Here’s how to protect your energy and focus your intention by casting a magical circle before your ritual or spell.
Perhaps you’ve noticed that many spells and rituals start with the instruction: “First, cast a circle.”
But what is magical circle, exactly?
And why do you need to cast one?
And how do you cast one?
A magical circle is an energetic construct that you build or envision around yourself before working magic, doing a ritual, or sometimes even meditating. For a single magic worker or solitary witch, it’s usually around 5 or 6 feet in diameter, but the size expands based on the size of a group.
Sometimes, the circle is defined by something in the physical world, such as a ring of candles or scarves, or perhaps just symbolic items at the four cardinal points. Other times, it’s defined simply on the energetic plane.
This serves two main purposes.
First, a magical circle provides protection. You cast it with the intention that only positive and beneficent energies may enter or dwell within. This way, when you open yourself up to the energetic realm, you need not worry about picking up any energies or currents that are not for your truest good.
Second, a magical circle serves as a container for your personal energy as well as the energy you conjure. Your power as a magical practitioner is clarified and magnified by the circle, sort of like a megaphone, or putting a cell phone in a cereal bowl to amplify its speaker.
Here’s another metaphor for you: imagine the energy you raise during your ritual is like making homemade soup. You add a little of this and a little of that in order to create the intentional flavor you desire. The circle would be your pot. If you tried putting the soup ingredients together without a pot, they couldn’t gather, mix, or…you know…be soup.
Magical practitioners cast circles in many ways. I’m going to share my go-to method, which is very much on the simple side. You can start here. Once you’re familiar with the practice and the energetics of it, you can add your own flourishes or techniques and generally make it your own.
Step 1
Find a flat, somewhat open space – indoors or out – where you won’t be disturbed.
Step 2
If you don’t already know them, find the four cardinal directions using a compass (there is probably one on your smart phone).
Step 3
Place a simple representation of each of the four elements at each corresponding point around an imagined circle, about 5 or 6 feet in diameter: Earth/north, Air/east, Fire/south, Water/west.
Ideas for representations include:
Earth: rock, crystal, potted plant, ceramic dish
Air: feather, incense with holder, sage bundle
Fire: candle, essential oil burner with tea light
Water: sea shell, chalice with water in it
Step 4
Stand facing east, in the center of the circle. Relax and breathe until you feel calm, centered, and present. Envision the wind whipping around you and get really in tune with the element of air. Simply say, “Spirits of Air, I call on you.”
Turn to the south. Envision crackling flames and the noonday sun. Get in tune with fire and say, “Spirits of Fire, I call on you.”
Turn to the west. Envision flowing water in waves and waterfalls and streams, possibly moving around your body. When you feel attuned with water, say, “Spirits of Water, I call on you.”
Turn to the north. Conjure up the scent of the earth after it rains. Imagine the silence and darkness of a cave and the rooted feeling of being barefoot on the earth. When you feel attuned, say, “Spirits of Earth, I call on you.”
Still facing north, become aware of your feet and send a column or roots of light deep into the core of the Earth. Bring golden white light up from the center of the earth and into your body. Say, “Mother Earth, I call on you.”
Next, send branches or a column of light up from the crown of your head, out of the earth’s atmosphere and into the Infinite Cosmos. Bring golden white light down from the Cosmos and down into your body. Say, “Father Sky, I call on you.”
Feel protected and contained on all sides, as well as from above and below. Feel gratitude for this Divine support and say, “Thank you, thank you, thank you. The circle is cast. Blessed be.”
Step 5
Now’s the time to sit or stand in the center of your circle and meditate or work your magic.
Step 6
When you’re finished, be sure to thank each element as well as the earth and cosmos.
To do this, stand again.
Face west. Bring Water fondly into your consciousness and simply say, “Water, you were here, and I thank you.”
Face south. Bring Fire fondly into your consciousness and say, “Fire, you were here, and I thank you.”
Face east. Bring Air fondly into your consciousness and say, “Air, you were here, and I thank you.”
Face north. Bring Earth fondly into your consciousness and say, “Earth, you were here, and I thank you.”
Still facing north, consider Mother Earth below you and say, “Mother Earth, you were here, and I thank you.”
Consider Father Sky above you and say, “Father Sky, you were here, and I thank you.”
Say, “Thank you, thank you, thank you. Blessed be. And so it is.”
And after a moment, say, “The circle is open, but never broken. The love of the Goddess is forever in my heart. Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again.”
Feel, sense, and imagine the energy you raised being released into the ether. Trust that it will do its work, and know in your heart that your magic is complete.
…Did you cast a magical circle using these 6 simple steps? How did it go?
You may also like this video that describes What to Expect After You Do a Spell.
Hello! Is there a spesial reason why you start in the west to close The magickal circle instead of the east? If so, why do you do this?
I personally like to end in the North both times, which is why I open the circle starting East and close it starting West. Also, East is about beginnings and West is about endings. Hope this sheds some light!
That makes sense to me. Thanks
Happy to hear it! Thanks for reading.
This shed a lot of light. I am preparing a forgive and forget spell to help me move past some people who still cause me mental anguish. Would it be inappropriate to start in the west for this spell? My thoughts were this would help end this chapter in my life, and closing in the east to represent my new beginning.
Hi Haley! I personally like to call Air (East) first for all spells and rituals regardless of intention, and then move on to Fire (South), Water (West), and Earth (North).
Yes it does
I have just finished casting a spell tonight and it is my very first one to cast as well and I hope my wishes for my spell to come true and see the one I care be happy and healed. I’m very excited to see results in due time! 😄
Congratulations! 🙂
This last part when you say “The circle is open, but never broken. The love of the Goddess is forever in my heart. Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again.” is that closing the circle. If now how do you close the circle.
It’s actually a part of opening the circle. Opening is the final step, not closing. Because when you open the circle, all the magic you generated during the ritual can be released into the ether and go where it is most needed to affect positive change.
The sun rises in the East and sets in the West.
Because it reverses the steps. Like a zipper. You zip one way to open, one way to close.
There isn’t a specific reason but I chose to start with air as I’m more connected with that element
This is so helpful to me as a newbie. Heartfelt thanks. Blessed be.
So glad to hear, Theresa! Brightest blessings and happy circle casting.
Hello! Thank you for taking the time to write this! As a beginner, its so very helpful.
I did want to point out though, that you started facing east, but used west/air. 😉
Thanks again.
Oops! Thanks for letting me know. Fixed now. 🙂
You state that west is air and east is water. But then when you start the circle you say ‘face east and envisage and call air. The same for west you call for water. What way round should it be?
Hey thanks for pointing that out! That was a typo and now it’s fixed. It’s always west/water, east/air. 🙂
Years ago, I followed directions from a book. I cast a circle, that I considered to be magical. I had a really good experience. However, fairly recently, I cast a circle and I felt like it was not working, or that I didn’t do it right. Am I doing something wrong, inside, because it wasn’t the first time?
Could it be that I don’t expect my circle to be magical, like I did in the beginning, and that’s why it isn’t working? Do I need to expect or visualize something special? Any thoughts about what I need to do “internally”, to make my circle work?
I want to get it right!
Thanks!
Hi Dee! Sort of like with exercise, some days magic feels really easy and fabulous, and other days it might be a bit more challenging to feel like you’re in the zone. Regular daily meditations and spending time in nature are the best things I’ve found for keeping me in a magical mindset. This post might also help: https://tesswhitehurst.com/5-secrets-to-working-magic-that-works/
I think it is your frame of mind more than your actual practice. Sometimes I play guitar and I feel like I am at the top of the world and I am really expressing myself. Other times I feel like I am going through the motions and playing the same old tired stuff. In a word: uninspired. It is the same way with Magick (for me). Your circle may ‘work’ just fine but you’re just not feeling it. The water element is often represented by cups, which represent emotion in Tarot readings. It would be interesting to flip through a deck of Tarot before or after a circle casting and see which cup comes up first. This may indicate your emotional state. Perhaps keep flipping until you get a cups card you like, such as the two of cups (Lord of Love) or the Queen of Cups (nurturing) then cast the circle again. These are just some ideas. You stated “it felt like it was not working” or “that I didn’t do it right.” The ‘felt” part is represented in the west, by water and the suit of cups (corresponding to hearts in playing cards) and the “didn’t do it right” part seems to me like you thought about the rite and doubted its efficacy. Thought corresponds to air in the east and the suit of swords in the Tarot. There are many correspondences in the world of Magick, and Tarot doesn’t have to be used of course. But feeling doubt and then analyzing what happened is a path fraught with the danger of disappointment (5 of cups). My idea is to give the spirit of air the correct token (like your favorite Tarot card in the suit of swords, maybe the Ace of Swords) or something that represents air or mind as a magical correspondence. Replace that feather. Use an herb that corresponds to air. Or the bones of a bird. Or a photo of a heron in flight. An owl is symbolic at so many levels-night, vision, wisdom, patience, hunting. Place offerings you deem significant for the spirits of the compass and ask them kindly for their help-don’t beg or plead it is demeaning to both parties. Ask an oracle like the Tarot for help. The compass spirits need fortifying so they may fortify your magic and keep you safe. Help them to help you.
Does the feather have to be real
No – it’s just a symbolic representation of the air element. Whatever feels powerful for the purpose will work.
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!!..
I thought that before you called the elements that you actually used salt to form the circle. .is this not right? Blessed be… xx
Hi Miranda! You certainly can create the circle with salt if you want – especially if you want extra protection. But it’s not required.
So helpful thank you. Makes it a little less stressful for a new comer. Do you have a news letter available ? Being a solo practitioner it’s difficult to find good sources with good knowledge and understanding.
Geri, so glad it was helpful! Yes, I have a newsletter. Click the ad in the sidebar that says “50 Spells You Can Do in 5 Minutes or Less” and you can sign up there. Thank you for asking!
Does the circle have to be a perfect circle in dimension
No, you can just approximate.
Does the circle also have to be big enough to sit or stand in as i only have little space?
If you only have a little space, it’s OK if it’s only large enough to stand in.
I’ve been setting intentions more than practicing magick. Tomorrow, however, I will be casting my first circle and performing a simple spell. Thus I was led to your site. Thank you for the effective and simple ways to cast a circle. It was a bit confusing until I read your words.
So glad the post was helpful, Phoenix! Brightest full moon blessings and every best wish on casting your first circle.
I want to practice white witch craft for love spells and money spells,how do I start practicing?
Hi Timmy! Did you see my Magic for Absolute Beginners video series? You can sign up for it here: https://tesswhitehurst.com/landing-pages/your-magical-life-is-waiting/
Hi Tess, i really intersted to learn real magic or witchcraft either black or white magic for body healing, the reason i’m doing this because i had a sister, my only sister in 5 brothers which she was confirmed to have breast cancer disease stage 3. i don’t wan’t to lose her and i’am willing to do anthing for her is there any real source or way to learn this kind of thing?
Btw, I’am 27 years old from Malaysia
Thank you, really appreciate for your help and sorry for my bad english.
Harry, I’m so sorry to hear about your sister! Sending love to you both. If you’re interested in getting started with the magical spiritual path, I do have this free video series: https://tesswhitehurst.com/landing-pages/your-magical-life-is-waiting/
black magic? never! that is NOT the way to go. ever. never ask that of a white witch! or any decent human. sorry for your troubles. it is very horrible. but never ask for black
does this really work? isnt sage a healing herb ive only done small herb spells before and have not needed a circle to cast them.
-Diana
Hi Diana! I don’t always cast a circle. When I do simple spells I often just center myself and tune into the divine first and leave it at that. However, when I’m doing something that’s really going to shift energy in a major way, I will often begin by casting a circle. And when I work with my coven, we pretty much always begin by casting a circle.
i was kind of confused about these saying bring column or roots of light deep into the core of the Earth. Bring golden white light up from the center of the earth and into your body. Say, i am just starting to learn magic. so i was hoping if you would hook me up. i need help. i did not understand no 4 completely i understand half
Hi there! This is a visualization that connects you with the power at the center of the earth and in the cosmos. Here’s a meditation where I guide you through a similar visualization: https://tesswhitehurst.com/10-minute-chakra-clearing-meditation/
Hey, is there a certain age you have to be to do this? Or is it just 18+ ?
Hi Jordan! No, there’s no certain age. If you’re a teen feeling drawn to the magical path, you might like to check out this book my friend Ellen Dugan wrote: https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Witchcraft-Natural-Magick-Teens/dp/0738703931
Fantastic post. Thank you for explaining this so clearly and pointing out that it can be simple. We can tend to make things very complex in fear that “we will leave something out”. I can’t wait to go through your archives. Have an AWESOME day!
So glad to hear! You have an awesome day too. 🙂
Omg me too🤗
Hey Tess, I’m new to all of this. I like your explanation of casting a circle. I have a question for you. If I have a sigil or seal for a specific spirit that I want to conjure… am I supposed to hold the sigil or seal while sitting in the circle? Or place the sigil or seal outside the circle? I hope to hear from you. Thanks
Sivan, thanks for reading! I am not an expert in conjuring spirits in such a way. I suggest contacting a ceremonial magician or hoodoo practitioner for an answer to this question.
Ok, thank you for your response. I’m just trying to get as much help as possible. Do you own any grimoires? What do usually try to accomplish in your practices?
Hello, I am a beginner witch and I was unsure on how to create my own circle without using a prosses that is too complex for a beginner and I have to say that this was really helpful to me. I will continue to read your library, but I would like to ask you if you have any tips for a beginner witch? Maybe any tools that you recomend? Or any spells that you may think are best for me to start off with?
Thank you and I hope I can hear from you soon.
Hi Jhoanna! Here’s a video I made for people who are just getting started with spells and rituals: https://tesswhitehurst.com/spells-and-rituals-how-to-get-started/
Hello,
thanks for your advices.
One question:
What about to step in and out the Circle? Is there a way to open it from inside before stepping out of it and close it again, then open before entering again, then close it, so that you’ll never cross the line, like having a sort of door? Some books says this is very important. But in this case the Circle it would needed some kind of sliding door, or rubbing and redrawing part of the line. Could you please put some light on this matter? Thanks.
Hi Dan! In my personal experience, it is enough to simply be conscious of the energetic construct of the circle, and then to imagine it opening and closing around you (while retaining its potency) when leaving and returning to the circle.
Hi Tess. How are you?
I still have a doubt about “how to cast a magic circle”: what kind of material (pen, chalk, etc) is used in order to cast the circle?
Best wishes
Paulo G
Hi Paulo! I understand the confusion. It’s actually an energetic circle. You don’t actually need to draw it. I sometimes like to create a visual with scarves, crystals, or candles, and you can certainly draw it if you’d like (or use a round rug), but the main way the circle is cast is with energy. So it can be completely invisible to the naked eye.
Hi Tess! Great article. I’m a newbie and am excited to cast my first circle but also a little nervous that something bad or dark could come through. Is there anything that can be used for added protection? I’ve heard of salt, but how would one use it? Thanks!
Cathy, to assuage your fears, I’d call on Archangel Michael before beginning to shield the entire room (or area) in protective light. He’s my go-to ally for absolute, foolproof protection. You could even light a St. Michael the Archangel candle before you begin if you’d like. (But just calling on him will do it.)
Hi Tess, new practitioner here and empath. Firstly, I have heard of calling Archangel Michael before in the craft yet I am a little confused since isn’t he a Christian/ Catholic deity? Also, what tips do you have to truly hone ones ability as an empath. I don’t know much about my gift but I truly want to expand it so I can clearly identify when I am feeling another’s emotions and also to protect myself as I do have a few energetic vampires in my life that I need to maintain a level of contact with. It would be a huge help to hone my ability to be able to be certain and confident in knowing that I am tuning into another’s emotions and not my own. I also have developed an anxiety due to it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you and brightest blessings!
Hi Sierra! Welcome to the magical path. Many practitioners of magic work with angels, even if they don’t consider themselves Catholic or Christian. It’s optional, though. I suggest finding what works best for you. As for your second question, I suggest doing a clearing and shielding meditation daily. Over time, this will give you the clarity and boundaries you’re looking for. Here are a couple of guided ones I have on my site: https://tesswhitehurst.com/quick-thorough-aura-cleansing-meditation/ https://tesswhitehurst.com/10-minute-chakra-clearing-meditation/
Simple yet powerful and profound. I definetely base my own spell off of this! Blessed be! ♡
can males cast magic??
Yes!
i have been casting circle for my spell work for many years. i love your simple start up. Over the years I have made my opening and closing more and more eloquent , rhythmic, and more rhymes. I also did my own paintings of each element and its representation symbol on them , then putting the actual element in front of each painting and a colored coordinated candle in front of each and lighting them when doing my invitation and extinguishing each candle when closing. never blow out a candle. That is disrespectful.
I have found that by making it more personal with connecting with the elements more of my work lands its purpose better. Thank you for helping beginners get in touch. It’s nice to see a fellow practitioner teaching. Blessed be.
I stopped actively practising about 12 years ago because of an unhealthy relationship. I’ve now been in a good relationship for 8 years but the previous experience of my partner’s negative reaction kept me from being entirely open with my new partner. This year I’ve welcomed runes back into my life, and as my partner has been receptive and supportive I felt it was time to delve deeper again. I used this guide yesterday and it was just like coming home. Some parts didn’t quite feel right, so I followed my instinct and adjusted small things and it led to the clearest rune reading I’ve had since bringing them back into my life. Thank you for sharing this, I look forward to exploring this website!
Ami, great to hear it! Thank you for sharing your experience. Brightest blessings.
Thank you for this thoughtful guide to casting a circle, it was a great guide for me tonight, happy blood moon and may the goddess be with you always 💙
Glad to hear it was helpful, Chris! Brightest blessings.
Hi Tess. I followed the method you listed above exactly as you have it to do a moon ritual during the recent blood moon. Ever since then there has been a ton of energy around my house and inside as well. Any ideas what may be going on? Thank you for any advice you may have.
H Stephanie! What is the energy like? Positive, frenetic, challenging, or…? Also, did you release and ground the energy after you were finished?
Thank you for getting back to me. I did release the energy but I didn’t ground it. How would I ground the energy? If that would help I will certainly do it. The energy isn’t neccessary bad but it just feels rense/thick. It’s breaking my concentration when trying to do other spiritual work.
Lay flat on the floor (like corpse pose in yoga) and envision all the excess energy draining down, out of your energy field (as well as the energy field of your home) and into the earth. Set the intention that the perfect balance of energy will remain, but anything excess will be composted into Mother Earth. You might imagine energy draining downward into the earth (beneath the floor of your house) like rain water draining out of a soaked coat.
I opened a circle last night using these instructions as a base as I hadn’t opened one in a long time and I needed this one to be perfect I added my own touches of course anyhoo I live in Tucson Arizona and I woke up this morning to a full on snow storm and in case anyone reading this doesn’t know it never snows in Tucson Arizona I’m taking it as a good omen
All i can say is…wow! This was my first serious spell casting for manifestation and i decided to do it on a new moon. Because i wanted to be safe i cast the circle and when i say I INTIMATELY CONNECTED WITH EACH ELEMENT i mean it ! By the time i got to Mother Earth and Father Sky I was in tears. The power and the light was so intense like nothing i ever felt before. I felt like I was in the safest, most divine place in the world. I hardly wanted to leave. It’s funny because i’ve avoided doing magick work for so long because i thought it’d be a chore but the entire process itself is magickal. Thank you so much for sharing and Blessed Be.
Verseau, beautiful! Thank you for sharing your experience! Love it.
Can you post pictures of a correct circle can i literally only have 4 items ? What other items can i use for air?
You can use more items than 4 if you’d like more than one for each element. Other air ideas: a bell, a chime, a mobile, a paper crane.
Hello, I’m a Hellenistic polytheist, do you know if I could still successfully cast a circle while substituteing the names of the spirits/deities with one more relevant to my beliefs. Such as Rhea and Kronos rather than Mother Earth and father sky?
Mollie, of course! That sounds great.
This is the first time I cast a circle for my own magical working and it was, well, magical!!!! Thank you so much. I feel so blessed!
Yay, Ember! Congratulations and blessed be.
Hi!
I am a newbie and was wondering what if we don’t have the 5-6 foot radius? I live in Brooklyn NY in a one bedroom apartment. My alter is in a corner of my apartment but I would love to be able to cast a circle, any advice?
Hi Brenda! Sure, you can do a smaller circle – no problem.
Am very excited about this. I know am now on the right path. There was no to guide me after I was introduced it by a friend.
Thank you so much.
Bless be.
When it comes to representations of each element, would it be all right to use painted rocks that have symbols of the elements painted on them?
Yes.
I hope it’s okay that I am recording this simple process into my BoS. I just wanted to say that every time I read Step 6, I get chills up and down my spine and even feel a happiness of tears swell up in my eyes. I can’t wait to try this. It will be my first time attempting to cast a Magic Circle.^^
Of course! 🙂
Thank you so much for this. Not a lot of places have good tutorials and spells for people who are just beginning to do magick!
Glad it was helpful! 🙂
I don’t Know anything about magic or witchcraft. I don’t know if the magic is real. But I want to Believe that magic or witchcraft is real. If it is pls help me
Hi! You might find some clarity from my Magic Lessons playlist on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMcnEkjFPUM&list=PLK_wdfKttV4Gw5GoGHFjTIDOswTTszafQ
Hi! I am new at witchcraft, just tried you 6 steps to cast a circle and then did some simple spells and meditation. It was magickal ! I really felt the energies through my body. Thanks a lot !
Barb, welcome to the magical spiritual path! So happy to hear you felt the magic. Thank you for letting me know.
This was very helpful. I like to cast a circle every full moon, occasionally more often depending on circumstances and wants, and this was my first time setting up alone. Thank you very much for making this public! The instructions are informative as well as the comments, I wish you well Tess.
So glad it was helpful! Thank you for letting me know.
Is it a sin?
https://tesswhitehurst.com/are-spells-safe-can-i-do-magic-if-im-a-christian/
Hi Tess
Just used your guide for my first circle, and it work, well, like a charm. 🙂 I felt especially grounded and connected to Mother Earth, and felt a connection all the way from the soles of my feet to my hips. The feeling lasted for a good while after I had released the energy. It wasn´t unpleasant at all, but I wonder what it means?
Thank you for creating this space,
Corvus
That’s wonderful! It sounds like you were successful. Thank you for letting me know about your experience.
I used your words and advice to cast my first circle last autumn, outdoors at night. It felt like a meaningful and beautiful ritual and I liked the gratitude element. I especially liked the visualizations, like imagining the water inside you and in other oceans, lakes, etc. And fireplaces, warm sun, etc. It made it all very accessible and tangible for me. I like how you can make a circle your own in a creative way, depending on what you add to it. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Mary, that’s great! Thanks for letting me know.
Does the candle have to be lit?
No. You can always do magic without physical tools if you want or need to.
Do you have to light the candle?
No, you don’t have to.
Hello Tess. In your book on Holistic Energy Magic, in the element alignment practice, it is said to start north with earth. It seems very similar to casting a circle to me. Would it be better also in that instance to start with east instead?
Thank you very much!
Hi Mary! You can do either in either case. I have lately been starting with East universally, but starting with north can be helpful for anchoring your practice right from the start.
Thank you Tess :)) God knows I need some anchoring!
well that makes sense as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, marking the start and end of both Apollos shift and Artemis’s shift in the night and days skies, on another note, I hope this helps me out a bit
Ooh, fun! Love it.
Hi! I’m curious if there is a more “movable” version of a circle, for example, if you want to cast at sunrise on a beach or if you have a favorite spot in the woods where you feel more connected? Is it possible to prepare a more permanent circle representation? I was thinking of taking a large, solid-color blanket and drawing the circle and the compass points with fabric paint. Then I’d sew the representations of each element into the blanket. (Except, of course, for fire which wouldn’t be great for the blanket.) That way, I could take it with me and setting up would be quick. Do you think this would work? Or would it cut out an essential element?
Thank you.
Hi Gwen! Yes, you can cast a circle in nature and you can certainly create a blanket. There are rugs available for the purpose as well.