The Circle

Back to the Front!

Remember a few months ago I told you that your Book of Shadows is a reflection of sacred space?

You have the Pillars, your Deity, Tool. Now the Circle which is pretty self-explanatory, but I'll continue anyway.

A Magick circle is a place where a Witch does works Magick and celebrates the Sabbat.

The reason we form a circle, rather than a triangle or square, is because all energy moves in a circular manner, a spiral: just look at a DNA strand. A circle also symbolizes infinity, for it has neither a beginning nor an ending. We also live within the eternal circle of life--the cycles of the seasons, the Moon, the Sun, the tides, and the heavens moving above us. Working within a circle helps our psyches attune to the natural rhythms of divine energy that animate and regulate the order of the natural world. In circles, everyone is equal. No one is above the others. The shape of the circle also places each individual within view of everyone else. This creates an immediate intimacy, connection, and sense of community. And finally, the physical shape of a circle facilitates the movement of energy. It distributes energy equally throughout the practitioners.

The form of the circle is not always one and the same; rarely do two Witches find success using an identical visualization; also each Tradition has its own trappings and teachings. It is according to the order of the Spirits that are to be called, their places, times, days and hours. However, across cultures and traditions the purpose of the Circle stays the same.

1. The circle becomes a container to hold your energy. As you raise energy, the circle will contain all the energy until you are ready to release it and direct it. 
2. Some people believe the circle is also a way to keep out any negative energy; it's a form of protection. These people believe there are negative spirits and entities lurking about, and Witches don't want them coming in and messing with their magick. 
3. When a Witch is first learning to do magick, having a circle helps keep the magick pure. If there is no circle, the magick becomes diluted with all the other energies in the air, and it loses some of it's effect. 
4. Circles can alter your state of consciousness. When you cast a circle, you shift your consciousness from being distracted by ordinary, everyday matters to perceiving extraordinary reality, or the presence of divinity. When you are inside a circle, you can feel the magick all around you. This state of consciousness will help the spell-work done within the circle. Finally, a circle becomes a Witches temple, a sacred space. When you believe this, it teaches you that the temple exists within each of us, and is everywhere around us.

What you are recording is simple. A diagram of your circle. There are hundreds to choose from if you look online or in books some very complicated, others very simple but each has its own representation and meaning.

Don't bother with detailing the how to, some things you should be taught and not read.

If you use a specific chant or evocation write it in. I prefer some variation of the Witches Rune.

"I call the Earth to bind my spell.
Air to speed it well.
Bright as Fire shall it glow.
Deep as tide of Water flow."

The Shield

Still in the back, working forward from divination.

The Shield is another Seal. For me it is an important part of visualization when I am preparing to scry. This won't be the case with everything, but it is tied closely with my Magical lineage. Celtic myth tells us the Tuatha De Dannan employed their magick to shield themselves from earthly strife and chose to reside in the spiritual realm, or Faery kingdoms of Ireland. Giving birth to "The Veil Between the Worlds."

To mark the veil I use a simple visualization:

I stated before that this would be a Traditional Book of Shadows, and I am aware that the symbol to the left does not feel particularly old world. I am just illustrating that you don't have to copy me verbatim. To me this sort of top side view of a Pyramid works perfectly as my shield, each corner starting at the top and moving deosil represents Above, Below and Within; the top point representing Self or the other side.

For others this is the more Traditional view and use for a Triquetra or Triple-Goddess knot. It has graceful lines that flow into each other representing tripartite division of the world into the realms of Land, Sea and Sky.




I'll tell you why this is important. Having a set symbol that you can associate with the Veil, like a Shield that you can evoke or banish makes for a multiplicity of uses. Protection spells, warding yourself with Divining and acting as a ritual guardian, even when tearing down someone else's defenses.

The Veil is an etheric shield that is draped across our energy bodies, as well as between the world of life and the spirit realm. The Veil clouds, distorts, and hides, yet when used to best advantage, the Veil can provide insight, protection, and concealment.

At the top of the page write either "Shield" or "Veil" in the Witches Alphabet, and then mark the center of the page with the symbol of your choice. Take up most of the page, at least two thirds, then either beneath it or above it, or on the page facing it, write a simple invocation along the lines of:

"Shield me and all that belongs to me. Bless my work and my endeavors. Protect and keep me safe forever From every hex and negative thought, From every place that harm is wrought, From every evil that’s allowed, Protect me, Guard me now."

Then between the pages press a single leaf of English Ivy.

Divination V: Something Extra

Still in the back of your BoS.

Not for the meek, this little page (or two) is not so much for info on a Tool as on that little extra that has been left out of a lot of books. Divination while an ancient practice is more than just sitting in a dark room staring at odd things in order to pick out the symbols you want to interpret.

Some of us just don't relax easily, or cant enter the required state of being. In that case there is a Potion you can use to help.

You will need a storage container, an Amber or Cobalt Jar or Tea tin's are preferable to this jar you will add:

• 4 Tbsp White Tea
• 1 Tbsp Orange Peal
• 1 Tbsp Rosehips
• 1 Tbsp Mugwort
• 1 Tsp Eyebright
• 1 Tsp Mistletoe (Not the berries)
• 1 Tsp Valerian Root

You can brew it as tea 1 teaspoon to 8 ounces of water and sweeten with honey. OR take one teaspoon, grind to a fine powder (coffee grinder works great) and add it to a 10 ounce cruet of your favorite wine, this helps mask the flavor and it will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks and measures into a wine glass (2 ounces) for 5 uses.

This is great to prepare in advance for Samhain.

As always be vigilant for your personal health and allergies. If you are on any heart or sleeping medications or special treatment by a doctor, talk to them before using any herbal treatments or blends.

Divination IV: Scrying

Still on the back pages.

By now you may have noticed that Divination is a truly limitless topic, but this is your final page writing on it.

Scrying is the divination method that many would be Seer's aspire to, (also called seeing or peeping) it is the practice of looking into a translucent ball or other material with the belief that things can be seen, such as spiritual visions, and less often for purposes of divination. The most common media used are reflective, translucent, or luminescent substances such as crystals, stones, glass, mirrors, water, fire, or smoke. Scrying has been used in many cultures in the belief that it can divine the past, present, or future. The visions that come when one stares into the media are thought to come from one's subconscious and imagination, though in the past they were thought to come from gods, spirits, devils, the psychic mind, depending on the culture and practice.

Although scrying is most commonly done with a crystal ball, it may also be performed using any smooth surface such as, highly polished wood, a bowl of liquid, a pond, a mirror, or a crystal.

What you are going to record is your process. Just like before. I know that my writing has become more general/instructional, but as you know that all this is for your book of shadows and that you should be keeping it simple.

Turn out the lights. Light only a candle, position it to cast its light on your surface without casting its reflection. Then light your incense of choice or a potpourri.

Hold in your mind what you are looking for or who you want to see. And rub the surface with Mugwort.

Then allow your eyes to lose focus, blink if you must, but don't stare at your Ball or Mirror, more past it, in your minds eye a fog should fill it, and you will be looking through the fog.

Divination III: Tarot

Still in the back, this section will take likely two to three pages, that simply put given modern popularity of Tarot reading, can not be excluded.

Now, Tarot is a topic for which dozens of books have been written and there is a lot of tradition, so much so that I know that I am not going to include all of it here, you will need to do your own
research.

Please note, that there is no need to copy what I say verbatim. This is an abstract of what I know. Take what you need and leave the rest.

I want to emphasize that the Tarot is not just a divination tool, but excellent for use in Sympathetic Magick. One of the first spells I ever witnesses my father working, he used a Tarot Card to represent his will and another to represent the person.

Important Traditions In Tarot:

• Your first deck should be a gift: My father bought me my first deck, after buying my mother one he saw how I kept handling them in the store, I was thirteen and he bought me The Unicorn Tarot.. Now as an adult I am out of my Unicorn phase and those cards are still my best deck. With the recent surge on the internet that scoffs this tradition as a silly superstition, which I find upsetting as a lot of my religion is built on 'Silly Superstitions'. Let me give you some background. Tarot emerged in France during the mid-15th century, where it was used as a game at court... However, at that time you were either making your own, or had them gifted to you. Magickally this creates a sort of karmic debt, showing you that not everything is done for gain, but for most people, etiquette dictates that you treat a gift with care and respect which helps you develop a relationship with the cards.
• The cards can and should only be touched by the tarot reader. Now as a caveat the one having them read does have to shuffle them. This tradition is stating that you shouldn't 'lend' your cards for someone else to do a reading. Cards collect your energy, creating a bond over time and making them easier for you to connect with. Which is why two identical decks may be read in completely different ways, or why the reader may not to use a deck with the same art if it is replacing another deck. (Vague I know; example my friend had the Dragon Tarot, a card got torn, she replaced the deck... couldn't read the knew deck.).
  
 

The Breakdown:

Major Arcana

Considered the most important group of cards in the tarot. To some, they represent universal archetypes. To others, they represent the spiritual quest of enlightenment.

They are magickal and special and yet they also represent our everyday lives and experiences. There are many aspects to the Major Arcana and it would be wrong to classify them from just one perspective.

The Suits

The purpose of the Tarot card suits is to categorize four major areas of life. The underlying thought here is that we are each quite different, yet all of us are ultimately the same, and undergo similar life experiences on our journey.  Each suit has an elemental affinity, as well as a Royal Family.

Pentacles/Coins (Diamonds) - Elemental Earth. Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn. Domestic and Financial Issues. Planet Venus.

Wands/Rods/Staves (Clubs) - Elemental Fire (I argue Air). Aries, Leo, Sagittarius (Aquarius, Gemini, Libra). Creativity, Action, Passion (Thought, Challenge, Observation). Planet Mars (Mercury).

Cups/Chalices/Goblets (Hearts) - Elemental Water. Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio. Love, Emotion, Empathy. Planet Neptune.

Swords/Blades/Athames (Spades) - Elemental Air (I argue Fire). Aquarius, Gemini, Libra (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius). Thought, Challenge, Observation. Planet Mercury (Mars).

The way you spread the cards is quite important - each spread  yields differing information.  The Celtic Cross is quite a good broad based spread, which will give a good deal of info on a specific situation.

There are other layouts that do things like give you a year view, or an astrological perspective or whatever. Some spreads answer specific questions better than others.


The Celtic Cross is a very popular spread, 10 cards used in an intermediate reading, most card readers keep with a simple 3 cards.

Past, Present and Future. Spreads will take the position of the card and the card itself into account when reading.


Example:
If the King of Pentacles is in your past, It refers to an older man who had control over you at home or work. Your boss, maybe your father. All spreads start in the past and are read towards the outcome.

Divination Part II: Dowsing Rods

Still in the back. We are summarizing the oldest known form of Divination today. Exciting I know. Touched on with Pendulums, the Use of Rods is actually the oldest for of Divination recorded.

Not so common as most other methods of Divination, but people, even those outside of the Occult community know what Dowsing is, it has been used even in the modern world to find lost objects or fresh water.

Dowsing Rods have been used for divination for centuries. Although there is evidence suggesting that dowsing was in use 8,000 years ago, the first historically recorded evidence of the use of dowsing dates back to 16th Century Germany. Dowsing rods were included in ceremonial magick rituals.

While not a part of every pagan household again the history earns this special form of divination an honorable mention. While explaining the "How" Aspect is a little subjective, I'll leave it to you to research the general information is:

Traditionally, the most common divining rod was a Y-shaped branch from a tree or bush. Some dowsers prefer branches from particular trees; hazel twigs in Europe and witch-hazel in the United States were commonly chosen. Some dowsers prefer the branches to be freshly cut. I will admit that I have no idea as to how these branches would be interpreted, as my limited exposure has been to the more modern method.

Many dowsers today use a pair of simple L-shaped metal rods; some even use bent wire coat hangers. One rod is held in each hand, with the short part of the L held upright, and the long part pointing forward. Some dowsers claim best success with rods made of particular metals, such as brass. These rods move freely within the users grip, only crossing when the object is found or objective is reached.

Dowsing Rods have a well known use in finding spirits.

Divination Part I: Pendulums

Moving to the back pages again.

While not every Witch reads Tarot, most believe in divination.

Divination is at the heart of Old Magick, and has a place at the very least as an honorable mention in your Book of Shadows. If Divination is your true love then please consider keeping a Divination Journal.

Divination, or seeking insights from supernatural sources, has been practiced worldwide since ancient times through several methods; one of those secrets in the human psyche that no-one can explain why it perseveres, other than... that it works. Despite religious persecution and scientific questioning, many forms of divination have survived through the centuries. They remain popular as tools for determining the future, and as spiritual resources.

So there are at least two methods that you should record before even looking at Tarot.

Every Witch should Have a Pendulum

A pendulum is one of the simplest and easiest forms of divination. It's a simple matter of Yes/No questions being asked and answered, or they can me used on a map to determine a location. Although you can purchase pendulums commercially, ranging from about $15 - $60, it's not hard to make one of your own. Typically, most people use a crystal or stone, but you can use any object that's got a bit of weight to it.

 Take your time before you start writing. As with a lot of things what you write you need to write as though you are writing for someone else. This is information that you could be passing on to a student and information that we may take for granted as self explanatory isn't always.

With this particular item including pictures are simple, and the most effective explanation.

You can use a pendulum to dowse for just about anything, from buried treasure to the best spot to drill a well. You can dowse an area to find a lost object. You can dowse a house or apartment to see if it's right for you. Or dowse the land to determine the best place to build a home, business, shrine, garden, etc.

You can even dowse a map. This technique is great if you're thinking about taking a trip or looking for a new place to live. Hold the pendulum over a map of an area that interests you and ask, “Is this the place?” If the response is no, try another area. Keep at it until the pendulum says yes, this can be a practice in patience.

Include a simple map and instructions on how to key a pendulum to know what a Yes is.. (Usually done by asking a question you already know the answer to.) and what No is.. (Again asking a question you know the answer to, like 'is my hair red.')

Each persons energies are different, so the answers may not match the map shown.

To utilize a Pendulum....

Example:

• Place your map, either a real land map or a question map/mat.
• Hold the pendulum with the chain positioned lightly between over the ring finger of your power hand and wrapped back up around your middle finger to be caught between your thumb and index.
• Dangle it over the surface until it stops swinging and is still.
• Ask your question.

It takes time to become comfortable with this practice.
 
If you would like to contact me personally for Q&A you can always comment or for private consult my email is listed in my business card, please note that I work at my own pace and you may see your answer in a blog post rather than a responding email.