windvexer:

Many
of us are familiar with the magic circle, which goes by many names;
witch-ring, compass round, witch’s circle, and so on. If I asked a
hundred people what the purpose of the magic circle is, I’d bet most
people would say either “protection” or “so your energy doesn’t
escape during a spell.” I would like to talk about another vital
function that the circle serves; that of gathering
power, and acting as a gateway or portal to the spirit world.

Let’s
start at the beginning; how to actually cast a good circle. On my
laziest days I point my wand around me in a circle and say words that
surmount to “let the circle be cast.” But most of the traditional
resources I have found use elaborate circle-casting (or circle
conjuring), and almost all elaborate circle casting I see calls on
spirits. I think this points to a greater purpose of the circle; it’s
not a simple wall of protection, but rather a spirit-space created so
that a witch can commune with otherworldly powers.

Anyway,
from the sources I have seen there are (blank) general steps to
casting a circle, which I agree with.

• Blessing
  the circle-marker be this water, salt, flour, or cord, or any other
  implement.
• Cleansing
  the space within the circle, most often using blessed water, salt,
  and fire and/or incense.
• Marking
  out the circle using the blessed objects from step one.
• Walking
  clockwise or counter-clockwise around the circle with holy items,
  such as the ritual knife, wand, or stang; holy water, incense, flame,
  or any other objects specially chosen for the job. The circle is
  often circumambulated multiple times with different objects, while
  chants are repeated a certain number of times. For example, first you
  would tread the circle with your holy water and asperge the borders,
  repeating a chant about cleansing water. Then you would do the same
  with incense, and your chat about cleansing incense. Then you would
  walk with the stand or wand, and repeat your chant about the circle
  being raised.
• Calling
  powers to the circle; most often the cardinal directions, but also
  including familiar spirits, gods, powers that be, and the powers you
  wish to work with during the spell. Protectors to the circle can also
  be called, to stand outside and keep guard.
• Finally,
  the spell work or communion can begin.

This
does seem like an awful lot of work for a simple protective circle,
especially when many of us raise shields we rely on with just a
little meditation and visualization. Looking back on the steps, there
is also a very high importance placed on all ingredients and tools
being cleansed, the circle being totally freed of all unwanted
influence, and connections made with spirits. If you work with
deities, all this work can be done in the name of your chief god;
otherwise the work can be done under the cleansing influence of the
elements or another power.

Such
a circle “gathers” power because powers are called to it. I have
not seen yet a “traditional” circle that did not involve calling
powers, spirits, or virtues (or more likely, all of them) to the
table before the magic is cast. Which leads to another topic of
discussion – if traditional witches have their own power, why the
need for all these spirits? But that is a topic for another time.

My
argument that the circle is a gateway to the spirit world is based on
UPG; I have found it to be a portal to the spirit world, and so have
many others before me. What you speak in a circle is highly magical.
Powers you have called will listen, and if they like you, they will
help you (perhaps in exchange for a few gifts).

If
you are used to casting a more simple circle, I encourage you to try
a more complex one. The power, to me, is tangible and the difference
is plain to see.

If there is any interest I can post the steps to casting a full “traditional” circle.