Casting a Circle
General opening for an OAK circle:
Needed: Set up altar area and light candles.
Chalice of water or wine
Bowl of water
Bowl of sea salt
Athame
Incense burner
Dish of cakes
Have supply of incense and matches handy and take phone off the hook.
High Priest and High Priestess stand before altar.
High Priestess places bowl of water on pantacle and puts tip of athame into it.
“I exorcize you O spirit of water, casting out all impurities and illusions which may lie within you. May you be charged with the power, strength, and love of the God and Goddess. Blessed Be”
She then holds bowl in both hands.
High Priest puts bowl of sea salt on pentacle and puts tip of athame into it.
“I exorcize you O spirit of salt, casting out all impurities and illusions which may lie within you. May you be charged with the power, strength and love of the God and Goddess. Blessed Be”
He pours salt into water bowl and both bowls are replaced on the altar.
(The solitary must perform all functions by themselves…)
Casting Circle
One leaves and the other draws the circle leaving a gateway by raising athame at entrance area. Circle is scribed three times.
“I conjure thee O circle of power, be a meeting place of love and joy and truth; a shield against all wickedness and evil; a boundary between the world of man and the mighty ones; a rampart and protection that shall preserve and contain the power that we shall raise within thee. For this purpose I bless thee and consecrate thee in the name of the God and Goddess”.
Admit members with a hug spinning deosil or clockwise. Male admits female and female admits male. The circle has now been established in the earth element and is now to be strengthened in the other elements.
A member takes the bowl of water and sprinkles North to North (or from altar to altar) going around the perimeter sprinkling water three times at each quarter.
A member takes the incense and moves around the perimeter moving the censor three times at each quarter.
A member takes candle around perimeter moving candle three times at each quarter.
Calling the Quarters
A member goes to the East and draws the invoking pentagram of Air;
“Guardians of the Watch Towers of the East, Powers of Air, I call upon thee. Thou who art the breezes, winds, and zephyrs…and who are also mind, intellect, and imagination… grace our circle with your presence this night. I summon, stir and call thee up”!
Goes to the South and draws invoking pentagram of fire;
“Guardians of the Watch Towers of the South, Powers of Fire, I call upon thee. Thou who art the fiery rays of the sun, the dancing flames of the hearth fire, and the deep heat within the earth’s molten core… and who art also energy, will, and passion…grace our circle with your presence this night. I summon, stir and call thee up”!
Goes to the West and draws invoking pentagram of Water;
“Guardians of the Watch Towers of the West, Powers of Water, I call upon thee. Thou who art the mountain streamlets, the mighty rivers, and the vast oceans…and who art also feeling, emotion, and intuition…grace our circle with your presence this night. I summon, stir and call thee up”!
Goes to the North and draws invoking pentagram of Earth;
“Guardians of the Watch Towers of the Earth, Powers of Earth, I call upon thee. Thou who art the towering mountains, the fertile plains, and the enduring bedrock…and who art also our bodies and all things material…grace our circle with your presence this night. I summon, stir, and call thee up”!
Energizes self as in the essay Your Altar
Drawing Down the Moon and Sun
High Priestess stands with back to the altar.
High Priest stands and points with right fore finger at right breast, left breast, womb and returning finally back at right breast forming triangle.
“I invoke and call upon the eternal Goddess that is deep within you and has always been within you from the birth of your physical body and also from the birth of your eternal soul. Come forth in peace and love into our circle and deliver your blessing to us. Help us in our magickal work and in our physical lives”.
High Priest stands back and waits
High Priestess acknowledges by saying “Let there be Love”.
They trade places moving deosil or clockwise until he stands with back to altar.
High Priestess points with right fore finger to forehead, left shoulder, right shoulder and repeats ending with forehead forming a triangle.
“I invoke and call upon the eternal God that is deep within you and has always been within you from the birth of your physical body and also from the birth of your eternal soul. Come forth in energy and light into our circle and deliver your blessing to us. Help us in our magickal work and in our physical lives”.
High Priestess stands back and waits.
High Priest acknowledges by saying “Let there be Light”.
The Charge
“Listen to the words of the God and Goddess. Whenever you need anything, once a month and better when the moon is full, assemble in a secret place and call on us, the guiding spirits of the human race, male and female. We shall answer your deepest questions and help your magicks. You are meant to be free, to dance, sing, feast and make love with our blessings. For the blessings of physical life and the blessings of spiritual life are meant to be as one within the human heart. Keep your highest dreams and strive to make them real. Let nothing stop you or turn you aside. Accept our blessings and help because life is meant to be a joy of the heart. we believe in peace and freedom and reunion with those that have gone before us into the spirit worlds. We, male and female can be found within the dust of the earth and the light of the stars, and our awareness encircles the universe and binds it to our wills.
In our union is the beauty of the green earth, and the white moon among the stars, the mystery of the waters, and the desire of the heart of man. We call upon your soul to arise and join us in the creation of nature and the expansion of life into the universe.
From the union of male and female all things must come and all things must return. Rejoice therefore in the duality of life and let your worship be acts of love and pleasure, beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence.
Know also that we are within you, male and female and if you can not find our union within yourself you will never find it within another person. We were within you before you were formed and will be within you at your death. Rejoice”!
Closing
“Thank you eternal God who is deep within the heart of each of us. We do thank you for being here with us in this rite of magick. As you depart, we ask you to leave some small part of thy strength and joy within each of us here. Blessed Be”!
All:”Blessed Be”!
“Thank you eternal Goddess who is deep within the heart of each of us. We do thank you for being here with us in this rite of magick. As you depart, we ask you to leave some small part of thy magick and wisdom within each of us here. Blessed Be”!
All:”Blessed Be”!
“Ye Lords of the Watch Towers of the East, ye Lords of Air; we do thank you for attending our rites; and before you depart to your pleasant and lovely realms, we bid you hail and farewell…”
All:”Hail and farewell”!
Traces banishing pentagram
“Ye Lords of the Watch Towers of the South, ye Lords of Fire; we do thank you for attending our rites; and before you depart to your pleasant and lovely realms, we bid you hail and farewell….”
All:”Hail and farewell”!
Traces banishing pentagram
“Ye Lords of the Watch Towers of the West, ye Lords of Water; we do thank you for attending our rites; and before you depart to your pleasant and lovely realms, we bid you hail and farewell….”
All:”Hail and farewell”!
Traces banishing pentagram
“Ye Lords of the Watch Towers of the North, ye Lords of Earth; we do thank you for attending our rites; and before you depart to your pleasant and lovely realms, we bid you hail and farewell…”
All:”Hail and farewell”!
Traces banishing pentagram
Elements of the above ritual were inspired by or taken from the following sources and adapted to fit the modern and
non denominational style of the OAK tradition:
“Magical Rites from the Crystal Well” by Ed Fitch
“A Witches Bible Compleat” by Janet and Stewart Farrar
“A Grimoire of Shadows” by Ed Fitch
“Coven Craft” by Amber K
