Geometric Magic

Geometric Magic and Closing the Circle

  The magic circle, similar to our word’s LBRP or lesser banishing ritual of the pentagram, is the basic operation used to open and close most spells. It brackets the spell itself, and contains and focuses the energies within its circumference. This spell is essentially generic, and used by all the schools of magic as required.   To layout the circle, you may use a line of salt, or trace a line on the floor with chalk, or use a pre-prepared carpet. Some places are dedicated to spell work, and the circle is scribed into the floor itself. Circles are typically 9’ in perimeter, scribed from the center point with an unwrapped 9’ long cingulum. The cingulum, also called a lamen, is a ritual belt the mage wears. In a pinch, a skilled mage can dispense with all the outward manifestations and simply imagine the intended circle, projecting it from his mind’s eye onto the floor. In an emergency, a skilled mage can also lay down a one-man circle rapidly with salt. To create a major working, one may choose to enlarge the circle. Often it will be by multiple of nine, being 18’ or even 27’ in radius. The exact size is not important, and some mages opt for an 11’ circle.

   

The Formula

  At each of the circle’s four cardinal compass points, place a colored candle. Starting with yellow in the east, red in the south, blue in the west, and ending with green in the north. An experienced mage can simply use non-colored candles, or tokens of some sort, or even just imaginary cardinal points.    

With a thurible burning with smoke and incense, walk the periphery of the circle clockwise and cense it. This dedicates this space off from the physical world, establishing a magic, sacrosanct space outside time and place.

 

Ritually sprinkle the area with droplets from a cup of water that contains a pinch of salt. This cleanses the area of negative energies, bad luck, entities, etc.

 

Now it is time to invoke the quarters. With an Athame (a wavy-bladed ritual dagger) trace the perimeter of the circle.

 

Traverse the circle in doesil or clockwise order, going from candle to candle. At each, you will salute with the athame. Some mages prefer a sword, wand or blasting rod, others merely use the extended fingers of their right hands.

   

At the East candle invoke: “Oh Airy Tower that guards the sky, guard this circle and ward away strife.” Light the yellow candle. The wording is generic, and different mages may have different formulas (see below).

 

At the south candle, invoke: “Oh Fiery Tower that warms the South, guard this circle and bless this house.” Light the red candle.

 

At the west candle invoke: “Oh Watery Tower that feeds the West, guard this circle and let chaos rest.” Light the blue candle.

 

Finally, at the North candle invoke: “Oh Earthen Tower that guards the North, guard this circle and bless this hearth.” Light the green candle.

 

Walking the circle is also called circumambulation, and end this round by approaching the East candle and make a ritual symbol of closing with your athame. This draws the magical wall of energy closed.

 

In the middle of the circle, cross your arms over your chest, look to the sky and say: “All powers seen and unseen bless this venture. As above so below. As within so without.” This establishes the circle, creating a protective magic shell around mage that also focuses magic power within.

 

For some spells, especially for a major working, there may be a physical altar prepared at the circle’s center. Often the mage will cast a cleansing spell or blessing at this point in the operation to banish all negative entities, curses, bad luck from within the circle.

 

Now, raising of the cone of power. Now, the mage is sealed within the cone of power, and if the ritual was done correctly, its perimeter should emit a barely perceptible shimmering silvery line, and the wall should radiate with energy. The spell-caster may proceed with his work.

  Once the mage has worked his wonders, he then will reverse the pattern, candle-by-candle, to release the cone of power. The circle is walked widdershins, or counter-clockwise, and at the eastern candle, where the mage ends, he cuts the cone of power. This is done with a chopping motion of the athame, or blasting rod, or hand. The sacred space is gone, and the mage is now back in the physical world.   Last, to close the spell properly, the mage must ground out the magic, using his will to drain any excess energy into the earth harmlessly. Some mages will use a lodestone to aid in this. Variations   Sometimes, the magic circle contains inscribed geometric figures, such as the triangle of art. The triangle of art is used for restraining demons and should be drawn with a bloodstone. If the circle is double concentric, then sometimes the inside has written the names of the angels, and outside that, the secret, sacred names of God. Inner shapes are often pentagrams, hexagrams, squares, or smaller circles.