Creating a Magickal Space: What Do You Do?

[NP]

I'm curious as to how all of you create a space for ritual work. I understand a lot of people will cast a circle. If that's your tradition, what's your usual method. I do also know some people do what I do and simply (when working indoors) make the entire room their space.
The way I learned to do it is detailed below, but I've always been curious as to how people on other paths do it.

First, if you do not use a permanent altar, set up the altar. Light any candles/incense you'll be using, and fetch any offerings. Place a hand on each wall of the room, focusing on your intent, and saying each of the cardinal directions aloud as they correspond to each wall. If there is a window you can open to allow air in, do. Place a small tobacco tie in each corner, thanking the ancestors as you do. Then, if there is music you will play during the ritual, turn it on. If you will play an instrument such as a drum, rattle, or something else, get them and brush them with sage smoke. Smudge, if you are comfortable with it (and not on your period, because it's not necessary at that time). Then begin whatever work you intend to do.

Anyone who wants to, share what you do below!

[Heartsong]

I tend to perform a blending of traditional circle casting and my own flavor of casting.


If I haven't used the space for a while, I cleanse it with incense, usually dragon's blood, because I like the scent and it makes me feel comfortable and safe. I like to use color coordinated candles in each corner of my altar room (which, happily enough, is built so that every corner corresponds exactly with a cardinal direction) and call on the elements to attend my circle, lighting the candles as I do so. Then I use my athame to draw a line, about waist height, in a circle around the room. I envision a golden thread passing from my arm down through the athame and into the air. When I come full circle, at North, I then lift the athame up and draw a second circle, its lines stretching about the roof and then down under the earth. When the tip of the athame comes back to the point where I closed the first circle, I twist it, like turning a key in a lock. As I do so, I envision the gold threads expanding into a golden bubble around the room and extending a bit beyond it.

My circle is then completely cast and I can continue with my ritual or spellwork. For me, I like the structure of this method. It really help put me in the right mindset and mood.

[YanaKhan]

I, myself rarely case circles, but when I do, I usually sweep the space I'm going to work in and mark it with salt. I also cleanse it with incense, only I use frankincense or jasmine. I then create a bubble of white light and basically that's it. Sometimes, if I'm casting a protection spell, I would draw a pentagram, instead of a circle and I would put candles on each point of the pentagram. Then I would cast a LBRP or some other banishing ritual before starting on the protection spell.

[Siona]

Many of my rituals are done at indoor permanent shrines, and so I don't generally feel the need to do anything specific to make the space sacred for ritual, as I feel that regular use essentially does that on it's own. I do cleanse the space with incense smoke before setting up the shrine, and I cleanse them once a month physically and with incense to keep the space neat, but that's about it.

I also work a lot outdoors, but again I tend to stick to the same places, and so I usually do not feel that anything special needs to be done to the area. However, during more elaborate outdoor rites I'll cleanse the space with barley flour and blessed water.

[Ash]

I've got a few circle casting rituals I like with vayring degrees of depth, depending on what I need - but the generality of my circle casting is elemental-based. I usually place four candles at the quarters, representations of each element at each one (dish of earth for North, incense for East, flame or balefire for South, and dish of water for West). I then clear the space with a besom, and call the elements. Usually, I'll use my wand or athame to draw out the bounds of the circle as well. I usually like to visualize roots growing from myself down through the earth.

If it's an outdoor circle, I move the balefire to the middle (and try to place a lantern at the South), and use rocks instead of candles.

[Herzen]

I use a permanent altar, indoor, in my living room, but I always feel the need to cast a circle because a lot of people come home every week and even if I clean the space we never know what kind of energy could have been left behind.

I use the four elements, they're represented on my altar and I ask them for protection as I cast the circle with a wooden stick I found during one of my first Sabbat. When I do it outdoors, I put a representation of each element at each cardinal point while I walk in circles.

[Xiao Rong]

I've come to really enjoy singing while calling the quarters. I usually lead my local Pagan group in casting the circle via chants. We used the Silver Rose quarter call for a long time, and lately have tried out Starhawk's quarter call. I'm also quite taken with Kelliana's Direction Song, as well as another Reclaiming chant, both of which I'd like to try with my group sometime.

[SpiritTalker]

When indoors I'll cast a circle. I walk the rim three times - 1st to purify with salt-water & introduce the earth + water elements. 2nd time to bless the space with incense (air + fire elements). Then i stand in the center to cast the circle with my 🗡; follow by raising my blade in an arc & swing it all the way around to make an intersecting vertical circle like a gyro-sphere, above & below. The whole room's then encompassed & the walls are of no consequence to energy. I acknowledge the elements & welcome Deity but only invoke for full moon rituals and communing.

Weather & cloud cover permitting i go outdoors. I pace once around while pulling energy up through the Stang Y. The Land is already sacred. After drawing the Circle with it, I stand the Stang at center to recognize the 6-directions. A small is set alight in the cauldron. A thermos of coffee & a lawn-chair & I can sit as long as I want to star gaze.
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[BlackMirror]

Sweep with a broom and just draw a boundary with chalk or in the dirt. Put salt down then smoke cleanse with mugwort. I set up and down since I have limited space and no access to a regular space out of doors.