Building a Circle and Altar
 

The origins of the magic circle lie in ancient history, forms of it were used in old Babylonian magic and many of the Ceremonial Magicians of the Middle Ages and Renaissance used them.  In pre-Christian Europe most Pagan religious festivals took place in circles, normally outdoors under the sky and stars at night.  There they celebrated the Earth’s fertility and worshiped the Sun, Moon and Deities.  But with the rise of Christianity and the newly powerful church, most of these pagan rites were outlawed and the oncoming persecution of witches forced the practice underground.  The pagans became secretive about their rites and practiced them outside only after dark, lit by fires and torches in far-out the way places.  Others brought the practice indoors away from prying eyes.  Stone circles such as Stonehenge and other megalithic monuments, sacred groves and revered springs across Europe, are remnants of those ancient days.

 

There are two main types of magic circles used.  Those formed by ceremonial magicians are designed to protect the magician from the forces that he or she raises.  While those formed by witches and wiccans, are mainly used to create sacred space in which to meet and commune with the Goddess and God.  With today’s more liberal view on religion, pagan rituals are once again being practiced in the open air, but these tend to be mass gatherings in specially selected areas.  Most people, particularly those living in over populated towns and cities practice at home by transforming their living rooms or bedrooms into places of power and worship.

 

The magic circle is an area of non-physical space created and constructed of personal power.  It’s a magical environment in which the deities are welcomed and celebrated, and where rituals and magical workings take place.  In a room filled with steel, plastic and the trappings of our technological age, as well as everyday living associations good and bad, the need for a private sacred space is envisaged.  The magic circle defines the ritual working area and holds in our personal power while shutting out distracting energies.  In essence it creates the proper working atmosphere for the ritual.  Constructed of personal power which is raised, felt and visualized as streaming out from the body through the magic knife (athame), a sphere of energy is created which encompasses the entire working area, above, below and all around it.  This energy sphere is what we consider to be the magic circle.

 

The Physical Circle:
 

To aid visualization  when creating a magic circle, most witches mark out a physical circle on the ground.  Wherever you decide to form a circle, be it in the living room, bedroom or some other place, clear sufficient space to mark out a rough circle on the floor.  You can do this using a length of cord laid on the ground in a roughly circular shape, or lightly draw a circle using chalk.  If you don’t want to soil your nice living room carpet, use an old sheet and draw your circle on it, it can then be rolled up after you have finished and re-used on the next occasion.  Personally I use a collection of stones and pebbles to outline a circle; these can easily be picked up again once the ritual is over.  Other things to use might be flowers (ideal for spring or summer time rites), or pine needles (winter rites).  Some people use salt, earth or crystals to outline their circles.  Use objects that spark your imagination and that are in tune with the ritual you are performing. 

 

Circles are usually nine feet in diameter but any size comfortable enough to work in is fine.  Depending on your preference, the cardinal points can be marked by candles, Brown for North, Yellow for East, Red for South and Blue for West  The working tools  can also be assigned to the four points, particularly if you don’t use an altar.  Place the pentacle, a bowl of salt or earth to the North representing the elements of Earth.  The censer containing smoldering incense is placed in the East to represent the elements of Air (Fresh flowers or stick incense can also be used).  To the South a burning red candle often represents the element of Fire (A lighted oil lamp or a piece of lava rock would also suffice here).  A cup or bowl of water is placed in the West representing the elements of Water, the last of the four elements.

 

The Altar: 
 

Once your physical circle has been constructed, you will next need to construct an altar.  The altar is normally positioned in the center, leaving sufficient room to walk or dance around it while remaining inside the circle.  Most people use a table of whatever type they have available, but if you are adventurous and desire to make a purpose built one, it can be made from any substance, though wood is normally used.  Many purpose built altars you can buy are made from Willow which is sacred to the Goddess.  Depending on your preference it can be round or square.  A round altar is symbolic of the Goddess and spirituality, while a square one represents the four elements. 

 

The altar doesn’t have to be a table at all, particularly if you are practicing outside; tables are bulky and cumbersome things to carry around.  It can be nothing more than an area of ground covered with a cloth upon which to lay out you tools.  A cardboard box covered with a cloth would also suffice, as would an old log or a large flat rock or stone.  Look around and use your imagination, make use of whatever is available, the more natural and nature based your material the better.  Generally the altar is place in the center of the circle facing North, its association with the elements of earth makes this the direction of power, ideal if during the rite you intend to do some magical workings.  Some place the altar facing East where the Sun and Moon rises, ideal if all you intend to do is commune with the God and Goddess.

 

While its not absolutely necessary, many witches dress their altars with an altar cloth.  These can be quite ornate or as plain as you like, but they do enhance its general appearance.  Altar cloths can be purpose bought if you don’t mind the expense, or you could make your own.  A simple plain sheet or tablecloth folded to size and draped over or around the altar would suffice for this.  If you like, you could even personalize it with runic signs and symbols.  Remember also to consider the colour of your altar cloth, and its correspondences with your rite or workings 

 

The working tools can now be placed and arranged on the altar.  The left side of the altar is normally dedicated to the Goddess and tools associated with her are placed here.  These are generally:  the cup, pentacle, bell, crystal or wand and the cauldron.  It’s also nice if you have one, to place an image or statue of the Goddess here, but if you haven’t a green, silver or white candle can be substituted.  Also if you have one, a broom can be placed against the left side of the altar.  The right side of the altar is reserved for the God, and his tools of association.  These are: the censer, athame (black handled knife) and bolline (white handled knife).  Your Book of Shadows might also be placed here.  If you intend to work magic in your circle, be sure to have all your necessary ingredients and equipment within it before you start (i.e. matches, candles, herbs and oils, pen and paper etc), these can be placed on or beneath the altar as you feel fit.  Finally its a good idea to have some refreshments to hand for use during ritual as offerings , or to replace spent energy while working.  Most rituals finish with a "Cake and Ale" ceremony or feast.

 

The altar and the circle it stands in is your own personal construction, and there are no hard and fast rules as to how they should be constructed or arranged.  Use you imagination and do as you feel appropriate for the rite or work you are conducting.  If it pleases you, it will work for you to your own advantage and satisfaction.  You are now ready to begin preparing the circle for use.

 

Excerpt from   Wicca, A guide for the Solitary Practitioner  - By Scott Cunningham