#casting circles

We know we can’t do salt circles on the ground outside because salt kills everything, but some good replacements that look similar are flour (which is actually an incredible fertilizer! highly encouraged) and sand (which can also be great for lawns, apparently).

Importance of casting circles

Making a circle is important for creating a safe space for doing magic. It can be made of candles, herbs, using brooms, circling yourself with incense, or taking an oil/herbal cleansing bath.

How to cast a circle

Clean the air to get rid of unwanted spirits. This can be done by using a broom, but it can also be done with just your hands by making a sweeping motion with intent in mind.

Cleanse the space with incense, crystals, and/or holy water

Verbally call upon deities and visualize your connection with the space around you. You can see colors when your eyes are closed, then you know it worked well

Say whatever feels natural for your protection, and repeat it facing each direction (NSEW)

Visualize the circle and/or your deity protecting you

How to close a circle

Take a cleansed object (it can be an athame), and thank the deities while pulling it up in front of you and over your head 

Envision the light and energy returning to your body

Starting at the east, go in the circle again, but backwards, while continuing these thoughts

Thank these same deities previously called upon

Brush away the air again to finish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AucgCnuqVCY&list=PLJoaUNoGt0fqzyg_yPJ-DDPMxqPZwgAj6&index=13&t=2s 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmWcMx71ZZE

I appreciate your question, thank you!

I had to use this gif, from the movie The Craft, as they 'call upon the guardians of the watchtowers' of each direction. What most non-pagan viewers may not realize is that Watchtower magic is actually an existing practice that dates back to the late 19th century and did have clear correspondences: North was earth, South fire, East air, and West water.

So in terms of 'rightness' these are the original correspondences that are most commonly used, but I'll tell you I never felt right using North for earth, it seemed like it should be air. So when I did use these in practice, I used North air, East earth, South fire, and West water. Since I was a solitary practitioner, I figured no one would mind, which certainly isn't the usually theological depth I give to these thoughts but I was a teenager, lol.

If I were to use these again today, the only other questions I'd ask is if they make sense to you geographically, is there a major body of water you work with that happens to be south of you? Perhaps you'd want to orient yourself that way. Or is it more important for it to be conceptually consistent because you're working with archetypes more than specifics? This may help give some internal validation to your choices, even if you end up going with the original correspondences.

So, it’s an odd idea, I know. But hear me out.

Spotify has a lot of music, we all know this, but I’ve discovered the past couple months that their spiritual/new age/pagan/witchy selection ain’t half bad either. I’ve really expanded my library of pagan music these past couple months, let me tell you.

So I got a wild idea to create a playlist for when I perform rituals. At first I thought it would just be some wordless meditation music, something to keep it from getting too quiet. Welp. I found something even better.

I found songs that practically walk me through each step of my ritual. This means that I don’t have to worry about remembering words or steps or anything like this. The songs will guide me, all I have to do is listen and focus on my rituals.

I know, it sounds wild.

Here is the current playlist I have going, which right now is 1 hour and 32 minutes long, and here is how it’s broken down: (All links below take you to YouTube)

- Preparation: These are played while I get myself settled, doing my grounding, breathing exercises and relaxing.           - Fill, Fill a Rún           -  Caoineadh Na Mara/Amen (Lament of the Sea)           - Witch’s Rune

- Casting the Circle: This section is customized based on what spirits or gods I am working with at the time, and if it is a Sabbat or Esbat there may be additional songs.

            - Calling the Corners             - Calling all Directions             - Goddess and God Chant             - I Hear You Calling             - Hymn to Herne             - Brigid

- Meditation Tracks: These are always changing so I won’t bother to list them here, but I usually add about 4 or 5 meditation tracks that will play to give me time to do whatever ritual or spell I am doing. This can be customized greatly depending on the type of magick you are doing.

- Closing: There is only one song in this, and I am going to add more, but this is the part where I do my grounding, thanking and releasing spirits, the whole nine. I also want to add a few songs to get me through the clean up as well, but I haven’t quite gotten there yet. 

          - Cakes and Ale by Marie Bruce (couldn’t find on YouTube)

I have other playlists for sabbats and esbats but I figured I would share this one and see how it did before I made a long ass post on the witchy music I listen to.