The Magic Circle

Magic Circle: A Protective Device in Ritual Magic

• A magic circle is a space marked out by practitioners of ritual magic to contain energy and form a sacred space or provide magical protection.
• Circles form a protective barrier between the practitioners and what they summon and are believed to be fortresses that keep operators safe from evil spirits.
• Circles may or may not be physically marked out on the ground, and a variety of elaborate patterns for circle markings can be found in grimoires and magical manuals.
• Uses of the magic circle can be traced back to the Sumerians, and Jewish customs show the use of the magic circle in birth protection rituals.
• The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn introduced the practices of the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram and the Opening by Watchtower, which are now used by a wide array of practitioners.
• In Wicca, a magic circle is typically nine feet in diameter, and the barrier is believed to be fragile, so leaving or passing through the circle would weaken or dispel it.
• To leave a circle and keep it intact, Wiccans believe a door must be cut in the energy of the circle, normally on the east side, and the opening must be closed afterwards by reconnecting the lines of the circle.
• The circle is usually closed by the practitioner after they have finished by drawing in the energy with the athame or whatever was used to make the circle.
• Making sacred space is among the most primal of rituals, and intentional actions are as worthy of the term psychoactive as any substance.
• Circles may be marked physically, drawn in a material like salt, flour, or chalk, or merely visualized.
• Circles may be traced or circumambulated, and a variety of elaborate patterns for circle markings can be found in grimoires and magical manuals.
• The common technique for raising energy within the circle is by means of a cone of power.