Magickal Correspondence Reference
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Isis Rites Circle Casting – An Isian Circle Casting
Performing a traditional isis circle casting ritual is a powerful way to establish sacred space, invoke elemental guardians, and align your energy with the Divine Mother. Whether working solo or with a high priesthood in a coven setting, this step-by-step guide provides the foundational steps to purify, cast, and close an Isian circle.
Required Tools and Preparation
This requires the use of a duly consecrated wand, a chalice, an athame and a container for salt and water (non-plastic, PLEASE) on your altar as well as 2 candle sticks with candles in them and an incense burner for stick or hanging incense. You should work robed or nude as you prefer.
In the four directions you should have either air (as incense) or fire (as candle – lit, of course, and preferably red) in the east – according to your tradition. The OTHER element – the one not used in the east – in the south, again according to your tradition.
THE HIGH PRIESTHOOD OF A CIRCLE IS THE FINAL SAY IN ANY RITE – SO ALWAYS FOLLOW THEIR TRADITIONS.
A bowl – again not plastic – of water in the west and some rocks or a dish of salt in the North for Earth.
If you wish, you may lay a circle of salt on the floor, leaving a gate for the priest/ess to enter and leave for the temple purification or you may visualize the circle coming as electric blue light out of your athame point as you cast it. After s/he returns from purifying the outer perimeter, the gate would be closed and the circle cast (after the directions are called) by pointing the athame (or the sword) at the salt and charging it instead of casting into the air. The gate would be closed by completing the circle of salt.
The following P or PS in parenthesis is how it would be done if done by a couple. PS is the female and P is the male. This is the ideal form of the rite.
If you want to clear mental noise before doing chart reads, try using a 2-minute sound ritual to center your focus.
Blessing the Salt and Water
(PS) picks up bowl of salt and bowl of water on altar.
(P) picks up athame and places it point down in the water and says: “Salt is pure. Let this salt be pure and let it purify our rites as we use it in the service of the Lady and the Lord.”
All: “So mote it be.”
(PS) pours some of the salt into the water.
(P) stirs it with his athame and says: “May this sacred salt purify this water so it may be used in this service of the Lord and Lady, throughout this rite, in any way and at any time we may wish to use it.”
All: “So mote it be.”
Purifying and Censing the Perimeter
(PS) takes the salt-water and sprinkles it about the perimeter of the circle (outer) saying the following while walking widdershins or counterclockwise (to banish):
“Salt and water where I cast thee, No spell or unknown purpose be, Unless in full accord with me, and as I will, so mote it be.”
She returns to the circle.
The (P) then takes the incense burner – if a swinging one – or the burning stick of incense and goes around the circle deosil saying: “Ever as we walk in the ways may we feel the presence of the Lady and the Lord. We know that in all we do…” [concluding with your tradition’s blessing, e.g., “Blessed Be.”]
She then replaces her wand on the altar and picks up her athame or the coven sword and casts the circle – either straight out, visualizing blue light coming from its point – or, if a circle of salt is used, straight down at the salt, to charge it.
This is done deosil (clockwise), of course, just like the censing of the circle was done earlier. The only time widdershins is used is the salt-water banishing/cleansing to prepare for circle casting and in opening the circle.
Casting the Circle
First casting: “I conjure this circle, a mighty Psychic rampart that turns back ANY excess positive or negative energy which may come to do us harm”
All: “So mote it be.”
Second casting: “I cast this circle, a place that is not a place, a time that is not a time, a sacred place between the worlds, a place to commune with eternity (or THE LADY AND THE LORD)”
All: “So mote it be.”
Third casting: “I charge this circle, a place of perfect love and of perfect trust where all may know peace profound”
All: “So mote it be.”
She returns to the altar. If a bell is used (brass or silver ONLY please) she rings it and says: “Now is the circle cast.”
All: “So mote it be.”
Main Ritual and Consecration
The circle then performs the full-moon rite, raising the power and drawing down the energy into themselves by whatever rites they use and Magick is performed as is appropriate and necessary OR the ritual for one of the 8 sabbats is performed – a much lighter and informal occasion – according to the time and purpose of the circle.
The cakes and ale/wine (I substitute APPLE juice or SPRING water, as I am allergic to alcohol) are consecrated by the athame in the chalice.
NOTE: The cakes should be as natural as possible. Show some respect! Please no twinkies or oreos – I’ve seen some “people” do that!
Circle Closing and Dismissal
The (P) takes up his wand and goes to the 4 quarters, beginning at the north and going widdershins, where he raises his wand at each and dismisses the rulers of the elements thusly:
“Farewell to thee, Lord of the watchtower of the (direction), element of (name element). We thank you for your presence and power in our circle and our magick this night.”
All: “So mote it be.”
(P): “Merry part and Blessed Be.”
All: “Blessed Be.”
As he does this, he visualizes whatever he visualized earlier and then “sees” it fading out. When he has done all 4 quarters he replaces his wand on the altar.
The (PS) picks hers up, raises it high and says: “Farewell to the Lord and Lady” (again names may be substituted silently or aloud) “We thank you for your presence and your power in our circle and our magick this night.”
All: “So mote it be.”
(PS): “Go if you must, stay if you will. Blessed be.”
ALL: “Blessed be.”
She then picks up her athame (or sword) and pointing it either in the air or at the salt, whatever she did before, she walks widdershins and as she opens the circle she pictures in her mind’s eye the electric blue light fading out or being reabsorbed by the tool she carries as she says: “THE CIRCLE IS OPEN, YET REMAINS UNBROKEN.”
ALL: “So mote it be.”
(PS): “Merry part and blessed be.”
When you don’t have 45 minutes for full ritual setups, working with ancient sound frequencies delivers rapid vibrational grounding.
ALL: “Blessed be.” (they all hug each other in many circles here.)
(candles are snuffed on altar here – never blow out candles) If bell is used, she rings it and says: “The circle is now open.”
