One of my favorite parts of walking this path these past seven years has been taking everything I thought I knew and flipping it on its head. To begin a Sacred Circle, you ‘close it’, such as you would shut the door to the room you are in so that you will have peace and quiet and focus. Only before you do that, you want to invite some presences in with you.
When I stand in the forest and move as I honor each direction: East, South, West, North, I notice how different each viewpoint is. I am in the same spot, but I see so differently depending on my viewpoint.
That is what the directions are to me, calling all those different viewpoints and then meeting in the middle, in the Center, in the Sacred.
A good friend of mine wrote these directions, and I share them with you. I do not call myself Pagan, but they are most definitely Pagan.
Appropriation? New age bullshit? Flirting with the devil? Perhaps those thoughts might float through some minds, but not mine.
I do not call myself a Pagan, but I strive to be a *Wicce, a Wise Woman. And isn’t that what all good Witches/Wicces do? A sprinkle of this, a dollop of that, stir and sift, borrow from here, borrow from there while all the time listening to the divinity within to create something greater than yourself.
Welcome to the Sacred Circle.
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Hail Ye Watchers of the East, Powers of Air and Intuition. Grant us here your winds of clarity and deep wisdom. Spring wind, clear away illusion with the sword of truth, great Kali and let the winds of inspiration blow through me. Ye Are Welcome Here.
Hail Ye Watchers of the South, Powers of Fire and Imagination. Summer blazes, fill us with your passion and resolve. Burn and purify all mundane and with your flames, light the fire of our intent. Brigid, ancient woman of the flame, let your fires burn within me. Ye are welcome here.
Hail Ye Watchers of the West, Powers of Water and Divination. Mystery and intuition, that which is known only to the soul. Oh Divine Feminine, grant us here the sight that needs no eyes and teach us to flow without effort to our highest good. Autumn Mother, may your mighty waters flow through me. Ye are welcome here.
Hail Ye Watchers of the North, Powers of Earth and Stability. Cailleach, Hag, Morrigan, Hekate, Hail and Welcome, Ye Crones of Winter. May your cold winds teach us strength in the face of adversity. May we withstand whatever comes on the cold winds of the North. Great Mother Gaia, nurture us as we bless and honor you and stand only by your grace. Ye Are Welcome Here.
Hail Ye Spirits of Below, those Beyond the Veil Gone Before Yet Know No Time. Honored ancestors, grant us here your insight and vision to see that where you are, we will also be. Ye Are Welcome Here.
Hail Ye Spirits of the Air, Those Not of This World. Fairies, sprites, nymphs, those whose presence we feel but cannot see. Grant us here your pleasure and blessing. Protect us and banish all profane. Show to us your favor and never disdain. Show us the hidden places in our hearts and be twinkles of light in the dark. Ye Are Welcome Here.
- Directions By Shala
- ‘Wicce’ is a word I learned from my good friend and mentor Phyllis Curott, the origins of the word ‘Witch’. Note that ‘Wicce’ meant female and ‘Wicca’ (the root of ‘Wiccan’) meant male. Ahh yes, yet another thing we must flip.
