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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. 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. It is generally advised that practitioners do not leave the circle unless absolutely necessary. This is referred to as "breaking the circle". The barrier is believed to be fragile, so that leaving or passing through the circle would weaken or dispel it. The common technique for raising energy within the circle is by means of a cone of power. Mandelsoe, who visited an ancient temple at Mardasch, saw in one of the recesses, 'a square pillar, with the figure of a king upon it, worshipping the SUN, FIRE, and A SERPENT 1.' 'On the front of some ancient Persian grottoes, sacred to the solar deity, was figured a princely personage approaching an altar, on which the sacred fire is burning. Some varieties of Wicca use the common ceremonial color attributions for their "quarter candles": yellow for Air in the east, red for Fire in the south, blue for Water in the west and green for Earth in the north (though these attributions differ according to geographical location and individual philosophy). In Wicca, 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. The term "opening" is often used, representing the idea the circle has been expanded and dissipated rather than closed in on itself. This is called closing the circle or releasing 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). Such markings, or a simple unadorned circle, may be drawn in chalk or salt, or indicated by other means such as with a cord. Traditionally, circles are believed by ritual magicians to form a protective barrier between themselves and what they summon.Ĭircles may or may not be physically marked out on the ground, and a variety of elaborate patterns for circle markings can be found in grimoires and magical manuals, often involving angelic and divine names. It may be marked physically, drawn in a material like salt or chalk, or merely visualized. A Magic Circle is a circle of space marked out by practitioners of some branches of 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.