Closing

There are several methods to close your circle before you begin your ritual proper. The one that I have heard most often is "as above, so below", sometimes followed by a foot stomp. (I think the reason this is the one I've heard most often is because it is advocated by Silver RavenWolf.) I also like "My circle is closed, and my work/ritual will now begin." In my circle ritual I use “This Circle is cast, my place of peace, my sacred space. May no one come to harm from the work I do within it.” Whatever you use is really up to you, or dictated by your tradition, but it should be something to help mark the transition between circle casting and the ritual or spell working.

Cutting a Door

Sometimes it is necessary to leave your circle after it's closed. Maybe you've forgotten something in the other room, or the call you've been waiting for all week finally comes. Sometimes it is best to dismiss the circle, or to finish your ritual or spell then take care of whatever you need to do outside of the circle.

When you need to leave the circle, it is possible to cut a "door" in the circle. This is usually done in the East. Take your hand, athame, or other tool and cut the shape of a door into the circle. Step through your doorway. Turn around and close the circle by using the reverse motion. When you come back, do the same thing - cut a doorway, step through, close the door behind you.

Releasing the Circle

When your ritual is complete, it is time to release your circle. This is important because it provides closure and helps to clear up any energy you may have left floating around. Releasing the circle can be done by simply walking around the circle and drawing the energy back into the tool you used to cast the circle. I also like to thank the elements and the Lord and Lady for joining me in my circle. Notice I say "thank", not "dismiss". I do not command the elements or the Lord and Lady to come to my circle. I invite them to join me, and I thank then for being present. There are many phrases that can be used to mark the releasing of the circle. Two I particularly like are "My circle is broken, but not unbroken," and "Merry meet and merry part, and merry meet again." "So mote it be" is also used fairly often, but I find it a little to pseudo-archaic for my use.

My Circle Release

• Stand in the centre of your circle, or before your altar
• Thank the Lord and Lady for joining you within your Circle
  Lord and Lady, I, your daughter/son, thank you for joining me.
  May I carry your love within my heart until I next cast a circle.
  
  
• walk to each of the four directions and thank the elements for their presence
• walk to the East and thank the powers of Air
  Thank you, Air, for joining me.
  May your speed and purity
  Be with me always.
• walk to the South and thank the powers of Fire
  Thank you, Fire, for joining me.
  May your energy and creativity
  Be with me always.
• walk to the West and thank the powers of Water
  Thank you, Water, for joining me.
  May your emotion and protection
  Be with me always.
• walk to the North and thank the powers of Earth
  Thank you, Earth, for joining me.
  May your stability and solidness
  Be with me always.
  
  
• pick up your athame or other tool and walk around the parameter of your circle, counter-clockwise (widdershins) this time, drawing in the light you used to create the circle
• declare your circle open
  My circle is open, but not unbroken or some similar phrase
  
  
• tidy up your tools and altar and doing something grounding, such as eating, to help you move back into the regular world

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Continue to Page 2 - Casting the Circle

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Last updated May 16, 2006.