Wicca: Book of Spells and Witchcraft for Beginners. The Guide of Shadows for Wiccans, Solitary Witches, and Other Practitioners of Magic Rituals - Arin Chamberlains 2018

Erecting/Clearing the Temple
Rituals, a Blueprint

This is actually the opening and closing of the Circle, but can be referred to as the erecting and clearing of the Temple.

Opening the Circle or Erecting the Temple

This ritual is performed at the beginning of every meeting. It is the consecration of the meeting place and the coven members partaking in the meeting. Before the erecting of the Temple, you will have your Circle marked on the ground already, with a candle at each quarter. The altar is to be set up in the centre of the Circle, such that when you face the altar you are facing the east direction.

Step One: If your altar is not a permanent one, place one or two altar candles, as per your preference, the incense burner, salt and water dishes, representations of the deities, anointing oil, goblets of wine or juice, your tools and the libation dish.

Step Two: The censerer lights the incense in the burner or thurible, as well as the altar candles. At this point, the four candles on the Circle are not yet lit. He then leaves the space to join the rest of the coven north-eastern of the Circle.

Step Three: The designated priest and priestess enter the circle first and stand before the altar. The priest rings a bell, giving it three rings. The priest or priestess says the following:

Be it known that the Temple is about to be erected; the Circle is about to be cast. Let those who desire attendance gather in the east and await the summons. Let none be here but of their own free will.

Step Four: The priest and the priestess take a candle each and they move around the altar. Going to the east. The priestess then lights the East candle on the circle from the lit altar candle she carries with her. As she lights the candle she states:

Here do I bring light and air in at the east, to illuminate our temple and bring it the breath of life.

Step Five: The priest and priestess go to the south and the priest lights the south candle of the Circle, stating:

Here do I bring light and fire in at the south, to illuminate our temple and bring it warmth.

Step Six: The priest and priestess move west, where the priestess now lights the west candle, stating:

Here do I bring light and water in at the west, to illuminate our temple and wash it clean.

Step Seven: The priest and priestess move north, where the north candle is lit by the priest, who states:

Here do I bring light and earth in at the north, to illuminate our temple and to build it in strength.

Step Eight: the priest and priestess move to the east and back to the altar, completing the Circle and replacing the altar candles.

Step Nine: Either the priest or priestess takes up the athame or sword and returns to the east. With the sword point on the east of the Circle, the priest or priestess slowly walks around the marked line, concentrating energy and power through his/her sword point into the Circle line.

Step Ten: Once complete, he or she returns to the altar. He or she rings the bell three times.

Step Eleven: The priest places the point of his athame into the salt and states:

As salt is life, let it purify us in all ways we may use it. Let it cleanse our bodies and spirits as we dedicate ourselves in these rites, to the glory of the God and the Goddess.

Step Twelve: The priestess takes the salt dish and uses the tip of her athame to drop three piles of salt into the water. The priestess stirs the salted water with the same athame and states:

Let the Sacred Salt drive out any impurities in this Water, that we may use it throughout these rites.

Step Thirteen: The priest takes the incense burner while the priestess takes hold of the salted water. Each move around the altar to begin at the east, slowly walking clockwise around the circle, with the Priest passing the incense along the marked circle, and the priestess sprinkling salt water along the line. When they return to their starting point at the east, they return to the altar and replace the tools.

Step Fourteen: The priest places a pinch of the salt into the anointing oil, stirring it in with his finger. The priest anoints the priestess with the Keltic Cross in Circle if she is robed, or the Pentagram and Inverted Triangle if skyclad. He states:

I consecrate thee in the names of the God and the Goddess, bidding you welcome to this their Temple.

They salute.

Step Fifteen: The priestess now anoints the Priest with the oil and states the same words, followed by a salute. The priest and the priestess then move together to the east, with the priestess carrying the oil and the priest carrying his athame.

Step Sixteen: The priest makes two cuts across the line of the Circle with his athame, symbolizing the ’opening’ of the Circle. The coven members now enter one at a time and are each anointed as they enter the Circle. Males are anointed by the priestess and females are anointed by the priest. Each is greeted with the following:

I consecrate thee in the names of the God and of the Goddess, bidding you welcome to this their Temple. Merry Meet.

Step Seventeen: The coven members move to the altar, around which they all stand, alternating male and female as far as possible. After the last member enters, the priests closes the Circle using his athame to draw across the line, connecting the ’broken ends’ of the Circle. The priestess sprinkles a little anointing oil on the ’join’. The priest raises his athame and draws a pentagram, sealing it. The priest and priestess return to the altar. The bell is rung three times.

Step Eighteen: The priest or priestess state the following:

May you all be here in peace and in love. We bid you welcome. Let now the Quarters be saluted and the gods invited.

Step Nineteen: The member of the coven closest to the east turns outward and faces the east candle of the Circle, raising his or her athame. He or she draws an invoking pentagram, stating:

All hail to the element of Air; Watchtower of the East. May it stand in strength, ever watching over our Circle.

He or she kisses the blade of his or her athame and returns to the Circle.

Step Twenty: The member of the coven closest to the south turns outward and faces the south candle of the Circle, raising his or her athame. He or she draws an invoking pentagram, stating:

All hail to the element of Fire; Watchtower of the South. May it stand in strength, ever watching over our Circle.

He or she kisses the blade of his or her athame and returns to the Circle.

Step Twenty One: The member of the coven closest to the west turns outward and faces the west candle of the Circle, raising his or her athame. He or she draws an invoking pentagram, stating:

All hail to the element of Water; Watchtower of the West. May it stand in strength, ever watching over our Circle.

He or she kisses the blade of his or her athame and returns to the Circle.

Step Twenty Two: The member of the coven closest to the north turns outward and faces the north candle of the Circle, raising his or her athame. He or she draws an invoking pentagram, stating:

All hail to the element of Earth; Watchtower of the North. May it stand in strength, ever watching over our Circle.

He or she kisses the blade of his or her athame and returns to the Circle.

Step Twenty Three: The priest or the priestess raises his or her athame and draws a pentagram, stating the following:

All hail the four Quarters and all hail the Gods! We bid the Lord and Lady welcome and invite that they join with us, witnessing these rites we hold in their honor. All hail!

All coven members join saying “All hail!”

Step Twenty Four: The priest or priestess sates:

Let us share the Cup of Friendship.

The priest takes the goblet of wine or juice and pours a little onto the ground or into the libation dish, in the name of the gods. He takes the first sip and passes it to the priestess. The priestess takes a sip and passes the goblet to the coven member on her left, and so it continues until it is returned to the altar. Note that it is the first person who pours the libation only. The bell is rung three times.

Step Twenty-Five: The priestess states:

Now we are all here and is the Temple erected. Let none leave but with good reason, till the Temple is cleared. So Mote It Be.

All members repeat, “So Mote It Be!”

Closing of the Circle or Clearing of the Temple

This is performed at the end of every meeting

Step One: The priest or priestess states:

We came together in love and friendship; let us part the same way. Let us spread the love we have known in this Circle outward to all; sharing it with those we meet.

The priest or priestess then raises his athame or sword in salute. All members then raise their athames.

Step Two: The priest or priestess states:

Lord and Lady, our thanks to you for sharing this time together. Our thanks for watching over us; guarding and guiding us in all things. Love is the Law and Love is the Bond. Merry did we meet; merry do we part; merry may we meet again.

All members state: “Merry meet; merry part; merry meet again.”

Step Three: The priest or priestess state:

The Temple is now cleared. So Mote It Be.

All members state: “So Mote It Be!”

Step Four: All members of the coven kiss their athame blades. Members then move around the Temple to kiss one another farewell.