In circle casting, the term deosil does not mean "clockwise", as on numerous websites and in books. It actually means "with the sun". Because of the tilt of the Earth, the sun in the Southern Hemisphere makes its journey from the East to the West via the North, as opposed to the South as it does in the Northern Hemisphere. The sun therefore moves in an anti-clockwise direction between sunrise and sunset. As the whole idea behind casting a circle is to move with the sun, using its strength and power, deosil in the Southern Hemisphere is therefore done in an anti-clockwise direction.

Likewise, the term widdershins does not refer to the "anti-clockwise" direction. It means "against the sun" and therefore, in the Southern Hemisphere, this is clockwise, representing the direction for banishing, winding down energies or even for darker workings.

Having said all this, the Temple of the Dark Moon acknowledges that there are times when casting a circle is actually performed widdershins. This depends greatly on the particular purpose of the ritual or the tradition the practitioner is following.

Elemental Direction

With Australia being such a large country surrounded by water, most Pagans tend to have differing elemental directions depending on where they live. The best advice the Temple of the Dark Moon can give to any newcomer to Paganism is to get out and observe your natural environment for yourself. As the Temple is based in Adelaide, South Australia, the following directions are used (which can also be attributed to people living in Western Australia):

• North = Fire. North of Adelaide is both the Equator and the Simpson Desert. Northly winds are hot and dry.
  
• West = Water. West of Adelaide is the Spencer Gulf and being part of the ocean, it is wet.
  
• South = Earth. South of Adelaide is the Antarctic. Southerly winds are cold.
  
• East = Air. The Sun rises in the East, similar to the Northern Hemisphere.

People living on the Eastern seaboard Australia, for example, might use the following Elemental Directions:

• North = Fire. This is similar to the above example as Australia is South of the Equator.
  
• West = Air. This direction is used because in Australia winds blow across the continent from the Indian Ocean.
  
• South = Earth. Similar to the above example associated with the Antarctic and it is the traditional opposite of Fire within a circle.
  
• East = Water. On the Eastern States, the Pacific Ocean is to the East.

For people living on the in the middle of Australia or indeed in the northern parts, the Temple of the Dark Moon, unfortunately, does not have any information to hand as to the most appropriate Elemental directions to us. The Temple again stresses the need to observe the natural environment and experiment - for this is the only way you can decide what works best for you. The Temple of the Dark Moon would be interested to receive any information from magickal practitioners in these parts of Australia in relation to this issue. Please email the Temple if you are able to assist in this matter.

If you are still confused or would like more information, John Michael Greer, in his book, "Circles of Power" (Llewellyn Publications, 1997) has written an interesting section on Elemental Directions which explains further various different points to take into consideration when casting a circle, depending on the type of magickal working you intend to do.

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