If you look in any book on magickal practice or on the internet and you will quite easily find all manner of prose for calling or inviting the energies of the cardinal quarters into your sacred space. The positive in this is that it gives a variety of personalization and adaptation to you to use as points of comparison for your own versions suited specifically to your working. This very benefit is also the biggest detriment. Simply reciting a call to the energies because you thought it was powerful, well written or sounded very mysterious and “witchy” is reckless. Moreover, words – more so, when spoken in ritual have Great and lasting power. So, before you invite anything into your ritual space take the time to get to KNOW concretely, accurately and precisely what those alluring words mean; WHAT types of energies and beings are being asked to attend and assist and WHY. Then, once you have familiarized yourself with what is being used, decide if those calls are correct for what you wish to accomplish.

So, with those words of caution out of the way, where do you start. If you are a novice to the work, begin with what you already know something about, namely, the basics dynamics and qualities of the four elements as they are found in nature and as we have discussed in Lesson Two: The Natural World.

Go back and reread what type of energy each of the elements offers. We know the generalities of each:

East = Air = Mind
South = Fire = Will, Desire and Action
West = Water = Emotions, Intuition and Flow
North = Earth = Our physical bodies, Foundations and Fertility

In magickal practice the elements are one of the key components in ritual; serving as the quarter gateways and at times the underlying principle of focus for the intent of the ritual. Quarter calls invoke or call into ritual space the energies of each of the four foundational elements. Each of the quarters is opened and closed by inscribing a pentagram.

As you saw above each of the points of the pentagram is associated with a particular element. Typically, when you begin the ritual and call in the energies of the element, you will inscribe a pentagram that begins at the point of Spirit (see invoking below) and ends at Earth. This signifies a drawing into the manifest realm the energies and attributes if the Divine and Higher worlds. When ending the ritual and thanking and releasing the energies of the elements back to their realms the pentagram is drawn from the point of Earth (see banishing below) and returning back to the realm of the Divine.

In Creation of the Invoking Pentagram:

SPIRIT drawn to EARTH infused with love WATER enriched by knowledge AIR readied for the will and action FIRE as it rises towards Spirit

In Creation of the Banishing Pentagram:

EARTH moves back to SPIRIT purified by FIRE open to the inspiration/knowledge of AIR transformed by the love and intuition of WATER causing manifestation on EARTH

What are we calling into our circle?

When we invite the elements to be present in our ritual space we are calling to the Pure essence of that particular energy’s qualities to blend and integrate into a whole. Just as the elements are within our physical bodies and the physical world surrounding us, so too are the refined essences and beings of those realms within the space of the magickal circle and the planes to which it has risen.

Elemental Kings, Elementals, Archangels and other beings will be discussed more in future lessons; but in brief it is not advisable to call into the space the elementals or their Kings in beginning magick practice. Just as you would not invite someone you barely know to an intimate evening of activities, you should not call into your working magickal space any energies with which you are not familiar, have not researched thoroughly and have had practice in working with. To do so with intent towards magickal outcome could have negative implications if the energy being called is not aligned with what you had in mind.

Sample Quarter Calls for a Healing Ritual

*The Quarter Calls given below as example were written for a Healing ritual. Therefore, the calls to the energies of the Western Gate are longer, more inclusive of what is desired and central in theme. The calls to the other quarters are reflective in support of the watery element of Healing. Had this been a ritual of Fire, determination and Will the emphasis would have been on the Southern Gate.

Opening the Gates

East – Air

Eastern Gate – hold fast and firm
We call forth Water of Air
Intuitive Self -bourne of ancient wisdom
The Gate of the East is Open
We bid you Hail and Welcome

South – Fire

Southern Gate – hold fast and firm
We call forth Water of Fire
The burning away, so that healing may begin
The Gate of the South is Open
We bid you Hail and Welcome

West – Water

Gates of True Sight and Compassion
Silver crescent of the Moon reflected in our Being
We bid you open and call forth your renewing healing energies
that all may become whole
Within your waters we seek the power of healing release sustained by love
And empowered by the clear sight of the seer.
Send forth your gift of focus of intent
That we may rise on the planes guided by the higher self
Pure of heart bourne of the mother’s healing womb.
The gate of the west is open
Hail and welcome

North – Earth

Northern Gate- hold fast and firm
We call forth Water of Earth
The birthing waters that manifest strength and renewal
The Gate of the North is Open
We bid you Hail and Welcome

******************************************

Closing the Gates

Energies of Air
Circle of infinite knowledge
We thank you for revealing the Wisdom of the Higher Mind.
The Gate of the East is Closed
Hail and Farewell

Energies of Fire
Path of Will, Change and rebirth-
We thank you for your transformative healing
The Gate of the South is Closed
Hail and Farewell

Energies of Water
Shimmer of star-light and depth of intuition and healing,
We thank you for your restorative flow, healing embrace
And revealing of the mystery that is our Higher Self.
The Gate of the West is Closed
Hail and Farewell

Energies of Earth
Foundation of All
We thank you for rebirth made manifest and
New pathways opened for change, health and growth.
The Gate of the North is Closed
Hail and Farewell

** written by R. Fennelly

If you would like to learn more about the Elements and their sub-sets, please check out my book:
The Elemental Year: Aligning the Elemental Parts of SELF

Back to the Components of Ritual