Wiccan Rede

Bide the Wiccan law ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust;
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill;
‘An ye harm none, do as ye will’;
Lest in self-defense it be, ever mind the rule of three;
Follow this with mind and heart;
And merry ye meet and merry ye part.

Casting the Circle

Needs: Altar, 2 Altar Candles, Water Bowl, Salt Dish, Pentacle, Censer, Athame, Bell; Presence Lamp; 4
Quarter Candles; Sword (optional), Candle Snuffer (optional)
Let all be fit to enter into the presence of the Gods.
Start in the dark.

Ritual Leader (referred to as R: ) waits until it feels like time to begin, then rises:

LIGHTING OF THE CANDLE:

R:
I light this Candle (lights Presence Lamp)
in the name of that ancient presence,
which is, was, and ever shall be
male, female, all-knowing, all-powerful
and present everywhere.
And in the names of the four Mighty Ones,
the rulers of the elements,
may power and blessing descend
in this hour upon this place
and those gathered here.
R lights the two altar candles, the charcoal, and the four quarter candles from the Presence Lamp.

EXORCISM OF THE WATER:

R kneels before the altar and places the Water Bowl upon the Pentacle.
R purifies the water by plunging the tip of his/her athame into the water, saying:
R:
I exorcise thee, O Creature of Water, that thou cast out from thee
all the impurity and uncleanliness of the world of phantasm. In
the names of Cernunnos and Cerridwen.

BLESSING OF THE SALT:

R sets the Water Bowl aside and in its place sets the Salt Dish upon the Pentacle. R touches salt
with tip of athame, saying:
R:
Blessings be upon thee, O Creature of Salt; let all malignity and
hindrance be cast forth from thee, and let all good enter within.
Wherefore do I bless and consecrate thee, that thou mayest aid
me. In the names of Cernunnos and Cerridwen.
Using the tip of the athame, R takes three measures of salt and puts it into the water, then stirs
deosil three times with the athame, saying:
R:
But ever mind that as water and salt purifies the body, so the
scourge purifies the soul. So mote it be!

CASTING THE CIRCLE:

R draws a circle, continuous from north deosil unto north with the Sword (or athame), saying:
R:
I conjure thee, O Circle of Power, that thou beest a boundary
between the world of men and the realms of the Mighty Ones; a
meeting place of love and joy and truth; a shield against all
wickedness and evil; a rampart and protection that shall preserve
and contain the power that we raise within thee. Wherefore do I
bless thee, and consecrate thee, in the names of Cernunnos and
Cerridwen.
(If others are without, a gate is opened, and they are now brought into the Circle with a kiss, and
the Circle is resealed.)

CONSECRATION OF THE CIRCLE WITH THE FOUR ELEMENTS:

R takes up the consecrated water and asperges the Circle with his/her fingertips, from north deosil
unto north; and then touches each person within with the water, being touched in turn by his/her
working partner (or another of the opposite sex to R, if available). Water Bowl is returned to altar.
R then takes up the censer, and likewise censes the Circle from north unto north.
Lastly R takes around the Presence Lamp (or a candle lit from the Presence Lamp and returned to
it).

CALLING THE MIGHTY ONES:

All stand and salute the East. R stands in front of group facing East. Maiden stands at back of
group with the Bell. M rings Bell.
With athame, R draws three deosil circles and then an invoking earth pentagram, saying:
R:
Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the East, ye Lords of Air; I, N.....,
do summon, stir and call you up, to witness our rites and guard
the Circle!
All turn and face South. Ritual Leader and Maiden move to corresponding positions; others just
turn in place. M rings Bell.
With athame, R draws three deosil circles and then an invoking earth pentagram, saying:
R:
Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the South, ye Lords of Fire; I,
N....., do summon, stir and call you up, to witness our rites and
guard the Circle!
Similarly, in West:
R:
Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the West, ye Lords of Water;
Lords of Death and Initiation; I, N....., do summon, stir and call
you up, to witness our rites and guard the Circle!
And in North:
R:
Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the North, ye Lords of Earth;
Boreas, thou Guardian of the Northern Portals; I, N....., do
summon, stir and call you up, to witness our rites and guard the
Circle!
All turn back to the East and salute.
Now all turn to North again. M rings Bell. R says:
R:
Ye Mighty Ones,
Lords of the Watchtowers of the Universe,
Dread Lords of the outer spaces,
Thou powerful God, thou gentle Goddess,
We invite you to our meeting.
(pause)
O thou Loving Cerridwen.
O thou Mighty Cernunnos,
we gather (I stand) before you to ...." (state intent)
The Circle is now perfect.

NOTES
Adapted from Farrars' Eight Sabbats for Witches, but published all over the place in several
versions.
l
l 'Lighting of Candle' added by Khaled, Sekhet & Random.
'Exorcism of Water' & 'Blessing of Salt' closely follow those of the Key of Solomon, Book 2,
Chapt. V.

l
Closing the Circle

When the Circle's work is done, R goes to the East, athame in hand, salutes, and draws a banishing Earth
pentagram, saying:
R:
Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the East, ye Lords of Air, we
thank you for attending our rites; and ere ye depart to your
beauteous realms, we bid thee Hail and Farewell...
All:
Hail and Farewell! (R extinguishes Quarter Candle)
Repeat for the remaining Quarters, addressing each with the titles by which it was invoked.
R thanks and says goodbye to the God and Goddess. (Words To Be Decided.) and extinguishes altar
candles.
R then thanks and dismisses any spirits who have gathered.
R:
The Circle is open but unbroken. Merry meet, merry part and
merry meet again.
R extinguishes the Presence Lamp, saying:
R:
This rite is ended!

All:
So mote it be!

NOTES
lots of published versions
this version comes from Quicksilver

Return to top of page