A Guide to Calling the Corners

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Ngày cập nhật gần nhất: 15/4/2026

Content

Creating Quarter Calls

Creating Your Circle

Calling Upon the Elements

Calling the corners is a brief yet meaningful ritual practiced by Pagans, Wiccans, witches, and various magical practitioners before they begin their spellwork or spiritual tasks. It involves invoking the four corners (or directions) of the Earth and the elements that correspond to them. This ritual is often used to purify the space, seek protection, and request assistance. Make sure to prepare your quarter calls in advance of your ritual. Once ready, cast your circle and call upon the elements.

Instructions

Creating Quarter Calls

Start with simple, non-rhyming quarter calls if you're new to the practice. Quarter calls are meant to invoke the four elemental forces of the Earth: earth, air, fire, and water. If you're just beginning, it's easiest to directly address the elements and request their presence and assistance.

In your calls, it’s fine to use “guardians” or “spirits” interchangeably. Additionally, you may use the direction and its corresponding element interchangeably, such as north for earth, east for air, south for fire, and west for water.

You might say...

"Guardians and Watchtowers of the North, I call upon you to protect this circle.”

"Spirits of earth, I invoke you to guide my work and bless this circle.”

Refer to quarter calls from a book or ritual for a simple approach. Many books on Paganism, Wicca, or witchcraft include basic rituals you can follow. This is a fantastic choice for beginners since it removes the guesswork. You can find books at your local library, bookstore, or online. Alternatively, search for a ritual that resonates with you online.

Since there are many different ways to perform quarter calls, the rituals you come across may vary significantly from one another.

Create your own quarter calls if you want them to reflect your personal touch. Before writing your quarter calls, consider the intention behind your ritual and how the elements can aid you. Then, jot down the essence of what you wish to express.

Writing your own calls allows you to infuse your personal energy into the ritual. You can also customize them to align with your goals.
You may find that you need to refine your quarter calls several times to get them just right.

Decide whether you want your quarter calls to rhyme. Rhyming isn’t a requirement for quarter calls, but you may enjoy the rhythmic quality they add or wish to give your calls a more spell-like feel. It’s entirely your choice whether or not to rhyme them. Go with what feels best for your ritual or what helps you achieve the right mindset for the spiritual or magical work you intend to perform.

If you prefer rhyming calls, you might find it helpful to use a rhyming dictionary or website to assist in crafting them.

Compose short 4-line poems about the elements for your rhyming quarter calls. Keep your lines concise, with 3-6 syllables. Aim for even line lengths to create a smooth rhythm. Read your calls aloud to gauge their flow, and revise as needed.

If you wish to write longer quarter calls to fully express your intentions, feel free to do so. Whatever works best for you is the right approach.

You might say…

“Spirits of earth, I call upon thee, ground my work, and make it real.”

"Element of air, come to my aid, lift my words, hear my plea.”

"Spirits of fire, join my side, charge my words, burn away my fear.”

"Element of water, purify me now, carry me through, hear my vow.”

Creating Your Circle

Set a clear intention for your magical workings. Calm your mind by focusing on your breath. Then, envision the outcome you desire from your ritual. Imagine yourself succeeding in achieving your goal.

Your intention might be to attract wealth or abundance, or perhaps you're seeking love.

Gather items to represent the 4 corners. Usually, you'll use objects that correspond to each element in order to invite the guardians or spirits to your circle. If you’re just starting out, here are some common correspondences to represent the 4 corners:

East/Air- a yellow candle, feathers, incense, dried lavender, citrine, white quartz, athame
South/Fire- a red candle, volcanic rock, heated stones, ruby, gold, brass.
West/Water- a blue candle, water, shells, mirrors, silver, chalice, pearls.
North/Earth- a green candle, soil, fresh herbs, oats, salt, clay figures, wooden tools.

Tip: There are many books and websites that list the stones, herbs, and natural materials associated with each direction and element. Some of these items are believed to aid in specific goals, which might help you choose what to use for your ritual. For example, citrine is linked with air, but it’s also known for attracting joy and abundance.

Use a compass to determine which way is north. You can either use a physical compass or download a free compass app on your phone. The compass will point north, and from there, south can be found by turning 180 degrees in the opposite direction. To identify east and west, remember the abbreviation "WE," which indicates that west lies to the left of north and east to the right.

For example, you can try apps like Digital Field Compass on Android or Smart Compass on iPhone. If you're looking for more advanced features, other compass apps are also available.

Set up your altar for your ritual, if you choose to use one. You might prefer to create an altar to hold your magical tools, including items representing the 4 corners. Place the corresponding objects in their respective corners, and then position your goddess or god symbols in the center. Arrange any other ritual items around the central point of the circle.

Alternative: If you’re not using an altar, place your items representing the 4 directions/elements in their designated corners. Use these items to form a circle around you while you perform your work. For example, place a feather in the east to represent air, a red candle in the south for fire, a bowl of water in the west to represent water, and a bowl of salt in the north to represent earth.

Purify your space using sage or salt water. Light a bundle of sage and walk clockwise around your circle, waving the smoke around the area to cleanse it. Alternatively, you can dissolve salt into water, then hold your hand above the cup, imagining white light flowing into the water. Sprinkle the salt water around your circle.

While cleansing, you might say something like, “With this sage, I banish all negativity!”

Light candles around the edges of your circle, if you’re using them. You can choose to mark your circle with candles to enhance the atmosphere. However, be cautious, as they can present a fire hazard, especially if there are children or pets around.

If you prefer, you can also mark your circle with non-flammable objects like seashells or stones.

Walk around the perimeter of your circle three times in a clockwise direction to form your sacred space. As you walk, envision a pure white light radiating from the circle. Focus on channeling positive energy, breathing deeply and steadily.

Depending on your tradition, you might choose to hold an athame while performing this movement.

Tip: In Pagan practices, moving in a clockwise direction is referred to as “deasil,” a term from Gaelic. On the other hand, moving counterclockwise is known as “widdershins” in both Old German and Gaelic. These terms may appear in books or rituals that you explore.

Calling Upon the Elements

Start your calling from the north or east, based on your personal choice. The north is often favored for its association with earth, grounding and stabilizing your magical work. Alternatively, you might start in the east, where the sun rises, symbolizing new beginnings. Follow your intuition, or adhere to the tradition you are learning.

It’s important to trust your instincts—this is your spiritual journey, and it may be different from others’ practices.

Invoke each direction with your quarter calls. Face the direction you are calling and speak confidently the words you’ve written or chosen. It’s best to memorize them, but if needed, you can read from a book or paper.

If you keep a Book of Shadows, you may wish to write your quarter calls in it and read them aloud during the ritual.
Ensure you turn to the next direction before making the next call.

Light the candles for each corner, if you are using them. After invoking each element, light the candle that corresponds to it. You can use a match, lighter, incense stick, or even another candle.

Later, when you release the corners, you will extinguish these candles.

Stand at the center and honor your goddess, god, or spirit. You can either simply acknowledge their presence or call them into your circle, depending on your beliefs. Some practitioners call upon the goddess, god, or spirit in general terms, but you may also invoke specific deities, if that suits your practice.

If this step doesn't align with your spiritual practice, feel free to skip it.

Suggested invocations…

“Dearest goddess, thank you for being present in my circle.”

“Great goddess, I call to you—be with me here in my circle.”

“Oh, great goddess, come to me, hear my words, and make them true.”

“I call upon you, Brigid, to enter my circle.”

Required Items

Pen or pencil
Paper
A Pagan, Wiccan, or witchcraft book (optional)
Objects to represent the 4 corners/directions/elements
An altar (optional)
Candles representing the 4 corners/directions/elements (optional)
Goddess/God candles (optional)
Altar decorations (optional)
Athame or wand (optional)
Circle candles (optional)
Circle markers, such as seashells or stones (optional)
Sage
Lighter or match
Bowl of water (optional)
Salt (optional)
Incense stick (optional)

If you're following a structured tradition, you might learn a very specific method for calling the corners. However, many practitioners of magic prefer to create their own quarter calls based on their personal practices.
Various books on Paganism, Wicca, and witchcraft often include foundational rituals for calling the corners, which can serve as useful guidance for beginners.

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