Editing Magic circle

{{Short description|Protective device in ritual magic}}
{{Other uses}}
[[File:John William Waterhouse - Magic Circle.JPG|thumb|''[[The Magic Circle (Waterhouse paintings)|The Magic Circle]]'' by [[John William Waterhouse]] (1886)]]
[[File:Circletriangle.gif|thumb|upright|A [[The Lesser Key of Solomon|Solomonic]] circle with a triangle of [[Evocation|conjuration]] in the East]]
A '''magic circle''' is a circle of space marked out by practitioners of some branches of [[Ceremonial magic|ritual magic]], which they generally believe will contain energy and form a sacred space, or will provide them a form of magical protection, or both. It may be marked physically, drawn in a material like salt, flour, or chalk, or merely visualised.

==Techniques==
[[File:Heptameron magic circle 1565.jpg|thumb|The figure of a magic circle for the first hour of the Lord's day in spring]]
Traditionally, circles are believed by ritual magicians to form a protective barrier between themselves and what they summon.<ref name="Wiccap556">{{harvp|Cunningham|2001|pp=55–56}}</ref> One text known as the Heptameron says of the circle, 'But because the greatest power is attributed to the circles; (for they are certain fortresses to defend the operators safe from the evil spirits); in the first place we will treat concerning the composition of a circle.'<ref name="Fourthp191">{{harvp|Agrippa|2009|p=191}}</ref>

Moreover, as magician and historian Jake Stratton-Kent writes, 'In short a circle is not an obsolete symbol of a superstitious fear of spirits, but an intentionally created ritual space for various purposes. It is not always required for all kinds of ritual work, but neither is it of no value, quite the contrary. Making sacred space is among the most primal of rituals, such intentional actions are as worthy of the term psychoactive as any substance.'<ref name="Geosophiap46">{{harvp|Stratton-Kent|2010|p=46}}</ref>

Circles may or may not be physically marked out on the ground, and a variety of elaborate patterns for circle markings can be found in [[grimoire]]s and magical manuals, often involving angelic and [[Names of God|divine names]]. Such markings, or a simple unadorned circle, may be drawn in [[chalk]] or [[salt]], or indicated by other means such as with a [[Rope|cord]].<ref name="Wiccap556"/> Some traditions include tracing or [[circumambulation]].

==Uses==
=== In Sumer ===
The [[Sumerians]] called the practice of using ritual circles ''[[zisurrû]]'', meaning "magic circle drawn with [[flour]]",<ref>''zisurrû'' CAD Z, p. 137–138.</ref> and inscribed <small>ZÌ-SUR-RA</small>''-a''. This was an ancient [[Mesopotamia]]n method of delineating, purifying and protecting from evil by the enclosing of a ritual space in a circle of flour. It involved ritual drawings with a variety of powdered cereals to counter different threats and is accompanied by the [[gloss (annotation)#In linguistics|gloss]]: <small>SAG.BA SAG.BA</small>, [[Akkadian language|Akkadian]]: ''māmīt māmīt'', the curse from a broken oath, in ''[[Esagil-kin-apli#The Exorcists Manual|The Exorcists Manual]]'', where it refers to a specific ritual on two tablets the first of which is extant.{{sfnp|Geller|2000|p=233}}

=== In Judaism ===
Examples of [[Jews|Jewish]] customs showing the use of the magic circle can be found in the birth protection rituals of [[Alsace]] and the surrounding area. As early as 1560, a text by the rabbi Naphtali Hirsch ben Elieser Treves notes a custom in which a circle is drawn around the birthing woman to protect her from [[Lilith]] and demons. This was done using a Krasmesser (circle knife) which would be wielded by the [[midwife]] or the father of the child.<ref name="Lubrich">{{harvp|Lubrich|2022|p=31}}</ref> Paul Christian Kirchner’s description of Jewish birthing customs from 1734 includes an illustration showing a knife or a sword near the bed, and likewise [[Johann Christian Georg Bodenschatz]] describes a sword placed near the pregnant woman in the eighteenth century, indicating the likelihood that this custom continued through the centuries. Oral accounts from 20th century [[Baden-Württemberg]] in a publication by the [[Jewish Museum of Switzerland]] also reference circling movements with a knife in order to protect a woman in childbirth.<ref name="Lubrich" /> 

===In the Golden Dawn===
The [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn]], which has had one of the largest influences on contemporary [[Western esotericism]], introduced the practices of the [[Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram]] and the [[Watchtower (magic)|Opening by Watchtower]]. The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP) is typically used as a daily practice and is also performed before any magical working, while the Watchtower ritual is much more involved.{{how?|date=December 2022}} Both rituals are now used by a wide array of practitioners, including [[ceremonial magic]]ians, [[Hermetic Qabalah|Hermetic Qabalists]], [[Neopagan]]s, and [[Thelema|Thelemites]].{{cn|date=December 2022}}

===In Wicca===
In [[Wicca]], as also in traditional European grimoires, a magic circle is typically nine feet in diameter, though the size can vary depending on the purpose of the circle, and the preference of the caster.<ref>{{harvp|Buckland|2002|pp=43, 64}}</ref>    

Some varieties of Wicca use the common ceremonial colour attributions for 'quarter candles': yellow for [[Air (classical element)|air]] in the east, red for [[Fire (classical element)|fire]] in the south, blue for [[Water (classical element)|water]] in the west and green for [[Earth (classical element)|earth]] in the north (though these attributions differ according to geographical location and individual philosophy).{{cn|date=December 2022}}

The common technique for raising energy within the circle is by means of a [[cone of power]].<ref name="Wiccap556"/>

The barrier is believed to be fragile, so that leaving or passing through the circle would weaken or dispel it.<ref>{{harvp|Starhawk|1989|p=83}}</ref> This is referred to as "breaking the circle".<ref>{{harvp|Buckland|2002|p=224}}</ref> It is generally advised that practitioners do not leave the circle unless absolutely necessary.

In order to leave a circle and keep it intact, Wiccans believe a door must be cut in the energy of the circle, normally on the east side. Whatever was used to cast the circle is used to cut the doorway, such as a sword, staff or knife ([[athame]]), a doorway is cut in the circle, at which point anything may pass through without harming the circle.<ref name="Wiccap11920">{{harvp|Cunningham|2001|pp=119–120}}</ref> This opening must be closed afterwards by reconnecting the lines of the circle.

The circle is usually closed by the practitioner after they have finished by drawing in the energy with the athame or whatever was used to make the circle including their hand (usually in a [[widdershins]]: that is, counter-clockwise fashion). This is called 'closing the circle' or 'releasing the circle'.<ref name="Wiccap11920"/>

==See also==
* {{Annotated link|Mandala}}
* {{Annotated link|Sigil}}
* {{Annotated link|Yantra}}

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist|2}}

===Works cited===
*{{cite book |last=Agrippa |first=Heinrich Cornelius |author-link=Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa |editor=Donald Tyson |orig-date=1655 |year=2009 |title=The Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy |publisher=Llewellyn}} {{ISBN|978-0-7387-1876-7}}
*{{cite book |last=Buckland |first=Raymond |author-link=Raymond Buckland |year=2002 |title=Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft |edition=2nd |publisher=Llewellyn Publications |isbn=0-87542-050-8}}
*{{cite book |last=Cunningham |first=Scott |author-link=Scott Cunningham |year=2001 |title=Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner |publisher=Llewellyn Publications |isbn=0-87542-118-0}}
*{{cite book | title = Wisdom, Gods and Literature: Studies in Assyriology in Honour of W.G. Lambert | chapter = Incipits and rubrics | first = M. J. | last = Geller |editor1=A. R. George |editor2=Irving Finkel | publisher = Eisenbrauns | year = 2000 }}
*{{cite book |title=Birth Culture. Jewish Testimonies from Rural Switzerland and Environs |editor-first=Naomi |editor-last=Lubrich |year=2022 |isbn=978-3796546075 |location=Basel |publisher=Schwabe Verlagsgruppe AG Schwabe Verlag}}
*{{cite book |author=Starhawk|author-link=Starhawk |year=1989 |title=[[The Spiral Dance|The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess]]|publisher=Harper & Row |isbn=978-0062508140}}
*{{cite book |last=Stratton-Kent |first=Jake |year=2010 |title=Geosophia: The Argo of Magic |volume=1 |publisher=Scarlet Imprint |isbn=978-0-9567203-0-6}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last=Jung |first=Carl Gustav |author-link=C. G. Jung |year=1968 |title=[[Psychology and Alchemy]] |series= Collected Works |volume=12 |location=Princeton, NJ |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn= 0-691-01831-6 |ref=none}}

==External links==
*{{commonscat inline|Magic circles (occult)}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Circle, Magic}}
[[Category:Ceremonial magic]]
[[Category:Magic items]]
[[Category:Magic rituals]]
[[Category:Magic symbols]]
[[Category:Wicca]]