Wiccan Style Circle Casting

For the seasonal festivals, our Iseum sometimes enacts more traditional Wiccan or Celtic style rituals. We don't see these occasions as working rituals, so much as celebrations of the Wheel of Life. The circle casting we use for these rituals derive from our early training in Wiccan groups, and from bits and pieces we've picked up along the way from various practitioners and writers that we've liked.

The 'temple building' part of the rite is quite elaborate, and if you're working with a big group, it gives quite a few people the chance to take part in constructing the sacred space. We divide the parts up among everyone, rather than have a high priestess and/or high priest conduct the whole thing.

Although you can use a script, if group members are given the same parts every time, they can get to know them, so that they can concentrate on the feeling behind the words rather than simply reading them out. This makes a big difference in a ritual situation.

This circle casting can be performed indoors or outside, depending on your circumstances. Arrange your altar as appropriate and have unlit candles in the four quarters.

Casting the Circle

Everyone gathers in a circle and joins hands. For a few moments, everyone breathes deeply together to help alter their state of consciousness.

When you are ready, say:
'Be it known that the temple is about to be erected, the circle cast.
Let those who desire attendence gather now to prepare our sacred space.
Let none be here but of their own free will.'

Hold up athame and say:
'Blessed be thou creature of art.'

Place the point of the athame into the water and say:

'I exorcise thee, O creature of water,
that thou cast out from thee all impurities
and uncleanliness of the spirits of the world of phantasm.
As I do will, so mote it be.'

Then place the point of the athame into the salt and say:

'Blessings upon thee O creature of earth.
Let all malignity and hindrance be cast forth from thee
and let all good enter in.
Wherefore do I bless thee that thou mayest aid me.
As I do will so mote it be.'

Put three mounds of salt into the water and, stirring it widdershins, say,

'Earth and water, flesh and passion, I combine thee.
I charge thee to become sacred,
a fluid of protection to sanctify the boundaries of this temple.
May this athame be purified,
and may this altar and tools be purified.'

Shake a little water over altar.

Then salute earth and sky with the athame and say:

'In the names of life and death, so mote it be.'

Beginning in the east quarter, walk widdershins around the circle marking it symbolically with a sword or athame, saying:

'I conjure thee o circle of power that thou become our sacred space.
A meeting place of joy and love and truth
A boundary between the world of humanity and the realms of the shining ones.
A guardian and protection that shall preserve and contain
The power that we shall raise within thee.
Wherefore do I consecrate thee
In the names of * and *. (add god and goddess you find most appropriate here.)
Blessed be thee.
As I do will, so mote it be.'

Beginning in the east, and proceeding south, west and north, light each of the candles and say the appropriate line of the following at each quarter:

'Here do I bring light and air in at the east, to illuminate our temple and give it the breath of life.'

'Here do I bring light and fire in at the south, to illuminate our temple and give it warmth of spirit.'

'Here do I bring light and water in at the west, to illuminate our temple and give it a centre of feeling.'

'Here do I bring light and earth in at the north, to illuminate our temple and build it in strength.'

Now, go to the east quarter, draw an invoking pentagram with the athame and say:

'Hear ye, O Mighty Ones
Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East.
Lords of the Powers of Air
I summon, stir and conjure thee,
To witness this rite and to guard this circle.'

Go to the South, draw pentagram and say:

'Hear ye O Mighty Ones
Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South.
Lords of the Powers of Fire,
I summon, stir and conjure thee,
To witness this rite and to guard this circle.'

Go to the West, draw pentagram and say:

'Hear ye O Mighty Ones
Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West.
Lords of the Powers of Water,
I summon, stir and conjure thee,
To witness this rite and to guard this circle.'

Go to the North, draw pentagram and say:

'Hear ye O Mighty Ones
Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North.
Lords of the Powers of Earth,
I summon, stir and conjure thee
To witness this rite and to guard this circle.'

Take up the salt water and, starting in the east, sprinkle some on the ground around the circle, saying the following line in each quarter:

'With earth and water I purify the east (south, west, north, as applicable).'

Take up the incense and, beginning in the east, draw a pentagram with the smoke and say, as appropriate, at each quarter:

'With fire and air I charge the east (south, west, north, etc)'

Now lights the central candle and say:

'The circle is cast
We are between the worlds,
Beyond the bounds of time
Where night and day
Birth and death
Joy and sorrow
Meet as one.
The fire is lit
The ritual is begun.'

Before proceeding with the ritual itself, the group can take the Wiccan pledge.

The first group member turns to the person on their left, places their athame against their neighbour's shoulder and says:

'Thou who standeth on the threshold of the world of men and the hidden world of magicks. Hast thou the courage to continue?'

They wait for the answer and then say:

'For I say verily, it is better to rush upon my weapon and perish than to proceed with fear in thy heart.
What are the passwords?'

They wait for the answer, which is: 'Perfect love and perfect trust.'

They then kiss the next person on the right cheek. This person then turns to the person on their left and repeats the procedure. In this way everyone is welcomed into the circle.

You can now proceed with the main body of the ritual.

Opening the Circle

At the end of your ritual, you open the circle in the following manner:

Go to the East, draw a banishing pentacle and say:

'Hear Ye O Mighty Ones,
Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East,
Lords of the Powers of Air.
We thank you for joining our circle
And ere you depart to your shining realms
We ask for your blessing.
May there be peace betwixt us,
Now and forevermore,
Hail and farewell.'

Bow to the quarter. All say: 'Hail and Farewell!'

Then go to the South, draw pentacle and say:

'Hear Ye O Mighty ones.
Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South,
Lords of the Powers of Fire.
We thank you for joining our circle,
And ere you depart to your shining realms,
We ask for your blessing.
May there be peace betwixt us,
Now and forevermore,
Hail and Farewell!'

Bow to the quarter. All say: 'Hail and Farewell!'

Go to the West, draw pentacle and say:

'Hear Ye O Mighty Ones.
Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West,
Lords of the Powers of Water.
We thank you for joining our circle,
And ere you depart to your shining realms,
We ask for your blessing.
May there be peace betwixt us,
Now and forever more,
Hail and farewell!'

Bow to the quarter. All say: 'Hail and Farewell!'

Go to the North, draw pentacle and say:

'Hear Ye O Mighty Ones.
Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North,
Lords of the Powers of Earth.
We thank you for joining our circle,
And ere you depart to your shining realms,
We ask for your blessing.
May there be peace betwixt us,
Now and forevermore,
Hail and Farewell!'

Bow to the quarter. All say: 'Hail and Farewell'

Go to the centre of the circle and say:

'The circle is open but unbroken.
May the peace of the god and goddess go in our hearts,
Merry meet, merry part and merry meet again!
Blessed be.'

All: 'Blessed be!'