Drawing the Circle

[pt_tangles]

I've been reading some stuff that elfwreck  has collected over the years and sent to me. I know that a lot of it is of questionable origin (much of the Crystal Wind stuff is possibly plagiarized), but I have been noticing references to 'drawing' a circle or visually laying a circle. I have read this in a couple of other places, but for some reason I had it in my head that since the border of the circle was energetic, it didn't require drawing. If you were doing it right, you would know where the edge was.

Does anyone lay out or draw a circle out visually? For those with altar rooms, do you have one painted on the floor? My mind is spinning the with possibilities for drawing a circle in an altar room. Tiles or paint or stain ... I am in artist mode, and I don't have anywhere to draw a floor circle! lol

--Phae

Comments

[brock-tn.livejournal.com]

Two of our teachers, who remain dear friends, at one time had a 20ft x 20ft bonus room with a hardwood floor over their gararge. They had a ritual circle with about a 13-foot diameter painted on the floor in multiple colors of enamel.

And it was used regularly until the house caught fire and burned to the ground.

[pt_tangles]

Ouch. I'm sure one has nothing to do with the other, but when you say it like that it sure sounds ominous!

--Phae

[eldriwolf.livejournal.com]

in the woods or on a beach, yep, I draw them.
I have used cornmeal(or flour) to mark them out (also outdoors)
I know a couple of folks with the painted on-
--and one painted on canvas, to unroll.( which makes me want a RUG..)
--One of the paint jobs was *supposed* to wash off, never did....check your paints carefully
and use chalk, not oil pastels, as I learned at ten, when I drew on the closet door

Inlaid hardwoods might be nice, but not removable

[pt_tangles]

I like the idea of a rug. I think that will do well for me until I get a place of my own. I think it will also help me get more into a ritual frame of mind.

I am beginning to think that internalizing ritual so much is one of the reasons I don't do them as often as I would like.

--Phae

[eldriwolf.livejournal.com]

--I don't (yet) weave--so the classic 'persian-style' is out.
-but I have thought of a punch-needle(hooked) rug.
I probably don't have the patience to do the whole rug, background and all, so I might end up with a ring...I could see me making a Small rug/mat, with just the needle loops,.. or a mixed media thing, applique/embroidery/paint

[gessatrude.livejournal.com]

my altar room is multi-purpose...(its also my library) so I can't paint the floor (not to mention my husband would kill me).

The outdoor rituals I've been too, we form the circle (the people involved that is)...As for myself, no, I don't actually physically "draw" the circle. I just make it big enough to hold myself and the altar and let it go at that.

[pt_tangles]

LOL - if I didn't care about losing my security deposit, I could paint a circle on the carpet and WD wouldn't mind

--Phae

[sanacrow.livejournal.com]

A former working partner of a former covenmate of had a beautiful circle of thorn-braid enameled and branded into the hardwood floor of his working room/library. It was beautiful artistry, and well-sized/placed in the room and none of the non-Witches questioned that it was more than a beautiful decoration.

I'm wanting to one day replicate a painted/stitched circle (with other stuff) on a large sailcloth rug similar to what another former covenmate had. Heavy enough to lay easy, but also easy to roll up and stash.

Visual circles are not *necessary*, but sometimes they can be useful, and sometimes they can be a tool in and of themselves.

[pt_tangles]

That sounds gorgeous! I am definitely leaning towards a tile or inlaid floor design when I own my own place. I just love decorative flooring, and I have some great ideas for a circle design.

I may have to make some sketches while I am still feeling creative, and before I forget ;)

--Phae

[pjvj.livejournal.com]

I don't, but I've been lusting after a circular rug for my altar room. I just don't want to fork out the cash for the one I *really* want. I either will another lovely one, or I'll fork out the dough. ;-)

[pt_tangles]

You have one picked out? Do you have a link or a pic?

--Phae

[pjvj.livejournal.com]

It is not witchy, but here it is:

(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v31/pjvj61/?action=view&current=E118-002Ruby.jpg)

There was another really pretty one I cannot find right now. And ... I also am going to look at a shag rug. lol

[pt_tangles]

How big is it?

I think that if I were going to make a real rug it would either have to be very tightly woven and very short, or something that isn't necessarily carpet fiber.

--Phae

[pjvj.livejournal.com]

About 6'. Short, close nap. This rug be down all the time, whichever one I get. I may really go for a long shag for the feel of it.

[elf]

Hermetic texts are full of descriptions of a circle drawn with salt or sulfur. A lot of texts mention tracing the circle with chalk--something you can see, but can easily be swept up in case of interruptions.

I've known of (but not directly known) groups that had a cord the right length to place around the circle. Some groups use personal cords as the radius of a group circle; tie one end to a wand in the center of a clearing, and use the athame to trace a line in the earth at the length of the cord.

Knowing exactly where the edge is, is important in a lot of kinds of ceremonial magick. If you're working with barely-controlled energies and/or entities, you want to not accidentally step over the line at the wrong time. For celebratory workings, the details are a lot less important, and the "circle" is likely to be "this open space where we can all move around."

I've worked in rooms that have a circle painted on the floor; I love it. No, you don't "need" a visual marker... but you don't "need" candles or blades or incense or chanting either. And if you're gonna go the aesthetic route and remove physical things until you're down to just "I'll sit here cross-legged and move the energies with my mind"... ummm... wrong religion. The inner child-self likes images and symbols and physicality, which can definitely include a visible circle.

I've always wanted to make a "circle-throw," something rug-like and donut-shaped, 6-10" wide fabric made into maybe a 6' diameter circle, flexible enough to fold into a small bag, substantial enough to flatten out on a floor, embroidered with Nifty Symbols Of Occult Lore. (Or maybe with elvish letters saying "This is a magic circle; friends within, enemies keep out.")

[pt_tangles]

The inner child-self likes images and symbols and physicality, which can definitely include a visible circle.

For some reason, a part of me tends to feel guilty over wanting the pretties. Like it is materialistic and shallow or something. I think I need to work on that.

--Phae

[pjvj.livejournal.com]

Join the materialistic and shallow side .... come my friend ... join me ...... join me .....

:-)

[pt_tangles]

Do you have cookies?

--Phae

[pjvj.livejournal.com]

I always have cookies .....

[elf]

Irrelevant trip down memory lane: I had great fun when a "half demon" visited the Cauldron, wanting some kind of spell that would "release his demon nature." I suggested using a circle drawn twice with charcoal, three times with sulfur, and fifteen with saltpetre--the proportions for gunpowder*--and igniting it to "open a gate to Hell," which would "remove the limitations of his mortal body."

Randall was very apologetic about deleting it.

*(The proportions for cheap, simple, UNSAFE gunpowder. Goes boom easy. Only recommended for those with real demon lineage.)

[pt_tangles]

LOL - I remember that one. I think Randall and Lyric worried WAY too much.

--Phae

[vicki-sine.livejournal.com]

My dedicated temple does not at this time have a physically painted circle inscribed in any manner.

Not to mean I am opposed to this artistic license.

I have seen photographs of a building which Gardner used, which not only had a circled painted on the floor, but astrological signs painted in a circle around the upper part of the all.

I have on occasion considered that idea. I like astrological signs, they could be quite lovely and visually inspiring.

I think a lot depends on the constraints of privacy. If one paints something permanent on the floor or walls, and then the house must be sold at some point. I love my tree of life I painted on the wall, it has been a lovely meditation tool, but what if I needed to move. It would not be easily painted over.

[pt_tangles]

Very cool. I would love to see some pics of a set up with drawn/painted/whatever circles. I will have to scour google and see if I can find anything.

--Phae