Pagan Information Question #8 Why a Circle?

Question

What many non-pagans want to know is why do many of us have to cast a circle everytime that we wish to do one of our rituals? Why not just have a church or a specific "sacred" place that we use ALL the time? They have noticed that we seldom use the same place everytime we worship and are curious as to why?

I know that there are many types of circles and they are ALL sacred spaces BUT they do not understand our need for this and this is one question that I have been asked numerous times by non-pagans. Please be as specific as possible.

Brightest Blessings,
Raji the Green Witch

8-Track, you're a bad boy *taking away your 8-track player for a week* LOL

Raji

Answer 1

Because a dodecahedron is too hard.
*kidding*
The purpose is said to be creating a place outside of the mundane world and a time outside of time. It is meant to remove you from the worries of your day and allow you better focus. For some people it also keeps negativity away and keeps your intent pure. I prefer the Druid saying while casting a circle, "This ground has always been sacred, only tonight we recognize it is so,"
Too true.

Answer 2

We cast circles like you said to make the space sacred, but also to keep negative things out while we perform our rituals. And in the event that we are casting a spell, the circle keeps the energies of the spell in and contained until we have raised enough power for them to be released and go to make a difference (if they are able) in the world.

My only reasoning that there is no "church" or such designated sacred place is because that not everyone would feel comfortable and/or not be able to focus on their rituals. Besides, can you imagine what some people who don't understand Paganism would do to those sacred places?

Answer 3

Raji,

I don't ever cast a circle. I just don't need one; I never have.

My magic and ritual is spontaneous and creative and the act of casting a circle takes away from that. The whole idea that a person needs to cast a circle to create a sacred and safe place for ritual is a ludicrous concept at best. Anyone who truly understands the way energy works also understands that a person is as energetically safe as they believe they are and a ritual space is as pure and sacred as one chooses for it to be. We create our own reality and we also decide whether we want to invite fear into our ritual by convincing ourselves that we must cast a circle first. Everyone is of course entitled to do what feels right to them, but I have a hard time understand why such powerful beings willing make themselves slaves to a ceremonial practice that actually takes away their power.

This is an excellent question! Thanks for asking it.

Blessings,

Vitamin

Answer 4

Actually, some neopagans do have a "permanent" place for ritual, whether it's a private altar in the home or a place for group ceremonies indoors or outdoors. But yes, even then the motions of creating a circle are still done.

The act of ritualistically establishing a start and end to a ceremony, or of establishing a place as "sacred", is actually quite universal in religion. Even at a service in a Christian church, there is an established start and end, and other indications that you're temporarily but purposely setting yourself apart from the "mundane" world. That's just how religious ceremony works.

Answer 5

In Hellenismos we do not always have to "cast a circle". Some of us have alters and/or shrines that we use on a regular basis.

For public rituals we do purify the sacred space, but for a space that is used regularly for worship we do not always have to do this. Also we recognize that there is really no profane place but that it is the people who would be bringing the miasma with them.

The reason for "creating" sacred space is more so that we can get into the proper mental framework for worship rather than a need for the SPACE itself to be made "holier" than it was before.

Answer 6

Great question!

The reason for the circle is to help mantain, as well as keep in our magical workings before they are ready to be sent to the earth to do their work.

It also helps one focus energy. Keeps out any energy that we dont want in there as well as keep in the energy we do want.

We do have a sacred place. Sometimes it's not very eazy to use do to others being there, sometimes they aren't acessable. Why not a chuch, well thats a christian or a secular space. Some religions belong in a church or temple. Our faith is based on the worship of Mother Earth. And Goddesses/Gods who rule those areas. So to go inside somewhere to worship would be like walking away from our place of worship.

Answer 7

I'm Heathen, we don't do "sacred circles" to do our rituals. We don't separate ourselves from this reality to another as many pagan/Wiccan circles do. We ask for blessings from the land wights and sometimes catch their attention by doing a Hammer Signing (Invoking a Thor's Hammer) at each direction but we don't consider it a boundary.

We give honor to the earth wherever we are and always to try to leave the place better than how we found it.

The circle is one area where Heathenism is different than a lot of pagan paths and Wicca.

Answer 8

I don't really cast a circle, at least not in the sense of separating the ritual reality from physical reality. Rather, it A) helps me get into the right state of consciousness for ritual, and B) is a process of inviting and greeting the various powers that be.

Answer 9

The ritual circle is cast for protection.Like Christians say the church is holy and bad things cant set foot on the ground.

Answer 10

Well, thing is - not all us pagans DO need a circle or space or chruch or what have you to do what we do. Some of us just do those things wherever we are, without any sort of tools, formal ritual, or creation of sacred space.

Each is individual, and has their own way of doing things. Personally, I find all that effort to be a waste of my time and enery, so I just get on with what needs doing and then get on with my day.