Closing the Ritual and Releasing
The final steps of your beginner’s wizard training involve thanking the Gods and Guardians, releasing the guardians to their realms, and banishing the circle. This process helps to maintain a harmonious relationship with the energies and entities you have worked with and ensures that your magical space remains sacred and protected.
Thanking the Gods and Guardians: Stand in the center of the circle and express your gratitude for the guidance, protection, and assistance provided by the Gods and Guardians during your ritual. You may speak from the heart or use a pre-written prayer or invocation. For example:
“I offer my deepest gratitude to the Gods and Guardians for their presence, guidance, and protection during this sacred ritual. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and energies with me.”
Releasing the Guardians: Begin in the East, facing the yellow candle representing Air. Release the guardian of the Eastern watchtower with the following words:
Draw the banishing pentagram as you say the following words (I prefer using the banishing pentagram of fire, as shown above):“Guardian of the East, watchtower of Air, thank you for your presence and protection. Hereby do I now release you to your pleasant and lovely realm, I bid you Hail and farewell.”
(Bow slightly with your head in respect and visualize the guardian fading away in the departure. If you banished with an atheme, you can hold it between both hands when you give a slight bow.)Move clockwise to the South, facing the red candle representing Fire. Release the guardian of the Southern watchtower with the following words:
Draw the banishing pentagram as you say the following words (I prefer using the banishing pentagram of fire, as shown above):“Guardian of the South, watchtower of Fire, thank you for your presence and protection. Hereby do I now release you to your pleasant and lovely realm, I bid you Hail and farewell.”
(Bow slightly with your head in respect and visualize the guardian fading away in the departure. If you banished with an atheme, you can hold it between both hands when you give a slight bow.)Continue to the West, facing the blue candle representing Water. Release the guardian of the Western watchtower with the following words:
Draw the banishing pentagram as you say the following words (I prefer using the banishing pentagram of fire, as shown above):“Guardian of the West, watchtower of Water, thank you for your presence and protection. Hereby do I now release you to your pleasant and lovely realm, I bid you Hail and farewell.”
(Bow slightly with your head in respect and visualize the guardian fading away in the departure. If you banished with an atheme, you can hold it between both hands when you give a slight bow.)Finally, move to the North, facing the green candle representing Earth. Release the guardian of the Northern watchtower with the following words:
Draw the banishing pentagram as you say the following words (I prefer using the banishing pentagram of fire, as shown above):“Guardian of the North, watchtower of Earth, thank you for your presence and protection. Hereby do I now release you to your pleasant and lovely realm, I bid you Hail and farewell.”
(Bow slightly with your head in respect and visualize the guardian fading away in the departure. If you banished with an atheme, you can hold it between both hands when you give a slight bow.)Banishing the Circle: Stand in the center of the circle and visualize the sphere of energy that surrounds it dissipating, returning to the Earth and the atmosphere. Speak the following words:
“By the power within me and the energies that surround me, I now banish this circle of power. May this sacred space return to its natural state, the energies released with love and gratitude.”
Cooling the Circle: After releasing the guardians and banishing the circle, it’s important to allow the circle to cool for a few minutes while you meditate on the intent of the main ritual. This cooling period helps to ground the energies you have worked with, ensuring a safe and healthy release of the power you have raised. Reflect on the insights, guidance, or changes that occurred during the ritual, and consider how you will integrate them into your life moving forward.
By following these steps, you will have successfully completed your beginner’s wizard training in drawing, consecrating, and closing a magic circle. This foundational practice will serve as a strong basis for your future magical work and personal growth.