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What’s Wrong with my Circle?, or, Circle Casting Clinic 101

You’ve probably heard of how to cast a circle, and of many methods to do so, a dozen times in the course of studying magic or Witchcraft. But have you ever felt your circle waver, your boundary un-drawn, or your sacred space distinctly not sacred? Here are some common problems with drawing and casting a circle of (most) any type, and some possible solutions.

Cleansing and Prepping: Is the space around you ready for a circle to be cast? Many casters find it helpful to sweep the area with a besom, or broom, beforehand. If you’re not the broom type, you can cleanse an area by walking the circle’s area clockwise sprinkling saltwater. (Don’t use salt outside - or your grass will be sorely upset).

Cleansing and Prepping Yourself: If you’re stressed out, you’re in no shape to cast anything! A ritual bath is the best way to ready yourself for magic, but in a pinch, asperging yourself with incense smoke (best blends for purification include sage, pine, rosemary, and cypress) will do just fine. If smoke is out of the question, a good grounding and centering, imaging the negative energies drawing out through your feet and drawing in the earth’s solid energies, will do the trick. You could also try a ritual tea to get your mind and body in the right mood (try something with rose or calendula), and to flush out previous energies.

Consecrating Yourself within the Circle: Feel like you drew the circle just fine, but you’re not exactly connected within it? Consider consecrating yourself within the circle, if you haven’t done so already. An easy and common means to do this is to dip your finger into the oil you are using for the circle, or, sans oil, the sacred water or regular water, and drawing a sigil representative of your circle on your forehead after your circle is drawn, in order to vow your connection to the circle (if it helps, say “I am now consecrated within this Circle.” as you do so). An all-purpose sigil would be a simple circle, but a cosmic lemniscate, or solar and lunar sigils, may be appropriate, depending on the circle.

Ritual Consciousness: Your circle seems to be drawn right, you feel pretty okay, but why aren’t things “lifting” to that magickal place? If you’re finding it hard to bring your circle to the otherworldly realm, take a second to breathe deeply. This is a broad question with lots of potential solutions: Strewing herbs associated with the moon phase and hour around the circle, matching your incense to the time or deity called, ensuring your lights are turned off, and making sure music doesn’t reach over a threshold where it can steal your attention. There are so many fixes - the main thing is to try and see what works by practicality! A surefire way for me has been to ensure the appropriate scent, whether it be through oils or incenses.

“Is My Circle Working?” and Circle Doubt: This one is an easy fix. Using an athame or other tool (if you drew a circle using natural power, use two fingers set together in an athame point) and cut a doorway in your circle. Step outside your circle, and back in, seeing if you can sense a difference in energy (and what that difference is). If it helps, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths in and out of the circle, feeling the ways of each. If your circle lacks staying power, close your circle and try again, seeing where you went wrong. But remember - the power is in you. There’s no “Wrong” way to cast a circle, but you can trip yourself up sometimes!

Hope that covers some of it - I know there’s endless ways. If I’m missing any major or common problems, let me know and I’d be glad to cover it!

Blessed Be,

Ash

Daily Oracle Reading for 6-6-16! <3 Atlantis: Atlantis symbolizes a rapid, quick energy that drives you to pursue your true calling in life, the thing that makes you happiest. She is symbolic of the healing aspect of water. She urges you to tap into that wonderful healing energy to heal yourself so that you may be able to do what you were sent here to do. She encourages you to connect with the divine feminine. Her energy will inspire you to be fearless and pursue your dreams! She works closely with crystals and sea creatures. Connecting with creatures and sea life can help you tap into this beautiful and feminine healing energy. Telepathy: The two beautiful twin mermaids symbolize a telepathic bond between two individuals. A telepathic bond enables people to send messages and energy to one another without using modern technology (even though tech is awesome). As we progress with the wonderful advances of digital and technological communication, sadly we tend to forget about or lose our natural gifts of telepathy and intuition. These mermaids are reminding you to connect with your emotional center, and trust your intuition. Send telepathic messages to a loved one far away, or connect with the energies around you. Be present. Re connect with your emotional self, and your delightful methods of non-verbal communication. Vulnerability: These merfolk represent tearing down your emotional walls, and letting yourself be vulnerable. In order to heal, we need to tear down our emotional blocks and walls so we can be open to healing. That requires being vulnerable, as difficult as that is. If we keep large walls up, and refuse to let healing in and others who are trustworthy and have our best interest at heart, we block our healing. These merfolk urge you to open up and allow yourself to be vulnerable. A guide, a therapist, or a trusted teacher, friend, or relative are a good place to start. This little spread is all about healing our emotional selves and becoming attune to our emotions in order to be able to find our true calling. If we do not heal, we do not have the strength or motivation to help ourselves and others and do what makes us truly happy. Oracle of the Mermaids by Lucy Cavendish (Blue Angel Publishing) Card descriptions are based off of the deck guidebook, but in my own interpretation and my own words.

Litha (Midsummer) General Guide

Also known as Midsummer, Litha is a celebration of the Summer Solstice. The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year, usually taking place on or around June 21st in the Northern Hemisphere (December 21st in the Southern Hemisphere). Celebrations may begin on Midsummer’s Eve, which is a great time to gather herbs and flowers. In ancient times, the Summer Solstice was a time of great importance for many cultures, often marked with the burning of bonfires. The Summer Solstice marks the sun at the peak of its power and the beginning of the waning year.

Many neo-pagans incorporate the dying vegetation god theme into their rites and celebrations. At this time, the Oak King (god of the waxing year) gives way to the Holly King (god of the waning year). In this tradition, the two sides of nature and ourselves are honored, the light and the dark shadow self. The Goddess is heavy with pregnancy at this time, and will give birth to the Horned God at the Winter Solstice.

Colors

Gold, green, blue, red, white, yellow, and orange

Flowers, Herbs and Scents

Daisies, honeysuckle, marigold, roses, sunflowers, foxglove, buttercups, anise, apple, basil, birch, carnation, chamomile, chicory, chickweed, cinquefoil, fennel, ferns, frankincense, parsley, galangal, heartease, heather, heliotrope, chives, hemp, feverfew, holly, ivy, chevril, laurel, lavender, lemon (lemon grass, lemon balm), citronella, lily, tarragon, mistletoe, mugwort (poisonous), nettle, oak, orchid, pine, rose, rowan, rue, saffron, sandalwood, St. John’s Wort, thyme, vervain, wisteria, wormwood, yarrow, ylang-ylang, peony, houseleek, sage, cedar, myrrh, mint

Food and Beverages

Citrus flavors, garden fresh vegetables and fruit, curries, peppers, onions, strawberries, summer squashes, tomatoes, honey, green/leafy salads, roasted or grilled chicken/fish/pork, blueberries, apples, carrots, carrot cake, cider, cream, honey cakes, lemons, honey, pumpernickel bread, mangoes, broccoli soup, tomatoe soup, zucchini, any sun-shaped/round foods (bread, tortillas, pizzas, etc). Drinks: herbal teas, ale, mead, iced tea, carrot juice, red wine, white wine

Symbols, Associations and Decorations

Fire, torches, summer flowers, images of the sun, sun wheels, sun wreaths, sundials, statues/depicitions of earth and solar deities, Fae, dried herbs, dried flowers, fire deities, fertility deities, seashells, potpourri, baskets of flowers/herbs/fruit/vegetables, candles, blades, daisy chains, flower crowns, stone circles, drums, rattles, other musical instruments, Witches’ Ladders, feathers, fireworks, fir wood, oak wood

Activities for Litha 

Lighting bonfires, bonfire leaping, processions, all night vigils, cooking, singing, feasting, herb/flower gathering and drying, crafting divining rods and wands, setting up altars, crafting protective amulets, handfastings and weddings, gathering of mistletoe in oak groves, picnicking, leaping between two fires, mistletoe (without berries, use as a protection amulet), enjoying the seasonal fruits and vegetables, richness and abundance, nature spirit/Fae communion, earth healing, divination, love and protection spells, re-dedication of faith, rites of inspiration, hiking and other outdoor activites

Crystals and Stones

All green stones (jade, malachite, emerald, green aventurine, etc), agate, Alexandrite, diamonds, clear quartz, Herkimer diamonds, fluorite, lapis lazuli, citrine, sunstone, carnelian, orange calcite, green calcite, fire agate, moonstone, pearls, tiger’s eye, yellow topaz, yellow tourmaline

Animals

Robins, wrens, hummingbirds, all summer birds, deer, fireflies, bees, dragonflies, horses, and cattle. Mythical creatures include satyrs, faeries, firebirds, dragons, thunderbirds, and manticores.

Spells and Rituals

The Summer Solstice is an excellent time for spells and rituals associated with prosperity, fertility, energy, love, protection, inspiration, good health, and healing. Many believe that it’s a good time to search for and honor the Fae.

Charm of the Oak

Charm for Safe Travels

Elemental Chant

To Attract Flower Faeries

Find a Fairy Spell

Energy Bath

Herbal Protection Bath

Pet Protection Spell

Prosperity Knot Spell

Love Cord Spell

Health and Vitality Spell

Calming Summer Rain Sachet

Other names and celebrations that mark the Summer Solstice: Midsummer, Sun Blessing, Gathering Day, Alban Hefin, Whitsuntide, Vestalia, Feast of Epona, All-Couple’s Day, and St. John’s Day

Source 1, Source 2, Source 3, Source 4  / Craft Ideas / Midsummer Cookie Recipe

Just in case you were wondering who was behind the posts and the readings. This is me 💚

amethyst aura geode sphere

The Elements.

Representing action and creativity = fire.

Representing emotions and decision making = water.

Representing intellect and analysis = air.

Representing substance and practicality = earth.

witches cat aesthetic

(more here)

“Motivation” sigil as requested, using my own alphabet. Sigil requests are open :)

“I’m a baby witch! What do I start learning?”

Here’s a quick-and-dirty list of things that I think sets up a good foundation for someone moving forward with magic work and why. They’re also in order of what I think is best approached first. (For a time reference, I recommend the whole thing taking at LEAST a year, but individual steps and overall length will vary in each person.)

Learn basic magical theory. What is happening when you cast a spell? What is grounding? How do correspondences work? Why is X step or tool important? Learn about what it is you’re doing before diving into actual casting. Have a basic grip on how it works. 

Some form of divination, even if it’s something as simple as a pendulum. Other people won’t always be there to help you answer questions, validate your interpretation of something, or offer direction. Having some form of divination under your belt helps you avoid dependency on other people. You can more easily answer your own questions, check your own intuition, and take matters into your own hands.

Protection and Cleansing. No matter what path you go down or what type of magic you end up doing, these are two things that every magic worker needs to know how to do, and know how to do it well. They also tend to be fairly straightforward to learn. Cleanse your space, cleanse yourself, cleanse that object, cleanse your grandma. Then protect them. Learn how to set up wards and shields, which brings us to….

Basic energy work. You’ve probably already run into it a lot by this point and it’s fine if you’ve already picked up some things. But now is the time to really focus on it and get comfortable with it. Learn how to confidently sense what’s around you and interact with it, fix gaps in your wards and shields, project your intent into things, you get the idea. Energy work will always be there in a pinch and requires no materials besides your body, and is extremely versatile. Plus, most paths really require at least a base-level understanding of it these days. Can’t hurt.

Start honing your specific path. Here’s where the cookbooks, the old graveyards, the skulls on the shelf, the fairy figurines start really coming into play. If you have an idea of what sort of path you’d like to follow, start really getting into the meat of it! What does it look like? What are the first steps to that type of magic? If for now you’re still eclectic or aren’t sure, then just read what interests you or try more advanced general spells than you have so far.

Go back and do it all again. That’s right. You can also put time into your path or your regular research, but go back and pick up those old books from step one. Read the old articles. Return to the basics and see how your views have become more nuanced, or how you disagree. What details flew over your head the first time? Can you pick up a new form of divination or try something new with your main form? Could those wards and shields be stronger? You get the idea. Once you’ve revisited it, you should have a really solid foundation that will help you no matter what direction you take next!

Other stuff to study on the side: Local folklore, mythology, and types of spirits. You may not want to work with spirits, but sometimes spirits want to work with you! So it’s good to have an idea of what to do if they pop up.  What plants grow in your area? What‘s edible? What is used in healing?  What plants are NOT edible in your area? What’s poisonous?

If you think there’s another important step that you recommend that I didn’t include, feel free to add it! :)