The Quartered Circle

The quartered circle does several things. First, it orients the practitioner in time and space through relation to the directions- which themselves combine to create the additional liminal directions of ‘Above’ and ‘Below’. What lies at the center is the very cosmos itself.

Secondly, it fulfills the model of wholeness through the presence of and relation to the elements, which are themselves connected to and oriented within the directions. It is through the drawing forth of the elemental powers associated with them, that the forces of both space and element balance each other to create Spirit: The Cosmic Truth and binder made manifest.

You are, essentially, bringing a portion of the greater cosmos down into the world and creating a space wherein the Center becomes a place of magical wholeness and integration; a place of responsibility and change. This center is the space we stand in, within Spirit, to draw on the powers in accordance with our needs in ritual and worship.

Quartering is also a representation of humanity itself; we quarter the circle into four because Humanity has extended itself to the ‘four corners of the world’, and during ritual we reach out to our fellow Witches, and call them to reply in Spirit. Further, it is an affirmation of Humanity’s unique position in this world, having spread itself so far and wide, and the inherent responsibility that presents us.