Path: news.ifm.liu.se!liuida!sunic!trane.uninett.no!eunet.no!nuug!EU.net!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!uhog.mit.edu!news.mtholyoke.edu!news.umass.edu!nic.umass.edu!twain.ucs.umass.edu!dcarron From: dcarron@twain.ucs.umass.edu (DAVID S CARRON) Newsgroups: alt.pagan Subject: Re: Circle Visualizations Date: 8 Jan 1995 14:04:41 GMT Organization: University of Massachusetts, Amherst Lines: 40 Message-ID: <3eordp$5cm@nic.umass.edu> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: twain.ucs.umass.edu X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] Jencina (jencina@gladstone.uoregon.edu) wrote: : Hi, all! : In light of all the flame wars recently, I thought it might be kinda nice : to discuss something directly pagan-related. There's a topic that Wow, who would thought alt.pagan would go so far... : How many of you cast Circles when doing rituals? If you don't cast one, Perhaps, this should have been better titled to something, like sacred space visualizations, so the non-Wiccans aren't set running ;) Of course I can't speak for the entire Norse community but this method is used in my kindred and many others. It is called the Hammer Rite. Sacred space is not carved out as much as blessed. A circle or container is not visualized. One kinwoman of mine metioned that it was like ringing a bell... In one direction (The front of the room/north/or neither) it is spoken "Hammer of Fire, hollow and hold this holy stead" Or something like that. And the hammer sign is motioned, representing the hammer of Thor (like an upside down T) (A stead is a home, btw). In the opposite direction the individual speaks "Hammer of Ice, hollow etc." And does the hammer sign. The hammer rite doesn't create two walls but more like washes over the space. The rituals that we typicaly do are generally non-magical and more religous, so a small cavate, before you go running off to try this in your next ritual. Not to mention, Thor's hammer brings Thor (duh!), which you may not want to have around... (I don't know why...) I have been to many wiccan circles and the hammer rite does create a very open but intense ritual. Of course I am biased. I have been to a Norse circle which was at best a flop and at worst... David Carron