Wicca and Witchcraft

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Squaring the Circle
Creating a Permanent Circle
Altars
Your Personal Sanctuary: Auras and Sacred Psychic Space

Squaring the Circle by Skye Alexander

To honor the four elements and the four corners of creation, some witches erect four small altars within the circle. One altar is positioned at each of the four main compass points of the working space, known as the quarters. Wiccans frequently place items that represent the element of each quarter at the corresponding point of the sacred space. This honors the energies of that quarter.

“Squaring the circle” refers to the human body as the place where heaven and earth are united. The circle symbolizes heaven, the square represents earth. Leonardo da Vinci's famous drawing depicts a man with arms and legs outstretched, standing within a square and a circle. This shows that the circumference of the circle is the same as the square's perimeter.

Each altar may hold any number of objects, which represent the element of that direction. Here are some suggestions:

Direction	Element	Suggested Objects
East	Air	yellow candle, feathers, incense, wind chimes
South	Fire	red candle, marigolds, clear crystals, amber incense
West	Water	blue candle, shells, coral, bowl of water, fountain
North	Earth	green candle, stones, potted plants, marble or ceramic statue

You'll find more information about elemental correspondences in the next chapter. Once you become familiar with the elements, you can position symbolic items that hold meaning for you to mark the four corners of your own sacred space.

<B>Calling the Four Quarters/Directions</B></h2> <p>Many magickal traditions “call the quarters” as part of casting a circle. Not everyone uses the same words or gestures, however. Wiccans probably won't perform this practice in exactly the same way as ritual or ceremonial magicians. Calling the quarters creates an invisible line of energy that marks the space between two worlds: the mundane and the spiritual, the temporal and the magickal.</p> <div class="npsb"> <p></p> <p>Some people invoke angels when calling the quarters. Usually Raphael is associated with the east, Michael with the south, Gabriel with the west, and Uriel with the north. The deities are invoked in this order and released in the opposite order.</p></div> <p>The following description is eclectic and generic, but nonetheless quite functional. As you call out to the four directions, visualize lines of pure white light connecting you to the powers of the universe. In time, you may wish to customize the ritual, adapting it to the season or intention, or even to design your own entirely.</p> <p>Begin at the east (where the sun rises). Light a yellow candle here and face outward, with your back to the center of the circle. Call out to the forces of the east, saying: “Beings of Air, Guardians of the East, Breath of Transfor-mation — Come! Be welcome in this sacred space. I/we ask that you stand firm to guard and protect, refresh and motivate. Support the magick created here by conveying my/our wishes on every wind as it reaches across the earth.”</p> <p>Move clockwise to the south and light a red candle. Invoke the deities of the south by saying: “Beings of Fire, Guardians of the South, Spark of Creation that banishes the darkness — Come! Be welcome in this sacred space. I/we ask that you stand firm to guard and protect, activate and fulfill. Support the magick created here by conveying my/our wishes to the sun, the stars, and every beam of light as it embraces the earth.”</p> <p>Continue to the west, light a blue candle, and call out: “Beings of Water, Guardians of the West, Rain of Inspiration — Come! Be welcome in this sacred space. I/we ask that you stand firm to guard and protect, heal and nurture. Support the magick created here by conveying my/our wishes to dewdrops, rain, and waves as they wash across the world.”</p> <p>Walk to the north, light a green candle, and say: “Beings of Earth, Guardians of the North, Soils of Foundation — Come! Be welcome in this sacred space. I/we ask that you stand firm to guard and protect, mature and provide. Support the magick created here by conveying my/our wishes to every grain of sand, every bit of loam that is our world.”</p> <p>Move into the center of the circle and intone: “Ancient One … the power that binds all the elements into oneness and source of my/our magick — Come! Be welcome in this sacred space. I/we ask that you stand firm to guard and protect, guide and fill all the energy created here. May it be for the good of all. So mote it be.”</p> <h2><B>Closing the Circle and Releasing Magickal Energies</B></h2> <p>Releasing the sacred space is as important as erecting it. At the end of your workings, release the sphere you've created, thank the powers who've assisted you, ask them to keep guiding the energy you've raised, and bid them farewell until the next time.</p> <p>Begin in the north quarter and move counterclockwise (as if you're unwinding something). Instead of envisioning the lines of energy forming, see them slowly evaporating back into the Void. Just because they leave your sacred space doesn't mean they're gone (energy can't be destroyed — it only changes form). They simply return to their source at the four corners of creation and attend to their tasks.</p> <p>At the north point, say: “Guardians, Guides, and Ancestors of the North and Earth, I/we thank you for your presence and protection. Keep me/us rooted in your rich soil so my spirit/our spirits grow steadily until I/we return to your protection again. Hail and farewell!” Then extinguish the candle.</p> <p>Move to the west and say: “Guardians, Guides, and Ancestors of the West and Water, I/we thank you for your presence and protection. Keep me/ us flowing ever toward wholeness in body, mind, and spirit until I/we return to your protection again. Hail and farewell!”</p> <p>Continue on to the south and say: “Guardians, Guides, and Ancestors of the South and Fire, I/we thank you for your presence and protection. Keep your fires ever burning within my/our soul to light any darkness and drive it away until I/we return to your protection again. Hail and farewell!”</p> <p>Go to the east and say: “Guardians, Guides, and Ancestors of the East and Air. I/we thank you for your presence and protection. Keep your winds blowing fresh with ideas and hopefulness until I/we return to your protection again. Hail and farewell!”</p> <p>In the circle's center say: “Great Spirit, thank you for blessing this space. I/we know that a part of you is always with us, as a still small voice that guides and nurtures. Help me/us to listen to that voice, to trust it, and trust in my/our magick.”</p> <p>Before leaving the circle, witches often join hands and chant: “Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again.”</p> <p>Working with the quarters and the spirits is a lot like being in an evolving relationship with someone you respect and admire. If you treat these entities accordingly, you will rarely be disappointed.</p>  <div id="pagination"><ul><li class="prev"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/wicca-witchcraft/sacred-space/casting-a-circle.htm" title="Casting a Circle">Casting a Circle</a></li><li class="next"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/wicca-witchcraft/sacred-space/creating-a-permanent-circle.htm" title="Creating a Permanent Circle">Creating a Permanent Circle</a> </li></ul></div></div> <div id="coda"> <div id="rel"><div class="n5">Related Articles</div><ul> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/wicca-witchcraft/sacred-space/squaring-the-circle.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Squaring the Circle - Wicca and Witchcraft </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/spells-charms/a-guide-to-successful-spell-working/casting-a-circle.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Casting a Circle - Spells and Charms </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/wicca-witchcraft/sacred-space/casting-a-circle.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Casting a Circle - Wicca 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href="http://www.netplaces.com/wicca-witchcraft/sacred-space/creating-a-permanent-circle.htm">Creating a Permanent Circle</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/wicca-witchcraft/sacred-space/altars.htm">Altars</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/wicca-witchcraft/sacred-space/your-personal-sanctuary-auras-and-sacred-psychic-space.htm">Your Personal Sanctuary: Auras and Sacred Psychic Space</a></li> </ul></ul></div> </div> <script>if(zSbL<1)zSbL=3;zSB(2);zSbL=0</script> </div> <div id="widgets"><script type="text/javascript">if(z336>0){w('<div id="adB">'+ap[0]+at[4]+as[0]);adunit('','','about.com',ch,gs,336,280,'1','bb',3);w('</div>')}if(z155>0){w('<div id="adP">'+ap[0]+at[4]+as[0]);adunit('','','about.com',ch,gs,336,155,'1','ps',4);w('</div>')}</script> <div id="pg" class="pane"><div class="n3">Shopping</div><div class="cntnr"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-wicca-and-witchcraft-book-2nd-edition/"><img 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