn't ideal but it worked and was able to help me do my work. You can see an example of the working I did in the Shower cleansing spell I posted.

Sometimes even when people have a full ceremonial altar present and they can have the actual elements working they prefer to use a mental projection and call to the elements rather than a physical circle casting. So long as the elemental energy is felt and channeled into the circle, the circle can be created. Its a different sensation than when you can walk a circle and invoke each of the elements by physically touching or working with the physical elements. Its just as valid and powerful only a different technique.

Re: How do you cast a circle?

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 7:37 pm
by BabyBear
I tend to just cast a mental circle for everything, invitioning a white light of protection around the area i am working

some take their wand and use it to trace the circle to better define the actual circle and act like the wand is emitting a protective light that leaves a trail behind it connecting and making a circle i in which all that are within it are safe
then call on the 4 elements and invite the god and goddess into their space

me personally i cast this protective bubble from myself and let it out as big as i need it, drawing on the elements to help me make it all the way around me in what the Native Americans tradition of the 6 directions:
north, south, east, west, above and below
i get my energy from earth(below my feet), i use air to push the bubble out, i use water to invision the bubble being fluid and moving, and i use fire when i intensify the power of my bubble
after that if im just offering or speaking with the gods thats all i do
if im casting a spell or feel i need to protect from negativity even more with what im working with i take salt and cast a circle around the alter (or on the alter depends on where im working) making sure that there are no places that are weak within the salt and work with my spell
i usally dont include myself in the salt circle because generally i just dont have the freedom to do that because it leads to drama and alot of questions from my grama

Re: How do you cast a circle?

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 7:58 pm
by loona wynd
I also have learned over time to adapt my circle casting to the spirits or deities I am working with. The Norse traditions don't use a circle persay, but some use a Hammer rite to create sacred space and provide a protective barrier. I use a different circle with Dragons than I do with the Gods of the tradition I a developing. I am now learning a new circle technique that is for the Feri tradition.

There is no one right and true way to cast a circle. The circle casting ritual also means different things for different people. For some its not creating sacred space but a place between the worlds to interact with the Gods. For others its a ritual in itself that is part of the main ritual working.

Some people feel that circles should be used for any sort of working and others feel only for major ritual work. I've done a bit of all that I have mentioned. I find that sometimes I want a circle and others I dont. I go with what I feel like doing at the time. I dont believe its a requirement for all magical and spiritual work. Though if you are following or learning a certain tradition or style I feel that while you are learning that tradition and style its best to do things the way they lay them out (so if it says before any and all workings cast a circle I would do so, if it says only for major ritual work than that is what I would do).

Re: How Do You Cast a Circle?

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:56 pm
by nightshroud
So how does one close the circle?

Re: How Do You Cast a Circle?

Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 4:06 am
by SpiritTalker
Let me offer a tip on vocabulary. The circle is "closed" when we cast it because we create a closed environment, like closing a circuit. We "open" the circle by breaking the continuity and walk through it, popping it like a bubble. Responsibly we should ground the residual energy. Some people walk the circle in the reverse direction of how they cast to dissipate the energy barrier they created.

As for casting my formula is to load, aim &' shoot. There are various ways to do each of the 3 steps. Visualizing is a part of each.

Re: How Do You Cast a Circle?

Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 1:22 pm
by Shekinah
While hospitalized for a month after a motorcycle accident I often cast mental circles. Good for one's visualization skills to mentally visualize going through the actions:: sweeping sacred space, setting up the altar and candles at the quarters, drawing the circle with wand or staff while visualizing forming the sphere of protection, draw the invocation pentagram and calling the lords and Watchers of the quarters, invoking the Spirits and Elementals, inviting the God/Goddess, conjure the cone of power, communing with your God/Goddess and/or casting magick. bid farewell to the God/Goddess, draw the banishing pentagram and bid farewell to the lords,watchers and elementals at each quarter, and finally opening the circle by drawing the energy from the sphere into your staff or wand..
,

Re: How Do You Cast a Circle?

Posted: Mon May 01, 2017 4:06 pm
by rainygreeneyes
SpiritTalker wrote:Let me offer a tip on vocabulary. The circle is "closed" when we cast it because we create a closed environment. We "open" the circle by breaking the continuity and walk through it, popping it like a bubble. Responsibly we should ground the residual energy. Some people walk the circle in the reverse direction of how they cast.
I've come to call it casting and dismissing the circle, as these words just feel right to me, but thank you for clarifying that. Would have been awkward if someone answered on how to actually close the circle rather than how to open, or "dismiss", it. I say that because in some practices, one actually closes the circle after casting it.

Re: How Do You Cast a Circle?

Posted: Mon May 01, 2017 9:21 pm
by SpiritTalker
Casting and dismissing are much clearer terms. :D

Re: How Do You Cast a Circle?

Posted: Tue May 02, 2017 9:25 am
by rainygreeneyes
SpiritTalker wrote:Casting and dismissing are much clearer terms. :D
Which is why I use them haha