There are two reasons we cast a circle when we are performing magick; it protects you for outside influences and negative energies, AND it contains all of the energy you have raised until you are ready to release it. So if you are simply meditating or performing some divination, you might not cast a circle as you aren't raising energy, and there isn't much you need protection from. But if you are casting a spell, invoking a deity, raising energy towards a specific intent, etc., then it would be best to cast a circle.
Casting a circle involves us manipulating energy to create a barrier around us, through which nothing can enter or leave unless we give our expressed say-so. We create it, and we control it.
There are several slightly different ways you can cast a circle. All of them rely on visualisation as we mould this energy around us.
Method 1: Visualise roots coming from out your feet, and down into the ground beneath you, connecting you to the earth. You can then draw energy up from the earth, through your roots, up into your body, and out through your hand as you walk and draw the circle in the air around the area you want to encompass.
Method 2: Visualise a light beneath your feet. Draw this light up through your body, and out through your hand as you walk, and trace the circle around the area you want to encompass.
Method 3: Visualise a light above your head. Draw this light down through your body, and out through your hand as your walk and draw the circle around the area you want to encompass.
Method 4: Use the energy directly from your power centre and visualise the energy flowing down through your arms, and out through your hand as you walk and draw the circle around the area you want to encompass.
Method 5: Borrow the energy from the environment around you. As you walk and draw the circle around you, visualise that it is the energy in the environment around you that is shifting, forming a circle around you.
Many witches like to walk the circle three times, as three is the magick number, but you can just do it once if you feel confident that you have created it strong enough. I say 'walk'; if your space is small enough, you can just turn on the spot instead of actively walking.
Many witches also like to chant as they cast the circle. Essentially we need to raise the energy to create the protective energy circle, which is why I have decided to include circle casting and raising energy in the same section. You can come up with your own chant, or below is one which I have come up with an use regularly:
Casting a circle involves us manipulating energy to create a barrier around us, through which nothing can enter or leave unless we give our expressed say-so. We create it, and we control it.
There are several slightly different ways you can cast a circle. All of them rely on visualisation as we mould this energy around us.
Method 1: Visualise roots coming from out your feet, and down into the ground beneath you, connecting you to the earth. You can then draw energy up from the earth, through your roots, up into your body, and out through your hand as you walk and draw the circle in the air around the area you want to encompass.
Method 2: Visualise a light beneath your feet. Draw this light up through your body, and out through your hand as you walk, and trace the circle around the area you want to encompass.
Method 3: Visualise a light above your head. Draw this light down through your body, and out through your hand as your walk and draw the circle around the area you want to encompass.
Method 4: Use the energy directly from your power centre and visualise the energy flowing down through your arms, and out through your hand as you walk and draw the circle around the area you want to encompass.
Method 5: Borrow the energy from the environment around you. As you walk and draw the circle around you, visualise that it is the energy in the environment around you that is shifting, forming a circle around you.
Many witches like to walk the circle three times, as three is the magick number, but you can just do it once if you feel confident that you have created it strong enough. I say 'walk'; if your space is small enough, you can just turn on the spot instead of actively walking.
Many witches also like to chant as they cast the circle. Essentially we need to raise the energy to create the protective energy circle, which is why I have decided to include circle casting and raising energy in the same section. You can come up with your own chant, or below is one which I have come up with an use regularly:
"Earth and Air,
Fire and Sea,
Oh elements, I call to thee.
Please guard this circle, and protect these rites,
I pray of thee upon this night.
Cast this circle round and round,
So mote it be, this circles bound!"
No matter how many times you decide to walk the circle, you should walk it in a clockwise direction. Working clockwise (often referred to as 'deosil') helps to draw energies towards us, whilst working anti-clockwise (widdershins) pushes or banishes energy away from us. We walk anti-clockwise when closing the circle.
As you are tracing your circle, you can point your finger and visualise the energy travelling through your body, into your hand and then out of your finger. Alternatively, you may wish to use a wand or an athame. This won't make your circle more powerful, and is not necessarily needed, but can help you focus and direct the energy you are using to cast your circle.
The walking of the circle and chanting is a way of raising enough energy to form the circle, and so especially if you are new to circle casting, you may wish to walk it three times to start off with. I recommend to use a chant which is short enough it can be uttered in whole for each turn of the circle.
As you are tracing your circle, you can point your finger and visualise the energy travelling through your body, into your hand and then out of your finger. Alternatively, you may wish to use a wand or an athame. This won't make your circle more powerful, and is not necessarily needed, but can help you focus and direct the energy you are using to cast your circle.
The walking of the circle and chanting is a way of raising enough energy to form the circle, and so especially if you are new to circle casting, you may wish to walk it three times to start off with. I recommend to use a chant which is short enough it can be uttered in whole for each turn of the circle.
Closing A Circle:
To close the circle at the end of your working, you essentially do the opposite of what you did to open it.
Walk (or turn) anti-clockwise. Again you may wish to create a chant to aid you. Some witches will simply say:
To close the circle at the end of your working, you essentially do the opposite of what you did to open it.
Walk (or turn) anti-clockwise. Again you may wish to create a chant to aid you. Some witches will simply say:
"The circle is open but never broken. So mote it be!"
Visualise the energy from your shield drawing back into yourself, down your hand, through your body and either into the ground, or into the light above you. It is recommended that if you draw it from your power centre, or from the environment around you, you still disperse the energy either above or below. It is recommended that you practice grounding and centering after energy work, and this includes rituals and circle casting.
Raising Energy:
Raising energy is exactly what it sounds like! It is this energy that we infuse with our intent, and manifests the change we want to see. There are several different ways to raise energy:
Drumming: Drumming is a technique which has been used for centuries, and is also a lot of fun (providing you can get away with it - it isn't exactly quiet!). If you are going to use drumming, make sure you go with a simple beat that will be easy to keep up - getting it wrong can be really distracting.
Chanting: You can chant either out loud, or in your head; both are equally as effective. I find that something short, maybe just two or four lines, work well. I have also found that if it rhymes, even better, as the rhyme helps create a rhythm you can get into to. Try and make the rhyme about your specific intent, to help focus on that intent. For example, if you're doing a money spell it could be something along the lines of 'pockets of silver, pockets of gold, bring me more riches than my wallet can hold'.
Dancing: Dancing is a fun way to raise energy, and the best thing is, you don't need to be a great dancer to do it!
Vibration: When you become more experienced with energy work, you will find that you are able to raise energy simply by focusing on the vibrations or the energy around you and consciously raising its vibration. Sound is an excellent way to work with vibrations, such as using sound bowls, singing bowls, bells, chimes, or any instrument really.
No matter what method you choose, start slow. Then, as you get into it, pick up the pace. As you get faster, see the energy rising. Think of it like a wave; the more you put into it, the more energy will be created. You can play around with it if you are just practicing; start slow, and as you get faster, feel the energy rising. Then slow down again; do you feel the energy subsiding, or remaining focused at the level you had reached? Go faster again, feel the energy increase again. Maybe even just stop completely; what happens? Do you feel the energy start to abate, or does it just hang in the air, waiting for you to direct it?
Raising energy is exactly what it sounds like! It is this energy that we infuse with our intent, and manifests the change we want to see. There are several different ways to raise energy:
Drumming: Drumming is a technique which has been used for centuries, and is also a lot of fun (providing you can get away with it - it isn't exactly quiet!). If you are going to use drumming, make sure you go with a simple beat that will be easy to keep up - getting it wrong can be really distracting.
Chanting: You can chant either out loud, or in your head; both are equally as effective. I find that something short, maybe just two or four lines, work well. I have also found that if it rhymes, even better, as the rhyme helps create a rhythm you can get into to. Try and make the rhyme about your specific intent, to help focus on that intent. For example, if you're doing a money spell it could be something along the lines of 'pockets of silver, pockets of gold, bring me more riches than my wallet can hold'.
Dancing: Dancing is a fun way to raise energy, and the best thing is, you don't need to be a great dancer to do it!
Vibration: When you become more experienced with energy work, you will find that you are able to raise energy simply by focusing on the vibrations or the energy around you and consciously raising its vibration. Sound is an excellent way to work with vibrations, such as using sound bowls, singing bowls, bells, chimes, or any instrument really.
No matter what method you choose, start slow. Then, as you get into it, pick up the pace. As you get faster, see the energy rising. Think of it like a wave; the more you put into it, the more energy will be created. You can play around with it if you are just practicing; start slow, and as you get faster, feel the energy rising. Then slow down again; do you feel the energy subsiding, or remaining focused at the level you had reached? Go faster again, feel the energy increase again. Maybe even just stop completely; what happens? Do you feel the energy start to abate, or does it just hang in the air, waiting for you to direct it?
What does it feel like?
As always, this question is difficult to answer because it is different for everyone. However, you should feel a noticeable shift, almost like the air around you has become electrified. You may feel tingling, you may even be able to 'see' this energy around you. Trust in yourself and your abilities, even you don't feel anything, as the more you practice, the easier it will become.
What do I do with this energy?
This depends on your intention.
Personally, if I am sending the energy out into the universe to manifest a particular intent, then I will usually feel it 'flying' around me, until it feels so electric, like I physically can't raise any more energy. I see it confined within the boundaries of my circle, unable to break out until I command it to. When I feel like I have raised enough, I will raise my arms and visualise the energy rushing up, and out through the top of my circle, almost as if I'm throwing it out of a window, and then visualise the universe taking it to where it needs to go.
If I am empowering an object, and so want to send the energy into that object, I will either place my hands over the object and see the energy seeping into the object as I guide it, or I will place my thumb and forefingers into a triangle shape above the object and visualise the energy being funneled through and into the object.
Remember, intent is very important. You need to infuse this energy with your intent before it will do anything. You can do this simply by focusing on your intent as you are raising the energy, willing the energy to be used towards this very specific intent you have. Give it everything you've got; the stronger your intent, the more effective it will be.
Always remember to ground and centre after working with energy, to rid yourself of any excess energy that you may not have released.
As always, this question is difficult to answer because it is different for everyone. However, you should feel a noticeable shift, almost like the air around you has become electrified. You may feel tingling, you may even be able to 'see' this energy around you. Trust in yourself and your abilities, even you don't feel anything, as the more you practice, the easier it will become.
What do I do with this energy?
This depends on your intention.
Personally, if I am sending the energy out into the universe to manifest a particular intent, then I will usually feel it 'flying' around me, until it feels so electric, like I physically can't raise any more energy. I see it confined within the boundaries of my circle, unable to break out until I command it to. When I feel like I have raised enough, I will raise my arms and visualise the energy rushing up, and out through the top of my circle, almost as if I'm throwing it out of a window, and then visualise the universe taking it to where it needs to go.
If I am empowering an object, and so want to send the energy into that object, I will either place my hands over the object and see the energy seeping into the object as I guide it, or I will place my thumb and forefingers into a triangle shape above the object and visualise the energy being funneled through and into the object.
Remember, intent is very important. You need to infuse this energy with your intent before it will do anything. You can do this simply by focusing on your intent as you are raising the energy, willing the energy to be used towards this very specific intent you have. Give it everything you've got; the stronger your intent, the more effective it will be.
Always remember to ground and centre after working with energy, to rid yourself of any excess energy that you may not have released.
