Recently I have been reading blogs about people’s opinion about circle casting and spell casting. These blog got me thinking about how I do magick and if I could get the same results if I changed the way I do things in my world.
Every time I do any magick, any rite, or any blessing; I cast a circle. The blog I read spoke about why cast a circle every time you do some minor magick. The person who wrote this felt is was unnecessary and served to purpose. So this got me thinking about why I cast a circle every single time.
The first reason I came up with was , a circle creates a “safe inviting” space for myself and the deities. When I first started casting circles, I did everything that I read about “how to” – but could not actually “feel” the circle there. I did all the steps but, it just did not seem like there was anything different about the apace I was in and the outside space. As time went on however, I got much better at casting my circles and could actually feel the circle there. I could feel the energy and the barrier that I created. Sometimes this was a nice large circle, sometimes it was more like a capsule encompassing me. But every time the area within my circle seemed to be a bit warmer than outside of it. The atmosphere inside the circle seemed to be charged – like there was more oxygen . While it seemed charged I also seemed to be relaxing, as if everything inside was covered in calm somehow. I like the feeling of being inside of one of my circles – so I figure if I like it – hopefully the deities I am inviting will like it too.
The second reason I came up with was one I read about and studied about, but have never actually experienced it. Casting a circle keeps negative things out, that might want in. I don’t think I have ever has some sort of nasty try to attack, but I am not sure I want to chance it. I remember a story I read about Alistair Crowley when I was younger that has stayed with me. It seems that he was doing some magickal workings and for some reason decided to step outside the circle to do so. He claimed that he was then “attacked by a demon”. The people that he was with pulled him back inside the circle and they said that he was covered in scratches although they say saw nor felt anything that might have done it. So.. yeah, not sure I want to chance that!
The final reason I came up with was actually not a really good one, but well…That ‘s the way it is done! Usually I am not too much of a traditionalist, but on this I guess I am. Usually, if there is a better way to do something – I am all for it! I have been casting circles for over 25 years , that is the way I learned it, I have had good results and am not really sure why to change. I like it the way I do it – would I like magick if I did not cast a circle? I am not sure, I do know that it would probably seem unfinished or incomplete to me if I did not cast even a quick circle. So I think I will continue to cast circles every time – I just like them!
The other blog I read recently that made me think, was about casting spells too often. The writer felt that people were casting spells too often and for things that did not need have a spell cast for. That spells cast for mundane reasons were not necessary and would in a sense clog up the works with too many requests. I do magick and cast spells just about every day – from mundane things like getting someone to call me back quickly, when I need information to more serious issues like healing and safety. I cast a spell to get to work safely when it’s snowing out and to find the right color shoes at the mall, so yeah I do a lot of magick. But is it too much? Am I asking for too many things? I am not really sure, I have been doing spells for mundane things to serious problems since I was about 12, Usually the more energy I put into a spell, the better the results are, no matter the reason. Maybe it has become a crutch for me, maybe I am teaching my daughter to also use magick as a crutch – again I am not sure, but I don’t thibk so. I think I am just very comfortable using magick, and why not use all that is available to you to use? The universe has all this energy out there floating around for you to use. I really do not think that I will lessen the effect of my magick my using it a lot. But it has made me think about it, so it was a very interesting read!
After practicing the Craft for over 25 years, I still love to read about other ideas. Usually I read it and forget it, but occasionally I read something that makes me stop and think, makes me look at what I am doing and why. I don’t always agree, but I love it when it makes me re-consider how I do things.
Links:
http://onewitchsway.com/2011/01/have-we-become-dependent-on-spells/
http://fernsfronds.blogspot.com/2011/01/why-cast-circle.html
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