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Creating sacred space: Outer expressions of innerworlds in modern WiccaLynne Hume aa Lecturer in the Department of Studies in Religion, University of Queensland, Brisbane,4072, AustraliaVersion of record first published: 25 Jun 2008.

To cite this article: Lynne Hume (1998): Creating sacred space: Outer expressions of inner worlds in modern Wicca, Journal ofContemporary Religion, 13:3, 309-319

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Journal of Contemporary Religion, Vol. 13, No. 3, 1998 309

Creating Sacred Space: Outer Expressions of InnerWorlds in Modern Wicca

LYNNE HUME

ABSTRACT This article gives a brief description of one of the sub-branches of Paganism,Wicca. It describes how sacred space is established and it explores the sacred circle as asymbolic representation of Wiccan cosmology. Physical sacred space thus constructedbecomes a 'world apart' from the mundane and a bridge between ordinary physicalreality and metaphysical realms. The circle is the outer expression of an imaginai innerworld wherein anything is possible. The connection between a bounded, physical spaceand a limitless otherworld is discussed, using the discourse of the witches and theoreticalperspectives on sacred space.

Introduction

Each of the major world religions has its own geographical territory, or 'religiousgeography' (Tylor, 1990), with centres of activity in which adherents are foundin optimal numbers. Christianity is most common in Europe and areas whereEuropean colonization or settlement have taken place; Islam is dominant in the

. Middle East, northern Africa and western Asia; India is principally Hindu; andBuddhism is concentrated in central Asia. Architecture, wearing apparel andother items of material culture articulate the underlying major religious beliefsand visually map out distinctions between the sacred and the profane. Peopleweave in and out of real and imagined boundaries which they have created andwithin which they live their daily lives, enabling them to cope with life'svicissitudes.

However, even within geographical areas that are dominated by one majorreligion, there are numerous other belief systems that pervade even the mostconcentrated religious core, resulting in overlapping universes of customs,beliefs and behaviour. Within these overlapping universes people of a particularworldview establish their own sacred spaces. In most religions, sacred spacemeans real places in buildings, such as temples, synagogues and churches, or aspecific site where a momentous event occurred some time in the past. Thenatural environment is also subject to religious interpretation, as is indicated bysacred groves, rivers, mountains and caves. Pilgrimage to such places is a clearindication of their significance as thousands throng each year to sacred spots forreasons of devotion, worship or cure.

Jackson and Hènrie (1983) offer a typology for categorizing sacred space atthree broad levels: mystico-religious, homelands, and historical sacred sites.Mystico-religious sites are perceived as sacred because God and humans are indirect contact. Temples and cathedrals, shrines and sacred groves, or mountainsand trees may be the focus of mystico-religious sacred space, along with

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significant places, such as Bethlehem. Homelands are sacred because theyrepresent the roots of each individual, or group, but they are sacred only tobelievers. Historical sacred sites are those which have been assigned sanctity asa result of a special event occurring there. This is a fairly simple categorizationof some complex material, but can be useful for placing religions under verybroad categories; we shall see how Wicca, a sub-branch of modern Paganism,might be discussed .using this typology.

Sacred Space

The religious expression of sacred space varies and there is no clear answer asto what defines the holiness or sanctity of a place. Jackson and Henrie definesacred space as

that portion of the earth's surface which is recognized by individuals orgroups as worthy of devotion, loyalty or esteem. Space is sharplydiscriminated from the non-sacred or profane world around it. Sacredspace does not exist naturally, but is assigned sanctity as man defines,limits and characterizes it through his culture, experience and goals.(Jackson & Henrie, 1983: 94)

Ordinary, profane space is converted into holy or sacred space through asymbolic process that reflects the worldview of a particular religion. Pastanalyses of sacred space, especially the highly cited works of Mircea Eliade andEmile Durkheim, made clear distinctions between sacred and profane. However,recent writers, such as Chidester and Linenthal (Chidester & Linenthal, 1995),prefer to move away from previous works which dichotomise the sacred andprofane, emphasizing instead that the sacred is not necessarily the opposite ofprofane, nor is it absolutely separate from the profane. Following on from vander Leeuw's observation that sacred space is consistently a politics of property,powerful because it is "appropriated, possessed, and owned" (van der Leeuw,1986: 210), Chidester and Linenthal pay particular attention to these aspects withregard to American sacred space. They lay heavy emphasis on the politicalaspects of sacred space as contested space, suggesting that the most significantaspects of sacred space are not categories, such as heaven, earth and hell, but"hierarchical power relations of domination and subordination, inclusion andexclusion, appropriation and dispossession". They emphasize the"entrepreneurial, social, political and other 'profane' forces" that constitute theconstruction of American sacred space (Chidester & Linenthal, 1995: 17).

While this emphasis on the political and contestable notions of sacred space isan interesting departure from past analyses and while it can be applied to manyreligions, it is untenable when speaking about a witch's sacred circle. Yet itserves to point out the special nature of a Wiccan circle (or, for that matter, mostmagical circles). The focus of this paper is on Wicca, also known as witchcraft,or The Craft, and is based on research carried out over a period of six years: oneyear in Canada and five years in Australia. The methodology employed wasparticipant observation, informal interviews and literature research, includingmany Australian pagan journals and newsletters. The study began with pagangroups in general, then focused particularly on Wiccan covens. The authorvisited various covens throughout Australia and participated in numerous

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Creating Sacred Space 311

rituals, meetings and social events over a five-year period. Although AustralianWiccah covens vary a great deal in details, a similar format for circle casting isused at most of the Australian Wiccan rituals attended by the author.

We shall explore how the physical space of a Wiccan sacred circle mirrors, inminuscule, the Wiccan worldview. In other words, the sacred circle is a perfectsymbol and reflection of the Wiccan philosophy. Also, Wiccan sacred space canbe made without regard to geographical place or space and is not a subject forpolitical debate over any land ownership or appropriation. A witch's sacredcircle coincides more with Jonathon Smith's idea of sacralization of place. Smithwrites that place is sacralized as the result of "the work of ritual, memory,design, construction and control of place" (Smith, 1978: 88). It is more a "poetic"space than a "political space" (Stallybrass & White, 1986: 202). But first, a briefdiscussion of modern Paganism, or Neopaganism, and Wicca.

Modern Paganism

Modern Paganism is a new religious movement which is gaining momentumthroughout the world. As Greenwood, Harvey, Simes and Nye have pointedout, Paganism is a "diverse, pluralist and developing tradition" (Greenwood etal., 1995: 185). Several scholarly books have covered its emergence and practicein Britain (Crowley, 1989; Luhrmann, 1989; Hutton, 1991; Kelly, 1991; Harvey &Hardman, 1996; Harvey, 1997), in the US (Adler, 1979; Starhawk, 1979; Orion,1995), in Canada (Marron, 1990) and in Australia (Hume, 1997). Many scholarlyarticles have been produced as well as numerous practical 'how to' books forpotential practitioners. Most agree that Paganism is nature-based, polytheisticand eclectic, but that it can also be pantheistic and panentheistic. Like Hinduism,there is a broad range of approaches to the divine. Included under the term'Paganism' are many sub-groups, such as shamans, Druids, Wiccans andwitches, and some writers have gone from general discussions of Paganism aspart of the New Age, to particular studies of sub-groups, seeing them assomething distinct from the New Age.

Wiccans also refer to themselves as Pagans and witches. Wicca's foundationsare as diverse as its sub-groups, and they include elements taken from Neopla-tonism, Theosophy and Spiritualism, as well as influences from the Freemasons,the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and Aleister Crowley, all mixed witha healthy dose of romanticism.

Like other modern Pagans, Wiccans practise religious ecology, which isfounded on the belief that the natural world is part of, not apart from, the deitiesthat created it. The physical world within which humans find themselvesoverlaps with the spiritual realms of nature spirits, deities and transitionalbeings, yet the two worlds are apart. The goal of Wicca is to bridge the gulfbetween these worlds and to discover self-realization by doing so. Wiccans donot believe that religious intermediaries are either necessary or desirable inorder for this goal to be attained.

Wiccans constantly refer to 'energies'. They say that matter is made up ofswirling energy patterns and all things exist in a state of constant vibration,differing in form according to their rate of vibration. Because of the physicalrestrictions placed on human perception, normal consciousness limits perception

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to those things that are vibrating at the same rate. Wiccans say that it is possibleto move beyond these restrictions by entering an altered state of consciousness,when it is possible to connect psychically with the normally unseen energiesaround us. By focusing the mind (see Hume, 1995), one can become a humanconduit for energy. Energy is contained within the physical body as well asexternally and it can be 'raised' from within to be projected outward for healingor magical purposes as well as taken in from external sources. Energy has beendescribed as being analogous to electricity and just as powerful; when one 'feels'energy it is like an electric current moving through the body. Magic is thecombination of using subtle energy forces with the 'will' of the practitioner ofmagic. Once tuned in to other realms through altered states of consciousness,energy can be used for practical purposes, such as healing or attaining a desiredgoal.

Wicca engages its followers in both physically and mentally creating sacredspaces; spaces which are neither bounded by territorial fences nor dependentupon geographical locations. The world of the imagination, the mundo imaginalis,leads people on spiritual journeys through the landscape of the mind. Ritualserves as a theatre of action which provides a bridge between the physical andthe metaphysical, the known and unknown worlds. Like other Pagans, Wiccansbelieve that the whole earth is sacred and that sacred space can be constructedanywhere. Once the location is decided upon, the physical space is set upaccording to the Wiccan worldview: it depends upon compass directions,hemisphere and the natural environment. The season cycle of rituals is knownas the Wheel of the Year which marks out events according to the naturalrhythm of the seasons, such as the equinoxes and the solstices, and the move-ments of the sun and the moon. Rituals are performed to celebrate the seasons,honour the deities, attune with nature, attain self-realization, initiate participantsinto the mysteries, and for magical and healing purposes.

Ritual

Rituals convey important costnological concepts and values with persuasiveemotive force. When enacted communally, they unite participants andstrengthen their beliefs. As both Otto (Otto, 1950) and Eliade (Eliade, 1961) havepointed out, ritual arises from, and celebrates the encounter with the numinousand enables participants to flee the banality of ordinary life. Wiccan rituals aresacred dramas wherein one is both audience and actor. All participants becomeenmeshed in a drama that involves chants, songs, dance, aromas, colour andcostume, specifically employed to infuse the conscious mind with sensorystimulation and awaken the psyche.

Just as a play consists of performance and performers, props, costumes,lighting, music and special effects in order to create a mood, or atmosphere, soit is with any pagan ritual. Pre-ritual rehearsals where the main players gothrough their lines and actions are choreographed by the organizers and areusually necessary for a smooth outcome, especially for large gatherings, such asopen, public rituals which may attract hundreds of people. Creating atmospherefor a ritual becomes vital because of the need to heighten the imagination inorder to raise energy and to invoke the gods without and evoke the gods within.Elaborate, highly scripted rituals are not always the most effective. If too much

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concentration and effort are injected into the organization and orchestration ofa highly scripted rite, the logical mind tends to overshadow the imagination.Often, a very simple rite which raises great energy is the most memorable for itsparticipants. While the former might employ a visual and aural 'spectacular'which all present can appreciate for its dramatic effect, it may fall short in itsability to 'raise power*.

The regularity of pagan celebrations establishes a spontaneous community,which is part of all religious traditions. Most Wiccan groups (covens) inAustralia consist of a High Priestess and a High Priest who officiate at rituals,teach novices, and initiate coven members into the coven and the mysteries ofWicca. The exceptions to this type of coven are the solitary Wiccans who workalone, and the groups which are exclusively female, often known as DianicWiccans. Ritual participants all share in basically the same set of beliefs and theiryearly celebrations are based on what is known as the Wheel of the Year, amythic cycle which plays out an anthropomorphized version of the agriculturaland seasonal cycle, with kings and queens passing through human cycles ofbirth, death and rebirth, reflecting the natural rhythm of the earth and nature.

If one begins the year at Samhain (popularly known as Halloween) and movesthrough winter solstice, Imbolc, spring equinox, Beltaine, summer solstice,Lughnasad, and autumn equinox, the cycle is completed where it began, atSamhain.1 Each of the rituals, as well as a lunar ritual performed on the thirteenfull moons, is performed in the circle, a recurring symbol which reiteratesnotions of wholeness and infinity. Spiral dances, sometimes included in rituals,symbolise the movement inward to one's inner being and outward to theuniverse at large.

In spite of its seemingly theatrical mode, its tools and paraphernalia, ritual isonly a means to an end. Ritual is the outer form whose purpose is to act ascatalyst to the inner process. Ritual paraphernalia are merely outward and visiblesymbols of an inward and psychological process. All rituals, however, from thesimplest to the most elaborate, contain a rich display of symbols. AnthropologistGilbert Lewis (Lewis, 1980) suggests that the more recondite the symbol, themore captivating is its mystery, and that some rituals may even emphasize theillogic and incoherence of symbols in order to capture the paradox, mystery andtranscendental reality of the sacred. Wiccan rituals are not intended to convertthe sceptical or astound the novice, but are used as a means of transforming theindividual, assisting escape from the sterility of the logical mind in order to openhidden doorways to other realms. In ritual one works at different levelssimultaneously: the outer, or physical level of existence, and "the inner non-physical level, in order to effect change on other planes of existence which willhave repercussions at this level of existence.

Many of the Wiccan tools used in the sacred circle (such as the athame and thechalice described below) are said to be symbols of polar opposites representinguniversal balance—of male and female, yin and yang. In general, round objectsare associated with female, long pointed objects with male. These are universalsymbols for female and male genitalia and are found in many cultures. Thecircle, the spiral, the moon, are all expressions of the container par excellence, thewomb of the Great Mother. The round full moon is a particularly potent femalesymbol, because its 28-day cycle mirrors the female menstrual cycle. Similarly,the line, the cross, the upright pillar, the swoTd and the athame are symbols of

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male as phallus and protector of the Goddess. Although the sun is also round,its counterpart is the moon, so the sun, in Wicca, as in almost all culturalmythologies, is male. The earth, as mother, is below and receptive to the raysand fiery heat of the sun. Polarity-based symbols complement one another—each is necessary for the other's survival. When united, they become one, theunion of opposites, a central generative point which explodes in energy andcreation. The epitome of that union is that of human and deity in the hierosgamos, the sacred marriage, which is ritualised, either actually or symbolically, asthe Great Rite, when gods descend into humans for physical union.

The pentagram or five-pointed star is encased within a circle to form thepentacle. This symbol is conveyed on a copper, silver or wooden dish or plate,and represents the element Earth. Point upward, the pentagram symbolizes thefour elements ruled over by spirit; point downward, it represents the horns ofthe Horned God. The pentacle is 'man' the microcosm surrounded by themacrocosm. Other working tools of the witch are the chalice, wand, censer (orthurible) and incense and bell. The wand is used to direct the will and tosummon and control spirits. The censer is the incense container which is oftenused to purify the space with the symbols of fire and air. The bell marks specificmoments during some rites.

Three candles set upon the altar within the circle represent three aspects of theGoddess (a white candle for the maiden, a red candle for the mother, and a blackcandle for the Goddess); they also represent the various stages of a woman's life.A sword (symbol of power and will) is used to cast the circle and to 'subduerebellious spirits'. It is the instrument through which the energy flows to createthe magical circle. The athame is more commonly used for this purpose; it is adouble-edged, black-handled knife used only for ceremonial purposes. SomeWiccan covens in Australia prescribe an iron blade for the athame, symbolizingwill, and an ebony handle symbolizing steadfastness, but these prescriptions areby no means universal. The chalice, or cup, is the ceremonial vessel representingthe female, the womb of the Goddess. At one stage in a rite the athame isinserted into the chalice, filled with liquid, to represent the sacred marriage ofthe God and Goddess, accompanied by the following words: "as the athame isto the male, so the chalice is to the female, and when conjoined become one".

Procedure for Rituals

Almost all Wiccan rituals follow the same basic procedure. The first step is toestablish the purpose of the rite, whether that be one of the seasonal celebrations,an initiation, or for some specific reason, such as a healing. On the day of theritual, the area is swept clean with the besom (the witch's broom), the quartercandles are positioned at the four cardinal directions, and the altar is set in place.On it are placed the witch's tools: the sword, athame, pentacle, censer, salt andwater, fresh flowers, and consecrated oil and candles as well as figures of a Godand Goddess. When all is ready, the celebrants either 'robe up' (donningceremonial robes) or disrobe (go naked or 'skyclad'), and prepare themselves atthe entrance of the temple in reverent silence. The circle is cast, the ritualproceeds and when it is over, there is usually a feast to which everyone hascontributed, a time for socializing, catching up on gossip, networking, and

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finding out about the next ritual occasion. All the rituals are performed withinthe Wiccan sacred space, the circle.

Although nature and the natural environment are a fundamental and import-ant part of Wicca (and of Paganism in general) and although witches prefer tohave their circles outside in nature, if such a physical space is unavailable, aprivate room inside a house will do. However, if no physical space is available,the witch constructs the circle in her mind. She uses a process of visualization,casting the circle and working magic entirely in her mind.

Wiccan Circle = Wiccan Cosmology

Although some Pagans might disagree with Jackson and Henrie's earlier state-ment that sacred space does not exist naturally, it is evident from the ritualactions of Wiccans that the physical characteristics of sacred space need to beestablished (even if only in the mind), so that a connection may be made tometaphysical space, thus providing a link between the two. The allocation ofphysical space is not restricted, but the form of sacred space is determinedaccording to their worldview which is based on the premise, 'as above, sobelow', articulating a logical interconnection between the visible and the invis-ible. This premise is a truncated version of the oft-quoted words attributed to themysterious figure, Hermes Trismegistos:

All that is above is like all that is below,all that is below is like all that is above,in order that the miracle of unity should be fulfilled.

Hermes Trismegistos is the purported author of a collection of writings knownas the Hermetica (Faivre, 1989: 49), Greek texts written in Alexandria betweenthe first and third centuries ce. The thematic content of these texts includes thenotion that the world is a mirror of the divine and one can come to know thedivine through contemplation of the world. In Hermelism, the microcosm is'man' and the macrocosm is the universe. The universe is around us and withinus, both transcendent and immanent.. In setting up a sacred circle the witch creates sacred space at two levels: the

physical and the imaginary. Through human agency, using intent and will, andstrong powers of visualization, invisible powers in other realms can be manipu-lated or called upon to aid the witch in her work. Symbols and actions unlockdoorways into magical worlds. With intent and will, actions take place in theastral world as well as the physical world. Words uttered are poetic metaphorsthat assist the witch to summon supernatural powers.

Wiccan discourse reflects the Wiccan worldview and is couched in termswhich convey a sense of mystery and otherworldliness. The circle is sacredbecause it provides a link between 'this world and the nexf, a 'meeting placebetween the worlds of men and the realms of the Mighty Ones'. It allowsglimpses into that other realm, a world which is normally hidden, a world thatis Tjeyond the veil'.

While her body is physically pacing out a geographical sacred space, thewitch's will and concentration are imprinting a metaphysical equivalent atanother level. If a circle is set up correctly, it is said to contain magical powerand is sometimes referred to as a 'circle of power*. Having been created by

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human agency, the circle becomes a space set apart from both the mundane andthe supra-mundane—yet is one which allows deities and spirits a passageway tothe world of humans.

Wiccan discourse also reflects spatial orientation. One 'creates' sacred space totemporarily encapsulate participants within a protective sphere so that they maybe in a place 'between the worlds'. The witch 'conjures' the circle into existenceand 'rents the veil' between the two worlds to allow for communication. She canalso 'cut a doorway' in a circle once made to allow passage out and in, in aphysical sense, should one inside wish lo leave the circle while the ritual istaking place. Once within the circle, one moves either 'deosil' or 'widdershins',mirroring the path of the sun. The direction the sun takes as it appears to moveacross the sky is called 'deosil' and its opposite direction is called 'widdershins'.These two terms become important in working magic as well as in the construc-tion of the circle. As the circle is purified with salt and water (elements of earthand water) and smoking incense (fire and air), the witch commands the elementsto aid her:

Creatures of air and fire bright,do my bidding this very night.On you this blessed charge I lay,no phantoms in my presence stay.Earth and water where thou art cast,let no evil power last.Hear these words addressed to thee,as I do will, so mote it be.

The form of the circle reflects the witch's cosmology. Four positions on the rimof the circle represent compass directions on the horizontal (north, south, eastand west), their corresponding elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water, and theirassociated elementals who are also invited lo attend and to 'protect the circlefrom all ills approaching from the East/North/West/South'. The vertical planes(up/down, above/below) are also acknowledged, for the 'circle' in fact, isvisualized as a sphere. This spherical mini-universe is the microcosm of themacrocosm.

Prior to casting a circle, some spend moments in quiet meditation. The circleboundary is measured out (though some private properties contain permanentlyestablished circles), the altar is set up, with the witch's tools carefully laid out,and candles are placed at the four cardinal points, with appropriate colours torepresent the elements and symbols to represent their associated elementals.Sometimes a bell is rung to signal the commencement of the rite and participantsstand in line outside the circle awaiting the High Priestess and the High Priestbid them enter. The circle is swept clean and purified.

Using either the sword or the athame, the High Priest 'cuts' the boundary ofthe circle and circumambulates in a deosil direction, while everyone presentenvisages a blue-white light of energy gradually forming a sphere of protection.The High Priestess then moves to the centre of the circle and 'expands heretheric body7 (visualizes her physical body extending further than its physicallimitations) to the circle boundary, forming the true circle in three dimensions.

The elementals beings, believed to guard each of the four quarters, are theninvited to attend and to protect those present. The God and Goddess are invited

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to watch over the rites and are given homage. Once the circle is set in place inthis manner, no one moves outside its boundary until the ritual is completed.The circle is then open for any ritual celebration or magic work to be done. Oncecompleted, the circle is closed, the God and Goddess are thanked for theirpresence and the elementals at each of the four quarters are thanked and bidfarewell. A feast follows.

Although there are slight variations from one coven to another, this describesthe basic format. Once the circle is 'dismantled', the power is dissipated, and thespace returns to normal—it is no longer sacred. Willpower and conscious actioncreate the space and separate those within from the ordinary. One can only find'that which is without' by searching for 'that which is within', reflecting thephilosophy that a spark of the divine is within each person and mirrors theessence of the most sacred.

While Wiccans make sacred space wherever they wish, they neverthelessrecognize the power of ancient places and of prehistoric monuments, such asStonehenge and Avebury, and respect indigenous sacred areas. They say thatthey feel energies more powerfully in some places than others. These placeshave a numinous quality—an otherworldliness that can be tangibly felt by some.If a particular place is repeatedly used as a sacred circle it can also Tjuild upenergies' which can lead to it being a more permanent sacred space.

Moving into Other Landscapes

Wiccans (and other Pagans) use various meditative and trance techniques inorder to achieve a heightened sense of psychic awareness. Some use chantingand drumming to move between what Michael Harner calls an ordinary state ofconsciousness (OSC)—the reality we know in our everyday lives—and ashamanic state of consciousness (SSC)—the reality of the altered state of con-sciousness. (Harner, 1990: xix) Essential keys to the development of psychicawareness and the gaining of occult knowledge are the practice of meditation,cultivating an active imagination, and the ability to go into trance. An alteredstate of consciousness can be attained through several methods, includingphysical exertion, meditation, or listening to a persistent and continual monot-onous sound, such as drumming (sonic driving). Once in this state, one canbegin to experience other realities. By cultivating these states, sensorial aware-ness is increased which leads to a deeper knowledge of the inner self andheightened awareness, so that one may 'see' that which is not normally seen and'feel' presences that are not normally felt.

Witches can also move in and out of physical landscapes and merge intonon-somatic realms through guided journeys of the imagination, called 'path-workings'. This is a process of meditation that calls on vocal and visual maps,where the journeyer is mentally guided on an imaginai journey, a virtualgeography. For example, a pathway in a forest might be suggested as a point ofdeparture. The pathworker is told to take note of the landscape, any figures seen,anything given to them and any insights picked up along the way. They are thentold to return along the same route and to come back to the ordinary world byopening their eyes and moving their bodies. Such mind journeys often givepeople the chance to tap into their subconscious in ways that might throw somelight on past or present problems.

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Conclusioni

Ground rules for establishing spatial differentiation along religious lines areperceived and patterned according to geographical space (locations, places) andmetaphysical space (worlds above and below; hierarchies of the sacred) andthese usually include rules and restrictions pertaining to how boundaries may becrossed (and by whom) and who shall occupy sacred space.

We have seen that, unlike most mainstream monotheistic religions whosesacred places are contained within human-constructed edifices, such aschurches, synagogues and temples, or at locations of historical religious import-ance, Wiccan sacred space can be constructed anywhere. The number of partic-ipants determines the size of the circle and the boundaries depend principally onthe imagination. There are no walls or ceilings in a sacred circle and even ifspace is not available, a witch may construct a circle in her mind.

We have also seen how the Wiccan cosmology is mirrored in the sacred circle;the macrocosmic universe is established in miniature at the microcosmic level.People gather together at appointed times according to seasonal cycles and themovement of the sun and moon. Spatial ordering is firmly embedded in thediscourse of the witches. The circle indicates and gives shape to Wiccancosmological order. It establishes an imaginary spherical world within a physicalground space paced out by a measured circle.

Employing Jackson and Henrie's typology of sacred space, we can see thatmodern Wicca falls into the mystico-religious category—where a site is per-ceived as sacred because God and humans are in direct contact. Once within thesacred circle of the witches, tine imagination can transport those inside into thelimitless possibilities of an imaginary or 'fantasy' world. In his Feast of Fools,Christian theologian Harvey Cox applauded the virtues of fantasy, not simplybecause fantasy enables escape from Ihe humdrum world of everyday life, butbecause it can be used as a device for creating alternative realities. (Cox, 1970)Similarly, Miller asserted that play and fantasy serve to free humans fromfossilized thinking, thus opening up new ways of looking at life. (Miller, 1970)

Wiccan rituals provide an imaginary enclave, enveloping participants in adramatic realm of heightened imagination where anything is possible. Wiccan(and other Pagan) festivals provide a forum for the enactment of colourful ritesreplete with sensory stimulation. Witches move between landscapes of the earthand landscapes of the mind in an effort to capture the magical qualities of thislife and beyond. Paracelsus (1493-1541), famed alchemist and magician of thesixteenth century, said that man is what he imagines himself to'be. Activemeditation allows people to embark on mystic voyages to the unknown self. Onecan only find 'that which is withouf by searching for 'that which is within'.

As we move deeper into the virtual reality of cyberspace and stretch ourimaginations to metaphysical realms which take us beyond the restrictions ofour physical bodies, anything is possible. The unconscious realm is not boundby definitions of reality; reality becomes that which is experienced. In this realm,the only fences are those of the stunted imagination.

Dr Lynne Hume is Lecturer in the Department of Studies in Religion at The Universityof Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Her background is in anthropology; she teachescourses on women and religion, witchcraft and paganism, aboriginal religions, new

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religious movements and introduction to world religions. Correspondence: Dr LynneHume, Department of Studies in Religion, The University of Queensland, Brisbane,Australia, 4072.

NOTE

1 See Hume (1995) for the differences between the southern and the northern hemispheres.

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