Circle Craft: The Circle Craft Path
by Selena Fox
The Circle Craft tradition is a form of the Wiccan religion that
blends together both old and new forms of Pagan spirituality and
Nature wisdom folkways, cross cultural shamanism, and transpersonal
psychology. This tradition emerged out of the studies, spiritual
practices, and experiences of Selena Fox of Circle Sanctuary and
others.
The tradition began taking form in 1971, with its primary influences
being ancient Greek and Roman Pagan religions; American adaptations
of European folkways imported from Scotland, Germany, and Latvia;
and American folk magic practices from the Appalachian and Ozark
mountain regions. The Circle Craft tradition was initially known
as Circle Wicca during the 1970s, and then was called Wiccan Shamanism
during the 1980s and 1990s. At the beginning of the 21st century,
Selena Fox changed its name to Circle Craft in order to distinguish
it from the many other forms of shamanistic Wicca and Paganism that
had emerged in the US and elsewhere.
Central to the Circle Craft tradition is Divine communion in and
with Nature, plus the developing and sustaining of spiritual relationships
with the Divine both as a great interconnecting Unity, or Spirit,
and with the Divine in multiple sacred forms, including Deities,
Ancestors, Elementals, and Nature Spirits. Deities honored include
both Goddess and God forms. Circle Craft is animistic and practitioners
also develop sacred alignments with the Spirits of particular plants,
creatures, and places. The Circle Craft worldview is panentheistic,
recognizing the sacred both as immanent, or indwelling, as well
as transcendent.
Whenever possible, Circle Craft rituals are held outside in natural
settings. Seven sacred forces, realms, and directions are invoked
and honored in rituals: Earth in North, the physical realm; Air
in East, the mental realm; Fire in South, the behavioral realm;
Water in West, the emotional realm; Cosmos for Above, the universe;
Planet for Below, the biosphere; Spirit in the Center, the all encompassing
spiritual realm and the interconnecting center that is Divine Unity.
Ritual Circles are cast clockwise beginning in the North, and usually
the main altar is in or near the center of the circle.
Circle Craft practice is enhanced by the use of ritual tools. These
include, but are not limited to: altar and altar cloth; candles
and matches; incense burner and incense; feathers; wand; staff;
chalice of water; pentacle and/or dish of salt, soil, or herbs;
quartz crystals; sacred art, such as images of Deities; rattle,
drum, bell, and other musical instruments; broom; cauldron; seasonal
symbols; sacred foods and beverages; divination tools, such as Tarot
and Runes; ceremonial garb and jewelry; and spiritual journal and
pen. Blades may be used by individual practitioners in personal
work and in certain group rituals but are not essential tools in
this tradition. The scourge and measure are not used. Most practitioners
wear some form of consecrated jewelry, such as a pentacle, or an
amulet known as a Spirit bag.
Dress in Circle Craft group rites is diverse, reflecting individual
preferences and expressions, with some dressing in robes, some in
ancestral folk costumes, and others in street clothes. Color of
dress usually reflects one or more hues associated with the seasons.
These include black, orange, and indigo at Samhain; red, green,
white, and gold for Yule; white and red at Imbolc; pastel green,
yellow, and lavender at Spring Equinox; bright green, blue, and
multi-colors at Beltane; green, gold, and yellow for Summer Solstice;
green, gold, and brown at Lughnassad; and yellow, brown, orange,
red, and purple for Fall Equinox. Both women and men as part of
Spring and Summer festivals sometimes wear garland crowns fashioned
from vegetation in season.
In the Circle Craft tradition, the spiritual year begins at Samhain
and includes the eight Sabbats, plus the celebration of Full and
New Moons. Community celebrations of the eight Sabbats are multicultural.
Bonfires and ecstatic drumming and dancing are usually part of seasonal
celebrations.
Initiation by a teacher or group is not required in order to be
a Circle Craft practitioner, but this is an option for those who
complete a course of study and meet other requirements, including
a preparatory outdoor vigil in a natural setting. Circle Craft principles
include: Harm None, Be of Service, and Live in Balance. An important
part of personal and group spiritual work is healing, and one or
more modalities may be used to direct healing to others or to self,
such as guided imagery, therapeutic touch, work with crystals and
herbs, movement, drumming, and chanting. Work with dreams, meditation,
and intuition are also important dimensions of Circle Craft study
and practice. Additional information about the Circle Craft tradition
has been published in periodicals, books, and on the internet, but
much continues to be transmitted by word of mouth and guided experiences
at study sessions and festivals. An on-line course is planned for
the future and is currently being developed.
Selena Fox
Selena Fox is high priestess of Circle Sanctuary and the founder
of the Circle Craft tradition. She guides Circle Craft rituals and
learning experiences each month at Circle Sanctuary land in Wisconsin
as part of Craftway Circle (www.circlesanctuary.org/craftway).
She will be presenting Circle Craft workshops this Summer at the
Pagan Spirit Gathering, June 15-22 in Ohio (www.circlesanctuary.org/psg)
and at the Sacred Space Conference July 10-13 in Maryland (www.sacredspacefoundation.org).
A shorter version of this article has been published in "The
Encyclopedia of Modern Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism," by Shelley
Rabinovitch and James Lewis, editors; New York: Citadel Press, Kensington
Publishers, 2002, pages 46-47.
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