On September 7, 2016, I began posting a daily CIRCLE OF THE DAY on my facebook pages. It all started because I had noticed that a lot of art work featured circular patterns or forms of one kind or another, especially symbolic sacred circles, and I began to wonder what it was that made them so universally appealing. The answers to this question were far more interesting – and just far MORE – than I expected. This post looks back at some of the answers I found in my original circle quest, along with new things I’ve learned in my daily circle searches.
The symbolism of the circle is as endless as the circle itself, and is considered, as far as I can tell, to be a sacred symbol by almost every known culture on Earth:
“The circle is the most common and universal sign, found in all cultures. It is the symbol of the sun in its limitless or boundless aspect. It has no beginning and no end, and no divisions, making it the perfect symbol of completeness, eternity, and the soul. The circle is also the symbol of boundary and enclosure, of completion, and returning cycles. (SymbolDictionary.net)
No one can say when the circle began to be thought of as a sacred symbol, but it’s not difficult to figure out why. Two circular objects inexplicably moved through the sky each day, and the sun was worshipped by many ancient peoples for the warm and light that it brought. The night-time orb of the moon was often seen as its companion or counterpart, having opposing or complimentary energies and powers.
Obviously, they also couldn’t have helped but notice that nature has a particular fondness for circular structures in general. They also occured in the repetitive cycles of time – days, months, and years. Understanding and predicting these cycles was important to their survival, and so took on spiritual significance.
“The circle symbol meaning is universal, sacred and divine. It represents the infinite nature of energy, and the inclusivity of the universe.
Our ancient kin observed a circular aspect to the cycles of time, specifically in the movements of the seasons. In waltzing rhythms of time, and with the revolutions of the earth ’round the sun, we can feel the same kind of evolution in annual time and seasons – just as our forefathers and mothers did.”
~ Avia Venefica, What’s-Your-Sign.com
It’s not surprising, then, that many of the oldest artifacts discovered are made in the shapes of circles and spheres. The purpose of the objects below is a mystery.
“The circle is a universal symbol with extensive meaning. It represents the notions of totality, wholeness, original perfection, the Self, the infinite, eternity, timelessness, all cyclic movement, God (‘God is a circle whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere.” (Hermes Trismegistus)). (University of Michigan Symbolism Project)
Because of the circle’s profound spiritual symbolism, humans throughout history have built the circle’s sacred form into not only religious rituals, but also physical constructions. From the spiral on an ancient Norman church in Cornwall…
Please stay tuned for the upcoming post in which I explore the relationships of the circle to human psychology and spirituality. Or sign up for my newsletter below to receive notication of new posts!