Casting Circles
GREETINGS, I have a couple of questions so bare with me, I read and also heard from another wiccan that when a circle is cast for protection, that it actually draws negativity. That all the protection that we need comes from within us, just so long as we believe. Its said that since the wall of protection goes up it makes the negativity want to try to get at us more so. Just for the fact were trying to keep it out. I think there is some truth to that, but I also think building a circle is an important part of spell casting. With that being said, I feel myself wanting to worship to the Gods who govern over the elements, sun, and moon. I do not who they are.... I also feel at home with the greek pantheons(have since childhood). Can anyone help with some Gods they may know? I talk to them now, but I feel like something is missing because I don't call them by their names. I know that I ramble, and that sometimes what I am trying to ask seems a little hard to make sense out of, so I hope this is a little clear.
just my opinion
What follows is merely my opinion. I am not an expert in this field, but here is what I think your friend is saying:
The circle or sphere is kind of a lightning rod, and absorbs negative stuff on your behalf. It's like a bug light in the kitchen that attracts flies to the kitchen, but it doesn't matter, because they will go to the bug light and not crawl on your food. I believe that all the protection we need does come from within us. The circle itself is a protective projection from within us. Maybe you friend feels strong enough already without visualizing a circle, and I think that's probably okay. Myself, I like the circle, even though I don't usually cast it physically, just mentally.
As for Greek deities of sun and moon, try doing some research into Apollo and Artemis, and see if these are the ones that have been calling you.
Hope this helps?
Short one
This will be my first post here :)
I myself don't Cast the Circle for protection. Entering the Sacred Space with Perfect Love and Perfect Trust I believe that there is nothing to be protected of. God and Goddess are in Everything - I am the God and the Goddess, what can be more protective than that :) I Cast the Circle to concentrace energy and to concentrate my mind more easilly and fully.
Blessed Be
MuireOira
circle
Merry Meet Twilightrain,
This is the way I believe, and is not set in stone anywhere. I cast a circle to contain the energies that I create within and release when timing is right with the closing of the circle. I don't believe that something as pure as a cast circle could draw anything negitive. It is a vessel created by me and protected by the watchtowers/quarters etc.
Until I was comfortable with a pantheon, I used Lord and lady, or Spirit. To select a pantheon will take a lot of research and study. You never want to invite anything into the circle that you do not understand or that you do not know everything about, all cahractics, powers, likes and dislikes, I was taught to never call up anything, that I couldn't put down.
Don't mean to ramble. Hope this is of some help. When you are ready the pantheon will follow with ease.
Take Care
Blessed Be
Stone Bear
Greetings
As I am still very new to Wicca, I cannot help you with casting circle. Frankly, I do not feel the need for protection from anything negative, at this point. I do feel the need to connect with the God and Goddess, which is what I believe you are saying in you post. (correct me if I am wrong) Before I began learning about Wicca, I simply would talk to Mother Nature and Father Sun. But They must have a name,right? Having a name would make it more personal (imo). So when I came here, I began researching the Sabbats. Especially, which god/dess where honored and why. When I would find a name, I would research the name. Starting with Wikipedia. Then there is http://www.pantheon.org/ that has separate lists/pages if you want to stick to just one pantheon. But sometimes there is only one or two paragraphs so may I direct you to some of the posts that Butterfly Spirit and Gwennie have added on the differant gods/desses, such as Mabon, Jord, Gaia, Loki. They have been very insightful to read. If there is any name you hear/read and want to know about, please ask! Someone will post.
PS... No, you are not rambling, you are expressing!!!
My Thoughts On Circle Casting
Firstly, Your not rambling at all Twilight Rain :)
I think the circle is an extension of yourself anyway - i.e. when you surround yourself with your own white light in a visualisation, you've pretty much given yourself a mini circle that just isn't round.
I think the circle when evoked is a further focussing of one's intent & therefore providing more energy to what one is doing.
I feel wonderfully safe in my circle - it's MySpace & I have sway & say of what goes on in there - Quite a powerful feeling.
I think one would start feeling/attracting more negativity by worrying about the negativity that one is drawing to them - so if you're putting out there thoughts of confidence & that negativity will not touch you - the results are ten-fold better than freaking out on the negativity - If you can understand what I'm meaning there?
Great question!
Blessings..
Coven Council: New Student Guide
"Magick is the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will" - A. Crowley
casting circles
I am not up to the lesson yet to have reached the study level for casting circles. I used to cast circles before becoming a member of O & M and stopped for a while, just to feel more comfortable that I am doing it right but couldn't resist and have still done a couple. So far everything I know does seem to be right however, I wasn't using the athame to move in and out and did everything verbally and with hand actions, to express when i had to leave or come back, and would ask no energies to leave with me or come back into the circle when re-entering. I can't wait to get to this lesson. I think like others comments, that the circle is important and it is not to keep energies out, It Is "To Keep My Energies Within The Circle", and build it up, sometimes it gets so hot I will break into a sweat. Just like a group of people working together can quite often get a better result, I like to keep it all together to release with more of an impact! It's always been very physical with my as well, using my arms and body language alot. Especially because I've had to keep my voice low and am outside. So the physical feels like it strengthens the whole thing. When finished I would open the circle by raising my arms as high as I can hands together make a small hole and woosh! lower them at a reasonable place down by my side to direct to the ground and let all of the energies realease together as together they all carry the intent of my wishes. I also feel this technique blows away anything that was outside my circle with such great force that my positive energy neautralised any of those negative energies out there. (hehe, sometimes I feel like i'm so weird and can't wait to read about it some more, but I can't jump into it now or I won't learn what I'm trying to at the moment)
It is very important to remember Raziels comment "like attracts like". This is an important rule of thumb.
Stonebear made very clear and good points that I totally agree with as well.
I like posting on Gods/esses etc, not all of them are in my books, I used to call them Spirits and that is all some of them are but I am on a mission to learn the difference between them all and why some are ranked higher than others so if you PM me with one in particular I am happy to make posts as often as I can because it is greatly helping me as well to write it up rather than just reading all the time! :)
Casting
I hate to admitt this but I'm not on casting circles lesson either, I'm still on 1 gettin ready to start on 2, however I wanted to try to meditate within a circle. That is why I was questioning it. (meditation is lesson 1). I do feel like a knuckle head jumping ahead, but like butterfly spirit I get so excited to learn new things sometimes I just can't wait. I definatly appreciate everything everyone has told me, I know that It gave me a great starting point to start studying and researching. Thank everyone soooooo much. I love to read everyone's responses, even though everyone says that some things aren't set in stone I can see a common thread that everyone seems to share. That is just another sign that we are all one. So cool!
Circles
Twilight Rain,
If you want to do energy work within a safe place but don't want to jump lessons you can always visualize a globe of light around you creating a barrier. I used to do this all the time before coming to Oak and Mistletoe as I am very frightened of the dark (long story) and it helps me feel safe when I go to sleep.
To rid myself of all dark energy I generally envision a glowing pearl in my heart, I expand this pearl untill I'm laying inside a pearl cocoon. As the pearl expands it pushes all negative influences ahead of itself, leaving me safe and clear - kindof an energetic shower if you will. It's completely unpenetratable and keeps me safe. Since I want it to last all night I also envision a rope of energy going from the cocoon to my spine, making sure that my barrier sustains it's energy all night long.
This may or may not work for you, but it is a great way of creating a barrier for energy work without casting a full circle.