The circle is the sacred space in which magick is worked, where
Witches can meet with the Goddess and God. The word "circle" may be misleading, though, because actually what you are creating is a sphere that encompasses all participants and the altar. The magick circle defines the ritual
area, holds in personal power and shuts out all distractions and negative
energies.

You can use objects on the ground to show the boundaries of the
circle, such as stones, flowers, branches, candles (my favorite) or crystals. It
is formed with personal power which is felt and visualized as streaming from
the body to form what, to me, ends up looking like a bubble made of mist. Some use their athame, or magick knife, to direct this power, others use their
hands.

Once the energy is flowing through your fingertips or athame, walk the
circle three times clockwise, envisioning the mist (or bubble, or light, or
whatever works for you) trailing outward from you to form the sphere.
When the circle is completed, shut off the energy by shaking your hand or
simply pulling the energy back into yourself.

Once the circle is cast, you are ready to call the quarters if you
wish.

There are many different energies and beings that can be called,
summoned or stirred to protect the circle or witness your ritual - from
watchtowers to angels to faeries to elementals to element energies. No matter
which type of quarter call you use, when working with quarters, envision a door or opening of some kind and visualize the energy or being that will be
coming through that door to guard the circle. All quarter energies should be
dismissed in the same manner they were called. I'll give you an example of
the type of quarter call I use during New Moon rituals. As I call each
quarter, I face that direction and hold out my athame with both hands,
feeling the energy from that element flowing into me:

* To the East, I summon the forces of Air
To blow out the old and bring in the new on your winds of change

* To the South, I summon the forces of Fire to burn away regrets
And shine your gentle rays upon me for growth

* To the West, I summon the forces of Water to cleanse me of
negativity And purify my thoughts

* To the North, I summon the forces of Earth let your renewing
strength bury all ills and open new paths before me

I always use elemental energies during quarter calls. Because the
New Moon is a time for new beginnings, you'll notice that my quarter calls
reflect the type of magick that will be worked inside the circle. Do some
research and get to know the energy you will be using. If you use elemental
energies, take some time to meditate on each element and figure out its properties and correspondences.

When you are finished with your spell or ritual, release the circle
exactly opposite of the way you cast it. Pull the circle back into your
athame or whatever tool you used in your casting, and release and thank any spirits or elementals you called. There are literally thousands of ways to call quarters and cast circles. I've just given you an overview, because
it's always best to figure out what works for you. I work very well with
element energies, but you might have an affinity for something else.