From: Laying a Compass v. Casting a Circle
This is from Michele's original post.
Many Traditional Witches will say they don’t need to work in a compass, and they are right. The witch (and any other human for that matter) is already in the center so there is no need to lay the compass or call the land to place one’s self there; however, to gain true understanding of the center, what the center is, and what the human’s relationship is with the center, the keys are within the compass and must be worked to be understood. The center is the Center – it is the World Tree, it is the Point in the Circle, it is the Pole Star around which everything revolves. And many witches will say they already know this – and they do. However, few actually “know” this on the deeper level. The knowledge of the compass is a bit like having your first child. You plan to get pregnant, you have taken your vitamins and prepare, you’re read every book and watched every documentary and attended every birthing class. You know that birth and parenthood will be the biggest endeavor of your life and that nothing will ever compare to what you will feel for this child. Fine – you know this, but you know it intellectually. No matter how much you truly REALIZE this, everything you thought you understood about parenthood is reduced to trivial dust beneath your heels the moment your child arrives and you actually see it and touch it. You won’t even be able to put it into words what you feel because it doesn’t translate into something so trivial as language. Suddenly intellect falls to the bottom of the barrel of understanding. You knew intellectually that you would love this child but that knowledge was completely insufficient to prepare you for what you would feel. This is the difference between intellectually knowing the meaning of the compass and the fact that we are already at center of the compass and actually “becoming” a part of the compass. Actually “knowing” this truth in every fiber of our soul, not simply in the brain which is a physical manifestation and will be reduced to bone and dust upon our demise.
Source: Laying a Compass v. Casting a Circle
I think I've read this thread half a dozen times, and only now "got" it on an intellectual level. I wasn't ready for it previously. I was looking for instruction rather than insight.
When I first started my path, influenced entirely by Wicca, I raised a circle because I was instructed to do so. It got annoying to do so when I felt every time I raised it and started working, my husband would invariably barge in unwittingly. Or I would leave something on the outside. Eventually, I was just using the perimeter of the bedroom as the perimeter of the circle (square, technically, then). And eventually I just dropped it entirely because I associated it with Wicca...
And now I'm returning to it not in the Wiccan sense, but not entirely devoid of that sense, either. Because the Wiccan version had to come from somewhere, and it has its own significance. Also, I'm still mostly experimenting with methods, trying to determine what feels right.
I haven't experienced laying a compass yet. I want to, but not as some little random thing with no real purpose other than saying "hey, look what I did." But perhaps the first experience needs no pre-determined goal. If I'm spending all my time and focus on the goal, then I'll miss the experience. Or I'll just end up ditching the goal anyway because I'm so wrapped up in the experience.
Anyway, thanks so much to Michele, who is willing to share her experiences and knowledge. I think I'd still be incredibly lost if not for her posts.
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