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How to Cast a Circle of Protection
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 ones.
It’s important to note that many ways to cast a circle exist.
In traditional practices, 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 can significantly assist with protection and energy.
How to cast a circle
- Cleanse Your Space: 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.
- 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.
- Invoke the Elements: 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.
- Cast Your Circle: 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 up 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.
Notes: Feel free to adapt these guidelines to your preferences. I’ve also included the fifth element, Spirit, which can be adjusted or omitted based on your practice.
To begin, envision the wind swirling around you and connect deeply with the element of Air, saying, “Element of air, I call on you.”
