If we were to look into our human past, we would find the circle has always been in use from the very earliest days. We first find the fire pit or the circle around which early humans, after discovering fire, gathered around to eat and then for story telling or council fires. Some of the old world cultures created areas such as Stonehenge or the Avebury Henge. Some have built pyramidal temples or stargazing sites. These are speculated to have been used to determine the solstices and other events by the placement of known stars. Other possible uses have been speculated upon as well.
When doing ceremony, the circle has been an important aspect of the occasion. It represents communication, the continuous process, and also is a containment area for the sacred work. The indigenous of the Americas might perhaps lay a salt or cornmeal circle in which work would be done. Others would call upon the elements, directions, angels, or symbols to create their space.
The Native American Medicine Wheel is a great example, and perhaps one we would be more familiar with. Note, it is not a wheel in the Native American mind, as there was no word for wheel in their language. The concept would have been labeled a medicine hoop. This would involve the use of stones in the shape of a wheel. The stones would have been placed in the four directions with a center stone or fire pit. Other stones would have been added around the edge and a series of four paths or spokes from the cardinal points to the center with perhaps an inner or moon circle. You would have either five stones or as many as you would like. Each stone would then have a meaning or animal connected to it. The Medicine Wheel would be used in meditation or in the creation of energies directed to a specific purpose. Note also, that it is not a flat hoop, but encompasses all directions – North, South, East, West, above, and below. In effect, a bubble. Each of the preceding situations may also be described as a Merkabah, a vehicle in which sacred work may be done.
Now we move to the most sacred circle, wheel, and Merkabah: your personal field of energy which surrounds you, and your chakras. All that may be done with what we have already discussed may be done within this Merkabic field. When we discussed world peace we spoke of the need to first have inner peace. In discussing the Merkabah fields we also need to be centered in our own wheels before the outer ones work properly. We also want to consider what we carry in our fields, especially when we are interacting with individuals or a group. As in, “Is my field helpful or a hindrance to that important business meeting? Am I bringing peace or disruption?”