Unlike many witchcraft traditions that call the Four Directions (North, East, South, West) when casting the circle, in our practice of Old Ways Witchery, it is the Three Realms (Land, Sea and Sky) that are called forth. Each of the three realms are associated with an animal that lends it’s energy to that realm for the duration of the circle. Land is associated with the Stag, Sea is linked to the Salmon, and Sky is associated with the Owl. The realms of land, sea and sky, along with these animals, are frequently represented throughout Celtic lore. In this article, we will explore each of these and why they are important to our practice.

Land and the Stag

The realm of land is the realm of the material world. It is the realm of living and working. It is the realm of finances and food, of existing on the earthly plane. It is the realm of flowers and plants, of trees, mountains and forests. The land is represented by the stag. When we cast the circle, we stand facing the north and say, “We call upon the Spirit of the Great Stag who dwells in the forest, and we ask for the blessing of the Land”. The Great Stag is the guardian of the forest and all that dwell within it. Associated with the Celtic antlered god Cernunnos, he is pictured as a man with large antlers on his head as he roams among the trees. The antlers of the stag are compared to tree branches. When the moon is viewed between the antlers of a stag, it is a blending of active and receptive energies. Celtic lore tells us that the stag is a creature that walks between the worlds.

Sea and the Salmon

The realm of sea is the realm of emotion. It is the realm of adaptability and change. It can be calm one moment and rough the next. It can be boiling hot or freezing cold. It can both sustain life, or drown it. It is a powerful force, difficult to control. The sea is represented by the salmon. When we cast the circle, we stand facing the west and say, “We call upon the Salmon of Wisdom who dwells in the sacred waters, and we ask for the blessing of the Sea”. Salmon live in both freshwater and saltwater. They swim upstream, following a familiar scent that leads them back to the location of their birth, where they reproduce. For this reason, they are associated with persistence, strength and determination.In an ancient Welsh tale, the salmon assists Arthur in finding the lost child Mabon and returning him to his mother.

Sky and the Owl

The realm of sky is the realm of thought. It is the realm of intuition and psychic ability. It is the realm of creativity and wisdom. The sky is represented by the owl. The owl has long been associated with witches and witchcraft. Because it is a nocturnal animal with keen eyesight, magical lore tell us it has the ability to “see the unseen”. It can observe without being observed and it’s flight is completely silent. The owl is primarily a creature of the night, and can be called upon to reveal that which is hidden or kept secret. There are over 200 species of owls, and they can be found on every continent except Antarctica. A Gaelic name for owl is “Cailleach-oidhche”, meaning “crone of the night”. When we cast the circle, we stand facing the east and say, “We call upon the Spirit of the Owl who dwells in the hidden realms and sees the unseen, and we ask for the blessing of the Sky”.

In our practice of Old Ways Witchery, the Stag, the Salmon and the Owl are called upon at the beginning and end of every ritual, to evoke and give thanks for the blessings of the Land, the Sea and the Sky. These are perfectly illustrated in the Celtic triskele symbol.

Some may notice the absence of fire in these evocations, and there is a reason. We carry the fire within us. We bring our own passion, our own life force, our own inner flame to the ritual. There is an old Welsh word, NWYFRE, that means “Life Force Energy”, and this energy is represented by the Dragon. This ‘dragon energy’ exists within all of us.