Alternate Circle Casts and adapting circle casts for particular ritual situations.
By Blayze

Before we examine how to work with different styles of circle casts, and indeed adapt them or write our own, we need to recall and understand the basic structure and components of the circle casts we have already explored.

Discuss components of a circle cast:
•	Defining the sacred space
•	Creating the circle
•	Consecrating elements
•	Cleansing the sacred space
•	Calling the Quarters
•	Inviting deity (Central invocation)
•	Raising power
Discuss different circle casts used by COTH
•	Variation on the open Alexandrian Circle cast
•	Sabbat Circle Cast (By The Blade)
•	Visualised circle cast
o	Sending energy around the circle using visualisation and meditation to form the space.
•	Join hands. 
•	HPS guides everyone to ground and centre.
•	Energy is passed around the circle
•	It spirals outwards to form the sphere and then lives apart from the will
•	Draw upon the elements within, breath, blood, bone, will and spirit to feed the sphere.
•	Three times around, three times about, a world within, a world without.
Discuss and examine how different types / styles of circle casts relate to the form and flow of the ritual to be performed.
•	Does the circle need to be fully contained and protective or just a defining of sacred space?
•	Do participants need to cross the boundaries of the circle during the ritual?
•	Is there a gateway?
•	Is something removed from the circle during the ritual? If so, does the circle space need to be “protected” from what is taken beyond its boundaries? E.g. the censer and “illness” incense removed from the circle during a spiral healing.
Discuss the size of the circle and the number of participants. Discuss how the structure or format of the circle cast can change in different situations
•	Is the circle cast for a solitary ritual? 
•	Is the circle cast for a small group ritual?
o	Public
o	Private
o	Established group
•	Is the circle cast for a large group ritual?
o	Public
o	Private
o	Established groups

Discuss the variations in who is performing the circle cast and why that could change for various situations.
•	Single caster (Priest or Priestess)
•	Pair of casters (usually Priest and Priestess)
•	Group of casters performing different sections of the cast. (E.g. elemental pairings on The Hill)
•	Large group fully participating in the circle cast

Discuss techniques for group circle casts
•	Passing of objects / elements / circle energy around the space
•	This needs to be thought through based on the number of participants as it can take a long time
•	Community circle casts – e.g. Hand to hand.

Discuss complex vs simple circle casts.
•	When is a complex circle cast useful?
•	When is a simple circle cast useful?
•	Goal is achieve the creation of a sacred space
•	Examine the creation of sacred space from different traditions / cultures, i.e. Hellenic

Discuss different ways of defining the sacred space.
•	Decorations and physical boundaries (e.g. handfasting circle decorated with coloured feathers, shells, flowers, barley and salt)
•	Altars at each quarter
•	Incorporating participants in the decoration of the circle and defining of the sacred space

Discuss different circle casts that are informed by the placement of the altar and the size of the ritual.
•	Central altar
•	Edge of circle altar
•	No altar
•	Multiple altars
•	Props and tools or not.

Discuss chanting or singing in the circle cast.
•	By The Earth – Libana
•	Imbolc Lullaby
•	Forged Is The Weapon (for Brigid)

Discuss dancing and movement during the circle cast.
•	Circle dancing
•	Meeting dance / vine dance
•	Gestures
•	Hand weaving of pentagram
•	Walking the pentagrams as part of the circle cast
Discuss adapting Northern Hemisphere circle casts to the Southern Hemisphere.
These are all different aspects of circle casting to think about before we move into ritual writing techniques for different group sizes and purposes.