Witchcraft basics

Casting circles

(i got this from https://thetravelingwitch.com/blog/2018/7/5/5-super-easy-ways-to-cast-a-circle)

There are tons of witches who never cast circles, however this is still important to at lease learn about

Circle casting is one of those skills that witches get really, really confused about. I don't blame them! There's a ton of conflicting information out there about what a circle really is, what it's for, how you go about actually creating one, and even whether or not you need one in the first place!

While all of those questions are valid, I only want to tackle two of them today: the how and the why.

Whether or not you should cast a circle is a huge subject in witchy communities. Some say you absolutely have to cast a circle every time you work magic. Other say they NEVER cast circles. Still others fall somewhere in between, using circles only when it suits them. As with most things in the craft, there's no single "right" answer! Whether or not you cast a circle is about you, your magic, and what works.

In order to figure out where you stand on this matter, it's important to know exactly why we cast circles in the first place. Circles are dual purposed. On the one hand, they create a barrier, protecting from outside interference in your magic as well as preventing your energy from escaping the protected space before you're ready. On the other hand, circles create a place that is between worlds. Instead of being a place firmly anchored in the physical world or in the spiritual/astral world, your circle marries the two into a space that allows for truly powerful work.

There are a few reasons you might want to work in this space between the worlds, the first is that it can heighten your spiritual senses. This allows you to do things like commune with spirits, astral travel, and read energy patterns far easier. In these situations, I think a circle is generally a good idea just for the boost it gives you there. Another reason you might want to work between the worlds is just to get yourself in a witchier mindset. It's hard to feel too disconnected from magic when it's swirling all around you.

If you're doing work that doesn't require heightened spiritual senses and doesn't necessitate protection, then you might forgo the circle altogether. This is really a personal preference though. Some witches, new witches in particular, benefit greatly from using a circle every time they cast simply because it provides a good structure and mental trigger for when it's time to drop into that witchy headspace. Some witches may find that their work never takes them into a situation that might require a circle so they never cast them! You'll need to figure out for yourself how you prefer to use circles in your own practice.

Ok, so now we'll move onto the how. You can find a basic circle casting method anywhere, the internet is full of them. The problem with many of these rituals, however, is that they're not all that practical. Some are very long, others require a lot of tools or memorizing long incantations. You might even find that some aspects of the traditional methods don't work for you at all! I know plenty of witches who find that calling the corners and invoking the elements feels really fake and staged to them because that's just not a part of their craft.

If you fall into this category, don't worry. Today I want to go over some easy to use alternative options for circle casting that can help you find the ideal method for your practice.

Visualization Only

For those who want a truly minimalist approach to circle casting, pure visualization can work beautifully for casting an effective circle. This method requires absolutely no tools and even if you're not a visual person, there are ways to "visualize" with other senses.

People often avoid visualizing because they think they can't visualize at all but the complete inability to visualize is fairly rare, most of the time it's simply underutilized. To find out if you can't visualize or if you're simply a person who can but are not well practiced at it, close your eyes and picture your bedroom. Can you see it? If yes, then you can absolutely visualize, it may just not be your strongest imaginative sense. Using other senses to imagine energetic work is also effective though. You may need to personalize these exercises but you can absolutely imagine physical sensations, sounds, or even smells if that works for you.