Calling the quarters is a practice that originated in the Golden Dawn system of Magic. Now a standard practice for Wiccans and other Pagans too.
Also known as the watchtowers or guardians, they are tutelary spirits of each of the four cardinal points or “quarters” (north, east, south, and west).
It’s common to do it at the start of a ritual, after casting the circle, as a way of setting up the sacred or protected space.
As you call each element, face each direction.
- The elements are usually called starting in the East, place of Air and new beginnings.
- You then turn deosil (clockwise) to the South to call Fire
- Turn to the West to call Water
- And finally to the North to call Earth.
There are many ways to call the quarters, and you can get as dramatic or poetic as you wish.
The standard or traditional way of calling the quarters is this:
All hail the Watchtower of the East,
The element of Air
I do summon and call you forth,
To guard and protect this circle
Come and join me, now.All hail the Watchtower of the South,
The element of Fire
I do summon and call you forth,
To guard and protect this circle
Come and join me, now.All hail the Watchtower of the West,
The element of Water
I do summon and call you forth,
To guard and protect this circle
Come and join me, now.All hail the Watchtower of the North,
The element of Earth
I do summon and call you forth,
To guard and protect this circle
Come and join me, now.
At the end of your ritual, you go back and thank each spirit and release them from your circle, for example:
"I thank you for attending my rite; and here you depart to your fair and lovely realms, I bid thee Hail and Farewell."