Calling Quarters

Invocation of the Elements
Air, Fire, water, earth, elements of astral birth,
I call you now; attend to me!
In the circle, rightly cast,
Safe from psychic curse or blast,
I call you now; attend to me!
From cave and desert, sea and hill,
By wand, blade, cup, and pentacle,
I call you now; attend to me!
This is my will, so mote it be!

The Elements
Yellow is the color of Air:
Of winds blown strong and winds blown fair.
Red belongs to flames and Fire,
Burning brightly on the pyre.
If water is your quest, use blue
Tides rise and fall in azure hue.
The tint of mother Earth is green…
Clam and peaceful and serene.
In the mind these colors gel:
And they will serve you very well!

The Elements—Air, Fire, Water, and Earth— play a major role in our day-to-day existence. That’s because everything on our planet is either comprised of them singularly, or in one combination or another. And because it’s an Earth-based religion, the Elements also play an integral part in the rituals, magic, and celebratory processes of Wicca.
Each Element has two poles or forces: one active and the other passive. When the Element is in active mode, it works in a positive manner and energy takes shape in a very creative and constructive ways. When the Element is in passive mode, however, its force becomes destructive. This results in negative energy.
Each Element also has specific qualities. These are important because they make the elements pull together as a team. In fact, when all the Elements are used in equal combination, they form static electricity. It’s something we not only use daily in technology, but the exact substance we create when we cast a ritual circle.
Our bodies are also comprised of a combination of the Elements. This means that each element rules particular body regions, vital organs, and human Functions. When we feel out of sorts or get sick, it’s because our life force isn’t flowing properly, and this is a direct result of personal Element imbalance.
Elements Vs. Elementals
    Element: Belonging to the mundane world, in it’s simplest air, fire, water, and earth,         but making up all of the elements on the periodic table. Elements have         energy but not will, desire, or thought. An Element looks the same to all,         dirt is dirt is dirt no mater what color it happens to be.
    Elemental: A personification of the element, yet is invisible to the untrained eye,         does not dwell in the mundane human world but does have will, desire and         thought. Elements are subject to the practitioner’s vision of them and look         different to everyone.
Common Elementals
    Each direction has it’s own element and elementals that belong to it. The details are always different the main idea remains the same.
    Gnomes: Earth, north. Givers of material gain and stability. The rulers of the forest.         Seen as “little People” or green light. Protectors of outdoor circles and         groves
    Sylphs: Air, east. Givers of wishes, knowledge, and dreams. The rulers of the         weather. Envisioned as “faeries” or white light. Delicate beings with         beautiful wings. Protectors of magical applications.
    Salamanders: Fire, south. Givers of passion and creativity. The rulers of fields and         fire or blue flames. Envisioned as dragons or lizards. Protectors of the         hearth, home, or business.
    Undines: Water, west. Givers of love and friendship. The rulers of all water.         Envisioned as merpeople, sires, or pink lights. Protectors of the gates of         death and karma.
Elemental Calls
The east, the sylphs, the knowledge, the wind
Positive forces, I call you in

The south, the drakes, the hearth,  the fire
Aid this night my desire

The west, the mers, the love, the water
I conjure my need into matter

The North, the gnomes, the roots, the grove
Bring your gifts, I make it so

The center, the Spirit, the life, the force
I call you now to open your doors

Releasing the Elementals

The north, the gnomes, the roots, the grove
Fare thee well, I send thee home

The west, the undines, the love, the water
Fare thee well
Back you go to Gaia’s cauldron

The south, the drakes, the hearth, the fire
Fare thee well and never ire

The east, the sylphs, the knowledge, the wind
Fare thee well, with peace I send

The center, the spirit, the life, the force
I ask you now to the shut the doors

In perfect love and perfect trust
Hail ad farewell.

Watchtowers
    The watchtowers can be magical wards/structures to keep the circle safe, or they can just be the structure on which the watcher stays keeping guard. No matter which the practitioner is envisioning it should not be called, summoned, or stirred (based on need and watcher) until after the circle is cast so that it has something to guard. Some other views of the Watchers are of Angels or Angelic like beings, other envision Grigori (Italian Giants born of  extremely tall males and human women), The four most infamous watchers are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel.
    In ancient times (as far back as the records show) four stars were the watchers.
       
        Aldebaran:     East, Vernal Equinox
        Antares:    West, Autumn Equinox
        Fomalhaut:    North, Winter Solstice
        Regulus:    South, Summer Solstice
    Watchers in the most basic of ideals is both stars and angels, beings of light. They have been called Shining Ones, and have even fathered children with these shining characteristics. It is even believed that watchers came from the stars, or represented the stars themselves. To some practitioners the watchers also take on the image of an animal, that is designed and conceptualized but the practitioner.
    All in all Watchers do more then just protect the circle, they are also belived to be the ones that escort the dead to summer land and then on to their next life. Nothing is ever hidden from them, some even go so far to speculate that Watchers are the lords of Karma, and make sure that it is followed and used.

Watchtower Call
Watchtower call
Aldebaran light
East I draw
Come this night

Watchtower call
Regulus might
South I draw
Protect this site

Watchtower call
Witness Antares
West I draw
O work with star faeries

Watchtower call
Fomalhaut aid
North I draw
With my blade

Sining ones
of stellar sight
Assist me please
Throughout this rite.

Release
    Hail and farwell
(Fomalhaut)(Antares)(Regulus)(Aldebaran) bright
Safe journey now
Into the night
Peace and harmony reign supreme
Blessing upon you

Faeries
    Faeries are creatures of many levels of intelligence, ethics, and abilities. Extreme caution should be used when asking for their aid especially with circle casting. Never ask a specific fey to come without doing your research. This is just a starting place and should not be used without further research.
       
    Direction    King        Color        Rule
    East        Paralda        Red        Trees, flowers, winds, mountains
    South        Djin        White        Fire, Volcanos, passions, fields
    West        Nixa        Grey        Lakes, ponds, rivers, oceans
    North        Ghob        Black        Earth, Gems, Minerals
   
    When working with faeires there are two main roads that are followed the first being the interest of historical and archeological correctness of information of the Fey. The latter being those that are more interested in the mythical and creative aspects of working with Faeries.

Airts
    The airts are Gaelic, and are both compass points and wind. Local weather patterns can greatly affect your work and the landscape can greatly affect local weather patterns. Always keep this in mind when doing magic, ground shaking magic on a fault line, or water magic during a wet season.
    Just as with all things that are element in nature the Airts to have color associates.
   
    East        Crimson of dawn        Red
    South        light of high noon        White
    West        brownish-grey of twilight    Grey
    North        Black of midnight        Black

Invocation
    Black spirits and white
Red spirits and grey
Come ye and come ye
Come ye that may!
Around and around
Throughout and about,
The good come in
And ill keep out!
    If you notice this invocation is not a quarter call, why? Because it makes an equilateral cross. Top, Bottom, right left which is used in other customs such as with Thor’s Hammer, other religions such as crossing oneself in the catholic church, or the basic four quarters of the earth, and the four elements.
    Since you are working with winds it is important to keep in mind that they will be moving constantly. Prior to your work set your mind whether they should be moving winddershinns (Negative magic, Banishment, breaking habits, losing weight), or Deosil (Positive magic, gain, increase,)

Angels
    Whatever you have been told or think Angels do not belong exculisivily to christianity. They have been traced back to ancient times and the root of almost all the angels names is -el which is Sumatran mean “shining ones” (Sound familiar? Often the Watchtowers and Angels are confused for one another and indeed can be one another their isn’t much of a difference between them when it comes to calling quarters but other uses with them you need to do your homework(
    Almost all of the branches of religion touch on angels. In judaism they belong within the tree of life. In that  religion the angels are responsible for different spheres and the angels within those spheres.
   
    In Catholicism, angels are split into a hierarchy called the Nine Choirs. Yet in protestant sects, angeles are rarely identified. If you are going to work with Angels it is important to know how they work together and what exactly what it is that you are working with. Here is a starting point as always this is not  all there is make sure you research more. This list is more definitions and any names given need to be thoroughly researched since it possible for angels to be of different ranks. (Michael is a Seraphim and an Archangel) The further down the hierarchy you go the more  human the angels are and the more susceptible to human failings.

    Seraphim: The Highest order, know as the closest to divine energy, and the most         pure beings. There appearance is that of a dragon with six sets of wings, four         heads, and eye covered wings. They are also engulfed in flame. 
    Cherubim: Linked to the Divines Glory and helpers to the gods. They are man like         in appearance with a two sets of wings, and two faces.
    Thrones: Angels of Humility, Peace, Submission, reside where materials take  shape.         They are often seen as huge spinning wheels with lots of eyes.
    Dominions: Angels of leadership, Let the lower levels know of the wishes of the         Divine beings. It is said they a speak fire.
    Virtues: Spirits of motion and control the elements and control of nature including         celestial bodies, and seasons. They are also in charge of miracles and provide         courage, grace, and valor.
    Powers: Warrior angels who are either good or bad creating chaos and destruction         or protecting humankind and the cosmos. The good look like humans and         the bad like leopards
    Archangels: Known as chief messengers to humankind during times of critical         danger or dark times. These angels have intimate knowledge of the divine         and continually praise them.
    Principalities: look like humans, but are angry with the deities and with humans for         hey are primarily evil.
    Angels: The last group of angels have no title and these are the ones who are closest         to the mundane world and take our messages to the divine. These are the         first to come when aid is asked for.

Totems
    Totems are animals, or animal spirits that manifest to aid the practitioner even in their work within a circle. Often they are animals that are native to the land the practitioner knows for example celtic Witches often use horses, bulls, stags, ravens, wolves, bears, and boars (just to name a few) in their work. These are completely up to the discretion of the witch or coven and can mean different things to different people. Take the snake, it can be thought of as a water element for it’s fluid like motions, or a fire element since most are found in hot climates. They can earth since that is what is near and dear to them or air for the distinct sound their hissing makes. One good rule of thumb is don’t use animals you know nothing about or that you have negative vibes from, fear is ok, I know very few people that would not be fearful if faced with a tiger but it still is a powerful totem that is used often.

Archtypes
    These are very common in covens especially ones with specific pantheons. The easiest example of this is a greek one. To cast the circle you could do it as such cast Zeus as Air, Poseidon as Water, Artemis as Earth, and Hephestos as Fire. When the god and goddess are called up could go on to use Diana as the Goddess and Helios as the God. This is just one of many combinations but it very important that with this example you didn’t use Zeus as air and as god since splitting the jobs of the deities can prove disastrous. When you call deities it is also important outline their reasons for being there, be specific.

Mighty Ones/Ancient Ones
    These spirits do not have names, but do favor one of the elements. They are humans who have transcended so far into the spiral that that hold ancient wisdom and knowledge from many an incarnation. They are guides to help us young ones along our paths.



Many Cultures, Many Quarters
    Buddhist
            When the buddha was born, a tremendous eight-petaled lotus         blossom rose from the Earth. Remarkably, the newborn Buddha stepped         into the lotus and turned to look to each of the eight directions (the         quarters and cross-quarters), and then he looked up and down. To begin his         life in balance, he oriented himself to the ten sacred directions.
    Celtic
            In the Gaelic Airts the Directions were associated with the path of         the Sun. The East was Airt, and its color was crimson of dawn. The south         was Deas, and its color was white light of noon. The west was Iar, and it’s         color was the gray-brown of dusk. The North was Tuath, and its color was         the black of midnight. The Children of the goddess Danu, the Tuatha de         Danamn, had four sacred cities with four sacred treasures. In the East were         Gorias and the Spear of Lugh. In the South were Finias and Nuada’s Sword         of Light. In the West were Murias and Dagda’s Cauldron. In the North were         Falias and Fal, the Stone of Destiny.
    Christian
            In Eden there were four rivers and four gates at the Four Directions,         and at each gate stood an Archangel. These Archangels are also present at         the four directions of the cross, and they are Raphael in the East, Michael in         the South, Gabriel in the West, and  Uriel in the North.
    Egyptian
            The God Horus had four sons who were born in the lotus blossom         of synthesis and center. Hawk-headed Qebhsnuf was the son of Air.         Jackal-headed Duamutef was the son of Fire. Human-headed Imsety was the         son of Water. Ape-headed Hâpi was the son of Earth.
    Greek
            It is well-known that the concept of the Four Elements undergirds         much of Greek philosophy. The mythology also repeats this pattern. The         Goddess Nemesis bore four sacred tools: a cup, an apple bough wand, a         wheel, and a sword. The four winds were known as Eurus of the East, Notus         of the South, Zephyrus of the West, and Boreas of the North.
    Hindu
            Before the beginning, at the time of creation, the God Brahma cast         his gaze to each of the Four Directions in preparation for his work. The         Tattvas, the primal qualities of nature in Hinduism, as symbolized by a         yellow square for Earth, a silver crescent for Water, a red triangle for Fire, a         blue Circle (Or Hexagram) for Air, and a black egg for spirit.
   

Japanese
        In Shinto, the “way of the gods” there are four powerful guardians at each of     the four directions. In the East stands Jikoku as a blue dragon. In the South stands     Komoku as a red bird. In the West stands Zocho as a white tiger. In the North     stands Bishamon as a black warrior. Collectively they are known as the Shi Tenno.
Judaic
        The Tetragrammaton, a sacred name of God, is four letters, YHVH. The     letter Yod corresponds to the Element of Fire. The letter He corresponds to the     Element fo Water. The letter Vav corresponds to the element of air. The second He     Corresponds to the Element of Earth. The missing vowels that would the give the     accurate pronunciation of this sacred name correspond to spirit. In it’s elaborate for,     wherein the Elements and Spirit give rise to all things, the Tetragammoaton     becomes the Shem he-meforash: the 72-syllable, 216-letter name of God.
Dineh (Navaho)
        The Dineh, what the Navaho call themselves, honor the Quarters in many     ways. One ritual of purification and integration involves “raising  the sky” on four     wands of shel, turquoise, black, and gold. The colors correspond to the aspects of     changing Woman who is White Shell Woman in the East, Turquoise woman in the     South, Salt Woman in the West and Spider Woman in the North.