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[from http://www.oakgrove.org/GreenPages/bos/0130.txt ] Subject: CASTING THE CIRCLE ONE Set up : place a candle in each of the four cardinal directions.L ay the rest of the tools on the altar cloth or near it. The altar can be on the ground, a table, a rock or a stump. The altar should be in the center or just north of center of the Circle. Light the six candles and the incense, start the musicand begin the ritual. THE RITUAL Facing North, the High Priest and Priestess kneel in front o f the altar with him to her right. She puts the bowl of wateron the altar, places the point of her athame in it and says: "I exorcise thee, O Creature of Water, that thou cast out fro m thee all impurities and uncleanliness of the world of phantasm; in the nam es of Cernunnos and Aradia" She then puts down her athame and holds up the bowl of water i n both hands. The High Priest puts the bowl of salt on the altar, puts his athame in the salt and says: "Blessings be upon this Creature of Salt; let all malignity and hindrance be cast forth hence, and let all good enter herein ; whereforeso Iblessthee, thatthoumayest aidme, inthe names of Cernunnos and Aradia." He then puts down his athame and pours the salt into the bowl of water the High Priestess is holding. The High Priest then stands with the r est of the Coven outside the Circle. The High Priestess then draws the Circl e with the sword, leaving a gap in the Northeast section. While drawin g the Circle, she should visualize the power flowing into the Circle from o ff the end of the sword. She draws the Circle in a East to North or deo sil or clockwise direction. She says: "I conjure thee, O Circle of Power, that thou beest a meeting pl ace of loveandjoyand truth;ashieldagainst allwickednessand evil; a boundary between men and the realms of the Mighty On es; a rampart and protection that shall preserve and contain the power that we shall raise within thee. Wherefore do I bless thee and cons ecrate thee, in the names of Cernunnos and Aradia." The High Priestess lays down the sword and admits the High Pries t with a kiss while spinning him deosil and whispers"Bless Be" . He then ad mits a women the same way. Alternate male female male. Then the High Pri estess finishes closing the Circle with the sword. She then names three witc hes to help strengthen the Circle. The first witch carries the bowl of conse crated water from East to East going deosil, sprinkling the perimeter as she/he goes. They then sprinkle each member in turn. If the witch is mal e, he sprinkles the High Priestess last who then sprinkles him. If fema le she sprinkles the High Priest last, who then sprinkles her. The bo wl is replaced on the altar. The second witch takes the incense burner arou nd the perimeter and the third takes one of the altar candles. While going around the perimeter, each person says: 130 "Black spirits and white, Red spirits and grey, Harken to the rune I say. Four points of the Circle, weave the spell, East, South, West, North, your tale tell. East is for break of day, South is white for the noontide hour, In the West is twilight grey, And North is black, for the place of power. Three times round the Circle's cast. Great ones, spirits from the past, Witness it and guard it fast." All the Coven pickup their athames and face the East with the High Priest and Priestess in front, him on her right. The High Priestess s ays: "Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the East, ye Lords of Air; I do summon, stir, and call you up to witness our rites and to guard the Circle." As she speaks she draws the Invoking Pentagram of Earth in t he air with her athame. The High Priest and the rest of the Coven co py her movements with their athames. The High Priestess turns and faces the South and repeats the summoning: "Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the South, ye Lords of Fire; I d o summon, stir and call you up, to witness our rites and to g uard the Circle." She does the same pentagram and then faces West and says: "Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the West, ye Lords of Water, ye Lords of Death and Initiation; I do summon, stir, and call you up, to witness our rites and to guard the Circle." She faces North with rest of the Coven and says: "Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the North, ye Lords of Earth; Bo reas, thou gentle guardian of the Northern Portals; thou power ful God and gentle Goddess; we do summon, stir and call you up, to witness our rites and to guard the Circle." The Circle is completed and sealed. If anyone needs to leave, a gate must be made. Using the sword, draw out part of the Circle w ith a widdershins or counterclockwise stroke.Immediately reseal it an d then repeat the opening and closing when the person returns. Farrar, Janet and Stewart; "Eight Sabbats For Witches"; Robert Hale 1983 and Valiente, Doreen; "Witchcraft for Tomorrow"; Phoenix Publishing 1 985
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