Casting a Circle and Calling In Protection

Before a ritual, a spell, or a hard day, many practitioners do something simple: they mark out a space and ask for help. It tells your mind, and whatever else you believe is listening, that this time is set apart.

Casting a circle

Casting a circle means marking a protected space around you, often by walking or pointing around its edge and picturing it close like a sphere. Traditions differ on how, and many are simple: a line of salt, a ring of stones, or just an arm swept around you with your intention. Some Wiccan and ceremonial traditions call the four directions by the names of the elements or the "watchtowers." Those belong to those specific traditions, and the school credits them. You do not need to use them.

Calling in

Calling in means asking for help from the beings and forces you work with. Who you call is up to you: your higher self, spirit guides, ancestors, angels, deities, or the elements. Choose what fits your own path, and use only what you are comfortable with. If you do not work with any of these, you can call on your own intention, or simply ask for steadiness and safety.

An example from the school's founder

Here is one way it can come together, so you can see how the pieces fit. Use it, change it, or build your own:

1. Call the directions. Facing north, call your higher self. Facing east, your spirit guides. Facing south, your ancestors. Facing west, your team of archangels. Ask them to surround you and protect you with bright white light for your magical request
2. Grow the light. Picture a sphere of white light around you, growing until it fills your whole room
3. Bring down gold light. Picture a gold bubble above your head. It pops, and golden, liquid light flows down through your crown, third eye, throat, heart, solar plexus, sacral, and root chakras
4. Ground and anchor. The light flows into the Earth like roots, and a silver cord anchors you there. Let the Earth hold you
5. Draw it back up. Bring the energy back up through the root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown. Let it form a torus, a donut-shaped field of energy that flows around you

Chakras are taught in the school as a tradition, with credit, and there is a place in The Circle to talk about their history and use (see Energy Work). Use them here if they are part of your practice.

Closing the circle

When you are done, thank whoever you called, in your own words. Picture the sphere softening and the light settling back into the Earth, and let your shield go. Opening a space the way you closed it keeps your practice tidy.

Cleanse first

Cleanse before you cast, so you are marking out a clear space (see Bell & Broom).

If it ever feels frightening

Casting and calling should leave you feeling steadier. If it leaves you scared, overwhelmed, or unable to stop thinking about it, stop, ground yourself, and talk to a trusted person or a professional.