How to Cast a Circle With Quarter Candles

Modern pagans and witches create sacred space by casting a circle. You can form a circle with objects, such as stones or candles, or you can envision a protective circle surrounding you. The circle represents the space between the worlds and is a place to perform rituals or spells. In witchcraft, the circle is oriented toward the four cardinal directions: north, south, east and west. Typically, north represents the element of earth, west represents water, east represents air and south represents fire. You can cast a circle using candles that represent the four elements and directions.

Things You'll Need

• Altar
• Altar items
• Four quarter candles
• Compass
• Rope, stones, chalk or salt
• Broom
• Matches or a lighter

Instructions

1. Gather together your altar items that you will need to assist you in your magical workings. Possible items to place on your altar, or magical work table, include images of deity, an incense burner, a chalice and a pentacle (a star with a circle around it).

2. Collect four candles to represent the four quarters of your circle. Choose the color green or brown to represent north, blue or purple to represent west, orange or red to represent south and yellow or gold to represent east.

3. Locate an empty indoor or outdoor space where you can cast your circle.

4. Use a compass to locate the four cardinal directions.

5. Arrange your altar in the center of the circle. Some witches prefer facing their altar east or north.

6. Create a circle around your altar that is large enough to accommodate you and your altar. You can use a rope, stones, salt or chalk to delineate a circle.

7. Place each quarter candle at its appropriate compass point near the edge of your circle.

8. Cleanse your sacred space before you cast your circle. You can walk clockwise around your circle with a broom to sweep out any negative energy.

9. Take a match or a lighter and walk to your east quarter candle to begin casting your circle.

10. Light the east quarter candle and call upon the guardians or spirits of the direction of east. You may wish to say, "Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East, I summon you to witness this rite and guard this circle."

11. Walk to your south quarter candle. Light the south quarter candle candle while saying, "Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South, I summon you to witness this rite and guard this circle."

12. Move to your west quarter candle. Light the west quarter candle while saying, "Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West, I summon you to witness this rite and guard this circle."

13. Move to your north quarter candle. Light the north quarter candle while saying, "Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North, I summon you to witness this rite and guard this circle."

14. Move to the center of your circle and welcome the deity or deities that you are working with into your circle. If you have written an invocation to a specific deity, you can say it at this time.

15. Begin your ritual or spellwork now that your circle is cast.

Tips & Warnings

• Instead of calling the Guardians of the Watchtowers, you can call on the four elements of earth, air, water and fire. You can also invoke specific deities or spirits that represent the four directions.

• Different magical traditions may have their own ways of how to cleanse and cast a circle.

References

• "To Ride a Silver Broomstick: New Generation Witchcraft"; Silver Ravenwolf; 2000
• "The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess"; Starhawk; 1979

Resources

• Sacred Texts; Internet Book of Shadows: Casting the Circle; 1999