To plan for a Ritual, firstly decide on the occasion. There may be a celebratory Sabbat on the horizon, a Full Moon, where there is a good energy peak for active Spellwork, or you may simply feel like communing with the peace and beauty found within the Circle.

Before doing a Ritual, one must first gather the tools and props needed because once Circle has been cast, it should not be broken until closed. Items needed depends on the occasion, and usually includes Deity figurine/s, salt bowl, water dish, pentacle, bell, Wand, Athame, and Censor. Make sure you have matches, enough incense, Wine and Cakes, and that there is Water and Salt in their dishes.

Plenty of time is needed to organise a Ritual, for this is not something to be rushed. When the Altar is organised to your satisfaction, it is preferred that you take a cleansing shower. If this is not possible, then simply wash face and hands. This is an act of sanctity, of impressing upon the subconscious that an important event is about to happen.

Set yourself enough time for a meditation prior to casting Circle. This will ensure you have left the mundane world and all its cares. When doing this pre-Ritual meditation, step into your magical personality, know and feel yourself to be Priest or Priestess, and about to give due homage to what is Great. Leave behind all thoughts of what is to be done in your day-to-day world, there is no place for that here.

When you feel calm and ready, it is time for the Ritual to begin. There are many different methods of casting a Circle. Generally, the first step is to ring a Bell which clears the space within the Circle. Unwelcome energies will be directed to move away by this action. It is a good idea to always verbally state your intent, as the spoken word is more effective than thought alone.

The usual next step is to purify the Water and bless the Salt. Water needs to be cleansed because it has come from the day-to-day world (unless you are using rainwater) and therefore must become "pure". Salt does not need to be purified, since it is already in its symbolic pure Earth form. However, it does need to be blessed, which means directing its purpose for sacred use. The wording can be as elaborate, or as simple, as you wish. The Salt then needs to be poured into the Water, combining the two feminine Elements. The Circle can now be purified with this liquid, by walking anti-clockwise, sprinking it liberally.
Now we combine the two masculine Elements of Fire and Air. This can be achieved by the use of incense, since it actually consists of both! The appropriate type of incense can be chosen according to the purpose of the rite. For example, Patchouli is very aligned with the energies of Samhain. It takes a bit of research, but that is usually an enjoyable task. Of course, any incense will work, and you may have a preferred one of personal choice. I always use Frankincense and Myrrh because the scent triggers my consciousness that I am about to go into Priestess mode.

Try to keep the flow of the Ritual going. If you are using medieval type language with the words thee and thine, make sure you are using them in the right context. It is no use using flowery language if you have no idea what you are saying! Effective Ritual is needed here, not an elaborate play.
At this stage, the Circle can be cast by using an Athame, Wand, or even a pointed finger. This sets aside the boundary perimeter, so we know exactly where the Circle is.

Some say the Circle is akin to a large bubble, in which you can reach out from that boundary a little whilst still retaining the protective shield. Some say it is a defined limited area and impossible to adjust. The Circle actually represents the wholeness of our life. If we are working a Sabbat, that particular aspect of the cycle will be focused upon in our own physical life, as if the Circle is actually a magnifying glass. If there are personal issues which need attention, then there is nothing like working Ritual to bring it into focus in the physical world! You cannot hide your true nature from the Goddess.

What you try to hide, She will bring out for all the world to see. It is all spiritual progression in the long run, and by outwardly confronting these issues, they will be finally dealt with and therefore not be an issue any longer. Therefore, you must do serious and knowledgeable Ritual. This is definitely not something to fill in a bit of time or as a source of relieving boredom. Any Ego must be left behind in prior-Ritual consciousness, because within the Circle, you will not fool the Powers that Be! They know who you really are!

At this point, we now have the boundary of the Circle set aside and purified. It is customary now to invite the Guardians of the Elements to witness the Ritual, since they are the energies doing the work! They would be reluctant to act on our behalf if we don't invite them! For this reason too, when calling the Elements to attend the Ritual, always be respectful. Don't command them to come. These energies may be well controlled, but they can also wreck havoc. All Elements have very vibrant parts to their nature. Fire can be a gentle candle flame, but it can also be a raging bushfire. We definitely don't want to invoke that aspect into our lives. Be clear and defined as to what you are actually invoking.

Each Element has its own Quarter. There are many methods of placement, but generally in the Southern hemisphere, Fire is situated in the North, since that is where we see the Sun. Where to place the other three, is up to the Ritualist. Some people put Air to the East to signify the direction in which a new day begins, and this will also align beautifully with Spring. However, some place Air in the South which is where we get our cold winter winds from, and that would be appropriate as well. Generally, there is a sound magical reason for putting Air in the East, Fire in the North, Water to the West and Earth to the South. It is more than a staid tradition, it is a placement which works with insight into the attributes of each.

Each Element has its own invoking Pentagram. The starting point for an Air Pentagram could be from the right (since that is the direction it is in the Circle). If you do not know the exact invoking Pentagram, it doesn't really matter, as the Earth invocation works for them all.
The Goddess and God are then invited, and welcomed. They are to be addressed with the greatest respect, and do like an invitation with a personal touch. For example, when calling forth the Goddess, address her by name, and how She is important to you.

From this point, the Ritual proceeds to the major purpose of the working. This can be a pathworking, seasonal celebration, spell, or healing - whatever it is that you wish to achieve, and which should have been clearly decided upon prior to commencement.

Once the main working is over, it is generally time for Cake and Wine. The most basic motive for doing this, is to simply ground ourselves back to this consciousness after doing the magical or Ritual work. Blessing of the Wine with the Athame, in my eyes, is the most sacred part of the Ritual, which defines precisely the moment of creation in which male and female unite to become whole and greater than either.

After all, it is none other than this creative energy which we use to do effective Spellwork, whether we are aware of it or not.
The blessing of the Cake is an acknowledgement of being nurtured in the physical world and having all our needs met. Remember the libation - the sprinkling onto the ground of a portion of the Cake and Wine - along with silence and personal reflection by all within the Circle. What has come from the Earth shall return to the Earth. I cannot think of a more poignant way of symbolising this. After all, we ARE the Cake and Wine!
Now it is time to close Circle. Most people close by going into the opposite direction of casting. There is no hard and fast rule to all this. What matters is, what works, and what feels right.

Here, we thank the Elements for their attention, and ask that they return back to their non-Ritual state in peace and harmony. There are banishing Pentagrams which can be used, however to avoid confusion, it is always acceptable to use the Earth invoking Pentagram at all times.

The more Rituals you do, the more streamlined, refined and detailed they will become, and learning through experience is always the best way anyway. If you forget to close one Quarter, you might just find "they" will remind you in the most pointed manner. Prehaps for some reason, the Fire Element was not closed. Don't be surprised if Fire manifests in your physical world - it is simply their way of saying you forgot them! Their power is awesome, and definitely not something to be used in a flippant or immature manner.

Just before closing the Circle, it is good practice to direct any unwanted energies attracted to the Ritual, to go on their way, harming none. We may be doing inner work here, but these energies can manifest upon the outer, because really, there is no separation, and it is an illusion to believe otherwise.

The formal closing point of the Ritual should be one which is always used, because it will become a needed trigger that it is now time to step back into your normal day-to-day consciousness. Ritual focus is a little too fine-tuned to carry around outside of sacred space. Here, I like to define that the Ritual is finished, by putting the point of my Athame into the ground, saying in no uncertain words, that the Ritual is now over, which impresses on my mind that from this point, I am reverting to my "other" self!

One more thing I would like mention, is that we must ground out thoroughly after the Ritual is completed, because excess energies may still be hovering within and around you, therefore being like a magnet attracting more of the same. This sounds like it would be a powerful thing, but it isn't, because it tends to highlight chaotic aspects of our nature, rather than the serene and spiritual. Remember though, that those chaotic aspects only come up as a spiritual Initiatory testing ground, to see what you are made of. It is one thing to say we want to become more potent and spiritually advanced, but when it manifests on the physical, it can cause all hell to break loose, which most of us try to avoid at the best of times!

You can ground out and verbally direct that energy to a cause, which actually, is Spellwork in its purest form.

If you use this energy wisely, it will enhance your life, raise your Spirit and touch your heart. It is all a matter of wisdom, but then, we are the Craft of the Wise!