Sacred Circle Garden, Valley Spirit Center, Red Bluff, California (original) (raw)
Valley Spirit Center, Red Bluff, California
Created by
Mike and Karen Garofalo
Quotations Links Bibliography Notes
Valley Spirit Center, Gushen Grove, Sacred Circle, Photo History
[Gushen Grove Correspondences](#Gushen Grove Associations)
The Ways of Walking Gardens and Spirituality Neo-Paganism
Walking in a Sacred Circle Garden Ritual Practice
Ritual Calling the Quarters: Creating a Magical Protective Circle
| Gushen Grove Sacred Circle Garden at the Valley Spirit Center Red Bluff, California Constructed by Mike and Karen Garofalo Construction began in July, 2006. The word "Gushen" or "Gu Shen" 谷神 is a phrase from the Chinese book by Lao Tze,The Tao Te Ching (Chapter 6) and it means the "Valley Spirit" - The Dark, Fertile, Empty, and Fathomless Ground of Beings, The Ever Giving Mysterious Mother of Life. Our nemeton (sacred circle) is in the center of the North Sacramento Valley, south of Red Bluff, California. Notes about the Sacred Circle, Gushen Grove, at the Valley Spirit Center | |
|---|---|
 August, 2006 Looking towards the northeast quadrant. The ground was uneven in this area in our back yard. |
 September, 2006 Looking towards the northeast. Mike Garofalo digging hole for cross quarter post. |
 September, 2006 Looking towards the north. Relaxing in the evening. Setting the construction plan in my mind. |
 September, 2006 Looking towards the northwest. Karen Garofalo repainting the South Red Pole. |
 October, 2006 Looking towards the southeast. Planting Begins. The entrance to the inner circle is from the northwest side. Some trees have been planted in the inner circle. The ground has been leveled by adding clay soil. |
 February, 2007 Looking towards the west quadrant. 12 of 17 posts for the 5th outer circle are in place. Mike holds a level and a square. The blue post marks the western direction. Dirt is being added to the southern part of 3rd and 4th circles. |
 February, 2008 Looking towards the east quadrant. 12 of 17 posts for the 5th outer circle are in place. Karen with her arms outstretched. The yellow post marks the eastern direction. We have added many rocks inside the 2nd circle. The 1st circle, a brick fireplace, is being constructed. |
 April, 2007 Looking towards the southwest quadrant. Karen enjoying the beautiful Spring day. In the background are willows and Leylandi cypress trees. We keep the weeds and grasses out of the inside of the third circle. All posts have all been cut to their final height. |
 May, 2007 Looking toward the south quadrant. Mike is working on the installation of water lines and electrical lines into the Sacred Circle. We will have drip lines in the third circle, and use both drip lines and hoses in the fifth circle for watering. The cypress plants are about 3 feet tall. |
 August, 2007 Looking towards the southeast quadrant. Mike is working on the fire pit in the center of the sacred circle. Our dog, Rowdy, joins in the action and fun. To the right of Rowdy is the large blue bowl that the represents the "sacred well," and the Powers of Water. in the East. Behind and to the right of Mike is a painted sculpture of the Green Man on a light green pole. The entrance behind the Green Man now has a covered doorway. The bricks in the second and third circle have all been set in place. |
 October, 2007 Looking towards the southeast quadrant. A wire fence has been put in place around the outside of the circle to support the vertical growth of vines. All potted trees, shrubs, and bulbs are ready for autumn planting in the outer circle. Entrance doors have been covered. Walkways have all been laid out with bricks. |
 October, 2007 Looking towards the northeast quadrant. The Raywood Ash trees are starting to show a bit of their reddish autumn color. The brown fence of the vegetable and herb garden is to the right. |
 April, 2008 Looking towards the northwest. Planting of vines and shrubs in the outer circle is complete. |
 April, 2008 Looking towards the southeast We painted the sculpture of the Green Man. When the fields behind the Green Man are green, then it is Springtime. |
 August, 2009 Looking towards the northwest What do you think of our colorful Gate to the Circle Garden? The growth of the plants nearly hides the colored posts. |
 August, 2009 Looking towards the north One of the olive trees and three of the Leylandi cypress trees (to the left) have grown from 2 feet tall to 10 feet tall in 3 years. The circular path between the inner and outer circle is on clay soil. To the right are fruit trees, lavenders, and grape vines. |
 August, 2009 Looking to the northwest. This part of the outer circle is planted with grapes, pomegranates, roses, rosemary, squash, and peaches. Summertime growth is luxuriant. |
 August, 2009 Looking to the northeast. This part of the outer circle is planted with grapes, squash, oaks, roses, figs, and an apple tree. Crabgrass and other weeds also flourish. The background includes bay laurel, figs, lemons, and bottlebrush. |
 August, 2009 Looking towards the north. The vines on the outer circle fence are now over 5 feet tall. The background includes bay laurel, figs, oranges, and cottonwoods. |
 August, 2009 Looking towards the north. About 15 feet from the south edge of the sacred circle is a small pond. This pond is fed by a solar DC pump in a 125 foot well in the field to the south. Water is pumped out of this holding pond to other locations for irrigation. You can see the red pole of the sacred circle behind the pond. |
 August, 2010 Looking towards the northeast. Note the new green pole - 12" high in the North. Bottlebrush were killed in winter frosts; planted junipers. |
 September 2011 Looking towards the West Blue Pole Mabon: Autumn Equinox Added more stones from Trinity Lake |
 September 2011 Looking towards the Northwest Exit Path Mabon: Autumn Equinox Crone sculpture |
 September 2011 Looking towards the North Green Pole Mabon: Autumn Equinox The Oak and Cypress trees are quite tall now. |
Notes about the Sacred Circle at the Valley Spirit Center
| Gushen Grove Sacred Circle Garden at the Valley Spirit Center Red Bluff, California Chart of Associations, Attributions, Elementals, Spirits, and Symbolism Eastern and Western Magicks Gushen Grove Sacred Circle Garden Photographs Classical Five Elements Theory | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Spirit Sacred Circle Symbolism | Eastern Cosmos Trigrams | Five Elements 五行 Wǔx�ng | Western Cosmos Magick | Daily Cycle Human Age |
| North Green Earth Winter Body Oaks | K'un Earth North Winter  土 |
Earth Center Yellow Dragon Spleen, Smell Mother Valley Spirit | Body, Flesh, Beings Sensations Touch Earth, Soil, Stone Birth and Death Night New Moon Pentacle, Coins North Winter Trees and Shrubs Salt Oak Trees | Midnight 12 am - 3 am Conception to Birth to 10 Years Old: Babies, Childhood, and 90-100+ Years Old Birth and Death |
| Northeast Lime Green Cypresses | Chen Thunder  |
Wood East Blue Dragon Liver, Sight Oldest Brother | Early Morning Sunrise 3am - 6am 10 to 20 Years Old | |
| East Yellow Air Spring Mind Spirit Olives | Li Fire Spring East  火 |
Fire South Red Phoenix Heart, Sound Second Son | Mind Thinking Air Smell Metal, Swords Childhood and Youth Dawn Crescent Moon Spring East Incense, Bells Olives, Aspens | Morning 6am - 9am 20 to 30 Years Old Young Adults |
| Southeast Orange Bottlebrush | Tui Lake Valley Irrigated Field  |
Metal, Lake West White Tiger Lung, Taste First Son | Mid-Morning 9am - 12pm 30 to 40 Years Old | |
| South Red Fire Summer Will Action Bay Laurel | Chien Heaven South Summer  |
Metal, Sky West White Tiger Lung, Taste Father | Will, Spirit Intuition Wood Fire Sight South Adult and Middle Age Midday Summer Full Moon Staff, Stave Red Candle Almonds Walnuts | Noon 12 pm - 3pm 40 to 50 Years Old |
| Southwest Purple Redwoods | Sun Wind  |
Wood East Blue Dragon Liver, Sight Oldest Sister | Afternoon 3pm - 6 pm 50 to 60 Years Old | |
| West Blue Water Autumn Emotions | K'an Water West Autumn  水 |
Water North Black Tortoise Kidney, Touch Second Daughter | Emotions, Blood Feelings Water, Cups Taste Middle and Old Age Evening Waning Moon West Autumn Cauldron, Chalice Willows, Laurels | Late Afternoon Sunset 6 pm - 9pm 60 to 70 Years Old Wise Elders |
| Inner Entrance | ||||
| Northwest Turquoise Liquid Ambers | Ken Mountain  |
Earth Center Yellow Dragon Spleen. Smell First Daughter | Evening 9pm - 12 pm 70 to 80+ Years Old Wise Elders | |
| Center White | Tai Chi Grant Ultimate | Wholeness Harmony Interdependence Individual Self Circle Web White - All Colors | ||
****| Months and Seasons Quotes, Poems, Sayings, Verses, Lore, Myths, Holidays Celebrations, Folklore, Reading, Links, Quotations Information, Weather, Gardening Chores Compiled by Mike Garofalo | | | |** | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Winter | Spring | Summer | Fall | | January | April | July | October | | February | May | August | November | | March | June | September | December |
| Gushen Grove Sacred Circle Garden at the Valley Spirit Center Red Bluff, California Chart of Associations, Attributions, Elementals, Spirits, and Symbolism Research by the Librarian ofGushen Grove Red Bluff, California | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Spirit Sacred Circle Symbolism | Western Cosmos Magick | Daily Cycle Human Age | Annual Cycle Neo-Pagan and Secular Holidays Liturgical Rites | Deities Spirits Ancients Elementals |
| North Green Earth Winter Body Oaks | Body, Flesh, Beings Sensations Touch Secrecy and Darkness Earth, Soil, Stone Birth and Death Night New Moon Pentacle, Coins North North Star, Big Dipper Winter Trees and Shrubs Salt Green Candle Oak Trees | Midnight 12 am - 3 am Conception to Birth to 10 Years Old: Babies, Childhood, and 90-100+ Years Old Birth and Death | December 21st - March 19th Yule New Year Christmas | Goddess Mother Ceres Demeter Hera Gaea, Rhea Dionysos Great Bear of Night Pan Watcher of the North Formalhaut Gnomes Earth Elemental Uriel Archangel |
| Northeast Lime Green Cypresses | Early Morning Sunrise 3am - 6am 10 to 20 Years Old | February 2nd - March19th Imbolc Chinese New Year Midwinter | ||
| East Yellow Air Spring Mind Spirit Olives | Mind Thinking Air Smell Metal, Swords Childhood and Youth Dawn Crescent Moon Spring East Knife, Athame Incense, Bells Yellow Candle Olives, Aspens | Morning 6am - 9am 20 to 30 Years Old Young Adults | March 20th - June 20th Spring Equinox, Ostara,Eostre Memorial Day | Son Aradia Athena Minerva Hermes Hawk of Dawn Watcher of the East Aldebaran Zeus Sylphs Air Elemental Raphael Archangel |
| Southeast Orange Junipers | Mid-Morning 9am - 12pm 30 to 40 Years Old | May 1st - June 20th Beltane Walpurgis Night Beginning of Summer Season | ||
| South Red Fire Summer Will Action Bay Laurel | Will, Spirit Intuition Wood Fire Sight South Adult and Middle Age Midday Summer Full Moon Staff, Stave Magic Wand Red Candle Almonds Walnuts | Noon 12 pm - 3pm 40 to 50 Years Old | June 21st - September 21st Summer Solstice Lithia Labor Day Midsummer | Father Hestia Vesta Hades Horus Vulcan Stag of Noon Watcher of the South Regulus Salamanders Fire Elemental Michael Archangel |
| Southwest Purple Redwoods | Afternoon 3pm - 6 pm 50 to 60 Years Old | L August 1st - September 21st First Harvest Festival, Mid-Summer Harvest Festival, Lughnasadh, Lammas Lithia Labor Day | ||
| West Blue Water Autumn Emotions Evergreen Shrubs | Emotions, Blood Feelings Water, Cups Taste Middle and Old Age Evening Waning Moon West Autumn Cauldron, Chalice Blue Candle Willows, Laurels | Late Afternoon Sunset 6 pm - 9pm 60 to 70 Years Old Wise Elders | September 22nd - December 20th Autumnal Equinox Mabon | Daughter Aphrodite Poseidon Nestis, Persephone Watcher of the West Antares Salmon of Dusk Neptune Undines, Ondine Water Elemental Gabriel Archangel |
| Northwest Turquoise Liquid Ambers | Evening 9pm - 12 pm 70 to 80+ Years Old Wise Elders | October 31st - December 20th Halloween Samhain Thanksgiving Beginning of Winter Season | ||
| Center White | Center of Circle Wholeness Harmony Interdependence Individual Self Web White Candle White - All Colors | Year Annual Cycle A Human Life Cosmos Now, Present, Eternal Now | Human Being Human Consciousness Sentient Being Ego, Self | |
| Vertical Axis | Infinity Universe Nine Worlds | World Tree Yggdrasil | ||
Note: The above table is being regularly updated at: Calling the Quarters. Every so often I copy the current work from that webpage onto this webpage.
Bibliography and Internet Links Sacred Circle, Medicine Wheel, Four Elements, Bagua, Sacred Spheres, Pagan Circles, Circular Mandalas, Circle Symbolism and Myth, Magick Circle, Henge, Labyrinth, Nemeton, Sacred Grove
Alchemy Website. By Adam McLean. "Over 90 megabytes online of information on alchemy in all its facets. Divided into over 1300 sections and providing tens of thousands of pages of text, over 2000 images, over 200 complete alchemical texts, extensive bibliographical material on the printed books and manuscripts, numerous articles, introductory and general reference material on alchemy."
Ancient Ways: Reclaiming Pagan Traditions. By Pauline Campanelli and Dan Campanelli. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Pubs., 1991. 256 pages. VSCL.
The Art of Ritual: A Guide to Creating and Performing Your Own Ceremonies for Growth and Change. By Renee Beck and Sydney Barbara Metrick . Berkeley, California, Celestial Arts, 1990.146 pages. ISBN: 0890875820. VSCL.
Bagua Chang (Circle Walking Internal Martial Art)
Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux. By Black Elk as told to John Gneisenau Neihardt. University of Nebraska Press, 2000. 21 Century Edition. 230 pages. ISBN: 0803261705. VSCL.
Casting a Sacred Circle Ritual 81Kb. By George Knowles.
Casting the Sacred Circle, by Silver Wolfe. 53Kb.
Casting a Magical Sacred Circle Calling the Quarters, Four Quadrants Magical Protection
Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon. Lore, Rituals, Activities, and Symbols. By Ashleen O'Gaea. Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, New Page Books, 2005. Bibliography, index, 219 pages. ISBN: 1564147320. A good study of four spring and summer Celebrations in the Wiccan-NeoPagan year. Rich in details and ideas. VSCL.
Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Samhain to Ostara. Lore, Rituals, Activities, and Symbls. By Ashleen O'Gaea. Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, New Page Books, 2004. Bibliography, index, 221 pages. ISBN: 1564147312. A good study of four autumn and winter Celebrations in the Wiccan-NeoPagan year. VSCL.
Church of the Sacred CircleUtah
Ceremonial Circles: Practice, Ritual, and Renewal for Personal and Community Healing. By Sedonia Cahill and Joshua Halpern. Harper San Francisco, 1992. 199 pages. ISBN: 0062501542. VSCL.
Circle Casting and Sacred Space. By George Knowles.
Circle Casting Ceremonies - Instructions
The Circle: Paradox and Paradigm. By Reza Sarhangi and Bruce D. Martin.
The Circle, the Wheel of Fortune, and the Rose Window. Geometry in Art and Architecture.
Circles, Groves and Sanctuaries: Sacred Spaces of Today's Pagans. Compiled by Dan and Pauline Campanelli. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Publications, 1993. Resources, 268 pages. ISBN: 0875421083. Ideas for creating indoor and outdoor altars and sanctuaries. VSCL.
Creating Circles and Ceremonies: Rituals for all Seasons and Reasons. By Oberon Zell-Ravenheart and Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart. Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, New Page Books, 2006. Appendices, glossary, index, 288 pages. ISBN: 1564148645. VSCL.
Dancing With the Wheel: The Medicine Wheel Workbook. By Sun Bear, Wabun Wind, and Crysalis Mulligan. New York, Fireside, Simon and Schuster, 1991. Index, 234 pages. ISBN: 0671767321. VSCL.
Dharmacakra - WikipediaBuddhist Wheel Symbol
Earth, Air, Fire and Water: More Techniques of Natural Magic. By Scott Cunningham. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Pubs., 1994. Index, 223 pages. ISBN: 0875421318. VSCL.
Earth Mysteries: Megaliths, Mounds, Stone Circles, and Sacred Sites
The Earth Path: Grounding Your Spirit in the Rhythms of Nature. By Starhawk. Harper San Francisco, 2004. 256p. ISBN: 0060000929.
Eight Trigrams of the Chinese "I Ching" (Book of Changes)
Elementals Within a Sacred Circle
Fairy Circles, Fairy Rings, Land Spirits, Wights, Elves and Trolls
The First Labyrinths. By Jeff Seward.
The Four Elements: Bibliography, Links, Quotes, Resources, Notes. By Mike Garofalo.
The Four Sacred Seasons. By G. de Purucker.
Fuller, Richard Buckminster 1895-1983). Quotations
Garden Retreats: Creating an Outdoor Sanctuary. By Barbara Blossom Ashmun. Photography by Allan Mandell. Chronicle Books, 2000. 160 pages. ISBN: 0811825000.
Gilgal RefaimCircle of the Giants, Golan Heights, Israel
A Great CircleInternet magazine for Circle Dancers
Green Paths in the Valley Blog
The Green Wizard: Bibliography, Links, Resources, Quotes. By Michael Garofalo. 135Kb.
Green Witchcraft: Folk Magic, Fairy Lore, and Herb Craft. By Ann Moura (Aoumiel). St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Publications, 1996. Index, appendices, bibliography, 274 pages.
ISBN: 1567186904. An good introductory text on the way of the old religion. Insightful observations on the history of religon by a historian. All aspects of the Green Craft are covered: philosophy, magick, rituals, seasonal celebrations, folk lore, herbals, craft tools, etc. For Aoumiel, the Green Craft involves pantheism, polytheism, reverence for nature, non-dogmatic beliefs and practices, home arts, and mostly solitary practice. VSCL.
Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard. By Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. Ranklin Lakes, NJ, New Page Books, 2004. Index, 370 pages. ISBN: 1564147118. A detailed and practical instructional manual on the way to become a wizard. Intended for a young reader but useful to anyone. An excellent reference tool. VSCL.
Grimoire for the Green Witch: A Complete Book of Shadows. By An Moura. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Pubs., 2003. 304 pages. ISBN: 0738702870.
Harmonic World music by David Hykes
Home Sanctuary: Practical Ways to Create a Spiritually Fulfilling Environment. By Nicole Marcelis. McGraw Hill, Contemporary Books, 2000. 272 pages. ISBN: 0809224895.
The Labyrinth: Bibliography, Links, Resources, Quotes. By Michael Garofalo.
The Mandala: Sacred Circle in Tibetan Buddhism. By Martin Brauen. Boston: Shambhala, 1997. 151 pages. ISBN 1570622965. Information
Magic Circle - Power of the Circle
The Magician's Companion. A Practical and Encyclopedic Guide to Magical and Religious Symbolism. By Bill Witcomb. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Pubs., 1993. Appendices, resources, 577 pages. ISBN: 0875428681. VSCL.
Medicine Wheel. Mark Dodich.
Medicine Wheel Teachings of Native Americans
Native American Medicine Wheel
Nature Spirits: Fairies, Elves, Wights, Elementals
Nemeton: Ancient Celtic Sacred Groves
Neo-Pagan Sacred Art and Altars: Making Things Whole. By Sabina Magliocco. University Press of Mississippi, 2002. 92 pages. ISBN: 1578063914.
One Old Druid's Final Journey: The Notebooks of the Librarian of Gushen Grove
Pagan Spirituality: A Guide to Personal Transformation. Joyce and River Higginbotham. Woodbury, Minnesota, Llewellyn, 2006. Bibliography, index, 259 pages. ISBN: 0738705748. VSCL.
Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions. Joyce and River Higginbotham. Woodbury, Minnesota, Llewellyn, 2004. Bibliography, index, 272 pages. ISBN: 0738702226.
Pa Kua Chang (Circle Walking Internal Martial Art)
Qigong (Chi Kung), Daoyin, Chinese Taoist Health Practices
The Reclaiming Spiral Dance Ray Price
The Sabbats: A New Approach to Living the Old Ways. By Edain McCoy. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Pubs., 1994. Index, 255 pages. ISBN: 1567186637. Practical suggestions for celebrating the pagan holidays in the Wheel of the Year.
Sacred Circle. Bev Doolittle. Art, video, rituals, information.
Sacred Circle CosmosLorena K. Loo.
Sacred Circle DanceTennessee
Sacred Circle Dance: The Roots of the Dance
Sacred Circle, Sacred Sphere: Mapping Consciousness with Seven Directions. By Selena Fox. 21Kb. The seven Sacred Dimensions are North, South, East, West, Up, Down,
Sacred Circles. By Barry Stevens.
Sacred Circles: A Guide To Creating Your Own Women's Spirituality Group. By Robin Deen Carnes and Sally Craig.
Sacred Circles and Spheres: Bibliography, Links, Quotes, Resources, Notes. By Michael Garofalo. 101Kb.
Sacred Circles Institute. Mukilteo, Washington. David Thomson, PhD and Mattie Davis-Wolve, RN, MA.
Sacred Circles: Wisdom, Healing and Honoring. Turtle Island Healing Circles.
Sacred Geometry. By Charles R. Henry. Explorations of spheres and light sources.
Sacred Geometry. By Miranda Lundy. Wooden Books, Walker and Company, 2001. 64 pages. ISBN: 0802713823.
Sacred Geometry: Philosophy and Practice. By Robert Lawlor. Thames and Hudson, 1989. ISBN: 0500810303.
Sacred Geometry: Quintessential Guide to Sacred Geometry
Sacred Groves of the Ancient World
Sacred Groves - Monarch Bear Insititue, California
Sacred Sites: Places of Peace and Power
The Sacred Sphere: Exploring Sacred Concepts and Cosmic Consciousness through Universal Symbolism. By Paul D. Burley. Published by Beaver's Pond Press, 2012. "My journey leading to writing the book began with discovery in 2003 of a Native American medicine wheel in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming, but at an elevation of about 1000 feet higher that Big Horn Medicine Wheel that you are familiar, and higher than any other previously documented medicine wheel. That discovery led to discovering that the largest sacred symbol ever constructed - a prehistoric perfectly formed sacred hoop with a diameter of 550 miles - was constructed across the Northern Great Plains, parts of which can still be seen today. This was the seed for the book describing the fact that all sacred circular symbols from all cultures across the world, and throughout time, are 2-dimensional facets of a very specific spherical geometry I refer to as the Sacred Sphere. I believe you will discover the book to be quite enlightening while also providing substantial support to many of the references listed on your website page noted above. Interest in the book continues developing around the world since publication in September 2011, and requests for interviews and presentations on the topic continues to build. Interested parties range from Native American tribes to the academic community. My main interest is to make you aware of the book as a valuable source of information concerning sacred circles and the sacred sphere in cultures throughout time, and as a reference for understanding the universal nature of the geometry there are associated. Indeed, it appears that unique spherical structure may represent the shape of the universe itself, as well as the structure of all energy throughout the universe, and as such, of you and me as well." - Email from Paul D. Burley on 10/21/2012.
Sacred Woods and the Lore of Trees Very interesting presentations about the historical uses, lore, and magical properties of many types of trees.
Search Terms: Stone Circles, Sacred Circles, Dolmens, Menhirs, Barrows, Burial Mounds, Medicine Wheel, Sacred Hoops, Wheel, Sacred Wheel, Rings, Crop Circles, Henge, Magick Circles,
Secrets of Sacred Space. By Chuck Pettis. St. Paul, Minnesora, Llewellyn, 1999.
Shamanic CirclesPractices, directories, events, resources, information.
Shamanic Experience: A Practical Guide to Contemporary Shamanism. By Kenneth Meadows. Shaftesbury, Dorset, England, Element Books, 1991. Glossary, bibliography, resources, index
196 pages. ISBN: 1852302267. VSCL.
Solitary Witch: The Ultimate Book of Shadows for the New Generation. By Silver Ravenwolf. St. Paul, Minnesota, 2005. Notes, bibliography, appendices, 590 pages. ISBN: 0738703192. VSCL.
The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess. Rituals, invocations, exercises, and magic. By Starhawk. 10th Anniversary Edition, Revised and updated. Bibliography, index, 288 pages. ISBN: 0062508148. A very influential work on Goddess worship and pagan religious practices. VSCL.
The Spirit of Place: A Workbook for Sacred Alignment. Ceremonies and Visualizations for Cultivating Your Relationship with the Earth. By Loren Cruden. Rochester, Vermont, Destiny Books, 1995. Glossary, 224 pages. ISBN: 0892815116.
Stone Circle Database for United Kingdom
Stone Circles: A Modern Builder's Guide to the Megalithic Revival. By Rob Roy. White River Junction, Vermont, Chelsea Green, 1999.
Sun Bear Medicine Wheel Diagram
Tensegrity Sphere by Jim Leftwich
Touchstone Farm and Yoga Center
Turtle Island Healing Circles Jacob Unger
United Communities of Spirit: A Global Interfaith Initiative
Valley Spirit (Gu Shen) Concept
Valley Spirit CenterRed Bluff, California
Valley Spirit Center Sacred Circle
VSCL = Valley Spirit Center Library, Red Bluff, California.
The Way of Four. By Deborah Lipp. Llewellyn, 2004. 336p. ISBN: 0738705411.
Way of the Shaman. By Michael Harner. Harper San Francisco, 1990. 208 pages. ISBN: 0062503731. VSCL.
Ways of the Strega. Italian Witchcraft: Its Lore, Magick and Spells. By Raven Grimassi. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Pubs., 1995. Index, 285 pages. ISBN: 1567182534. VSCL.
Wheel of the Year: Living the Magical Life. By Pauline Campanelli. Illustrated by Dan Campanelli. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Publications, 1989, 1993. ISBN: 0875420915. VSCL.
The Wheel of Time Sand Mandala. By Barry Bryant. A visual scripture of Tibetan Buddhism. Harper San Francisco, 1995. 271 pages. ISBN: 0062500880.
Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner. By Scott Cunningham. Llewellyn's Practical Magick Series. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Publications, 1994. Index, bibliography, glossary, 218 pages. ISBN: 0875421180. A very good introduction to the Craft by an open-minded person. VSCL.
The Wisdom of the Elements: The Sacred Wheel of Earth, Air, Fire and Water. By Margie McArthur. Crossing Press, 1998. 176 p. ISBN: 0895949369. An excellent resource! VSCL.
Quotations Sacred Circle, Medicine Wheels, Four Elements, Bagua, Sacred Spheres, Pagan Circles, Circular Mandalas, Circle Symbolism and Myth, Henge, Magick Circle, Labyrinth, Neo-Pagan Circles
"When I began drawing the mandalas ... I saw that everything, all the paths I had been following, all the steps I had taken, were leading back to a single point - namely, to the mid-point. It became increasingly plain to me that the mandala is the center. It is the exponent of all paths. It is the path to the center, to individuation ... I began to understand that the goal of psychic development is the self ... I knew that in finding the mandala as an expression of the self I had attainted what was for me the ultimate."
- Carl Jung
"To our way of thinking the Indians' symbol is the circle, the hoop. Nature wants to be round. The bodies of human beings and animals have no corners. With us, the circle stands for togetherness of people who sit with one another around the campfire, relatives and friends united in peace while the sacred pipe passes from hand to hand. To us this is beautiful and fitting, symbol and reality at the same time, expressing the harmony of life and nature."
- John Fire Lame Deer, Richard Erdoes, Lame Deer Seeker of Visions
"The Medicine Wheel is a symbol of all creation, of all races of human beings, birds, fish, animals, trees, and stones. It's in the shape of a wheel. The circle shape represents the earth, the sun, the moon, the cycles of life, the seasons, and day to night. Movement around the outside of the Medicine Wheel is in a clockwise direction, the rotation path of mother earth. At the center of the wheel (the hub) is the Creator, who sits in perfect balance. Outside the center, there is an inner circle representing the Old Woman (the earth), Father Sun, Grandmother Moon, and the four elements. Four distinct colors, set in the four directions, lay on the perimeter, separated by beads representing the moon's cycles. Leather, laid from the perimeter, in straight lines, to the center (the spokes of the wheel) represent spiritual paths leading us to the center, to perfect balance, to the Creator. The meaning of the number four, as it is in Native American life, is evident in the Medicine Wheel. 4 = four directions + four seasons + four elements (earth, air, water and fire) + the four races of human being. The wheel also teaches the four aspects of our nature� physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. The easterly direction on the Medicine Wheel represents the new light of day, the place of all beginnings. South is the sun at the highest point, a place of youth and innocence. West is from which darkness comes, the place of the unknown. North is the place of winter, the place of wisdom. With the Medicine Wheel, we call upon the moons, animals, angels, finned ones, the elements, the Sun, Clan mothers, Spirit Keeper and the Star Nations, to help us manifest our needs, and to remember who we are, what is to come, and why we are here. The month, which you were born, determines your starting place on the medicine wheel and your beginning totems. All people, travel the wheel at their own speed. The important message of the medicine wheel is that you allow yourself to keep traveling, rather then tying yourself to one position and blocking your energies from growing and changing. The Medicine Wheel is a powerful tool to get to know yourself and your guardians. Each Native American Indian band have their own ceremony and meanings of the Medicine Wheel. Come and join us around this wonderful place we call the great medicine wheel."
- The Medicine Wheel,Gale Trinkwon from Nanaimo, British Columbia, of the Tia-o-qui-aht First Nation
"The relations of every kind to which this wheel symbol is open seem limitlessly numerous, as also its connections with other, equally traditional "pantacula" or small wholes. Indeed, while the symbol of the wheel is the expression of movement and multiplicity, it is also the symbol of original immobility, and of synthesis. Just so, it is the symbolic expression of expansion and concentration � of centrifugal energy, which moves from the center to the periphery, and of centripetal energy, which returns to it center, axis, or font and source, to extend itself once more, following a universal law obeyed by the tides of the sea (ebb and flow) and the earth (condensation, expansion)�like the diastole and systole, the inhaling and exhaling, of the human being or the universe, that is, of the microcosmic as of the macrocosmic. This symbol as well, is the manifestation of that which, being only virtual (the point) generates a space or plane (delimited by the circumference). And it is therefore obviously bound up with space and time, and associated or united to any idea of cosmogony and creation. In this same sense, the superficial or external movement of the wheel would be bound up with manifestation, while the virtuality, the immobility of the central point or axis would be connected with the immanifest. The special modalities of the symbol of the wheel arise by radiation, or by the "actualization," of the "potentialities" of the central point, which becomes "present" in time, creating a spatial field. We have seen that a point generates a plane, that is, a space. That central point is an axis in tridimensionality. Accordingly, the symbol of the wheel is closely tied to every axial and vertical symbol. And it is the same with all projections of the vertical, that is, with the creation of horizontal planes or spaces articulated through an axis, which they reflect, one of them being the limited perimeter of our world, cycle, or any field defined in relation to the spatio-temporal coordinates."
- Symbolism of the Wheel
"A wheel was shown to me, wonderful to behold. Divinity . . . is like a wheel, a circle, a whole, that can neither be understood, nor divided, nor begun nor ended . . . no one has the power to divide this circle, to surpass it, or to limit it."
- Hildegard of Bingen
The sacred circle atStonehenge, Wiltshire County, England.
"North is the direction of the Element Earth and the Power of Body. Its Nature forms are rocks, clay, sand, and soil. In human life, this is the physical dimension and the sensing realm. In connecting with this direction, pay attention to your physiological processes, to the sensations in your body, to your biological needs, and to your physical health. Healing modalities include good nutrition, hygiene, body language awareness and change, relaxation, and rest. East is the direction of the Element Air and the Power of Mind. Its Nature forms are the winds, the atmosphere, and the breath. In human life, this is the mental dimension and the thinking realm. In connecting with this direction, pay attention to your thought processes, to your ability to reason, to your attitudes, and to your mental health. Healing modalities include self-talk analysis, affirmations, journal writing, cognitive restructuring, and education. South is the direction of the Element Fire and the Power of Action. Its Nature forms are flames, lightning, and electricity. In human life, this is the behavioral dimension and the doing realm. In connecting with this direction, pay attention to your repertoire of activities, to the amount of time you allot to work and to play, to the quality of your alone time, to the nature of your interactions with others, and to your behavioral health. Healing modalities include play, exercise, time management, life restructuring, breaking destructive or outmoded habits, career development, positive behavioral change, and goal setting and achievement. West is the direction of the Element Water and the Power of Emotions. Its Nature forms are oceans, lakes, streams, rivers, wells, springs, dew, precipitation, and fluids in the body. In human life, this is the emotional dimension and the feeling realm. In connecting with this direction, pay attention to your moods, to your feelings about yourself and about others, to the levels of intimacy and trust in your relationships, and to your emotional health. Healing modalities include guided imagery, active listening, expressing feelings, sharing feelings, giving comfort and being comforted, singing, dancing, drawing, and other forms of artistic expression."
- Sacred Circle, Sacred Sphere: Mapping Consciousness with Seven Directions. By Selena Fox.
"The wheel is a common symbol of the Buddha�s teaching, of truth, and can be seen as a simple mandala. As it turns, the centre remains still while everything else turns around it. From the micro level of atoms and molecules, to the macro level of planets and their orbits, circles and spheres are found in every aspect of our experience, and seen used in the symbolism of many primitive and tribal cultures. The Buddha taught that identifying one�s self with any point on the wheel itself was to become tangled amongst the beginnings and endings, births and deaths � rebirths � that always lead to suffering. The centre is the place of observation without observer, action without actor."
- Buddhist Circle Symbolism
"Mandalas are used worldwide in Tibetan rituals, medicine wheel ceremonies, and Jungian therapy, as a symbolic representations of the Cosmos as it relates to the Self. The word mandala comes from a Sanskrit root meaning "enclosing the essence."
- Debbie Ann Brett
"Now raise the sword and walk the round,
By cold blue flame this place we claim,
An banish all that is profane,
Within this round is sacred ground.
Now send the swirling clouds on high,
From censer's depth to starry deep,
Send forth on air our bond to keep,
Cold matter to embrace the sky.
From sacred cup a mystic space,
Where we the threads of magick lace,
Let streams of cleansing water pour,
With rune five-pointed guard this place.
Create a haven for Her grace,
A seat for Her whom we adore.
From East on mighty wing be sped,
Wild spirits of the air and storm,
From South with flaming aspect dread,
Let fiery guardians take their form.
From Western seas with tossing foam,
Oh watchers issue from the deep,
From Northern glades, from beds of loam,
Let kobolds granite vigil keep.
Oh Elements receive our call,
An Powers gather to our rite,
And build four mighty towers tall,
To ring us from the world this night.
An guard this circle on the hill,
Where we are met to work our Will."
- Tom Williams, "L' Adoration de la Terre: A Ritual in Sonnets."
"We come spinning out of nothingness, scattering stars � the stars form a circle, and in the center we dance."
- Rumi
"The circle is celebrated in the form of the nimbus or halo depicted around the heads of saints. Ritual dance is invariably performed in a circle whether it be as a group or individually such as the sufi�s whirling dervish. The dwelling places of indigenous people were sacred habitats. From yurts to tipis to igloos to kivas, the circle formed the basis of their design. Sacred architecture from Stonehenge to the domes of cathedrals, temples and shrines and basilicas are testaments to the reverence and importance of the simplest of all geometric forms, the circle. Even the cosmic dance of the Hindu god, Shiva, is performed within a circle of flames.
- Sacred Circle
"A wheel, or circle has been a sacred symbol to many cultures over time. It can be found in the temples of Egypt, in the land of the Incas, represented in the Celtic rites as in Stonehenge, and in countless other peoples. The Anasazi of the South Western United States built their temples, or Kivas, in circular form. Early Native Americans also used the circle for their teepees, their camps, and daily rituals. The importance is not the circle itself, but what it represented-change. The circle shown in the Medicine Wheel is used to represent the changing cycle of the seasons. This could literally mean the weather, the seasons of life (birth, mid-age, old age), or the changes surrounding the development of projects."
- Mark Dodich
Bighorn Medicine Wheel
Wyoming
"The Medicine Wheel is sacred, the native people believe, because the Great Spirit caused everything in nature to be round. The Sun, Sky, Earth and Moon are round. Thus, man should look upon the Medicine Wheel (circle of life) as sacred. It is the symbol of the circle that marks the edge of the world and therefore, the Four Winds that travel there. It is also the symbol of the year. The Sky, the Night, and the Moon go in a circle above the Sky, therefore, the Circle is a symbol of these divisions of time. It is the symbol of all times throughout creation."
- Native American Spirituality
"The circle is perhaps the most ancient of mystical symbols and the most universal of all dances. It is the earth and the sun in eternal movement, an unbroken, unbent line symbolizing continuity and eternity. The circle dance represents wholeness. The dance brings life full circle."
- Sacred Woman, Sacred Dance
"A Sacred Circle is a group of people who sit in a circle, in the literal and relational sense, and honor the sacredness of their divine nature as individuals and as a group. Not only does each participant take guidance individually by listening to the �inner voice within�, but this guidance is offered to the center of the circle and comes back from it in an augmented resonant manner. Each guidance, each soul and life experience, when offered to the center, begins to resonate with one another and creates what we experience as a resonant field. The resonant field is the living whole that radiates back toward each of us. It operates as a source of light that illuminates our individual blind spots, makes us grow and find clarity. Then we are in the situation of being able to offer back more and more resonant experience to the Center, and so on. The resonant field works definitely like a complex dynamic system. It creates new layers of reality that transcend and include our individual reality. It offers us more freedom than ever, we are given the opportunity to perform our soul mission and honor the dharma."
- The Transitioner: Sacred Circles
"Then I was standing on the highest mountain of them all, and round about beneath me was the whole hoop of the world. And while I stood there I saw more then I can tell and I understood more than I saw; for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all things in the spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like one being. And I saw that the sacred hoop of my people was one of many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as starlight, and in the center grew one mighty flowering tree to shelter all the children of one mother and one father. And I saw that it was holy."
- Black Elk, Lakota
"The wheel (Sanskrit chakra; Tib. 'khor lo) evolved as a symbol of the Buddha's teachings and as an emblem of the Chakravartin or "wheel turner," identifying the wheel as theDharmachakra, or "wheel of law." The Tibetan term for Dharmachakra, chos kyi'khor lo, literally means "the wheel of transformation." The wheel's swift motion serves as an apt metaphor for the rapid spiritual change engendered by the teachings of the Buddha. Hence, Buddha's first discourse at the Deer Park in Sarnath is known as the "first turning of the wheel of dharma." Likewise, his subsequent discourses at Rajgir and Shravasti are known as the "second and third turnings of the wheel of dharma." The wheel consists of three basic parts: the hub, the rim, and spokes (generally eight in number). Its underlying form is that of a circle, which is recognized across all traditions as a shape that is complete and perfect in itself, qualities which inform the teachings of the Buddha too. Individually, the rim represents the element of limitation, the hub is the axis of the world, and the eight spokes denote the Eightfold Path set down by the Buddha, which leads to the cessation of all suffering."
- Buddhist Wheel Symbol, by Nitin Kumar
"The location of the inter-dimensional portal,
The gateway to ascension
The alchemical fifth element, which is spirit
Alchemical gold�light, the sun as center of the solar system and as spiritual illumination
The heart chakra
Christ love, unconditional love, unity consciousness�the capstone of the pyramid
A place of perfect balance of Being
The center of the universe, the Great Central Sun
The heart center of Earth, which is Shamballa
The heart of human existence."
- Metatron's Wheel, Portal to the 5th Dimension
"A circle doth answer to unity, and the number ten; for unity is the center, and circumference of all things; and the number ten being heaped together returns into a unity from whence it had its beginning, being the end, and complement of all numbers. A circle is called an infinite line in which there is no terminus a quo nor terminus ad quem, whose beginning and end is in every point, whence also a circular motion is called infinite, not according to time but according to place; hence a circular being the largest and perfectest of all is judged to be most fit for bindings and conjurations; whence they who adjure evil spirits are wont to environ themselves about with a circle."
- Agrippa, Three Books of Occult Philosophy
"The High Priestess goes to each of the four directions in turn and draws a
Banishing Pentacle, saying:
Guardians of the East (South, West, North),
Powers of Air (Fire, Water, Earth), we thank you
For joining in our circle
And we ask for your blessing
As you depart
May there be peace between us
Now and forever. Blessed be.
She raises her athame to the sky and touches it to the earth, then opens
her arms and says:
The circle is open, but unbroken,
May the peace of the Goddess
Go in your hearts,
Merry meet, and merry part.
And merry meet again. Blessed be."
- Closing the Circle, Internet Book of Shadows
"Creating Sacred Space is central to Wisdom Tradition spirituality and wisdom schools. It holds that in the act of dedicating or claiming sacred space we do indeed create an actual context for contact with the Numinous and its aspects. In that vane, our Wheels are not a " gimmick" -- they have a life and power all their own that is supported by centuries of many traditions. The elemental "beings" that we invite are "real" in their ability to interact (to be in relationship) with us. If it is what we want, they will help us to reshape our lives to the highest good we are capable of perceiving at that point in time. There are natural and actual correspondences between shapes (i.e. the angles of the planets, or squares, circles and triangles, etc.) and energies, things and concepts, but, the mysteries are not static or frozen in time: they change and grow with the changes that occur in humankind. Every space that we create has its own natural energy or underlying principle and teaching to offer. For instance, in a sweat space dedicated to the sacred, the "real" heat of the ceremony is a different kind of hotness which can burn away many of the things which separate us from the sacred. The ritual circle as sacred space is thus not a place arbitrarily set apart from the realities of the world, but on the contrary, it is truly aligned with the essence of creation through the coordinates of North, South, East and West. Because of that alignment and the power inherent in such space, we are actually aligning with and participating in the primal act of Creation. And, through each sacred space we create, the mystery grows and evolves by our commitment."
- Sacred Circles Institute
"The nature of God is a circle of which the center is everywhere and the circumference is nowhere."
- Attributed to various authors including Hermes Trismegistus, Book of the 24 Philosophers
�[The Library] is a sphere whose exact center is anyone of its hexagons and whose circumference is inaccessible�
- Jorge Borges, The Library of Babel, Labyrinths, p. 52.
�God is an intelligible sphere, whose center is everywhere, and whose circumference is nowhere.�
- Alain of Lille
�The whole visible world is only an imperceptible atom in the ample bosom of nature. No idea approaches it. We may enlarge our conceptions beyond all imaginable space; we only produce atoms in comparison with the reality of things. It is an infinite sphere, the center of which is everywhere, the circumference nowhere. In short, it is the greatest sensible mark of the almighty power of God that imagination loses itself in that thought.�
- Pascal
"Zero (0) is not 'nothing." It's a circle, without beginning or end. Holy. Healed."
- Wallace Black Elk, Lakota
This sacred circle is located on the moors, north of Madron, in Cornwall, England. The
center stone is called "M�n-an-Tol" which means "holed stone" in the Cornish language.
"It is no accident that the wheel shape has been a cosmic symbol for cultures all over the world. The wheel or circle speaks to our deepest and most innermost self and is an integral part of All That Is. Ancient peoples knew this intuitively. Joseph Campbell, who studied the mythology and symbolism of humans worldwide and found numerous examples of the circle in religious art, concluded, �The whole world is a circle. All of these circular images reflect the psyche.� Manly P. Hall, a great metaphysical scholar and philosopher from the 1920�s wrote about the circle, �One of the simplest lines and figures, the whole secret of corporeal nature emerges�The Trinity of the circle (center, radius and circumference) shows the Divine Trinity�The circle begets nothing of itself as it is already complete, consisting as it does of an infinitude of sides. It is the greatest of all polygons�� The primary lesson that the Wheel teaches is about balance. The center of the wheel is metaphorically many things, including the center of the Self, spiritual illumination and the gateway to ascension. As you start to bring yourself into balance in all the aspects represented in the Wheel, you will naturally move toward that center. The circle with the dot at its center is the oldest symbolism for the primal womb containing the spark of creation. It depicts the creation of the world by God, with God immanent in His/Her creation. God is spoken of as a circle Whose center is everywhere. But the circle also tells the story of human as creator. The human ego or seed atom is at the center of each individual�s personal world; it defines the circumference of his or her own individual creative power."
- Sacred Circle Hoops
"Mandala means 'circle' in the Sanskrit language, and mandala art refers to symbols that are drawn, sketched or painted in a circular frame. Mandala art has been used throughout the world as a process of self-expression, in the service of personal growth and spiritual transformation. Tibetan Buddhism has employed mandala art for thousands of years to capture the images of the countless demons and gods which it believes both plague and uplift humanity. Navajo sand painters use them in their healing rites. Many native people use the Medicine Wheel, a mandala form, to connect to earth energies and the wisdom of nature. The very fact that mandalas are drawn round can lead us to an experience of wholeness when we take the time to make them and then wonder what they mean. In the strict use of the mandala, there is a central point or focus within the symbol from which radiates a symmetrical design. This suggests there is a center within each one of us to which everything is related, by which everything is ordered, and which is itself a source of energy and power. Virtually every spiritual and religious system known to man asserts the reality of such an inner center. The Romans worshiped it as the genius within. The Greeks called it the inner daemon. Christian religions speak about the soul and the Christ within. In psychology we speak of the Higher Self."
- Mandala Symbolism
"Wheel symbolism was ubiquitous in ancient religions. The whole universe was envisioned as a vast wheel whose rolling could be seen in the cycles of heavenly bodies and in the progress of seasons. Small wheels, as models of the cosmos, accompanied the dead into their graves. Wheels were used as magical protective emblems on helmets, shields, weapons, and houses. Celtic gods exhibited wheels in their hands or by their sides. Altars and tombstones were decorated with wheels.One of the Celtic names for the Goddess, Arianrhod, designated her the Goddess of the Silver Wheel (the stars), whose hub was the Revolving Castle, Caer Sidi, hidden in the underground spirit-land of Annwn. Similarly in India, Mother Kali continually ruled the Wheel of Time (Kalacakra), where all the life-breath of the world was fixed "even as the spokes of a wheel are held fast in the hub."A comparable hub was the omphalos of Greek myth, ruled by the Goddess Omphale, to whom Heracles-the-Sun was subject. His mythical twelve labors represented the slow progress of the sun through the twelve zodiacal houses. Priests of Heracles traditionally dressed as women, which led to the development of the late Hellenic myth about the sun hero disguised in female clothing, working among the ladies on Omphale's spinning wheel. The Etruscans called the Wheel-goddess Vortumna, She Who Turns the Year, and the Romans altered this name to Fortuna, the Goddess whose constantly turning heavenly wheel marked all the seasons and the fates of men. Sometimes she was envisioned as a trinity, the Fortunae, or Fates, whom the Greeks also called Nemesis or the Moerae.She ruled the kyklos geneseon, the wheel of rebirth and of transformations throughout time. The ancients' belief in reincarnation produced many cyclic images of existence rather than the linear patriarchal insistence that an individual could have only one life, ending in a permanent choice between heaven and hell.
- _The Wheel_by Barbara J. Walter from The Women's Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects
"Guardians of the East, I call upon you to watch over the rites of Valley Spirit Taoist.
Powers of knowledge and wisdom, guided by Air,
I ask that you keep watch over me this morning within this circle.
Let he who enters the circle under your guidance do so in perfect love and perfect trust.
Guardians of the South, I call upon you to watch over the rites of Valley Spirit Taoist.
Powers of energy and will, guided by Fire,
I ask that you keep watch over me this morning within this circle.
Let he who enters the circle under your guidance do so in perfect love and perfect trust.
Guardians of the West, I call upon you to watch over the rites of Valley Spirit Taoist.
Powers of passion and emotion, guided by Water,
I ask that you keep watch over me this morning within this circle.
Let he who enters the circle under your guidance do so in perfect love and perfect trust.
Guardians of the North, I call upon you to watch over the rites of Valley Spirit Taoist .
Powers of endurance and strength, guided by Earth,
I ask that you keep watch over me this morning within this circle.
Let he who enters the circle under your guidance do so in perfect love and perfect trust.
The Sacred Circle is cast. So mote it Be!"
"The Sacred Circle with its directions is called by some, the "Magic Circle," and by others, the "Medicine Wheel." Some traditions emphasize the four compass directions of the Circle. Others work with the four compass points plus a central point representing unity. Some also include two additional directions in the center, up and down, to create a Sacred Sphere as well as the Sacred Circle. Qualities, images, colors, and other symbolic associations with the directions vary from path to path, but the idea of Sacred Circle as a place of balancing, healing, and wholeness extends across traditions. ... While the map of consciousness with its seven directions and Sacred Sphere form works well for me and for others, it is important to note that it is but one of many maps within Paganism today. Traditions vary not only in the number of directions honored, but the correspondences associated with each direction and the order in which the directions are worked with in ritual. It is important that practitioners chart their own maps according to their own traditions, preferences, and experiences."
- Selena Fox,Sacred Circles, Sacred Spheres
"InCeltic culture, a_nemeton_ was asacred grove used on occasion for performing ritual animal sacrifices, and other such rituals. The grove itself might be personified as Nemetona, attested in votive and founding inscriptions. The word may be traced in the Irish Nemed husband of Macha and in_naomh_ ("holy"). It is well known thatDruids, according to Roman writers Pliny or Lucandid not meet in stone temples or other constructions, but in sacred groves of trees. In his _Pharsalia_Lucan described such a grove nearMassilia in dramatic terms more designed to evoke a shiver of delicious horror among his Roman hearers than meant as proper natural history: no bird nested in the nemeton, nor did any animal lurk nearby; the leaves constantly shivered though no breeze stirred. Altars stood in its midst, and the images of the gods. Every tree was stained with sacrificial blood. the very earth groaned, dead yews revived; unconsumed trees were surrounded with flame, and huge serpents twined round the oaks. The people feared to approach the grove, and even the priest would not walk there at midday or midnight lest he should then meet its divine guardian. Testimony of such groves has been found in Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic and Hungary in Central Europe, in many sites of ancientGaul inBritanniaand Ireland. Sacred groves will have been widespread until the Romans attacked and conquered Gaul in increments."
- Nemeton - Wikipedia
"When we turn to open sanctuaries or sacral enclosures we encounter a complex and most intriguing series of sites. These must belong to the same early religious tradition that in Greece gave rise to the concept of the temenos, literally a 'cut' or share of land, here apportioned to the god, a 'consecrated and enclosed area surrounding the god's altar, which was the centre of worship and the only indispensable cult structure', and in the Roman world the same idea expressed in the original sense of the words _fanum_and templum. Whether the Celtic sanctuary-word nemeton, ... included such precincts as well as natural woodland clearings is uncertain, but it could have done ... "There is a Gallo-Brittonic word nemeton_which is used for a shrine or sanctuary in a sense that implies a sacred grove or clearing in a wood. The word is cognate with the Latin nemus, the primary sense of which (like that of lucus) is not so much a wood as a wood with a clearing in it, or the clearing itself within a grove. The most famous nemus was that of Diana at Aricia ... held, uneasily, the title of Rex Nemorensis. Strabo records the name of the meeting-place of the council of the Galatians in Asia Minor as Drunemeton, the sacred oak-grove, and Fortunatus writes in the sixth century A.D. of a place_Vernemet[on] 'which in the Gaulish language means the great shrine' (using here the word fanum). Many nemeton place-names existed in the Celtic world, from Medionemeton in Southern Scotland, _Vernemeton_itself between Lincoln and Leicester and in Gaul, Nemetodurum, the modern Nanterre, to Nemetobriga in Spain. Aquae Arnemetiae, the modern Buxton, appears to show how the thermal springs there were associated with a sacred grove. In the eighth century 'forest sanctuaries which they call nimidae' are listed as heathen abominations, and in the eleventh, a Breton 'wood called Nemet' is recorded. The word and the idea came through into Old Irish as nemed, a sanctuary, and fidnemed, a forest shrine or sacred grove."
- Stuart Piggott, The Druids
"Three Rings for the Elven-Kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-Lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die.
One for the Dark Lord on his Dark Throne,
In the Land of Mordor, where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to Rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie."
- J. R. R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings
Why does the snowflake melt?
To enliven spring flowers.
Why does summer sun blaze?
To ripen the garden.
Why does the leaf fall?
To bring forth beautiful snow�
Why do the seasons dance so?
To embrace us in the sacred circle.
- Sacred Circle, "Mystical Poetry," Deborah Morrison
"In Tibetan Buddhism, Mandalas come in two varieties; it can represent the universe, as it is used in the Mandala Offering Ritual, where one symbolically offers the entire universe. For this, several rings can be placed on top of each other filled with rice and precious objects (see right). During the offering one recitesmandala offering prayers. In the center of the mandala is Mount Meru, the central axis in the Buddhist (and Jain) cosmos. The best-known mandalas are part of the world of Tantra; they represent the "3D Palace" of a specific meditation-Buddha or deity. In the Tibetan tradition, they come as thangkas (scroll-paintings), wall paintings, sand-drawings and 3D models of e.g. wood or metal. A mandala can be "read" and studied like a text and most important, be used for tantric meditation. The purpose of a mandala is to acquaint the student with the tantra, and thus allowing the student to identify with the deity and its sacred surroundings as the mandala."
- Tantric Symbols
"We circle round creating sacred space,
invoking from the Heavens holy grace.
We call the Gods to guard our solemn rite,
and ward this hallowed ground with walls of light.
Let sky above and earth below unite,
a bond established by Olympic might.
Let fear and discord leave without a trace,
and peace prevail within this holy place.
Let word be deed by this decree.
As it is said, so must it be!
(Sit verbum factum hoc decreto.
Ut dictum est, sic statim fiat!)"
- Saturnalia, Casting the Circle Instructions, by Apollonius Sophistes
Divine Incantations to the Protective Gods of the Five Directions
From Wushang Biyao (Secret Essentials of the Most High)
Translated by Livia Kohn, "The Taoist Experience: An Anthology," 1993, pp.112-115
The Wushang Biyao is a Taoist encyclopedia commissioned by Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou in 574 CE.
Oh, Great God of the East!
Bright Star of the Ninefold Energy of Azure Heaven!
You brilliantly illuminate the Eastern Regions,
Penetratingly shine through the Nine Gates,
In your revolutions, glittering with the brightness of Pure Yang!
Oh, come and cleanse out all filth, do away with all evil vapors!
Open the light for your divine lads
To come and protect me and my house!
Restrain the demons and tie up all nasty specters!
As I rise to face the imperial lords above.
May I reverently follow the rightful Tao,
As set forth in the Red Writings and Jade Scriptures,
The talismans and instructions of the Nine High Heavens!
May I hitch up the dragons and get ready to rise,
Rise up to the peaceful abode of Heaven,
And soon be a flying immortal!
Oh, Fiery Star of the South!
Floating Brilliance of the Threefold Energy of Cinnabar Heaven!
In your revolutions, you shine forth and illumine all with Highest Yang!
Above you are the power of Red Essence!
Oh, open the light for your divine lads,
Marshall your host of fiery soldiers,
To come and protect my three palaces within!
Behead all obnoxious powers and tie up all nasty specters,
Cut the King of Illusion into little pieces
And all that obeys the Dark Lord of the North.
May all the winds and fires in the eight directions
Blow and shine together, blending in a blaze!
How dare anyone not obey
The rightful Tao in its progression?
May I enjoy the highest merit,
Be preserved by Heaven forever and ever,
Through a million kalpas without end!
Oh, Great Whiteness of the West!
Floating Essence of the Sevenfold Energy of the Heavens!
Your radiance shines forth through the Golden Gateway,
Penetrates with brightness even the deepest dark -
The Pure Star in your midst,
Known as the Emperor of all Numen.
Oh, guard my spirits and secure my house,
Protect my body from all harm!
Oh, destroy the source of all obnoxious powers!
Let the Way of the King be upright and enlightened,
And all the halls and residences clear and dignified.
May the Three Luminaries join their radiance.
And the Tao harmonize with the spontaneous flow of all!
With the talismans and instructions of Numinous Treasure!
May my goodwill spread over the myriad living beings!
May my merit aid them all -
And Heaven and Earth be greatly now at peace!
Oh, Thunderous Star of the North!
Active Power of the Fivefold Energy of Dark Heaven!
You splendid brilliance reaches even into Great Abstrusity!
Oh, Venerable God of Black Numen!
Flying darkness in feathery garb!
Oh, come and protect all my five gateways,
Assemble the good essence and apprehend the bad!
Humbly, I dare put forward this request:
Expel and scatter, destroy and behead all evils,
As the jade talismans command!
Oh, Spiritual Perfected of Eightfold Majesty!
Seal off my gates of viciousness and all hindering obstructions,
Let me be open to the brightness of the Tao!
Shine and sparkle through my body
Like the Three Luminaries shining forth together!
May I steer the empty air and stride upon the winds,
Lift up my body into the flight of the immortals!
Oh, Protector Star of the Center!
Mysterious Perfected and Powerful Ruler
Of the Unified Energy of the Yellow Middle!
You spread brilliance and flowing brightness.
Oh, open the light for your divine lads,
Twelve in number,
For your primordial energy, clear essence of yang.
And let it float aloft in wafts of vermillion mist.
Oh, let your light pervade my residence,
Reach as far as into my very own body!
Drive out and destroy the hundred obnoxious forces,
Kill all the demons, however many millions!
May this divine incantation to the Mountain of the Center
Penetrate to Heaven and give me protection!
May the five sacred animals be securely on guard
To let me fly up and ascend to the immortals!"
- Translated by Livia Kohn, "The Taoist Experience: An Anthology," 1993, pp.112-115
"Within the circles of our lives
we dance the circles of the years,
the circles of the seasons
within the circles of the years,
the cycles of the moon
within the circles of the seasons,
the circles of our reasons
within the cycles of the moon.
Again, again we come and go,
changed, changing. Hands
join, unjoin in love and fear,
grief and joy. The circles turn,
each giving into each, into all.
Only music keeps us here,
each by all the others held.
In the hold of hands and eyes
we turn in pairs, that joining
joining each to all again.
And then we turn aside, alone,
out of the sunlight gone
into the darker circles of return."
- Wendell Berry, Circles of Our Lives
"The Circle is the most common and universal signs, found in all cultures. It is the symbol of the sun in its limitless or boundless aspect. It has no beginning or end, and no divisions, making it the perfect symbol of completeness, eternity, and the soul. The circle is also the symbol of boundary and enclosure, of completion, and returning cycles. The circle most familiar to us is that of the wedding ring which encircles the finger associated in ancient times with the heart. The wedding ring symbolizes not just a pledge of eternal ove, but the enclosure of the heart- a pledge of fidelity."
- Secret Language of Symbols
"Myths serve four purposes: To awaken wonder by bringing us back in touch with the child within;
To fill all corners or niches of an image with the Mystery; to validate social order; and, to teach us
how to conduct ourselves during the stages of our lives."
- Joseph Campbell, The Masks of God: Creative Mythology
"Map of the Horizon," by Tracy Harris
"We call upon you Oh creatures of Earth,
To protect this Circle and Aid in Our Rites.
Wherefore do We Bless and Consecrate Thee,
So Mote It Be.
We call upon you Oh creature of Water,
To protect this Circle and Aid in Our Rites.
Wherefore do We Bless and Consecrate Thee,
So Mote It Be.
We call upon you Oh creatures of Water and Earth,
To protect this Circle and Aid in Our Rites.
Wherefore do We Bless and Consecrate Thee,
So Mote It Be.
Oh Thou Circle, Be Thou a meeting place of Love and Joy,
In Perfect Truth and Trust
A Shield against all wickedness and evil intent,
A Rampart of Protection for All who stand herein!
Wherefore do we Bless and Consecrate Thee,
By the Holy and Sacred names of Athena, Cerridwen, Rhiannon,
Mercury and Pan ...
This Circle is Cast, safe and secure,
Sacred Space created for all that is Pure!
So Mote It Be!"
- Casting the Sacred Circle, by Silver Wolfe
Islamic pilgrims circle the sacredKaaba in Mecca
"Move like a beam of light;
Fly like lightning;
Strike like thunder;
Whirl in circles around
A stable center."
"The power of the world always works in circles. The sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind in its greatest power - whirls. Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours. The sun comes forth and goes down in a circle, and the moon does the same. Both always come back to where they were. The life of man is a circle from childhood to childhood. And so it is in everything where power moves."
- Black Elk Speaks, Wallace Black Elk, Lakota
"The four-quartered Circle of Magick is a central element in most Western magickal rituals. It is called the "portal between the worlds," a means of connecting with the Deities, Spirits, and Elemental Powers of a realm beyond the material universe. It is envisioned as a vortex with which we focus on our own innate psychic powers, called forth by ritual actions from the subliminal depths of the mind and soul. It is a "sacred space," a sanctuary for communion with the old ones, the deities of our faith. Many levels of symbolism are intrinsic to the Magick Circle. Among these metaphors are metaphysical and mystical concepts that describe the greater reality within which our lives are experienced. The four "corners" of the Circle of Magick correspond with the compass directions and their associated Elements (Earth, Air, Fire or Water). A fifth Element, Spirit, is often associated with the center of the Circle or with the Circle as a whole."
- Bran the Blessed, Circle Symbolism
Sacred Circle by Bev Doolittle.
"The most important thing to teach your children is that the sun does not rise and set. It is the Earth that revolves around the sun. Then teach them the concepts of North, South, East and West, and that they relate to where they happen to be on the planet's surface at that time. Everything else will follow."
- R. Buckminster Fuller, Interview, 1983
" Here I call forth the powers of air from the east, that I may be like the air, unfettered and pure,
Here I call forth the powers of fire from the south, that I may be like fire, enduring all hardships to become strengthened,
Here I call forth the powers of water, that I may be like water, supporting and protecting all that I encounter,
Here I call forth the power of Earth, that I may be like earth, grounded at all times.
Welcome Air, Fire, Water, Earth, shine your light and lend your strength to this my circle today.
Negative forces begone, you are not welcome here.
Lady and Lord, I invite you to this my worship, that you may look upon my devotions and celebrations and be heartened and strengthened by them.
Now is my circle cast, unbreakable and without harm. Thus is sacred space decreed, and no act goes unnoticed. So mote it be."
"Dancing in the circle at sunset,
the sky in crimson hue.
The song it comes upon me,
glistening like the dew.
I cannot hear the music,
nor can I hear the words.
I feel it in the depths of my soul,
the song of other worlds.
Worlds of flight and fancy free,
those worlds of imagination,
Worlds belonging to the trees,
and worlds of constellations.
Worlds that live within our minds,
our hearts, our souls, our being.
And worlds of crossing over
where my ancestors are singing."
- Broomhilda, Song of Other Worlds
"The circle is the energy of Ceremonial Order. It is an expression of the will which drives through into outer manifestation; it is that which embodies both the periphery and the point at the center. It is the will to "ritualistic synthesis," if I might so word it. It is Necessity which is the prime conditioning factor of the divine nature - the necessity to express itself; the necessity to manifest in an orderly rhythmic manner; the necessity to embrace "that which is above and that which is below" and, through the medium of this activity, to produce beauty, order, perfect wholes and right relationships. It is the driving energy which Being emanates as It appears and takes form and lives. It is the Will towards Expression. Today, as regards humanity, its highest expression is organization."
- Alice Bailey
"Enter your circle and light any altar candles you are using. If you are using quarter candles, start at the North point (or East if that�s your preferred direction) and light the four candles walking deosil (clockwise) around the circle. Return to the altar and light the incense. Before the start of any ritual, magical working or divinatory activity, a witch will first 'Ground and Center' to booster the self's resources by infusing 'Personal Power' with 'Earth Power' producing calm within the inner-self ready for the work ahead. Now you are ready to begin. Stand in front of your altar or the center of your circle if you are not using one and face your preferred direction. Concentrate and build your personal power within you. When it has reached a fine pitch (you�ll know when it has with practice), hold out your projective hand (right if right handed) palm down at waist height and point your fingers at the edge of the physical circle on the ground (you could also use the athame if you wish). Push out with your personal power and see and feel the energy flowing out from your fingertips (athame). Visualize it as a bright light (coloured if you wish) and slowly walk deosil around the circle. Now form it with your visualization into a swirling circling band of magical glowing light the exact width of your circle. When you can see the band of light swirling about you expand it with your visualization and stretch it over and around you in the form of a dome, it should encompass the whole ritual area. Now extend the energy down into the earth, see it forming into a complete sphere of pulsing glowing light as you stand at its center. Feel it solidifying into a living glowing reality all around you. Sense the edge of the circle and the difference in vibration within and without of it. You may even feel the temperature rise, as the air inside grows warm, charged with your energy and alive with power. When the circle seems complete and solid around you, cut off the flow of energy by turning the palm and clenching your fist pulling it back to your body."
- Serena,The Magic Circle III
"The Circle is the sacred center in which most formal rituals take place. Like a cauldron in which we mix and stir our magick elixir, the Circle forms the psychic boundaries that keep unwanted energy out, while allowing the the magickal energy within to be contained until transformation is complete. As such, the Circle is seen as a "place between the worlds" - a place outside the ordinary stream of time and space, yet a place that inevitably influences this stream. Thus we say, 'The Circle closes between the worlds, to mark this sacred space, where we come face to face.' "
- Anodea Judith, "Hone Cooking: The Magick Circle"
"The motion and the power of sacred spheres
Must be inspired by angelic movers,
Just as the hammer�s art is by the smith.
And that heaven which myriad lights make lovely
Takes its image from the deep Mind that turns it
And of that image makes itself the seal.
And as the soul within this dust of yours
Has been diffused throughout the different members
To suit each one to some distinctive function,
So the Intelligence deals out its goodness
By multiplying itself among the stars
As it revolves on its own unity. "
- Dante, Paradiso, Canto II, 127-138.
Notes Sacred Circle, Medicine Wheels, Four Elements, Bagua, Sacred Spheres, Pagan Circles, Mandalas, Wheel Symbolism, Magick Circles, Henges, Labyrinths, Neo-Pagan Circles, Nemeton Valley Spirit Center, Gushen Grove, Red Bluff, California
My first studies of the Sacred Circle began in 1976, when I studied various Tarot systems, Goddesses, Neo-Paganism, ancient religions, and Western Magick. Being a graduate in philosophy (B.A., 1968), I have always been interested inmysticism, ancient philosophy, religions, mysticism, art,will, and ritual.
Since 2000, I did fairly detailed studies about Sacred Circles found in ChinesePua Kua Chang (Bagua Zhang), the Chinese Trigrams of the I Ching, meditative circle walking, shamanism, andlabyrinths.
In August, 2006, my wife, Karen, and I started creating an outdoorSacred Circle on property we own in Northern California at the Valley Spirit Center. Our emphasis is upon using the symbolism and energy of Sacred Circle to enhance creativity, contribute to good physical and emotional health, encourage playfulness and imagination, get outside in our our gardensand outdoor relaxation and meditation areas, have beautiful places to practicemind-body arts, study ancient rites and rituals, explore mystical and altered states of consciousness, expand our gardens, and simply to enjoy ourselves with dance, gardening, art, song, theatre, and poetry.
The word "Gushen" or "Gu Shen" 谷神 is a phrase from the Chinese book by Lao Tze, The Tao Te Ching(Chapter 6), and it means the "Valley Spirit" - The Dark, Fertile, Empty, and Fathomless Ground of Beings, The Ever Giving Mysterious Mother of Life. Ournemeton(sacred circle) is in the center of the North Sacramento Valley, south of Red Bluff, California.
A "Nemeton" (ne-MEH-tun) was a sacred grove of the Druids, a sanctuary of trees, a location in the woods were religious ceremonies, rituals, and sacrifices to the gods occurred. Groves of oaks were especially favored by the Druids. 'The grove itself might be personified as Nemetona, attested in votive and founding inscriptions.' Our Valley Spirit sacred circle is a Nemeton. A useful ritual for dedicating a Nemeton is found in "The Solitary Druid" by Robert Lee Skip Ellison, pp.196-198.
"Harm no one, and do what thou Wilt."
Peace,
Mike Garofalo
Here is a chart of the associations, attributions, and symbols we are using in our design concept for a Sacred Circle at theValley Spirit Center.
Mandala of Kalachakra, Tantric Buddhism, Tibet
American Indian Stone Medicine Wheel Form
Gilgal Refaim, Circle of the Giants, Golan Heights, Israel
The Lakshmana-mandal stone labyrinth at Sitimani, near Bijapur, Madras, India
Halo around the Moon
Jesus Christ, Light of the World, with a halo around his head.
Shiva andParvati (Shakti), the Inseparable God and Goddess in Hinduism
Here personified as the Sun (Shiva, Ha) and Moon (Parvati, Shakti, Tha)
Halo around the Sun
Labyrinth in the Chartres Cathedral, France
Lord Shiva, Dancing in the Sacred Circle, Hinduism, India
Hourglass Nebula,MyCn18, Photograph by Hubble Space Telescope
Robert Fludd, "Integrae Naturae Speculum Artisque Imago," 1617.
"Zero (0) is not 'nothing." It's a circle, without beginning or end. Holy. Healed."
- Wallace Black Elk, Lakota
Mike Garofalo pulling onions in the vegetable garden.
The Green Wizard at play.
A brief biography of Mike Garofalo
Valley Spirit Center Meditation Research and Education
Red Bluff, Tehama County, North Sacramento Valley, Northern California, U.S.A. Cities in the area: Oroville, Paradise, Durham, Chico, Hamilton City, Orland, Corning, Rancho Tehama, Los Molinos, Tehama, Gerber, Manton, Cottonwood, Anderson, Shasta Lake, Palo Cedro, and Redding, CA
� 2005-2015, Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Center, Red Bluff, California Karend and Michael Garofalo, All Rights Reserved
This webpage was first placed on the Internet in 2005
This webpage was last modified or updated on May 2, 2015.
Cuttings: Haiku and Short Poems
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