The Pagan Heart
|
May 2005 Issue
|
Working with Energy: Circle Casting
By Catherine M.
When people talk about energy work, the topic of circle casting often arises. Not everyone uses circles for all forms of magic, but they are a useful tool to know about. Me, I follow a Druidic path, so the thought of casting a circle to create sacred space or form a protective barrier is ridiculous - to me. It is not a part of how the Druidic belief system works. But I have been known to cast a circle to use as a doorway for the ancestors to use. When I am involved in a particularly difficult healing, I may use a circle to shield my household from the fallout. And, as a spiritual descendant of the Druids, whom it is believed were descended from the henge builders afterall, and who loved using spirals and other circular shapes, the circle is a part of my heritage, however I choose to use it. Circles are useful. And whether one ever uses them or not, the discipline of drawing down the energy and manipulating it is beneficial. So, what is a "circle"? It is an area constructed and defined through energy - non-physical but very real. It is not so much circular as spherical in shape, and acts as a sacred space to welcome the deities, perform rituals and magic, and remove us from the mundane reality in which we live. Before casting a circle, cleanse the area of both physical and metaphysical junk. A clean space not only gives more room to work in, it also prevents negative residue from draining or impacting upon the circle. So dust and vaccum, and smudge or sprinkle away to your heart's content. Even if you don't cast circles, these are good practices to get into before general working anyway. There are many ways to cleanse space, and I recommend you look into what appeals most to you. I know people who dance around ringing tiny bells. I know others who find that thought hilarious and horrifying, and prefer to light incense. I tend to meditate and use the energy I raise to psychically cleanse the space I work in, even though I don't tend to use a circle. Cleansing space, especially that in which you live, is a good habit to fall into. It's like the difference between drinking filtered water, or a cup scooped from a puddle. Follow the space cleansing with something for yourself. Even if it's only your hands and face, try to wash yourself. The physical act is a very strong spiritual reminder that helps bring you into the right place. Groom yourself and focus upon the upcoming ritual and your intent. When you are ready, start by setting the scene. This includes things like dress (or lack thereof), music, lighting, incense, food and drink. Once all is ready, create the circle space. A physical boundary is usually marked out - this aids the visualisation of the actual space the circle will fill. Using objects (such as flowers, leaves or crystals), people, powders (sands and salt are common), the castor marks out a boundary. Unlike fictional stories, the boundary doesn't need to be left inviolate for the circle to remain whole. You can cross the borders, move the objects. The energy will remain intact and functional. It may fluctuate slightly, and if it feels less stable, it is easy enough to restore. Use the same actions you used to create it, only on a small scale - feed enough energy into the circle to restore the balance. If the castor is Wiccan or Witch, the circle will also usually incorporate the quarters, with the cardinal points being marked with items representing them (a cup of water at the West point, for example). Then, start raising the energy - it can be one person or a group. Indeed in a ritual, the power raised by the coven or gathering is intense and makes the circle casting an incredible event to participate in. Focus upon raising personal energy until it is at the point of vibration - at that point you need to start feeding it out to create the circle. If working with others, let the castor gather the energy - don't try to direct it yourself. Feed the energy down into your working hand (and into your tool - wand, athame, etc - if using one) and start to walk the line of the created circle space (usually deosil, although some from the southern hemisphere move the alternate direction to raise energy). Let the energy flow out and settle into the circle as you walk all the way around and then close the circle. Do not disconnect from it. Return to the centre and feel the energy - you are continuing to channel energy up from the earth into the circle. When the circle feels strong, maybe even hums or feels hot, when you can sense the seperation between the inner circle and the outer world, close off the flow of energy. Your circle is now complete. If you are good at visualisation, or can see energy flows (such as auras), you will probably be able to see the circle as well. A living, vibrating, entity of pure energy. As you near the barrier, you will sense the power. Should you wish to leave the circle, it's easy. Some prefer to cut a doorway before passing through - face northeast and use your athame to cut an archway. Start at your feet and cut up and over to the right and back to the starting point. Let the athame draw in some of the energy. Once you have completed the doorway, you can easily pass through. To close it, reverse your procedure. Those involved in raising the power should now take a brief moment to recentre themselves. Have a sip of water and a bite of food - this grounds you in the flesh. Then start with your ritual. For Wiccans and Witches, this involves invoking the quarters and welcoming the god and goddess, among other things. Perform your workings, enjoy a brief bite to eat (there's nothing quite like eating a meal within sacred space!) and then finalise the ritual. The last thing to do is close the circle. Travelling the opposite direction (again, this is open to personal preference as there are people who dislike moving widdershins), use your hand or tool to pierce the energy circle, and begin to draw the energy back into your body. Continue until the energy is all recovered. If working with others, allow the energy to pass through to them as you work. Focus upon the changing atmosphere as the circle is dissolved - the outer world will intrude into the previously sacred space - and upon returning yourself to the mundane plane. Once the circle is fully dissipated, ground and centre yourself, and clean up the ritual area. If you worked with others, this may be a time to connect on the human level and discuss the ritual together. Or a time to journal your own reactions. Remember, even though you thanked the deities they may still be lingering, as are the residual powers you worked with. This time, post-ritual, is one of the "between". Circle work is very rewarding and also very demanding - it can stretch and challenge you in many ways, while providing you with techniques and possibilities you may not have been aware of before. The technique I have described here is by no means the only way. If you are interested, do some research and find what calls to you.
|
Primary article for May - Creating Ritual through Symbolism: Masque Making
Return to the Index of articles for Tools of the Trade
