How to Cast a Circle of Protection (Patreon)

Here’s a great article by Ambrosia Hawthorn who discusses casting a circle for protection. How do you cast your circle? Do you prefer casting a circle or do not?

What is a circle, and why does it matter?

A circle is often a barrier that houses your spells and rituals. By casting a circle, you’re allocating energy to protect you from any unwanted or negative outside influences. There are a lot of formal ways to begin a circle and some informal.

It’s important to note that there are many ways to cast a circle.

In traditional witchcraft, you might call upon a god or goddess, while if you’re a secular witch, you might call upon the elements, or create a wall of your own energy. A circle isn’t mandatory, but it can significantly assist with protection and energy.

How to cast a circle

Always begin by cleansing your space. You can either use your mind to mentally push out, use incense to burn away or use a broom or besom to sweep away. Once you have your method for cleansing your space, it’s time to define your circle. To define your sacred circle, it’s important to take your space and location into consideration. Are you in your bedroom? Bathroom? Or outside? You can make your intended circle as large or as small as you’d like. You can mentally define your circle or mark the directions or elements with candles or crystals. If you’re using the four elements, you can create a cross shape. If you’re using the five elements, you can create a pentacle shape.

To cast a circle by calling upon the elements, begin facing the east. This is home to the element of air. When you move clockwise, you’ll end facing North where you can begin your ritual or spell work.

Stand in your intended circle as you begin to relax and focus on your breathing. Take as long as you’d like at this step or until you feel calm, centered, and present.

You can adapt these rules as you see fit.

Please note that I have also included the 5th element of spirit. This can be omitted or adapted for your practice.

Begin by envisioning the wind whipping around you and get really in tune with the element of air and say: “Element of air, I call on you.”

Moving clockwise, turn to the south. Envision crackling flames and the warmth of the sun. Once you are in tune with fire, say: “Element of fire, I call on you.”

Turn to the west. Envision flowing water in waves and waterfalls and streams, possibly moving around your body. When you feel attuned with water, say, “Element of water, I call on you.”

Turn to the North. Conjure up the scent of the earth after it rains. Imagine the silence and darkness of a cave and the rooted feeling of being barefoot on the earth. When you feel attuned, say, “Element of earth, I call on you.”

Still facing North, become aware of your feet and send a column or roots of light deep into the core of the earth. Bring this energy up from the center of the earth and into your body and visualize a white light flowing, creating the circle and say: “With these elements together under spirit, I cast a circle of protection above, below, within.”

This is where you perform your ritual, meditation, or spells.

Circle tips

You can also temporarily exit your circle without repeating the entire circle casting process. To do so, hold an athame or wand in your hand and make a cutting motion across the line of the circle and say: “I use this athame of crystal to open a door.” Your wand or athame will help you direct energy to make an incision in your circle of energy. When returning, you can simply reverse the process to close the door.

Opening a circle

Also called closing a circle is a way to release the energy you’ve built and is a way to thank the elements for their assistance.

The process of opening a circle begins with you facing north to release earth and saying: “Earth, thank you for your energy. I bid you farewell.”

Next, you’ll turn to the west to release water: “Water, thank you for your energy. I bid you farewell.”

Then, you’ll turn to the south to release fire: “Fire, thank you for your energy. I bid you farewell.”

After that, you’ll turn to the east to release air: “Air, thank you for your energy. I bid you farewell.”

Finally, you’ll return back north to release spirit and the circle by saying: “Spirit, I bid you farewell. I open this circle and release the energy back into the earth.”

Other popular phrases for circle casting and opening

“The circle is open, but never broken. The love of the deity name is forever in my heart.”

“Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again.”

“I thank you, element of name for lending your energy tonight. I bid you farewell.”

“I call the Guardian of direction and the element of element to watch over this sacred circle.”

Sources:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/804385183429955408/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/492792384226007439/

https://ambrosiahawthorn.medium.com/how-to-cast-a-circle-of-protection-8defbaacd575