‘He Casts the Circle’Melissa Seims In August 1959, Gerald Gardner received a letter from Carl Weschcke, o ner and C!" of the American occult #u$lishing house, %le ell&n' Carl, having read Gardner’s $ooks, had ritten to ask him if he had an& kno ledge a$out a device called the ‘ itches cradle’ hich he had seen mentioned in William (ea$rook’s $ook Witchcraft, It’s Power and Influence Today. )he ‘ itches cradle’ as a sus#ended ‘cage’ that #ur#ortedl& heightened #s&chic sensitivit& through the use of restraints, com$ined ith a monotonous s inging motion' Gardner re#lied that he had not come across such a contra#tion, or its use in the Craft, and ent on to sa& *I have asked man& of the older itches, and none of them had ever heard of it'+ After a fe more letters had $een e,changed, Gardner referred Carl to several other #eo#le including -argaret .ruce and Charles Clark, for further discussion' Carl first rote to Charles in 19/1, the $eginning of an e,change that as to last a$out 01 &ears' In one letter from 19/2, Charles mentioned to Carl that he had *some co#ies of the late G' .' Gardner’s 3ituals that he sent me 4Charles5 for o#inions from time to time,+ and ondered if Carl ould $e interested in them' When Gardner had still $een alive, Charles and he had discussed the #u$lication of material and Gerald had agreed that this ma& hel# #eo#le $etter understand the Craft, and hat it as a$out' 1 Conse6uentl&, Charles #ackaged the #a#ers u# and sent them to Carl in A#ril 19/9' !,tracts from them ere #u$lished in %le ell&n’s maga7ine Gnostica, $ut the& reall& came to light hen Aidan 8ell& o$tained #hotoco#ies and su$se6uentl& rote a$out them in his $ook Crafting The Art of Magic, here the term ‘Weschcke 9ocuments’ as first coined' )he ‘Weschcke 9ocuments’ are a collection of #a#ers consisting of :2 t&#ed #ages of ‘Gardnerian’ ritual material, including all eight (a$$ats, ‘)he "ld %a s’, three a&s of forming the circle, ‘)o Gain the (ight’, ‘)he !ightfold Wa&’, the three degrees, consecrations, various versions of )he Charge and Amalthean Horn, as ell as a co#& of ‘)he Witches Chant’ ; hich man& no kno as ‘)he Witches 3une’<' -an& of them also have hand ritten amendments on them, in hat a##ears in most cases, to $e Gerald Gardner’s o n hand riting' 9uring the 1951s, documents like these ere sometimes sent to ne initiates for them to co#& into their o n #ersonal .ooks of (hado s' )hose of &ou ho have seen Gerald’s riting ill kno hat a ‘scra ler’ he as, and ho $ad his s#elling a##ears to have $een' Aidan 8ell& suggests that he as marginall& d&sle,ic, 2 =hili# Heselton considers Gardner’s #oor !nglish and #honetic a& of s#elling, to $e a conse6uence of his lack of formal education, 3 and 3onald Hutton has suggested that Gardner’s ‘a$errant s#elling’ as an attem#t $& him to make things look more archaic'4 I #ersonall& think the latter is unlikel& as Gardner dis#la&s similar traits in his #ersonal corres#ondence' )hese t&#ed documents, hilst o$viousl& easier to read, also e,hi$it similar #oor s#elling' A further ‘6uirk’ of Gardner’s ;in a time $efore te,t messaging< as his #enchant for a$$reviating ords' >or e,am#le, he ould sometimes #ut ‘ d’ for ‘ ould’ and ‘shd’ in #lace of ‘should’' >urthermore, he had a #eculiar ha$it of using a t&#e riters’ small case ‘l’ instead of correctl& using a ca#ital ‘I’? in some instances he even uses a ca#ital ‘%’ for ‘I’, and it is not unusual to see a mi, of $oth in the same document' As ith so man& things Gardner@ related, he as never com#letel& consistent in his lackadaisicalness, something that I think is 6uite frustrating for Craft historiansA "f the various documents, I think one of the more interesting ones is entitled ‘All Are =urified’ ;su$titled ‘Ceremon& for orking ith others’<' 5 )his is essentiall& a a& of casting the circle that starts off ith a conBuration of the s ord' If e look at the follo ing #assage, taken from Gardner’s 195C $ook Witchcraft Today, I think e can see here the slightl& unusual title ma& hail fromD *When dra n, this circle is carefull& #urified, as also are all ho cele$rate the rites' Witches attach great im#ortance to this, for ithin the circle is the godsE domain'+6 With regards to hat is $eing im#lied $& the su$heading ‘Ceremon& for orking ith others’ there ma& $e a clue in the crossed@out section hich refers to ‘1: candles’' As 1: is the traditional num$er in a Coven, could the reference to orking ith ‘others’ mean orking ith Coveners as o##osed to orking alone, or ith Bust a orking #artnerF In vie of Gardner’s earlier orks ; hich e ill come to shortl&< here the focus seems to have $een more on individuals as o##osed to Covens, this e,#lanation seems to $e likel&' Ho ever, Bust to discom$o$ulate things further, and for the sake of com#letion, I should & %ife I %ove Mdo I invok )hee to decend into the $od& of th& servent and H'=s K'' . .G. are interesting ‘markers’' Identical terminolog&.('%' ‘-acGregor’ -athers’ translation<. hich ma& $e #ushed $ack for this< H'=s assumes God LGoddessL =ossition . as ell as in +e o( of +e Art Magical . $et een the orld of -en I that of the 9read %ords of the "H)!3 (=AC!(. as ell as a #astiche of rituals and notes on Ceremonial -agic' >or e. All others $o ' Asem$l& form a semi circle at north of Altar. e. there are #ages of sigils taken from )he 8e& "f (oloman . hich is thought to $e the oldest.Arms Crossed'< -agus kneeling in front of her. during the 19C1s' In this case.Wh shd $e re#laced if it has $een moved. .All $o < A#hridite Airanrod? %over of the Horned God Nueen of Witcher& I Jight [This loo(s as it if it continues although the ne)t 'age is not in the collection.I'!' %ink esta$lished M and all -ale "fficers give 5 (.o $efore m& (#irite . )he >ive =oint (tar of %ove and . ho ^kneeling^ hands her vessel of (alt Conscrated Water IAs#ergulas.also dra attention to the fact that the crossed@out section $ears a strong resem$lance to the $eginning of the Gule ritual. thus adding a further ne$ulous dimension to consider in an& final understanding of this document' A%% A3! =H3I>I!97 [N ! Bold lettering indicates G.=s in Goddess =osition sa&s Arms Crossed I the -other. the inclusion of the conBuration of the s ord.)he -oon having $een dra n do n. Wherefore di I $less thee I intreet thee to aid me in the endevour in the names of K I K Hands Sword to Magus --. -ine the (courge and -ine the 8iss. takes u# s ord 'sa&s *I conBure thee " ( ord of (teel to serve me as a defence in all -agical "#erationsGuard me at alltimes against mine enemies .-agus then summons the -ight& "nes as usual' H'=s stands in front of Altar .tant ‘Gardnerian’ ‘."#ens out Arms to =entacle #osition< ."( material.’s handwritten additions" -agus Concecrates (alt I Water . or convinent #lace' & hands her Sword H'=s alks slo l& round Circle sa&ing' *I conBure )hee " Circle of (#ace.am#le. #lus #assages taken from the orks of Aleister Cro le&. ho #laces them on Altar. herefore do I $less )hee I Invoke thee in the James of KIK Gives ( ord to -agus ." I think that the usage of the ord ‘-agus’ as o##osed to ‘H=’. and the circle $eing cast three times.< * I Invoke and . use of the term ‘9read %ords of the "uter (#aces’. He Casts the Circle.ook "f (hado s'’ +e o( is currentl& in the #ossession of 3ichard and )amarra Oames of the ‘Wiccan Church of Canada’ and is generall& thought to have $een com#iled and ritten $& Gardner. )hat )H"H $e clensed =urified I strengthend to contain )HA) ="W!3 hich e so ernestl& desireto raise ithin th& $ounds this night.& seed and root. ." -ight& -")H!3 ofall life and fertilit& ' . $& leaf and flo er and fruit. and similar #ractices can $e found in Gardner’s 19C9 ork of fiction *igh Magics Aid. to name . $&stem and $ud. dra s =entical on her $od& ith = Headed Wand.right . Gardner’s hand riting is actuall& 6uite legi$le and dis#la&s a calligra#hic st&le hich he a##ears to have reserved for his magical ritings' +e o( contains several sections hich are readil& identifia$le as $eing t&#ical of . 9arksome and 9ivine. and the 3ites of >reemasonr&.< H'=s in south. )hree circles ' (he follo s ' As#erging Circle I all #resent & finel& herself' returns vessel etc to -agus. . . inserts #oint of ( ord or Athame in decorated $undle of 1: candles .eseach )hee . Grant thatI ma& o$tain hat I desire inall things herin I ma& use )hee . H =s kneels at Altar. sa&ing I [This has #een crossed out #y hand and $%’s ha&e #een ty'ed o&er it all" H.9ra ing do n the -oon.$oth visa $le I invisi$le.liss? Here I charge &e in this (ign. Invokes. aka AM-. e see the seemingl& ‘later’ term ‘H=’ consistentl& used instead of ‘-agus’' >urthermore. is more in kee#ing ith the st&le of Gardner’s earliest e.another idios&ncras& of Gardner’s< in *igh Magic’s Aid!! *. outside.’ ‘-aster. instead of the High =riestess' It is he ho first ‘casts the circle’ and he ho a##ears solel& res#onsi$le for the consecration of the salt and ater. and summoning the -ight& "nes' Interestingl& enough. this term a##ears to have $een generall& su#erseded $& the term ‘H=’' )his later material also t&#icall& has the circle $eing cast onl& once.#erience discard those s#ells that don’t ork for &ou and su$stitute those that &ou have thought of &ourselves'+13 If e no turn to look at the eight (a$$ats that are included in the ‘Weschcke 9ocuments’. using the rites as a $asic frame ork and ‘s#ring$oard’' A conce#t that is echoed in >red %amondEs $ook . I think it is Bust one #ossi$le e. indicates that it has to $e #ost 195: after 9oreen had $een $rought in' Charles himself as initiated a$out a &ear later and so I think the date of this document is #ro$a$l& contem#orar& ith that' ‘All Are =urified’ is interesting not onl& for the te.tual dating clues that it gives us. the fact that it ends ith the 6uatrain verse version of ‘)he Charge’. if not an actual $ias. alread& set a$out re riting #arts of the first . the #hrase ‘9read %ords of the "uter (#aces’ can $e found ‘hidden’ in #lain sight . and the thrice cast circle. es#eciall& as she had.tant #enned orks' 9ue to these similarities.almost certainl& from +e o(< to give to 9oreen Paliente. $ut also $ecause it sho s more of an e6ualit&.$ut a fe ' (imilarl&.’ or sim#l& ‘-. it seems to me that the use of certain terminolog&. the co#& of this ritual that Gardner t&#ed u# several &ears later . I think that the ‘All Are =urified’ document can also tell us something a$out the develo#ment of the Craft. ritten $& 9oreen Paliente. and then as#erged and censed' Additionall&. and summoning the -ight& "nes ‘as usual'’ Instead. *igh Magic’s Aid is also a mi. the conBuration of the s ord. and could re#resent a transition #oint from Gardner’s earlier. =aganism and Witchcraft' !. although a similar #assage is usuall& given for the consecration of one' )his document made me onder if. the conBuration of the s ord is also something that is no longer #art of a t&#ical circle o#ening. there are at times length& de$ates on su$Bects such as this' -& o n conversations ith Charles Clark gave me the im#ression that things ere much more egalitarian in the 1951s. roughl& a decade later in Gardner’s magical ritings of the 1951s. and the Wica of that time felt free to adBust the rituals to $etter suit the #eo#le in the Coven.& the late 51s. more male@orientated ritings hich included a lot of Ceremonial -agic. to ards the -agus. to the omen’s movement and general li$eration that e#itomi7ed the 19/1s' I ould also ager that the ever diligent 9oreen Paliente could have had something to do ith it.#osure to this lodge reinforced his focus on the God and the magus'+ Whilst this scenario seems to fit the facts. in order to disguise traces of the Cro le& material in it'12 If this ‘All Are =urified’ document had managed to find its a& into more . and cut off from the =rotecting Circle. to the more High =riestess orientated Covens that seemed to come out of the 19/1s' I am not sure hat ma& have $rought a$out this shift $ut it could have stemmed from the change in cultural ideolog& hich as moving a a& from the fear and restrictiveness caused $& World War ) o. >reemasonr&.ooks of (hado s. of recognisa$l& ‘Gardnerian’ material ith a generous hel#ing of ‘high magic’' It has $een asserted $& W'!' %iddell thatD *Gardner as s#onsored into a cunning lodge in 19C1 $& a Je >orest male colleague and as e.ifty +ears of Wicca.lindfold and hel#less he stood in the )riangle.#lanation h& +e o( has more of a ceremonial magic overtone hen com#ared to the sort of material that Gardner distri$uted to initiates in the 1951s' In +e o( the ords ‘-agus. the first degree initiation ritual that is given in +e o( a##ears to have a -agus initiating a ‘=riest I Witch’' 1" Ho ever. ith Gardner’s #ermission. here he 6uotes Gardner as sa&ing *Kas &ou gain e. has $een amended so that the -agus is no initiating a =riestess and Witch'11 "n reflection. and its material. I therefore consider the ‘All Are =urified’ document to $e one of the earliest #a#ers in the Weschcke collection' Ho ever. our Craft ma& have ended u# ith a slightl& different ‘feel’ to it' It could #erha#s have $een more common to see High =riests consecrating the salt and ater.’ are fre6uentl& used to indicate the male role' Ho ever.#osed to a 6uasi@-asonic organisation hich com$ined ceremonial magic."( that he had given her. not three times. hen Gardner mentions casting the circle ith a ‘dul& consecrated’ s ord or athame. he had #erha#s intended at one #oint for this consecration to $e done ever& time' Certainl& this ould $e understanda$le in vie of his love for s ords and ea#onr&' "verall. the similarit& of all the (a$$at . medium $et een the #leasant orld of man and the 9read %ords of the "uter (#aces'+ %ater circle conBurations more commonl& have the #hrase *K 3ealms of the -ight& "nes+ instead' . ooks 011CD =age /1< and Aidan 8ell&’s Crafting the Art of Magic . al$eit inaccuratel&. The 0e#irth of Witchcraft .Ca#all .%le ell&n 1991D =age 119< as ell as on various e$sites' 2D W'!' %iddell The Pic(ingill Pa'ers . ould have affected the a& Gerald. * e 4the .es ith feasts'+14 With all this in mind.vie a$le $& arrangement ith 3ichard and )amarra Oames of the ‘Wiccan Chuch of Canada'’ 11D 9oreen Paliente The 0e#irth of Witchcraft .Green -agic 011CD =age 1C< 1CD >rederic %amond.ifty +ears of Wicca . and is not given on the actual document itself' /D Gerald Gardner Witchcraft Today . !ngland here she lives ith her #artner. this has all contri$uted to the gro ing s#iritual movement that the Craft has $ecome toda&' >ootnotes 1D In a letter to me from Charles he ritesD *I remem$er Carl Weschcke said he ould rite a$out those #a#ers given him 4the ‘Weschcke 9ocuments’5.ifty +ears of Wicca .ricket Wood Coven5 liked our feasts."(. it ould seem likel& that the (a$$ats from the Weschcke 9ocuments ere ritten at some #oint shortl& after this date' What I enBo& a$out researching and com#aring these original ritings of Gerald Gardner is the insight that the& can sho us into the thoughts and mind of old Gerald himself' I don’t $elieve that &ou can look at these things in isolation. daughter and a lioni7ed feline' . $ut also the #olitical and social climate of the time' )hese things. along ith the fragmentar& rituals and teachings that are thought to have come to him from the Je >orest Coven.Green -agic 011CD =age 01< -an& thanks to three ‘-essengers of the Gods’ namel& =aul Greenslade. and I think it is im#erative to vie them as #art of a much ider #u77le that included not onl& Gardner’s life and u#$ringing. rote these rituals and develo#ed our #ractices' In turn.%le ell&n 1991D =age .iogra#hical noteD )he author has $een involved ith various =agan and Witchcraft grou#s for over 1C &ears' %ast &ear.documents. grammar and line structure as ritten on the original' )ranscri#tions of this document can also $e found.". strongl& suggests that the& ere all t&#ed u# at the same time' >red %amond tells us in his aforementioned $ook.=hoeni.ann 199CD =age 152< 9D Gerald Gardner *igh Magic’s Aid .#loring the connections $et een #s&cholog&.ooks 19Q1D =age 02< QD )ranscri#tion of the original document ith s#elling.ann 011:D =age 021< CD 3onald Hutton' The Triu%'h of The Moon . and others. .ritish =s&chological (ociet& on the su$Bect of Witchcraft as a ‘conduit’ for s#iritualit& and the& are currentl& colla$orating on a $ook e. Crafting the Art of Magic . . =hili# Heselton and 8en 3ees for their hel#ful comments and advice' . 1929D Illustration 10< 10D 9oreen Paliente. 1929D =age /1@/0< 1:D >rederic %amond. along ith 9r' (tuart Whomsle&. societ&. Gardner Witchcraft and the oo( of /hadows . so after Gerald’s return to the Isle of -an in the s#ring of 1952 e decided to cele$rate $oth the cross@6uarter da&s and the solstices and e6uino. 4Gerald Gardner5 agreed ith me it ould hel# a lot'+ 0D Aidan 8ell&.=entacle !nter#rises 199:D =age :< 11D Gerald Gardner +e o( of ye Art Magicial =age 9/ .Ca#all .I@H@" . G. in Gerald .v< :D =hili# Heselton Gerald Gardner and the Cauldron of Ins'iration . she s#oke at the annual conference of the )rans#ersonal (ection of the . and modern Witchcraft' -elissa as instrumental in the creation of the Jottingham Goddess Cam# in 1999.=hoeni.ford 1999D =age 00Q< 5D )he su$heading ‘Ceremon& for orking ith others’ a##eared in Charles Clarks .Arro . and currentl& runs a Wica Coven in %eicestershire.