Goetia circle casting

I searched this topic and found a few posts but not what I was looking for. I’m seeking advice about circle casting for ritual workings with gods and beings of the Goetia. I have done this only once in my witchcraft practice. I am being clled now to be more formal in my rituals, and not the “hold my beer” unplanned or half-assed planned, like is my usual MO.

I know circle-casting is largely a Wiccan practice for protection. I’m not Wiccan. I do a smoke cleanse and burn resin incense and consecrate the working space. I put up an energetic shield on that entire outside portion of my home. I occasionally call the directions/Guardians of the gates. I invite my patrons, deities, guides to be present and participate and help my work, and I invite them to depart if they wish, or stay if they wish when I’m done. But that was before I started doing rituals with EA on Wednesdays.

New level, new devil, am I right?!! :roll_eyes:

My space is limited to my small bedroom, and I have also created a little patio with a fire pit that I plan to use soon for outdoor ritual.

I do not want to go full ceremonial magick, and I do not want to work with angels. I will not be using the LBRP.

If any initiate- or adept-level practitioners can advise, I would be most grateful. My intent is to show proper respect and to honor my gods and those beings that help me with the energy I use in preparing to receive their presence, AND to prevent parasites and malevolent beings and words of cursing from enemies from interfering with my work.

Infernal blessings to all! :black_heart:

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For banishings there are tons that don’t use angels. I personally use Hecate’s Ring Banishment from the book “Hecatean Magick: a grimoire to invite the goddess of the crossroads in your practice”. This does not need physical drawing, only imaginary

Sometimes I use the 4 winds banishment from the book “Olympians’ Magick: Pathworkings” from the same author.

E.A. Koetting also have an incantation to banish all negative energies.

Edit: Anton Kruger also has a banishing in Luciferian Invocations

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Thank you so much, @MrKeleton ! I will look into those.

Do you want to do a banishing, or a circle casting? They are not the same thing.

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More interested in the circle casting. I don’t like to banish the gods I work with, I just leave it up to them, stay or go.

In EA Koeting’s early book, Works of Darkness, he has a method for casting a simple circle for demonic evocation. After banishing the area (necessary to cleanse your space to clear out anything that might interfere with your work. Contrary to popular religious belief, It doesn’t offend the spirits. Think of it like vacuuming your house before inviting guests over) with whatever preferred method:

Stand in the centre of your ritual area and take your dagger in hand (if you don’t have one, use your index finger). Fill yourself with power via any preferred method (I like using EA’s Invocation of Omnipotence), and channel the energy down your arm and into the dagger until it is glowing with power in your mind’s eye. Extend your arm and point the dagger or finger at the ground in front of you. With your intention firmly in mind, send out a beam of power and see it searing the ground in blue flame. Slowly pivot in place, drawing a circle of blue fire around yourself. When you are finished, lower your arm and reach out with your senses and feel the heat and power of the flames that surround you. Once you are sure of the circle, commence with your summoning.

I’ve always like the simplicity of this method. It’s just ceremonial enough for a formal evocation but also allows for any variation you might want to dress it up with. There are no angels called; it is a circle built of your own power. If it feels right, you could even declare something like, “I consecrate this circle in my own holy name.”

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Ooooh, I like this one a lot, DK. This is perfect, exactly what I was looking for. And the banishing before circle casting. Excellent explanation, spot-on.

Planning to get the works collection that’s on sale asap.

Many blessings on you and your house, DarkestKnight. Sincere thanks for all your kind help.

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If you want to make it even more formal, you can set aside a specific area for the demon by creatatjng a triange.

After you’re sure of the solidity of your circle, feel your power rise in you once more, and turn to face the direction attributed to the demon. If you don’t know, then just face south.

Channel the energy down uour arm again and draw a triangle, this time in blazing red, with the uppermost point touching your circle. The demon will see this and know it is the place set aside for it.

You’re not using any bindings or compulsions so the triangle is basically just the equivalent of puting out a chair for your guest.

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:black_heart: :heart: :purple_heart: This is perfect and exactly what I was seeking. I was instructed to use a triangle to contain the energy. I have plans to sew a fabric one and embroider it (along with a circle and a robe) but that will take time.

What can make billowing smoke? I use resins for incense offering and the smoke is good but it doesn’t produce clouds of it. I saw EA drop clove oil on the charcoal in the last ritual and it was fairly billowy, but I did not get the same results. But I only had one disk going. I’m trying to be careful and research so that I don’t use a substance that would be offensive.

Copal incense produces a lor of smoke and is the manifestation base EA recommends the most in his books.

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I stopped casting circles and I bought one instead! I highly recommend EA’s Universal Circle as it really does make the spirits friendlier.

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Maybe I’m not using enough incense, or my fire isn’t big enough. I will adjust amounts and see what happens. Thank you again for excellent advice!

Thank you for this, it is worth serious consideration. As much as possible, I like to try to make my tools with my own hands using skills that I am blessed with, and materials of my own intuitive choosing. I can sew and I have a machine. But that might also be a procrastination trap, too, which I might have fallen into once or twice. :flushed: :roll_eyes:

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Are you using incense sticks or incense tears? Tears produce more smoke.

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I’m using tears now, but just one disc of charcoal. Maybe I’ll get 3 going at once and see what happens.

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Three disks might be too much. You’re using an outdoor space, right? Back when I had a closed room dedicated to my magick, I accidentally filled the entire room to the point of making breathing difficult with only two disks and a couple of medium sized tears.

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Good point. I did that once with benzoin and I had to put it out, it was so strong and nauseating. No, I don’t have a private outside space yet, my temple is also my bedroom. I do things like thanksgiving and burning sacred fires in my firepit on my little patio, but neighbors are too curious for anything more obvious. I don’t want interference from the church-goers around me.

I have used frankincense and myrrh a lot, but they don’t smoke enough for manifestation. I tried sandalwood chips and they’re about the same. Maybe my charcoal is old and not hot enough?

I was advised to cast the circle and construct the triangle before attempting a second evocation. I will practice and work on that and use copal next time, see what happens.

Thanks, Knight, for all the follow-up. Blessed Esbat, if you celebrate such things.