Casting the Circle

This is the rite of casting the magical circle, from the Spiral Dance.

Start with candles lit at the cardinal points and a cauldron in the center
of the Circle area.

This ritual is designed for a High Priestess and two others, one bearing the chalice of salt water and one carrying the incense.

The High Priestess starts at the altar. With unsheathed Athame she salutes the Sky and Earth. At the East corner the Priestess raises her Athame and calls out:

Hail, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East,
Powers of Air!
We invoke you and call you,
Golden Eagle of the Dawn,
Star - seeker,
Whirlwind,
Rising Sun,
Come!
By the air that is Her breath,
Send forth your light,
Be here now!

As she speaks, she traces an invoking Pentagram in the air with her Athame.
She sees it, in glowing pale blue flame, and through it she feels a great onrush of wind. She breathes deeply, drawing in the power, then earths it through her Athame, which she points at the ground.

The High Priestess traces the Circle as she continues around the edge. The other quarters are similarly called in turn:

Hail, Guardians of the Watchtower of the South,
Powers of Fire!
We invoke you and call you,
Red Lion of the noon heat,
Flaming One!
Summer's warmth,
Spark of life, Come!
By the fire that is Her spirit,
Send forth your flame,
Be here now!

~ ~

Hail, Guardians of the Watchtower of the West,
Powers of Water!
We invoke you and call you,
Serpent of the Watery abyss,
Rainmaker,
Gray-robed Twilight,
Evening Star! Come!
By the waters of Her living womb,
Send forth your flow,
Be here now!

~ ~

Hail, Guardians of the Watchtower of the North,
Powers of Earth,
Cornerstone of all Power
We invoke you and call you,
Lady of the Outer Darkness,
Black Bull of Midnight,
North Star,
Center of the Whirling sky Stone,
Mountain,
Fertile Field, Come!
By the earth that is her body,
Send forth your strength,
Be here now!

As the Priestess completes the Circle she again salutes the sky and earth, turns and touches the tip of her Athame to the central cauldron and says:

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.

This is another way of Opening the Circle. Rather coveny though, but nice.

Preparation

Choose a suitable place for the rite. It should be quiet, private, and if at all possible, outside.

Mark out the circumference of the Circle. I suggest drawing it in sticks or rocks, tracing it in the snow, or drawing it in chalk.

Place the Altar at the North point of the Circle. It should have:

The Priest and Priestess' Athames

The Chalice, filled with wine (or juice, if you don't use alcohol in rites)

The Pentacle

Two bowls, one with salt and one with water

Two altar candles

Burning incense

Any other ritual tools you use, a Sword or Wand, for example.

You may want to place candles at the other three points of the circle- East, West and South.

The Priestess stands before the Altar, and the rest of the coven stand outside it, to the northeast.

The Ritual

The Priestess stands before the Altar, facing North. She raises her arms and cries:

I call the blessing of the God and Goddess upon this ceremony, which we perform in your honor!

The Priestess then takes up her Athame (or the Sword), moves to the center of the Circle, and draws the Circle. To do this, she holds her arm straight out and tilted slightly down, so she can look straight past the point of the Athame and see the edge of the circle. She then focuses her energy, visualizing a stream of blue light moving down her arm, through the blade, and to the edge of the Circle. Turning slow clockwise, the Priestess visualizes the blue light forming a glowing ring around the circle. She leaves a gate at the Northeast quadrant of the Circle by raising the blade above the heads of the waiting coven members.

The Priestess then welcomes the Priest. The priestess stands inside the Circle, before the gate she left, and the Priest stands in front of her, outside the Circle. The Priestess holds the point of her Athame to the Priest's throat and says,

It is better you should rush upon this blade than enter the circle with fear or hatred in your heart. How do you enter?

The Priest replies,

In perfect love and perfect trust.

They embrace, kiss, and the Priest steps into the circle. The Priest welcomes the next member of the coven, and so on until the entire group is inside the Circle. The priestess then seals the Gate, in the same manner as she drew the original Circle, but only retracing the opening she left.

The Priest and Priestess then stand before the Altar, with the rest of the coven behind them. The Priest then blesses the salt. He places it on the Pentacle, sets the point of his Athame in it, and says:

I consecrate thee, o creature of salt, that you may be free of impurities to aid us in our work this night. Blessed be!

He then draws a Pentagram in the salt with the point of his Athame. Setting the salt aside, he takes up the bowl of water, places it on the Pentacle, and while holding the point of his Athame over it he says:

I consecrate thee, o creature of water, that you may be free of impurities to aid us in our work this night. Blessed be!

The Priest then draws a Pentagram over the bowl of water and sets it aside. The Priestess picks up the Chalice, and holding it in both hands, she turns to the Priest. He holds the blade of the Athame over it, and says:

I consecrate thee, o creature of wine, that you may be free of impurities to aid us in our work this night. Blessed be!

The Priest draws a Pentagram over the Chalice. The Priestess sets it down, and they prepare to call the Watchtowers.

The Priest and Priestess stand at the East corner of the Circle, with the rest of the coven behind them. The Priest draws the Invoking Pentagram of Fire as he says the invocation:

I call upon thee, ye lords of the Watchtowers of the East, ye lords of Wind and Air, ye lords of Thought and Inspiration. Watch over these rites and grant us your blessing. So mote it be!

They then move to the South corner of the Circle, and again the Priest draws the Invoking Pentagram of Fire as he sais:

I call upon thee, ye lords of the Watchtowers of the South, ye lords of Fire and Light, ye lords of Passion and Impulse. Watch over these rites and grant us your blessing. So mote it be!

The Priest and Priestess move to the West corner of the Circle, and the Priest repeats the Invoking Pentagram of Fire as he says:

I call upon thee, ye lords of the Watchtowers of the West, ye lords of Water and Sea, ye lords of Death and resurrection. Watch over these rites and grant us your blessing. So mote it be!

The Priest and Priestess move to the North corner of the Circle, in front of the altar, and the Priest, one final time, draws the Invoking Pentagram of Fire and says this invocation:

I call upon thee, ye lords of the Watchtowers of the North, ye lords of Earth and Life, ye lords of Strength and Vitality. Watch over these rites and grant us your blessing. So mote it be!

The Priestess takes up the Chalice, holds it up in a salute to the North, and takes a sip. She passes it to the Priest, who salutes and sips. The Chalice is passed to each member of the coven in turn. If the wine (or juice) runs out, simply fill it again; it does not need to be re-consecrated.

...At this point, you will proceed with the rest of the ritual. When you are done, remember to close the Circle.