Magic Circles - study group?

[Morwenna]

So, because magic circles are personal creations of temples I've been looking into actual physical temples and I found a few interesting things which go way back past the books I've been reading.

On the subject of where to start the circle- many witches enter circles from the NE; the avenue entrance to Stonehenge at the Heel Stone is in the NE- so aligning with the mid-summer solstice. Maybe this set the precedent?

On the 3 concentric circles within squares as seen in Key of Solomon, the Borobudur is one of the earlier examples of this - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Borobudur_Mandala.svg

I never thought about Stonehenge in this regard but you may be right.

That Borubudur: I notice that one corner is different; it sort of looks like there are stairs. I wonder what direction that is in? What's the orientation?

Now you've got me thinking... (always dangerous!)

 

[earthair]

It appears to be aligned N>S

And I've just seen the larger outer circle and intersecting cross roads!

 

[earthair]

Also, the mating circle of the male puffer fish has circular ditches around the edge, very like Stone Henge and other henges! Maybe the urge to be in the centre of a circle isn't just confined to humans... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO-NI7qbUrM

 

[Morwenna]

It appears to be aligned N>S

And I've just seen the larger outer circle and intersecting cross roads!

Interesting. So their gateway is in the SE?

 

[Morwenna]

Also, the mating circle of the male puffer fish has circular ditches around the edge, very like Stone Henge and other henges! Maybe the urge to be in the centre of a circle isn't just confined to humans... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO-NI7qbUrM

Well, consider; a circle is a "perfect" figure; all points are equidistant from the center. It's one reason it took astronomy so long to achieve its present knowledge; medieval thought had all orbits as perfect circles, because that would be perfection, and if God created it it had to be perfect. (Paltry human understanding... )

 

[earthair]

Interesting. So their gateway is in the SE?

Sorry I don't know...I will investigate further.
What you said about circles being perfect and god like has got me thinking about casting elipses, eggs, squares and dodecahedrons; how would they feel and would they be strong?

 

[earthair]

Finally got my mitts on a copy of Magic Circles by Kiesel. I was expecting something a little more weighty and er...practical. Zero circles from female authors either.

 

[earthair]

Just an update on where I've got to now...
Going back towards the source like Alice down the rabbit hole, I've come to the conclusion that buddhist mandalas are the source and inspiration for ritual magic circles.
Gateways, deities, 4 compass directions/elements, person at the centre of the universe, meditations; mandalas have it all. And so much more colourful and uplifting than the fashion for black and white grimoire style ones with their curious and obscure writings around the edge.

 

[Tanga]

... Buddhist mandalas...
Gateways, deities, 4 compass directions/elements, person at the centre of the universe, meditations; mandalas have it all. And so much more colourful and uplifting than the fashion for black and white grimoire style ones with their curious and obscure writings around the edge.

I second that. Bring on the colour
I have a small Buddhist healing mandala in my therapy room.
(Years ago - when I first bumped into Wicca and read some texts - one of my quiet complaints was - "why do all these tools have to be so ugly???" Lol. Ofcourse nowadays - the variety of props have gotten prettier).

 

[Morwenna]

This reminds me of my college days, the late '60s, when mandala posters could be had all over the place. I think the only reason I never got one is that I could never make up my mind which one.