Circle Setup, Preparing Sacred Space - July 19, 2002

 

During this time I like to burn Frank and Myrrh and listen to music that will set the mood.
Set up your area with all materials that you will need during the ritual:

(Don’t forget the basil bread/dough ball and your name written on a small piece of paper for the watchers)
Alter usually in the North, but can be set to the direction that is needed.

On Alter:

Running Lights OR Lord  (right) and Lady  (left) Candles 

Momma’s Candle (Center) or Maiden Candle

Candle Snuffer

Matches or lighter

Cauldron

Charcoal Blocks

Incense, Frank and Myrrh

Chalice for Mother or pretty wine glass special for Her

Chalice (left)

Athame (right)

Sword (right or in front of alter where space is allowed)

Broom

Bowl of Salt

Bowl of Water

Bell

Pentacle

OPENING OF CIRCLE

 

Place a cauldron with a white candle in the center of it in the southeastern section of the circle.
(The moon rises in the southeast and moves across the sky to the southwest.)

Light Candle and say/charge:

The spark of the spirit here within
Will make the Magick now begin
Fire burn and cauldron churn
Make this wheel of Magick turn!

Sweep widdershins around the circle and say the Besom Chant:

Witch’s Broom  Swift in flight
Cast out darkness Bring in light
Earth be hallowed Air be clear
Fire bright, As water heals
A sacred bridge this site shall be
As my will, so mote it be.

Cast the Circle Starting in the east….:

Oh thou circle,

Be a meeting place

of Love, Joy and Truth,

A shield against evil and wickedness,

a rampart of protection,

for all those who stand within,

therefore do I bless, and consecrate thee,

in the name of the Lord and Lady.

 

Return to alter and consecrate the water:

Place the water bowl on pentacle

Place tip of athame in water and say:

I exorcise thee, o’ thou creature of water,

That thou cast out from thee

all impurities and malignant forces,

Wherefore do I bless and consecrate thee

In the name of Hekate.

 

Consecrate the Salt:

Place salt on pentacle

Place tip of athame in salt and say:

Blessings of the Lady be upon thee, O’ creature of salt,

That thou will cast out all malignant and unclean forces,

In the name of Hekate.

 

Salt into water:

Place bowl of water on pentacle

Put three pinches of salt into the water, stir 3 times

Cleanse Circle with salt and water:

Sprinkle with salt and water mix and say:

Salt and water

By casting thee

No spell or unknown purpose be

Except in complete accord with me

As my will

So mote it be.

(OR you can just cast salt around circle, and a “shot” over your shoulder)

 

Consecrate incense and add to charcoal and say:

I burn from thee any uncleanliness of the spirit unknown

I blow from thee any uncleanliness of the spirit unknown

 

Cleanse Circle with incense and say:

Fire with air, smoke in blend

I charge all things

My will doeth bend

Swirl, swirl and round about

All good in

All bad out.

 

(Can add this in at this point in time if desired or needed.) return to alter and say:

THRICE THE CIRCLE SHALL UNFOLD

ONCE FOR MAIDEN PURE AS SNOW

A SECOND TIME THE CIRCLE SPIN

FOR THE MOTHER FULL WITHIN

CAST THE CIRCLE, THREAD IT THRICE

FOR THE HAG QUEEN

OLD AND WISE

Go back to alter and ring bell three times.

 

Put offerings to Watchtowers  and your name (on a small piece of paper) onto charcoal block

 

Call Watchtowers:

Start in the east, do an invoking pentagram, say the charge, and then light the candle*

 

I SUMMON, STIR, AND CALL YE UP O’ MIGHTY ONES,

LORDS OF THE EAST WATCHTOWER

TO WITNESS THIS RITE

AND GUARD THIS CIRCLE

Ring bell and say “Hail and Welcome!”

 

*Proceed to the South, West and then North doing the same as above, but be sure to remember which direction you are in and invoking the proper Watchtower.

 

CENSE THE ALTER

Three rounds from left to right (alter area)

Then three offerings to The Goddess (and God if you are calling him)

 

Light Mothers Candle and say……

DIVINE MOTHER

TO WHOM ALL HEARTS ARE OPEN

ALL DESIRES KNOWN

AND FROM WHOM NO SECRETS ARE HID

CLEANSE THE THOUGHTS OF OUR HEARTS

BY THE INSPIRATION OF THY HOLY SPIRIT

THAT WE MAY PERFECTLY LOVE THEE

AND WORTHILY MAGNIFY THY HOLY NAME

THAT WE MAY WALK IN THAT GREAT LIGHT WHICH IS THEE

AND MAY THAT LIGHT OF THY POWER SHINE THROUGH US.

BLESSED BE!

And/or LIGHT MOTHERS CANDLE AND SAY:

DIVINE MOTHER

TAKE THIS DARKNESS AWAY

WHEN I SIT WITH EYES CLOSED

ENVELOPED IN SELF CREATED SHADOWS

CAUSE THOU TO BLAZE UPON ME IN SPLENDOR

THE AURA OF INTUITION

TEACH OUR MINDS TO REMEMBER

THAT WHICH OUR SOULS ALREADY KNOW

O LADY, MAKE MY SOUL THY TEMPLE

AND MY HEART THY HOME.

Please note: the above is not an invocation to Her, but actually Prayers to Her.

At this point you should have an invocation to Her that is meaningful to you.

When you call Her, be sure to use an invoking pentagram.

 

After you have invoked Her, ring the bell three times.

 

Turn from alter and face everyone who is in circle and proclaim:

 

THE CIRCLE IS CAST, WE ARE BETWEEN THE WORLDS, BEYOND THE BOUNDS OF TIME, WHERE LIGHT AND DARKNESS, BIRTH AND DEATH, JOY AND SORROW, MEET AS ONE.  BLESSED BE!

 

Do your magickal work now~

After work is done, proceed on to cakes and wine.

 

Bless wine and cakes~
In Alexandrian tradition you use the athame to charge/bless the cakes and wine. I feel it is appropriate to use the energy from your heart to your hands to do this.

Also, I do not use an offering “Bowl” for Mother. She has Her own dedicated chalice on the alter. Her cakes are served on a plate just like the rest of the coven.

 

Share wine and cakes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Time to depart…..

Thank the Goddess/God all that is.
Dismiss with banishing pentagram.

 

Thank Watchtowers

 

DISMISSING WATCHERS

 

HAIL, Guardians of the WATCHTOWER  OF THE “____”

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE HERE
LEAVE THIS HOUSE/PLACE IN PEACE

NOT HARMING MAN NOR BEAST

DEPART TO YOUR PLEASANT REALMS

RETURN AT MY BIDDINGS

Blessed Be!
Hail, and Farewell