A Druid's Handbook to the Spiritual Power of Plants: Spagyrics in Magical and Sexual Rituals - Jon G. Hughes 2014

Sealing The Circle: The Ritual
Casting the Circle
Workings and Rituals

The triple-cast Circle is the most powerful protective Circle you can cast. There is little point in casting such a powerful protective Circle, however, if you leave its portal vulnerable. You must then triple-seal your Circle to maintain its integrity.

The Circle is sealed only once all the participants are inside its boundaries and the ritual or working is about to proceed.

Circles may be sealed with a dagger or, less often, with a triple- knotted rope. The triple-knotted rope is usually used only if the dagger is required for some other purpose during the ritual. In the case of the triple-cast Circle, some people feel that the affinity of the triple casting and the triple knot gives the Circle a stronger protective quality. I understand this argument but feel that as the dagger sealing is a triple-action sealing, with the dagger being opened and closed three times, it has just as strong an affinity as the triple-knotted rope.

The triple-cast Circle is sealed as follows. You will need:

· Your dagger, used to seal the Circle.

· A cauldron containing moon-cleansed water, to anoint your dagger.

· Your salt canister, which should contain enough salt to seal the portal.

· A natural wax candle. Its flame will seal the portal.

Having cast the triple-cast Circle, pick up the dagger.

Stand before your working stone. Holding the dagger above your head with the handle in the right hand and its scabbard in your left (reverse these instructions if you are left-handed), draw the dagger from its scabbard. Dip the tip of the dagger into the cauldron of moon-cleansed water, at the same time saying:

“And so it begins.”

Standing before the working stone (thereby facing north), place the dagger approximately halfway into its scabbard. Hold the partly sheathed dagger high in the air and say:

“I am part of the collective energy, I hold its power within me, as does every other creation. I use my being to empower this dagger and awaken the potential energy within it.”

Slam the dagger fully into its scabbard with enough force to let the participants in the Gathering know that you have done it.

Turn ninety degrees to the right (so that you are now facing the east). Holding the dagger high in the air as before, half-draw the dagger from its scabbard and say:

“With this dagger I begin the seal, and I call upon all unsympathetic energies to leave this Circle.”

Slam the dagger closed again.

Turn one hundred and eighty degrees (so that you are now facing west). Holding the dagger high in the air as before, half-draw the dagger from its scabbard and say:

“With this dagger I strengthen the seal and ask a second time for all unsympathetic energies to leave this Circle.”

Slam the dagger closed again.

Turn ninety degrees to your left (so that you are now facing south). Holding the dagger high in the air as before, half-draw the dagger from its scabbard and say:

“With this dagger I make the seal and ask a third time for all unsympathetic energies to leave this Circle.”

Slam the dagger closed again.

Facing the south (as you now stand), you are also facing the entrance portal to the Circle. Walk to the entrance portal and place the fully sheathed dagger on the floor between the entry pillars. As you do this say:

“With this dagger I seal this Circle. I invoke its protection. I focus my energy within it. Let all those without stay without.”

This ends the first sealing.

Pick up your salt canister, walk back to the portal, and sprinkle a line of salt from the base of the left candleholder to the base of the right candleholder as you say:

“With this salt I double-seal this Circle. I invoke its protection. I focus my energy within it. Let all those without stay without.”

This ends the second sealing.

Replace the salt canister on the working stone and pick up the natural wax candle. Walk back to the portal and light the candle from the flame of the left-hand portal candle. Move the hand-held candle slowly from the left-hand side of the portal to the right. As you do this say:

“With this flame I triple-seal this Circle. I invoke its protection. I focus my energy within it. Let all those without stay without.”

Blow out the candle and place it next to the dagger on the ground between the portal candles.

This ends the third and final sealing.

Your Circle is now sealed. You will feel its protective power around you and experience the focus and concentration it affords you.

If you choose to use the triple-knotted rope seal, you will need a length of rope about 2 meters long (6.5 feet). Mark the center point of the rope and place it on the working stone before you begin the ritual.

The Circle is sealed as follows.

Having cast the circle, pick up the rope.

Holding the rope stretched between your outstretched hands, dip one of the hanging ends into the cauldron of purifying water. At the same time speak the opening statement:

“And so it begins.”

Standing before the working stone (thereby facing north), hold the stretched rope high in the air and say:

“I am part of the collective energy, I hold its power within me, as does every other creation. I use my being to empower this rope and awaken the potential energy within it.”

Turn ninety degrees to the right (so that you are now facing east). Lower the rope and tie the first knot about 8 inches (20 cm) to the right of the center point as you say:

“With this first knot I begin the seal, and I call upon all unsympathetic energies to leave this Circle.”

When you have tied the first knot, turn one hundred and eighty degrees (so that you are now facing west). Tie the second knot at the center mark on the rope. As you do this, say:

“With this second knot I strengthen the seal and ask a second time for all unsympathetic energies to leave this Circle.”

Having tied the second knot, turn ninety degrees to your left (so that you are now facing south). Tie the third knot about 8 inches to the left of the center point of the rope as you say:

“With this third knot I make the seal and ask a third time for all unsympathetic energies to leave this Circle.”

By facing south, you are also facing the entrance portal to the Circle. Walk to the entrance portal and place the extended rope on the floor between the entry pillars. As you do this, say:

“I seal this Circle. I invoke its protection. I focus my energy within it. Let all those without stay without.”

Sealing the Circle is an imperative part of every ritual or working. It should be done with the utmost care and consideration. It is the final act leading up to the ritual and also the last solitary act by the priest or priestess prior to the group activity of the ritual. If it is done correctly and with power, it imbues a sense of security and intensifies the focus of the Gathering. If it is done lethargically, it will not have the same effect.