12 Steps Of Circle Casting

1) RITUAL MOOD:
set ambiance, self purification , easy lighting( if unable to take prior ritual bath, wash your hands and face under flowing water, then annoint the 3rd eye and wrists with Full Moon Blessed Water)
* full moon blessed water is rain /spring water that you collect and put in a clean tighly closeabe jar, you take the water outside -on the night of a full moon- and look thru the clear jar at the moon and ask Goddess if she will bless it. May or may not contain 3 pinches of salt that were added during ritual,with the tip of the athame scooping salt (3x) into the water ( rain/spring) in the chalice and stirring desoil ( clockwise)*

2) SET UP:
For a solitarty witch - 6 feet in diameter is/of the circle ( if that much space is avail, if not ( like me) work with what you have and try to make a circle around your altar and work /ritual area) ( I personally, don't have 6 ft in my living room because of furniture and such - so I do the best I can and my "circle" is more of an "oval" lol )
You can use a cord/ribbon ,stones,shells, flower petals- to define the circle on the groud in this pysical space.

-Select elemental representations

-Gather supplies for ritual and altar setup

3) Cleanse Sacred/Ritual  Space:
-Sweep with broom
-Smudge with smudge stick or smudge spray
-flick salt charged water - asperger salt charged water ( aspburgering is taking a small herb bundle, with a sitck handle and dipping it into the salt charged water and flicking the water clockwise around a space)
Say Blessing or chant as you cleanse
This is my favorite:
"With this sacred smoke (or whatever method -your choice- is), I cleanse and purify this space making it ready for magick and ritual'
With this sacred smoke, all negative energies are scattered and dismissed and this space is made sacred and holy for my rites."

4) GROUND & CENTER:
-in the circle,stand in the center ( in front of your alter, then turn and) face North.
-hold your hands at your sides or straight upward (in a V)
-hold up your athame/wand in your power hand ( the hand you use (ie: lefty or rightie). Some folks find/teach that the opposite hand of what you are, is actually the power hand. Its up to you- I am a righty and use my right hand for my power hand.
-breathe, clear your mind , ground ( feel your feet attatched to the earth ( even if you are inside-) grow/imagine roots like a tree to the earth from your feet, feel it... and you can also bend for a moment and put your hands to the ground, as well,  feel the vibration of the Earth and you becoming one with it.
-Slowly still breathing in and out - (in thru the nose and out thru the mouth) - feel the old or negative energies released from your feet, up to your genitals, your diaphram, your chest ( heart) and your throat and your third eye and finally,  out the top of your head , would have imagined the breath in was cleansing and the breath out would remove all and any negitivity from the area on your body you are at and working up from the feet- then one last cleansing breath to ensure its all cleansed. ( I like to envison the negativity coming out in a black  tiny particles cloud, but use what ever works for you) on each breath IN you want to breath in white light and when you get to the crown ( top of head area) imagine your whole body being filled/surrounded by white light and a cone (small at top of head and widening at area above you) of white light coming out of the top of your head - this is your openess to spirit. And you have removed all negative stuff that will enter your mind and mess you with - forgive and forget - you are about to do ritual to help with these things - know you're cleansed and ready- and don't stop this until you feel ready. White lite = positive energy!

5) CREATE/CAST YOUR CIRCLE ( of energy):
-Start @North, hold wand/athame visualize the energy you are sending out thru your arem to the  tool (wand/athame) onto the ground as light white/electric blue ( like the bottom of a candle flame).
-walk the circle delsol ( clockwise) 3x. As you walk you will speak an incantation of circel casting.
-when back at North (after third trip around circle) seal the circle, put your arms to your chest (crossing them and laying flat against you)
-speak incantion affirming creation of circle.(repeat the circel incantiation, one last time)
*here are two that I like:*
"Three times 'round I cast my blade, that this circle shall be made,
First, white crescent from the Maiden's brow, Her strength and independance, be here now.
Second, red blood from the Mother's womb,As I weave my life on her starlit loom.
Third, black shadow from the Chrone's abyss, Teaches me with her underworld kiss.
Sacred space, withing the circle now lies, protected from unwelcome eyes.
Let no one enter here within, who has not been made welcome.
So mote it Be"
-OR-
"I conjure and create thee, O circle of power.
Be thout a boundry between the worl of men, and the realm of the mighty ones.
Be thout a sphere of protection to preserve and contain all powers raised withing.
Let now this circle be a place of peace, love and power.
So Mote it Be"
( you can cast the three times around with the firt incantation and then use the second as your afformation when youre back at N)

6) INOVOKE THE ELEMENTS -or- AKNOWLEDGE/CALL THE QUARTERS:
- you can also invoke angels, dragons, elementals( creatures that reside in that element)
- East ( Air -Yellow), South ( Fire- Red), West (Water- Blue), North (Earth- Green)
- Draw and invoking pentagram  A pentagram that is made in the air ( viualize it in that same blue/white lite as the circle, used to invoke the element- and performed a specific way can't be shown in words so plz look it up) ) at eatch point and lite the candle, for each point, as well (before invoke. pent.) lite while you say the incantation and hold the candle up high .
*here are 2 versions that I like:
EAST: lite candle, hold it up and say:
"I light the East, home of the moonlite and consciousness, the realm of Spirit."
( invoking pentagram after you set candle back down)
SOUTH: lite candle, hold it up and say
"I lite the South, home of Fire and inspiration, the realm of awareness"
( set candle down , invoting pentagram)
WEST: lite the candle, hold it up and say:
"I lite the West, the home of the waves of completeness, the realm of our waters beginnings"
(set candle down and invokeing pentagram)
NORTH: lite candle and hold up high say:
"I lite the North , home of all hat is green and fruitful, the realm of rememberance"
( candle down and invoke. pent.)
-OR-
 you will be doing the same actions, but saying something a bit different, still- hold up each candle after lighting it -while you say the incantation and set candle down and draw your invoking pentagram. Again, this will be done at each direction, every time!
EAST: " I call the ancient spirits of the East, powers of Air, where the Sun rises, powers of wonder and imagination, powers of a child's laughter, powers of music and dawn breaking, powers of breezes blowing and butterflies flying, I invite you to this sacred circle, Hail and Welcome!"
SOUTH: " I call the ancient spirits of  the South, powers of Fire, where the Sun is high in the mid-day sky, poweres of passion and determination, courage and devotion, powers of bonfires burning, powers of trial and transformation,powers of high sun and lizards leaping, powers of the desert lionand the phoenix rising,
I invite you to this sacred circle, Hail and welcome!"
WEST: " I call the ancient spirits of the West, powers of Water, where the sun sets powers of love and compassion, of feeling and dreaming, powers of waters flowing, powers of the Mother's womb, powers of deep oceans and gentle rains, powers of the whale and the dolphin swimming, I invite you to this sacred circle, Hail and welcome!
NORTH: " I call on the ancient spirits of the North, powers of the Earth, where mystery dwells, powers of fertility and creativity, of strength and groundedness, powers of the fertile field, powers ot the mighty mountains, powers of the verdant plaines and rich forests, power of the bear and the wolf, I invite you to this sacred circle, Hail and welcome!"
Return East : say " this circle is cast. I am between the worlds."

7) INVOKE GODDESS AND GOD: ( this can be youre chosen pantheon or what you choose corresponding to your ritual /spell work or just general)
*Here is a generalized fave of mine:
"Great Goddess, who dwells within and all around me, Goddess of the shining Moon and the fertile Earth, Goddess of the starry heavens and the infinate womb, Goddess from whom all blessings flow, Bless Your Child."
"Great God, who dwells within and all around me, God of the shining Sun and the fertile forest, God of the stars above and the seed of new life within, God from whom inspiration comes, empower me."

8) PERFORM MAIN RITUAL/SPELL. -or- ESBAT/SABBAT RITE/CELEBRATION

9) GROUND/RITUAL FEAST:
-Cakes and Wine( bless these items by setting them on the altar pentacle for a moment)  or
-Meditate (sit on the ground, breathe and visualize energy flowing thru the body into the hands and then into the ground. Cleanse yourself with a white light, peace and calm.

10) THANK DIETIES, RELEASE THE DIETIES:
- extinguish diety candles and make an offering (small item that the diety your working with would love and put you in that diety's favor - research comes into play here!)
*Thank Dieties, this is one of my fave thank you/release incantations:
"Lord and Lady , I thank you for participating in my rites tonight. As I open the circle and go about my daily life, remain in my heart, watch over me and guide my heart along the paths that are best for me. Blessed Be"*

11) RELEASE THE ELEMENTS:
- draw a devoking pentagram at each point (again look up the process of making invoking and devoking pentagrams)
-begin NORTH - proceed widdershins ( counterclockwise) around the circle: point athame/wand up and say:
*"Hear me, O mighty one, ruler of forest and field, guardian of the Northern portal. I thank Thee for Thy blessings and protection, I bid Thee Hail and Farewell" ( put out N candle and draw devoke. pent)
-move WEST- "hear me, O mighty one, ruler of the mysterious depths, guardian of the Western portal . I thank Thee for Thy belssings and protection. I bid Thee hail and Farewell" ( put out W candle, draw devoke. pent.)
-move SOUTH-say: "Hear me, O mighty one, ruler of the Solar orb, guardian of the Southern portal. I thank Thee for Thy blessing and protection and bid Thee Hail and Farewell" ( put out S candle and draw devoke. pent.) *
move EAST- "hear me o mighty one, ruler of the whirl-winds, guardian of the Eastern portal , I thank Thee for Thy blessing and protection, I bid Thee Hail and Farewell". (put out E candle and draw devoke. pent.)
-or-
Starting East and working your way widdershins ( counter clockwise) around the circle say:
"Thank you for your presence and your blessings, and 'ere you depart for your fair and lovely realms, I bid thee hail and farewell" ( repeat this at each direction: North, West, South, East- stooping at eash to say the incantation and to blow out the candle and draw the devoke. pent at eash spot ) *

12) RELEASE/OPEN THE CIRCLE:
- reverse step 5, stand at center, holding athame/wand to sky, move widdershins ( counterclockwise) and visualize the circles energy ( blue-white lite) being take up into your tool , or send the circle back down into Earth.
* (Carry and illumination candle along with you to seal up circle)Say: " Fire seal the circle 'round, let it fade beneath the ground, let all things be as they were, since the beginning of time"
-or-
"The circle is open, but not unbroken, Merry Meet and  Merry Part, until we Merry Meet again"
-or-
drawing energy up into your chosen too:
Say: " O circle of power that has been a boundry between the world of men and the realm of the Mighty Ones, that has served to protect and preserve, I now release all powers raised within and banish thee, O circle of power, So Mote It Be." *

TIP: if you find yourself in the circle and working ritual and you have to - for some reason-step out of the circle to go and get an item , you take your athame and cut a doorway (top to bottom) in the side of the circle ( make a rectangle that you can fit thru) step out go do what you need to do and once back inside the circle, take your athame and seal up the area you cut (from ground up) and continure your work inside the circle- try not to do this - it takes away focus to what youre doing and isnt reallyoptimal - but we all make mistakes and things happen so if you need to get out go ahead !

Just your basic ritual with some help from several sources that I cant even recall anymore - so you know and it is stated here- I did not make up any of the information - it is all from books and other authors.
This is your basic circle casting and procedure for ritual with a circle. Sme say you never do any type of magick without a circle , others feel that some magick is fine done without tall the ceremony. Its your call, if you arent' feeling well - dont work any magick at all. Your health and a foul mood will  bring those vibes to your work. Good luck and enjoy this step of The Path!