Opening and Closing Circles

 

Opening and Closing Circles is the same for all of the rituals on this site, unless it states otherwise within the ritual.  

Of course, anyone is welcome to use, adapt, or discard, any or all of this structure when creating their own ritual. But as so many of our suggested rituals include casting a circle and calling the quarters, but don’t give a definitive method for this, we thought we should include more information here, in case it’s helpful.

This document is intended to be read in conjunction with our page on Ritual Etiquette.

 

Casting a Circle

The purpose of casting a circle is to create a sacred space, where the energies are contained and protected. That’s why it is always the first element of any ritual where it is performed.

Start by sweeping the circle with a broom to clear it of any dirt, leaves or rubbish. While sweeping, remember that you are sweeping out all negative energies and work with that purpose in mind. You would do this before inviting people into the circle.

The circle can be cast with a finger, a wand, an athame, a sword, or anything that’s long and pointy (though using a witchy hat would be pretty unusual!)

The caster should walk clockwise (deosil) around the outside of the circle, leaving plenty of space, if possible, for people to move around within the circle. Using whatever pointy object you choose, point the tip towards the ground and visualise a sphere of containment and protection being created, with the top half above the ground and the bottom half below the ground. You can start and end wherever you wish, but the usual place would be in the East.

If the members are waiting outside, always open a door by tracing it with your finger or pointy object and visualise the door being created.  Start from the ground, trace the vertical, the lintel, back down to the ground and back to the starting point. Let the people in through that door and remember to close it afterwards.  You can do this either by re-marking the circle’s edge as done while casting it, or by tracing the door again in the opposite direction. It is usual to have this door in the north-east of your circle.

Some people like to sing or chant as they cast a circle. Feel free to do this, and to invite the circle members to join in if you/they wish. A generic one you could use would be:

‘We are a circle, within a circle, with no beginning and never ending’.

Often, we then cleanse and strengthen the circle with the elements of Earth, Air Fire and Water. To do this, light some incense (Air & Fire) and walk around the inside of the circle, starting and ending at the same points as when the circle was cast. Then mix some salt and water (Earth & Water) in a small container. Proceed around the circle, as above, while sprinkling the mixture around the edge of the circle.

Always remember that once a circle has been cast, only children and animals should enter or leave without opening a door first and closing it behind them.  This would normally be done by the person who cast the circle.

 

Calling the Quarters

This is usually the next part of the ritual process, and involves requesting the spirits or guardians of the four quarters/elements into your circle. It is usual to always start with the East and work clockwise to North. The callings can be done by one person (usually the person conducting the ritual), by a High Priest and High Priestess, or by whoever is standing in roughly the right place in the circle and is willing to do it.

As you call in each quarter, all the circle members turn to face the direction being called, taking care to always turn clockwise when moving to a new position.

If you have placed candles to mark the quarters (East, South, West & North), these should be lit, in turn, after calling the quarters (below).

Wiccans would usually use the standard wording below. The words in brackets are optional extras.

Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East, [guardian spirits of Air], I do summon, stir and call you up, to witness these rites and guard this circle, and I bid you Hail and Welcome.
Everyone repeat: Hail and Welcome!

Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South, [guardian spirits of Fire], I do summon, stir and call you up, to witness these rites and guard this circle, and I bid you Hail and Welcome.
Everyone repeat: Hail and Welcome!

Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West, [guardian spirits of Water], I do summon, stir and call you up, to witness these rites and guard this circle, and I bid you Hail and Welcome.
Everyone repeat: Hail and Welcome!

Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North, [guardian spirits of Earth], I do summon, stir and call you up, to witness these rites and guard this circle, and I bid you Hail and Welcome.
Everyone repeat: Hail and Welcome!

Some people will also trace a pentagram in the air with their finger, wand or athame while each quarter is being called.

When creating your own ritual, however, feel free to write summonings of your own for each of the quarters, as we do when the occasion requires it. If your circle members are experienced enough, you can also simply let them say whatever comes to them as they call in each quarter.

In some rituals, it may also feel appropriate to call in the ancestors, spirits, or goddess and god. In that case, the caller would stand in the centre of the circle, usually facing the Altar (North), and all the circle members would turn clockwise to face them, before the calling is done.

 

The Ritual

It is usual, once the basics are complete, to proceed with a personalised central section to a ritual. This could include a bit of information about the season or the festival, and what it symbolises; a visualisation; something for each individual to do, such as writing messages for their departed loved ones on pieces of paper to burn (at Samhain); and often also involves giving people time to say anything they wish to, such as giving messages aloud to their departed loved ones, or stating the wish they wrote down or worked on during the main part of the ritual.

Once the central section has been completed, it is usual to offer round a plate of biscuits, bread, fruit or other shareable food, often made by a circle member. If there are people in your circle group who have specific dietary wishes or needs, such as gluten-free or vegan, it is best if you can ensure that your food complies with their requirements, or they won’t be able to participate in this part. The plate should be sent clockwise around the circle, and members will often pass the plate on and/or receive it with a murmured ‘Blessed Be’.

Likewise, there is often drink passed around in a chalice. This could be wine, mead, water or fruit juice, and care should be taken, if possible, to ensure that most or all circle members will be happy to drink it. Again, send the chalice clockwise around the circle, and feel free to bless each person as you pass it on.

A piece of the food and a splash of the wine will usually be dropped on the ground as an offering to the goddess and the god, either during the ritual or after the circle has been closed.

 

Closing the Circle

Once the ceremony is complete, the quarters should be closed. Start with the central position of the Ancestors, God, Goddess, etc, if invoked, and then work anti-clockwise (widdershins) round the circle from North to East. This is the only time that circle members should move anti-clockwise around the circle while it exists.

The usual Wiccan wording for dismissing the quarters would be:

Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North, [guardian spirits of Earth], I thank you for your presence in this circle [or for attending this circle, etc] and witnessing these rites, and I bid you Hail and Farewell.
Everyone repeat: Hail and Farewell!

Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West, [guardian spirits of Water], I thank you for your presence in this circle [or for attending this circle, etc] and witnessing these rites, and I bid you Hail and Farewell.
Everyone repeat: Hail and Farewell!

Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South, [guardian spirits of Fire], I thank you for your presence in this circle [or for attending this circle, etc] and witnessing these rites, and I bid you Hail and Farewell.
Everyone repeat: Hail and Farewell!

Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East, [guardian spirits of Air], I thank you for your presence in this circle [or for attending this circle, etc] and witnessing these rites, and I bid you Hail and Farewell.
Everyone repeat: Hail and Farewell!

Circle members and/or the caller may also wish to draw the banishing pentagram (like the ordinary one, except that you start with the downward stroke going to the right instead of the left, and work from there) while dismissing the quarters.

The person who cast the circle would then take their pointy object and walk anti-clockwise around the circle, starting from the place they began and ended when casting (usually the East), and visualising the protective sphere being dissolved, and the protective energy of the circle/sphere being taken back into the ritual tool as they walk. Again, they may wish to sing or chant as they go. A favourite for this is:

‘May the circle be open, yet forever unbroken; may the love of the goddess be forever in your heart. Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again.’

The ritual is now over and members may move freely in and out of the area that was used for the circle.