How to Cast a Wiccan Circle

Setting up the Physical Circle

Find a quiet place with an even surface for your circle. In order to have the proper focus to create a Wiccan circle, you'll need a place where you can concentrate, so choose somewhere that you're not likely to be disturbed. Also, try to find an area where the ground or floor is flat, since that will make it easier to create a perfect circle around you. If you're casting a circle of protection, you may have to do so in less-than-ideal circumstances. That's fine, just try to focus your energy as much as you can.

Decide on the size you need the circle to be. Your circle should be large enough for you and anyone else involved in the ritual to move around in comfortably. If it's too small, you won't have room for your ceremony, and you risk having someone accidentally break the circle. If you're the only one practicing, you can use a circle with a radius of about 3–5 ft (0.91–1.52 m) A circle around 9 ft (2.7 m) is sufficient for 3-4 people. If you have a large group of people, have everyone stand in a circle holding hands to determine the size of the circle you need to cast.

Clear the space for the circle. In some cases, this will involve physically cleaning up the space—removing furniture and decorations if you're inside, or moving rocks and twigs if you're outdoors. However, you may also want to perform a ritual cleansing to rid the area of any bad energy. One of the most popular ways to spiritually clear an area is with smudging, or burning a dried plant like sage, lavender, cedar, or rosemary. The smoke from these herbs is thought to ward off evil spirits.

Draw a physical circle on the ground if you'd like. If you'd like, you can draw or create a circle, although this isn't necessary. You can draw the circle in chalk, sprinkle salt or water in a circle on the ground, or make a circle out of rocks, for instance. You can even use your finger to draw a circle on the dirt or in the carpet, if you want. There's no right or wrong way to make your circle, but make sure whatever you use forms a solid ring. For instance, if you use a piece of cord, make sure to tie the ends together. Creating a visual circle can help you stay focused during the casting ritual. It can also be helpful if you'll have several people inside the circle and you're concerned they won't remember where the line is. Tip: Some Wiccans draw a pentacle, or a 5-pointed star, inside of their circle. This shape represents the elements Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Spirit.

Set up your altar and any tools you plan on using for the ceremony. Once you've defined the boundaries of your circle, either mentally or by drawing it on the ground, you should set up your altar, if you're using one, along with any ritual objects you might need. For instance, many traditions place a candle at the cardinal directions north, south, east, and west inside of the circle. Your altar can be a desk, table, wooden stump, or any other object with a flat surface. However, if it's possible, try to use an object made from natural materials like wood, stone, or metal. That way, your ceremony will be more closely connected to nature, which is an important component of Wicca. You can decorate your altar with scarves, if you'd like, then arrange it with any decorations, symbols, or offerings you'd like, as well as anything you'll need during the ceremony. These will vary depending on your tradition, but may include candles, a chalice, a dish of water, a bell, a bowl of sand, salt, or soil, and a casting tool (such as a wand, stick, or staff, or a ritual knife known as an athame). It's best to gather these items ahead of time so you're not distracted by looking for them during the ceremony.

Casting the Spiritual Circle

Purify yourself according to your practice. Before you step into your circle, take a few moments to breathe deeply and focus on your intention for the ceremony. The exact way you cleanse yourself will depend on the Wiccan tradition you follow, but if you'd like, you can meditate, chant, perform a smudging, or take a ritual bath. Try to focus on positive energy, which may help prevent negative energy from entering the circle. If anyone else will be practicing with you, have them cleanse themselves as well.

Enter the circle and have any other members join you. Once you're cleansed, enter the circle, then invite anyone else who's practicing with you to step into the circle as well. If you'd like, you can also offer an invocation inviting deities or spirits to join you. For instance, you might call upon the God and the Goddess or, if you drew a pentacle, you might call on the 5 elements, which are Earth, Fire, Air, Water, and Spirit. If you set candles at each of the cardinal points, move clockwise around the circle, calling upon the deity of each direction as you light the candles. This is known as “calling the quarters.” You might try having each person say a certain phrase as they enter the circle. A common call-and-answer for Wiccans is to ask each person, “How do you enter this circle?” Each person then says, “With perfect light and perfect love” as they step into the ring. Tip: Some people prefer to enter the circle at a certain point, such as one of the cardinal directions. This may vary depending on your practice, though.

State your intention for casting the circle, speaking with conviction. Point your casting tool into the air, then declare the reason you want to create the circle. Imagine that you are trying to force energy out from your belly as you speak, to ensure your circle is powerful enough for your ritual. Some common reasons to cast a circle might be to create a sacred space, to protect yourself from negative energy, to create a portal to reach another realm, or to contain spirits or energy that you call upon during the ritual. For instance, you might say something like, "We cast this circle to protect us from outside forces that mean us harm!" or "I create this circle to harness my energy as I speak to the spirit realm." A casting tool can be a wand, an athame, a staff, or even just your finger. The main purpose of the tool is to concentrate your energy so it can be directed precisely where you want it, so use whatever makes you feel comfortable and powerful.

Use your tool to draw your symbolic circle, being sure to close it. Picture your energy flowing through your body, down through your casting tool, and out to the line of your circle. Then, turn your body clockwise, forming a 360° circle with your wand. You can start your circle wherever you like, although some practices prefer to start at a specific spot. In some traditions, for instance, the circle starts at cardinal North because it represents a connection to the earth. In other practices, the circle starts at cardinal East because that's where the sun and moon rise. If you'd like, you can simply imagine your energy going out of you to form a circle or a bubble around you. This can be helpful if you're alone or you need a discrete way to protect yourself.

Perform your ceremony within the circle. Wiccan ceremonies can take a lot of different forms. Not only will different practices have different ceremonial traditions, but you may want to come up with your own individual take on those traditions, as well. For instance, you might read from mystical texts that are sacred to your practice, cast a spell, or send up an offering, or you might sing, chant, dance, or pray. One common Wiccan practice is called Cakes and Ale or Cakes and Wine. It can take place at the beginning or the end of the ceremony, and it involves sharing food and drink, as well as offering them symbolically to the God and Goddess or other deities you invited into the circle.

Exiting and Closing the Circle

Open a door if you need to temporarily leave the circle. In order for a circle to be effective, it cannot be broken once it's formed. If you do need to step out of the circle during the ceremony, use your casting tool and make a cutting motion across the line you created, first on your left, then on your right. This will create a symbolic door that will allow you to exit without disrupting the energy forming the circle. Step back through the same door when you return to the circle. Once you re-enter, use your casting tool to re-draw the line of the circle to close the door.

Thank the deities or guardians at the end of the ceremony and dismiss them. After you've finished the ceremony, make sure to thank any gods, spirits, or other forces that may have joined you during your ritual. Then, ask them to leave the circle. This will help ensure no energy follows you once you leave the circle. For instance, you might say, "God and Goddess, we thank you for blessing us with your presence today. Travel safely home to the spiritual realm."

Declare your intention to dismantle the circle. Just as you stated your reason for forming the circle with power and intent, it's important to dismantle the circle with the same energy. Point your casting tool into the air and announce that the circle is being broken. As you do this, imagine the energy that is making up the circle. Say something like, "I release the energy holding this circle around us!"

Draw your casting tool counter-clockwise around the circle. Point your tool at the starting point once more, but this time, turn in a counter-clockwise direction. Picture the energy that you sent out earlier coming back into your casting tool. If you need to, take a few deep breaths to center yourself, then tidy up the area, gathering up any supplies you may have used in your ceremony. You can either absorb the energy back into yourself, or you can allow it to dissipate into the air. Take a few deep breaths to replenish your energy if you need to.