Circle Casting in Modern Wicca

By Pablo M. Dotro The Mage of the Many Shadows1 wizard@elysium.com.ar

Rev. 1.0.0 February 2006(CE) Using as many published sources as possible, I perform a detailed analysis of the different aspects of the Circle of Art. While an in depth search for the historical origins, or the particular liturgic differences is beyond the scope of this essay, I have focused on the intent and meaning of the Circle, and carried out a reasonable effort into tracing the origins of our practice to their origins. Also, I attempt to show that responsible research on topics such as this is not only possible, but necessary.

Introduction.
he concept of wor!ing magic! from within a circle of consecrated space is profoundly ingrained into the mindset of most modern practitioners of the Art. "rom the deeply evocative shapes of sacred places such as #tonehenge, the romantic figure of the $uropean %enaissance and &ictorian'era ceremonial magicians commanding spirits to visible appearance within the Circle and riangle of Art to the happy dance of the modern Witches covens, we see many patterns and purposes behind such a basic form. o each tradition and magic!al current that used them, circles ta!e a different meaning and purpose. $ach one tied to the ritual system, philosophy, cultural bac!ground and s!ills of their members. $ven within modern Wicca, there are many different approaches regarding the purpose and (uality of the act of casting the circle. After an e)tensive search for precedents, I have found not any in'depth analysis li!e the one I am presenting. he state of the art of *agan literature does not point in the direction of this !ind of research nowadays. +owever, there is no shortage of available material. I have documented my research on published sources both online and in traditional publications. $very entry'level boo! or web site has something to say about the magic Circle, and each Wiccan who has performed a full ritual has his,her own ideas about it. I-ve tried to create a synthesis of these into a cohesive collection of complementary threads, that I will show converge (uite harmoniously into our modern practice. I hope that this style of essay can be thought as the fundamental stone of a new generation of materials that will allow us to grow and evolve into a more mature religious and philosophical movement. his is a very ambitious underta!ing. his essay has been divided into a series of sections, with the beginning ones forming a bac!ground in history and terminology. o this follows an evolutionary and comparative view of the intent and meaning associated with the Circle in Wicca. After this detailed dissection, I put forward the notion that most of these intents are complementary, and that even when not e)plicitly stated in modern practice, they are present as part of the egregore of the symbol that the circle represents.

Practicing Pagan and magickian, student of the First Degree in Correllian Wicca at Witchschool.com.
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he final section offers a summation and my personal remar!s about the e)perience and findings I came across in the months of research that led to this document ta!ing its present form. here is also an e)tensive set of bibliographical sources, which are referenced in the main body of this wor!. I have tried to include mostly published sources from reputed authors, readily available. .ut this has not always been possible. In those cases, I try to point out the specific relevance, and provide enough information for you to reach your own conclusions about the merit of the source. he tenuous balance of rigor versus length and scope is evident throughout this wor!. I-ve done my best to present my ideas in a clear way, with enough bac!ground but without branching out of my original purpose. here are many sub/ects I have been forced to leave untouched. his essay should be seen as a first step, a perpetual wor!'in'progress, and not a definitive guide.

A little background.
When occultists try to tal! about the origins of their Art, there is always controversy around. he veil of secrecy, highly symbolic and abstruse terminology, multiple and conflicting approaches drawn from very diverse cultural and historical conte)ts, apocryphal wor!s, unaccredited (uotations and often downright complete reproductions of materials with or without alterations0 not to mention the tendency of some to include blinds of incorrect information on purpose... All of these factors conspire whenever we try to uncover the origins of many of the !ey elements of modern magic!al techni(ue. he scarcity of primary sources is also a ma/or obstacle. Circle casting is no e)ception to this. 1i!e many other important elements of our Craft, the origins of the practice of casting the Circle are often obscured. We receive this techni(ue often as part of our basic traditional training, and it is outlined in every entry'level boo!. &ery few of us in(uire about the origins, and those of us who do are often left with no other choice than to move beyond the safe land of modern boo!s and easy answers... to ta!e a loo! at the broader picture. In Wiccan rituals, the opening and closing ceremonies are centered on the creation and later banishment of the magic circle. his is almost universal 2. We can trace almost all modern Wiccan circle casting procedures to 3erald 3ardner4s original .oo! of #hadows. $volution, from that point forward is easy to follow, and the available published materials show that the basic techni(ue is very similar, and that besides some minor differences to accommodate for the worldview of the particular traditions, the ritual formula has remained largely unchanged5. It is when we try to reach 3erald 3ardner-s sources that we are outside of the sandbo). As tempting as the concept may sound, see!ing for the magic! Circle in classic anti(uity yields no direct results. A late medieval origin is much more plausible, with the %enaissance probably being the true cradle of the techni(ue of the ritual casting of a boundary before any ma/or energy wor!. However, and this point is the underl ing concept !ehind this article, not ever tradition uses the circle for the same purpose, or cast it in the same wa . " #here is, however, a stead tendenc to remove from the procedure the more highl ceremonial and dramatic aspects that are common in $ardnerian and %le&andrian ritual st les. While this is e&pected of an evolving and living practice, it has contri!uted to the distortion of the original purpose and origin of the circle as an integral part of Wiccan ritual structure.
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As I will e)pose in the following sections, however, our practice of Circle casting is heavily influenced by 3olden 6awn'style ceremonial magic!. his should not surprise us, as there is clear proof that 3ardner used many contemporary sources in his fleshing out of wor!able rituals. +e was also an initiate in the 7. .7., so he had access to the 3olden 6awn, helemic and 8asonic bodies of !nowledge. he particulars of the casting are not easy followed prior to the late 9: th century $nglish occult scene. It is my firm impression that the origin of our modern practice lies between the lifetime of $liphas 1evi; and the height of the original +ermetic 7rder of the 3olden 6awn<. his may seem controversial, but it is nonetheless true... and can be bac!ed up with considerable references and historically accurate sources.

Some terms explained.

$ven the words used to describe the formulae of circle casting in Wicca are not standardi=ed, so I am forced to lay down a small terminology reference, in order to !eep a consistent vocabulary in the conte)t of this document.

Casting the circle> his is a reference to the complete circle casting in the opening of a ceremony. It includes the actual casting, purification of the inner space, charging and calling of the (uarters. It is, by itself, a composite ritual operation that can be bro!en down in many steps. Circle closing> I chose to call circle closing to the action of drawing the circle, during the initial casting. his operation demarcates the space and clearly sets a boundary between inside and outside. ?ote that when the circle is closed, the gates between the worlds are open, and the ritual area is considered not to be a part of the normal space'time. Circle opening> conversely, when the circle is opened, it is bro!en and uncast. his is the operation that happens at the closing of a ritual, when the area is brought bac! into normal space and time. When the circle is open, the gates are closed, and we are once again in our everyday world. he ritual has come to an end. Calling of the @uarters> his is the invocation,evocation of spirits, thoughtforms and,or elemental entities associated with the four corners of the ritual area. here are many variations of the formulae, intent and meaning of these invocations. A complete description of those variations is outside the scope of this article. Charging of the Circle> In some traditions, after the circle has been cast, it has to be charged. he participants direct energy towards the boundary to strengthen it and ma!e it stronger and more present. his is often accomplished by wal!ing the perimeter of the Circle, censing, sprin!ling with salt and water and,or direct invocations and energy wor!. "or balance, this energy has to be grounded when the ritual comes to an end and the circle is opened.

French occultist and author (1)1*+1),-. one of the direct sources of the /nglish occultists that founded the Hermetic 0rder of the $olden Dawn, and one of the greatest figures of the late 11th centur occult scene in /urope. %ccording to 2/H3, the original order was in operation from 1)), to 112" in /ngland and in Paris, France.
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The casting o the circle in Wicca. !i"ersit# and e"olution.

$very ma/or Wiccan ritual has the circle at the center of both the opening and closing operations. And in fact, the different ways in which we perform these procedures are often a telltale sign of the particular traditions that form our bac!ground, as most have distinctive variations that are visible during the opening and closing of ritual. 6uring my formation, and also in the course of the research effort that led to this article, I have found that the purpose and intent of the circle is different in many traditions. 7ut of the many teachings, and after a somewhat convoluted research, a natural structure becomes evident, with three aspects forming the core of a vast web of magic!al formulae and ritual systems>

*rotection> his was the main aspect of magic! circles before modern Wicca, and it is retained, albeit with a slightly different purpose in the more classic Wiccan traditions. .y protection I mean both to protect the outer world of the energies inside the circle, and the ritual participants within from outside influences Abe them naturally occurring or magic!ally evo!edB. Consecration> Implied in almost all Wiccan traditions. he space inside the the circle is cleansed and charged, it is not a part of the normal mundane space, but a consecrated area... a place that is between the worlds. Confinement,"ocusing> #eemingly, this is the preferred main intent in modern practice. he circle is a boundary, which aids in focusing and concentrating energy and purpose. In more than one sense, the Correllian radition ritual practice mainly follows this line.

"rom these three basic perspectives, a very comple) mesh is weaved. In the following subsections I will outline an how did these three currents originate and how they intermi) in practice. The Circle as a protecti"e barrier. Almost all sources on Wicca attempt to differentiate the nature of the magic! circle in Wiccan ritual from that of its direct technical ancestor, the 3olden 6awn'style ceremonial magic!C opening formulaeD. In classic ceremonial magic!, the Circle of Art Aand later it-s close cousin, the riangle often called he riangle of the UniverseEB serves (uite a few purposes, but the main is to provide a barrier of protection and a boundary between the realm under the complete control of the 8agician Athe inside of the CircleB, and the outer realm in which his,her control is negligible. he circle is often not simple Athe usual configuration being three concentric circles closely spacedB, and is inscribed in'between with ?ames of *ower and protective sigils,pantacles.

5ee6 25F3 p. "), 25C3 p.-,. %n in+depth discussion of the ritual techni7ue inheritance of modern Wicca from the $olden Dawn and other ceremonial sources is !e ond the scope of this essa , !ut see, for e&ample (and some interesting similarities. 28913 p. 41,, 25F3 pp. "1+'*, 28923 pp. 1"+1- and 2%$3. , #he :9itual of the Pentagram; 28913 pp.-"+-- and 2)*+2)4, :9itual of the He&agram; 28913 pp. 2),+211 and :0pening ! Watchtower; whose main e&ample is in 28913 pp.'*2+'*" !ut look closel at the remarks in p. ",, and in the actual initiation rituals< te&t. ) 2/H3 p. 1), 28913 p.'*2.
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he practice of evo!ing spirits that were not always cooperative and friendly led to an elaborate techni(ue being developed for the consecration and charging of the Circle. When properly prepared, the Circle serves as an invincible barrier of protection, and the inside of it is fully under the Will and rule of the 8agician. Within, he,she is safe to act without interference of the powerful forces being con/ured and those that may feel attracted to his,her wor!ing from higher and lower spiritual realms by their own will... and of course, from outright attac!s from said entities. .reaching or leaving the circle, as you can imagine, was prohibited... with assured destruction augured for the careless magician:. 6uring the &ictorian era, well past the golden era of 8edieval and %enaissance grimoric high magic!, evocation,invocation of negative forces had ceased to be common ACrowley'rumors notwithstandingB, and was usually frowned upon, at least in the formal documents9F. he threefold method of casting the circle described by 3erald 3ardner99 shows a clear technical influence from earlier ceremonial ritual forms Aprobably via his standing in Aleister Crowley-s magic!al organi=ation92B. 7ld 3erald specifically differentiates the intent of the witchescircle from the one of the ceremonial magicians>

...It Is necessary to distinguish this c ear y !ro" the #or$ o! the "agician or sorcerer% #ho dra#s a circ e on the ground and !orti!ies it #ith "ighty #ords o! &o#er and su""ons (or atte"&ts to su""on) s&irits and de"ons to do his bidding% the circ e being to &revent the" !ro" doing hi" har"% and he dare not eave it. 'he (itches) Circ e% on the other hand% is to $ee& in the &o#er #hich they be ieve they can raise !ro" their o#n bodies and to &revent it !ro" being dissi&ated be!ore they can "ou d it to their o#n #i . 'hey can and do ste& in and out i! they #ish to% but this invo ves so"e oss o! &o#er% so they avoid doing so as "uch as &ossib e.*1+
he invocations described in the .oo! of #hadows, however, still indicate that protection was an important part of the intent Aemphasis in bold is mineB>

)...,the -igh .riestess/ #a $s s o# y round Circ e% saying% 0I con1ure 'hee% 2 Circ e o! 3&ace% that thou be a 4oundary and a .rotection and a "eeting & ace bet#een the #or d o! 5en and that o! the 6read 7ords o! the 28'ER 3.9CE3% that 'hou be c eansed% .uri!ied% and strengthened to be a uardian and a Protection that sha &reserve and contain '-9' .2(ER #hich #e so earnest y desire to raise #ithin thy bounds this night% #here!ore do I b ess thee and entreat thee to aid "e in the endeavor% in the na"es o! 9radia and Cernunnos.0 )1:

With phrases like the one ou can find at the end of the second paragraph in 2%C13 p. 1* (Chapter 886 #he Circle.. For Crowle , that was e&ceedingl polite. 1* 28913 p. 2)*, paragraph '. 11 #he original techni7ue specifies a composite circle made of three concentric rings. 5ee 2$=$13 p. 24 >1'? and 2$=$236 :Casting the Circle; http6@@sacred+te&ts.com@pag@g!os@g!os**.htm, :#he 9evised Casting Procedure; http6@@sacred+te&ts.com@pag@g!os@g!os2-.htm. 12 #here is documentar evidence pointing to the fact that $ardner was not onl an initiate of Crowle <s organiAation (most pro!a!l the 0.#.0.., !ut was also authoriAed to create a new !ranch or lodge of said organiAation. 5ee 2%$3 :Part 0ne6 Waiting for the Ban from Canada; in reference to 0ld $erald<s 0#0 charter and his standing as Fourth Degree Perfect, :Prince of Cerusalem;. 1" 2$=$13 p.24 >1'? 1' 2$=$23 :#he 9evised Casting Procedures; http6@@sacred+te&ts.com@pag@g!os@g!os2-.htm #his te&t is repeated ver!atim in the %le&andrian materials pu!lished in 25F3 p.").
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)7ight cand es; say% 0I e<orcise thee% 2 Creature o! Fire% that every $ind o! .hantas" "ay retire !ro" thee% and be unable to harm or decei!e in any way% in the na"es o! 9radia and Cernunnos.0 )1=
his is, as I will describe later in this essay, one of the first e)amples of the syncretic nature of Wiccan rituals creating an amalgam of intents. 1ater Wiccan authors have moved away from the protective nature of the Circle, focusing on its other characteristics, but there still remains a connection, albeit slightly different from the intent derived from the 3ardnerian original rites. he circle, or course, remains a boundary in most modern Wiccan traditions, its protective nature e)emplified by its function, for e)ample, of being able to shut out distracting energies 9C and allowing naught but love to enter9D, to let no evil or ill will cross its mar!9E, and become A boundary to *rotect, Concentrate and Contain9:. his collection of (uotations from diverse and somewhat modern sources shows that by no means is the protective nature of the Circle an alien concept in modern Wicca2F. +owever, nowadays it is often assumed that if the Circle is protecting those inside from anything, it is from undesired natural influences or from outside unconsciously'created human energies... and not at all from anything that it is actually invo!ed or evo!ed by the practitioners inside. In this there is clear difference from the earlier ceremonial thin!ing. 6uring my early training, the leading priestess of the group I was part of made an interesting remar!> the Circle was, besides a lot of other things, also a boundary that protected the energetic balance of the physical surroundings of a place in which magic! is wor!ed often. his is a seldom ta!en perspective, that seems aw!ward from many a traditional point of view. .ut even as a detailed discussion of this issue is beyond the scope of this wor!, I feel I should point out my belief Aand e)perienceB that this aspect of the Circle, coupled with proper banishing and banishing sections of ritual is of paramount importance when rituals are routinely carried out in living places li!e a witch-s bedroom. With this particular line of reasoning, the natural protective nature of the Circle goes full round> the circle not only protects the witch... it protects the natural balance by containing the temporarily unbalanced power raised during spellwor!. Consecration o Space and Time. he second of the main intents of the magic Circle is that of creating a sacred space. In this conte)t, the Circle is a well'defined though non'physical templeG 29, and it is cast ...at the beginning of most Wiccan ceremonies, to establish -#acred #pace-...22. here are many reasons related to why this is so. Wicca is a religious path that reveres ?ature, and as such, it is not often practiced in established temple spaces li!e most boo! religions. Ideally, Wicca-s temples are flower splashed meadows, forests, beaches, and deserts.25 2$=$23 :Casting the Circle; http6@@sacred+te&ts.com@pag@g!os@g!os**.htm 25C3 p.-1 1, 25C3 p. 12) 1) 28=053 :Circle Casting (%valonian.;, ! Dord 0!eron (http6@@www.sacred+te&ts.com@!os@!os11).htm . 11 28=053 :%n /clectic Circle Ceremon ;, Durw dd, 11)1+1* (http6@@www.sacred+te&ts.com@!os@!os*11.htm. 2* % rather simple ps chological e&planation of wh this ma have happened can !e found in 28=053 :Circles, wh use themE;, ! Bel White (http6@@www.sacred+te&ts.com@!os@!os*1,.htm. 21 25C3 p.-, 22 2CF#D43 :#he Circle of %rt;, paragraph 1 2" 25C3 p. 4
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+owever, for many of us, city dwellers in primarily Christian countries, it is seldom possible to hold rituals outdoors in a natural setting. Wicca is a very personal path, so most of us carry on our rites in privacy. his means that they are mostly done in our homes, and only when possible in the wilderness2;. his living room Wicca syndrome, as #cott Cunningham calls it, is a by product of our modern society. "irst, it is not easy to find a wild spot where ?ature has not been touched by human hands, at least not for a great ma/ority of us. And the fear of being discriminated or of being legally prosecuted if found Ain countries where non recogni=ed religious practices are banned, for e)ampleB plays a significant part in our choice of ritual spaces. $stablished *agan churches, with dedicated physical temples are a rarity. #o a great ma/ority of Wiccan rites are done wherever is possible. he space is cleansed of unwanted influences Aand physical obstacles, of courseB, and is consecrated, which means it is made appropriate for a sacred purpose2<. his is accomplished by the opening ceremony, whose central element is the Casting of the Circle2C. $ach radition Aand I guess each #olitaryB has slightly different formulae for consecrating space. .ut the overall effect is the same> a section of space is cut apart 2D from the mundane. It becomes a space between the worlds2E, a meeting place where the Witch and the 3ods can meet. A place where magic! can be wor!ed without interference Aas described in the previous sectionB. he Circle forms a boundary which clearly delineates two different areas> the e)terior, where the 6ivine is present and immanent, but not necessarily accessible. And the interior area, where energy manipulation is made easier by the proper visuali=ation and the Will of the Witch, and where a direct connection with the 6eity is at hand. he interior of the circle is sacred. It is dedicated to the worship of the 6ivine2:. In many Wiccan rites, it is said that when the Circle is closed, the gates between the worlds are open. he whole ritual area is open to energies that flow from beyond our physical, mundane world. he usually elaborate methods for the casting and charging are often attributed to the need to regulate e)actly what is it that is allowed into the sacred space5F. Also, the Circle is not only a three'dimensional, spatial, boundary. 8y personal e)perience is that the acts of closing and opening of the Circle mar! the formal beginning and end points of the ritual and are accompanied by a distinct sensation that energetically differentiates the before and after of the closing and the opening operations. If one tries to describe the energy raised during ritual, a diagram that goes li!e this is the most probable result>

25C3 p.-,, 25F3 p."-. 2BW3 :Consecrate; (1. http6@@www.m+w.com@dictionar @consecrate 24 25F3 pp."-+',, 2CF#D43 :#he Circle of %rt;, 25H3 p.)" 2, #his is, for e&ample, e&plicitl worded in the affirmation in 2CF#D43 :Casting the Circle; 2) 25H3 p.)". 21 2BW3 :5acred; (1a., http6@@www.m+w.com@dictionar @sacred. "* 28=3 :Current Gariations in Craft Diturgical 5tructure; paragraph 1*.
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$nergy 1evel

he opening and closing of the Circle are moments of change in the energy landscape of a ritual. he boundary described by the Circle e)ists, thus, not only in the space domain, but also in the time domain, enclosing the ritual participants in a wholly differentiated space'time for the duration of the wor!ing. his time is sacred. It is a time of meeting with the 6ivine face to face, the same way the space in which this meeting ta!es place is sacred. he changes in the energy level are in a continuous feedbac! with the consciousness shift that is ta!ing place, and so this leads us to the ne)t section> how does the Circle contribute in the power of the Witch to focus energy in ritual. (ocusing the po)er and energ# constructs.

Closing of the Circle

7pening of the Circle

5agic is the &ro1ection o! natura energies to &roduce needed e!!ects*31 5agic$ is the 3cience and 9rt o! Causing Change to occur in con!or"ity #ith (i *
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While being e(uivalent, these two (uotations come from very different sources. he first is from #cott Cunningham-s Wicca> A 3uide for the #olitary *ractitioner, and the second is from the infamous Aleister Crowley-s most e)cellent 8agic! in heory and *ractice. 8any modern witches would consider these two sources as almost opposite sides of the spectrum. .ut, as the wise are bound to say... li!e and unli!e are the sameH opposites are identical in nature, but different in degreeH e)tremes meet55. .oth definitions of magic! are e(uivalent, and imply the application of a certain force or energy in order to bring a specific outcome to happen. his energy is focused or shaped into a specific intent. In many ways, almost all aspects of magic!al techni(ue are about how to focus energy5; A lot of sources characteri=e the Circle as being able to help us achieve this end... the following are /ust e)amples>

25C3 p.21 2%C23 p., "" 2#83 p. 11 >1*? "' Consider, for e&ample, the definition of magic, in 2CF#D13 :#heor ;, paragraph 12H the :plastic !ag; analog in 2CD13, :Dimitation; paragraph -H 2CD23 pp.1"1+1"" and :Beditation Fo. 1; in 28913 p.-2.
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'he (itches) Circ e% on the other hand% is to $ee& in the &o#er #hich they be ieve they can raise !ro" their o#n bodies and to &revent it !ro" being dissi&ated be!ore they can "ou d it to their o#n #i .*+= ...the erection o! various Energy Constructs #hose &ur&ose is to intensi!y the energy being #or$ed #ith. 'he 5agic Circ e is such an Energy Construct (...). 4ecause it is co"&osed o! concentrated energy% the Circ e acts as a 4attery*% giving e<tra energy to #hatever is done inside it. 4ecause it acts to !ocus the energy raised #ithin it% the circ e a so tends to intensi!y that energy.*36
.ut how and why is this soJ $ven after a vast bibliographical search, there is no definitive answer. here is not a single model for the wor!ing of the Circle that reaches common consensus. ?ot even those authors who define this one as the main virtue of the Circle agree when as!ed why or how beyond a simple superficial assumptions. +owever, my own practical e)perience leads me to be certain that a well cast Circle increases the efficiency of all energy wor! carried out inside it, it is a great aid in focusing awareness and Will, and improves the e)perience of those participating in the ritual. *ersonal and divine energies are much more tangible and accessible inside a properly charged Circle. his has been my e)perience and that of those people I studied and practiced with... and that of those few I interviewed during the course of the research that led to this article. After a long reflection on this sub/ect, and after comparing notes and e)periences with others, I have come to understand that the Circle aids in focusing energy in many complementary ways. "irst of all, it is a boundary mar!er for our consciousness. 7ne of the main characteristics of ritual in general, and of magic!al ritual in particular, is that there is a shift of awareness between the normal, everyday consciousness, and the special awareness state that is prevalent during a successful ritual. 7ur minds, by their very nature, are speciali=ed to act in the mundane world of matter, of linear space and time. We have refle)es, we can analy=e terabytes of sensory input in the blin! of an eye, we can do comple) coordinated movements... .ut during a ritual, our awareness must shift, our consciousness must shift to a different state. 7ne less speciali=ed in physical and mental prowess, and more attuned to the subtle energy of our Universe, one capable of establishing a lin! to our +igher #elf. 1i!e switching a radio receiver into a different band, we remain ourselves, but our sensibilities and abilities are focused in a different way. he opening ceremony of most Wiccan rituals, with its of elaborate circle casting, visuali=ations, charging and invocations serves as a clue to our awareness, indicating that what follows is not everyday wor!, but has a special significance attached> it is ritual. In this way, the Circle Ain this case, the acts of casting and opening itB are another !ind of boundary> not only the four dimensional one described in the previous section, but also a boundary for our own consciousness. A signal that allows for a defined change within us, a change that is crucial if we are to succeed in the purpose of the ritual we are about to perform. 7!ay, so, the circle casting enables for a smooth change of awareness, for a consciousness shift. Cool. .ut if it were only that, it could be replaced with almost anything. Almost every ritual
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2$=$13 p.24 >1'? 2CF#D43 :#he Circle of %rt;

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action could act as a boundary this way, if one is properly trained. hat is why most e)perienced witches and magic!ians can really shift their consciousness without a comple) circle casting, if the need arises. 7ften a deep breath is enough. #o... the Circle helps, but that-s not all it does. What is it, thenJ he !eyword for the Circle is that it is a boundary. It defines a difference between two sections of the Universe. All that I have said thus far, in the last ten pages of te)t, can be summari=ed in this word. .oundary. Within this boundary we raise energy and power. *ower derived from us, from 6eity, from the space and time around ourselves. .ecause of the e)istence of this boundary, we are able to raise this power, this energy, without it dissipating as soon as we call it into being. If we are to cause a change in the world through our ritual Abe it a renewed awareness of our lin!s to ?ature, as in a #abbat, or practical magic! or spellwor!B, we need to focus this energy, to shape it in the form of the desired action or change. In certain cases, the Circle may act truly as a battery, effectively providing the energy we stored in it during the charging stage of the ritual casting. .ut more often, the Circle acts li!e some form of active containment, similar to a smart insulator. 1i!e a dam> it contains the energy we raise Athe inner space becomes highly charged, while the outer space remains normalB, we shape the energy within... and then we release it, effectively opening the dam Athe levels e(uali=e themselvesB. We do not let the water out li!e a destructive flood, but we release it in a controlled, focused way... in a distinct shape. Were it not for the presence of a containment construct, this would not be possible. If the Circle is not closed, the energy tends to dissipate while we are trying to give it form. In certain ceremonies, this may not be important Afor e)ample, in some styles of #abbat celebrations, or some low !ey public ritualsB, but the containment offered by the Circle is a must for almost all forms of practical magic!. he Circle is an active element. It is a form of focused energy. #haped and charged in a very specific way, it lends its own flavor to the wor! done inside. Its selective permeability allows for comple) energy manipulation. In Wicca it is not common to have physical temples in which to hold rituals. Any natural space can be turned into a consecrated area, as I e)plained earlier. he Circle and other related elements are what we call energy constructs, entities created through energy and visuali=ation, sustained by Will and charged with intent. 1i!e the furniture and elements of an astral temple, this concept is direct descendant of the Ceremonial 8agician-s practice of having only half part of the ceremonies in the physical plane5D... the other half of the symbols are visuali=ed. o the s!illed participants, this endows the ceremony with sublime energy and power... and allows for a direct involvement of the +igher #elf, which is paramount to successful magic!.

Wea"ing a mesh o intent and meaning.

Wicca has a distinctive (uality. It is a modern and syncretic religion and way of life. 7ne of the !ey points of Wiccan philosophy is this syncretism. We meld and fuse many early practices into a somewhat coherent whole. A system that wor!s for each one of us, that resonates personally within ourselves. In the course of this essay, I have dissected the different aspects of Circle casting. I have deliberately avoided focusing on liturgical differences and minor technical aspects. Instead, I directed my efforts at synthesi=ing a screen that, li!e a prism pierced by white light, yields a spectrum of meanings and intents.
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5ee, for e&ample 28913 pp. "-'+"42.

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#ome traditional lines favor one or more of these intents. #ome other lines favor others. #ome encompass all of them, and there probably e)ist others that go a completely different way about this sub/ect. .ut what is important, and is a hallmar! of Wiccan thought, is that all these meanings, intents, techni(ues, theories and models are not mutually e)clusive but complementary. When I cast a Circle for a personal ritual on a full moon-s night, it is to protect me and my environment, to create a sacred space and time, to help me shift my consciousness and to contain the energy I will rise during the ceremony. he casting integrates perfectly into my ritual style, fusing all these meanings into a single operation. his fle)ibility, so alien to our ceremonial brothers and sisters, is a !ey to our success. We are including, building upon the e)perience of our ancestors and teachers. We are evolving our practice into a system that is alive and growing. When we cast the Circle, the symbol it represents is once more given significance, it is once more brought to the front of our collective consciousness. It serves us, but it is also empowered by us to endure. #ymbols li!e this are a legacy to the ne)t generation of witches, magicians and mystics. Kust as it was generations before us. Where we put our emphasis when we charge our circle with intent is a choice, but no matter what we do, some part of the Circle is participating from the symbolic meaning of the whole. And we are enriched by it.

Conclusions and personal remarks.

his essay is one of the longest and most difficult I have created. he width of the research that led to it is breathta!ing. I am sure that my effort is still not perfect, but only a first step. I have to confess, that I had a hidden agenda when I started writing. I wished not only to write about magic!al techni(ue or ritual... I wanted to prove that responsible research is possible in this area. hat it is needed, if we wish our Art to be more than what it is now. 7ur uni(ue privilege, as citi=ens of the 29st century, is that information is truly at our fingertips if we dig deep enough. his essay is a living proof that we can combine responsible Internet'based research with traditional methods and achieve a higher standard in our understanding of our beliefs and practices. *rimary sources are scarce. In some parts of the world, they are completely inaccessible. he same goes for good secondary sources. he Internet, with its wealth of information, has no (uality filter or peer review. We must use /udgment and our own s!ill in determining the proper sources for research. .ut it is possible. I feel I have grown during the months I have spent writing this. It was time well spent. I have found, however, a disturbing trend. A good portion of modern day *agans refuse to accept the historical origins of our techni(ues. hey ignore where they come from, and thus remain less (ualified to create soundly effective rituals. his may be good for some solitary practitioners, or for those who feel ritual is not really that important in their religious calling. .ut to a priest or priestess, this !nowledge should be of great importance, and yet it is often neglected, or consigned to sloppy research, unattributed (uotations and unreliable history.

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here is pre/udice against certain practices li!e ceremonial magic!. Let, a good deal of our own craft is rooted in the same techni(ues. Aleister Crowley is either un!nown, discredited or shunned... and yet it is than!s to him that a lot of our current !nowledge has seen the light of day. his has had the unforeseen conse(uence of the watering down of the ritual e)perience. "rom 3ardner onwards, we have slowly stripped many of our ritual constructions from their original symbolism and subtle interplay. 8ar! me, I am not against the evolution of magic!, simplification of form or stic!ing to what wor!s. What I have found and feel uneasy about is how carelessly this dilution is being performed and accepted in some circles. We are !eepers of this wisdom, of this !nowledge. We should do our best to understand it and contribute to it in a constructive way. In this study of the Circle, I thin! I have found and shown clear evidence of how the same basic techni(ue can lead to different results, based on different intents. .ut also, how the inherently open and fle)ible nature of our ritual structure allows for many of these different intents to be weaved into a single thread, combining some or all of them to create something that is more comple), subtle and beautiful than we originally envisioned. It is a perfect e)ample of how magic! is a living discipline. A growing Art. An evolving science. he ne)t time you cast your Circle... thin! about all this.

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Ackno)ledgments or -The .ig Thank /ou0.

I want to give my than!s to %ev. +arwe, my "irst 6egree 8entor at Witchschool, for her infinite patience in waiting the long time it too! me to write this... and to read it. Also to %ev. Lo!o, who !indly provided me with transcriptions of select parts of he #piral 6ance and Witchcraft oday. Without her help, this essay would have been a much terse e)perience. o Aaron 1eicht, who endured my (uestioning about element,direction correspondences. o *rof. Alberto Chislovs!y from the Centro AstrolMgico de .uenos Aires ACA.AB for his insight on the Kungian archetypes present on the casting ceremony. 1ast but not least, I want to than! my early teachers and fellow wanderers on this *ath. 1ady A!asha from .uenos Aires, the oh so secret fol! at the 1&N hoth emple of the +ermetic 7rder of the 3olden 6awn, and so many others... for forcing me to thin! for myself, and then let me stic! to that method.

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.ibliograph# and 1e erences.

2AC134 Crowley, Aleister. .oo! ;, *art II> 8agic! Aco'written with #oror &ira!am, a.!.a. 8ary d-este #turgesB. %eferenced page numbers are from a digital copy that claims to be based on the #angreal $dition of 9:C: ev, and signed by the 7rdo empli 7rientis. 2AC234 Crowley, 8aster herion. digital copy that signed by the 7. Aleister. 8agic! in heory and *ractice O *art III of .oo! "our by he As with AC9, the page numbers of this resource are referenced from a claims to be .ased on the Castle .oo!s edition of ?ew Lor!, and .7.

2A534 3reenfield, Allen. A rue +istory of Witchcraft. A very enlightening document. An online copy can be found in he *agan 1ibrary, among other places, at http>,,www.paganlibrary.com,reference,truePhistoryPwitchcraft.php. 2C6134 1ow, C. %itual heory and echni(ue, 9::E. An online copy can be obtained from 8r. Colin 1ow-s home site at http>,,www.digital'brilliance.com,!ab,rtt.htm. 2C6234 1ow, C. ?otes on Qabbalah Av5.FB, 2FF9. his is a freely available boo! in electronic format, available at http>,,www.digital'brilliance.com,!ab,no!,inde).htm. 2C7T6134 Correllian ?ativist radition, "irst 6egree Course AW# CWC9F9B, 1esson 9. Ahttp>,,www.witchschool.com,CWC9F9,1F9Piiw,pF9.aspB Lou need to be a registered student at Witchschool to access this resource. 2C7T6&34 Correllian ?ativist radition, "irst 6egree Course AW# CWC9F9B, 1esson C. Ahttp>,,www.witchschool.com,CWC9F9,1FCPvhF9,pF9.aspB Lou need to be a registered student at Witchschool to access this resource. 28934 +owe, $. 1os 8agos de la 3olden 6awn O +istoria 6ocumental de una 7rden 8Rgica 9EED O 9:25. $d. Qier #.A. .uenos Aires, 9::F. his is the #panish translation of he 8agicians of the 3olden 6awn O A documentary history of a 8agical 7rder 9EED' 9:25, #econd $dition A9:EDB. 25.5134 3ardner, 3... Witchcraft oday O With an Introduction by 8argaret 8urray, 9:DF. An electronic A7C%edB version of this te)t can be obtained from http>,,www.hermetics.org,pdf,witchcrafttoday.pdf. he page numbering is not conserved, so the *6" page numbers are indicated in curly braces after the printed version ones in each reference. 25.5234 he 3ardnerian .oo! of #hadows. his title refers to the public contents of the original .oo! of #hadows of the 3ardnerian radition, often ascribed to 3erald 3ardner. I am using as reference the copy stored at he #acred e)ts Internet Archive, http>,,sacred'te)ts.com,pag,gbos,inde).htm. his copy is a transcription of a collection of (uotes collected by Aidan Qelly during the 9:EFs. $very reference to this resource is accompanied by a direct lin! to the referenced section. 2I.34 .onewits, I. he *atterns of Wiccan %itual v9.9. his is a very good analysis of the structure of Wiccan rituals. An online copy is hosted at the #piritualitea metaphysical community, http>,,www.spiritualitea.com,articles,wiccanritual.shtml 2I.:S34 he Internet .oo! of #hadows. his is a collection of rituals and articles, mostly gathered during the late 9:EFs and published on the first days of the web in many places. $ach reference to this resource is accompanied by the article title and U%1 from the public copy hosted at http>,,www.sacred'te)ts.com,bos,inde).htm.
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2I1134 %egardie, I. he 3olden 6awn O A Complete Course in *ractical Ceremonial 8agic. 1lewellyn *ublications, #t. *aul, 8innesota, U#A, 2FF2. 2I1234 %egardie, I. $l *ilar 8edio. $d. #irio #.A., 8Rlaga, 9:::. translation of he 8iddle *illarA9:5EB. 2MW34 8erriam'Webster-s 7nline 6ictionary A$nglishB. 2SC34 Cunningham, #. Wicca O A 3uide for the #olitary *ractitioner. 1lewellyn *ublications, #t. *aul, 8innesota, U#A, 2FF<. 2S(34 "arrar, #. and "arrar, K. 1a .iblia de las .ru/as O I 1os 7cho #abbats de las .ru/as. $(uipo 6ifusor del 1ibro #.1., 8adrid, 2FF5. his is the #panish translation of A Witches-s .ibleA9::CB. 2S934 #imos, 8. a.!.a. #tarhaw!. he #piral 6ance> A rebirth of the Ancient %eligion of the 3reat 3oddess. +arper Collins, 9::: 2TI34 res Iniciados. $l Qybalion. Qier #.A. .uenos Aires. 2:na. $diciMn. 2FF9. his is the #panish translation of he Qybalion, a treatise on hermetic philosophy. An online digital copy of this wor! Ain $nglishB can be found at he +ermetic Archive, http>,,www.hermetics.org,pdf,!ybalion.pdf. *age numbers referenced are from the printed #panish version, with the $nglish digital version ones in curly braces. his is the #panish

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