Circle casting

• Remove all animals and small children from the area and any furniture that you do not want to be inside your circle.

• Set up your altar before you cast your circle.

• Locate magnetic North with a compass and holding the wand out from your body, go into alpha and see the wand's aura extending out from it, especially at the tip.

• Visualize the tip of the wand creating a circle of light and energy, like a laser, as you walk clockwise three times around the area. The circumference drawn by the wand's tip will be the edge of your circle. Project white light out from the wand to create the circle as geometrically perfect and say to yourself that it is.

• Walk the circle the second time around and say out loud:
  "I cast this circle to protect me/us from all negative and positive energies and forces on any level that may come to do me harm. I draw into this circle only the energies and forces that are right for me and the most correct for my work."

• Walk the circle the third time and say:
  "I create sacred space. So mote it be."

• Invoke the four directions and energies of the elements, angels and powers that reside in them by using the athame, wand, sword or index finger to draw an invoking pentagram as you face each direction. Use a ritual spell of invocation or one you write for yourself.

• To open a circle hold the wand out over the circumference of the circle and beginning at magnetic North, walk once around the circle counterclockwise as you say,
  "I send this circle into the cosmos to do my bidding. The circle is undone but not broken."

Circle casting in a hurry
Stand, sit or lie, according to the situation. Raise energy by tightening your muscles. Visualize it glowing as a ball of purplish-blue flame within you. Using your projective hand, direct this energy out from you into a small magic circle. The hand acts as the energy director. Alternately, send out the energy in a clockwise circle around you without moving your hand. Feel the circle shimmering and pulsing.

If desired and possible, sprinkle salt and/or water around you to bless the area before creating the circle.