Miniature Megaliths: Create Your Own Stone Circles
Charlie Rainbow Wolf
Stonehenge. The very word conjures up a sense of ancient mysteries. Scientists and pilgrims alike have been searching to unlock its secrets. What is it that makes Stonehenge so fascinating? Megalithic circles are not uncommon in the British Isles; Stonehenge is probably just the most renowned. Although its name sounds ethereal, it really is only descriptive. A henge is a word used to describe a sizeable prehistoric earthwork. We mostly think of henges as being stone, but wood henges are also known. Therefore, the name Stonehenge merely describes what this megalith is: a henge made of stone.
Usually when we think of a stone henge, we think of ancient peoples. We might have ideas of Arthur, or the Druids, or perhaps we wonder at the physical challenges of raising the large and heavy stones. Where did they come from, and who put them there? I’ll admit that most of the stone henges I have visited—including Stonehenge, Castlerigg, and the stone circles that surround the village of Avebury—have been ancient. However, people today are still fascinated by the structures, and modern megaliths are even now being erected. Ivan McBeth has built several stone circles in the United Kingdom, while in the United States, Rob Roy runs Earthwood Building School in West Chazy, New York.
If you are like me, you probably don’t have the room to erect a great stone monument—or the stamina to do so! However, if you find the energy of stones fascinating and you like working in a sacred space, then you can create your own miniature megalith, and it will be just as special and as useful to you as the great henges of old were to their creators.
Once you’ve become used to working with the stones, you will find it easy to put up a circle for a variety of uses and in many different places. I often carry a small black velvet pouch with a selection of tiny quartz crystals in it, just for this purpose. Those who are used to casting circles and working in sacred space will readily adapt to this; those new to the practice may take a bit longer. Either way, it is not complicated, nor expensive, to create your own stone circles.
Selecting Your Stones
The purpose of the circle might influence the choice of stone used. Here are some ideas.
Quartz
One reason I prefer using little quartz points is because quartz is a magnifier, and it will enhance whatever energy is cast upon it. Quartz, which is a form of silicon dioxide, contains every spectrum of light, and because of this, I find it to be the most versatile crystal to use. Variations on quartz include smoky quartz, amethyst, citrine, and rose quartz. They will all give a slightly different slant to the energy.
Smoky Quartz
Smoky quartz is rather translucent and usually a shade of gray or brown. This form of quartz is very useful for grounding and removing negativity. In a miniature megalith, it could be employed for the purpose of lifting the mood, calming the nerves, and restoring balanced energy. Smoky quartz is also useful for magic to assist in manifesting wishes, and in prosperity magic.
Amethyst
Amethyst is a very spiritual form of quartz, and resonates at a high frequency. It is no accident that the Pope’s ring is amethyst. Amethyst points can be found in all shades of purple, from the lightest lilac to the darkest violet, and from nearly translucent to almost opaque. This stone is useful when seeking spiritual guidance, for magical pathworkings, and for enhancing intuition and incubating dreams. Amethyst also helps to bring emotional strength and stability.
Citrine
Citrine stones are amethysts that have been exposed to great temperatures. Most of the commercially available citrines have been purposefully created rather than found in their natural state. Citrines have a similar opacity to amethysts, and range in color from a pale creamy white to a deep amber. Like amethysts, these stones can also be milky or fairly clear. Citrines, with their bright yellow hues, are happy stones, and make good company when building circles where creating joviality and cultivating optimism are the desired outcomes.
These descriptions should give you a few ideas, but the stones you select should be a matter of personal choice. There is absolutely no reason why you cannot use other crystals, or beach pebbles, or even driveway gravel. You might also consider using a combination of stones, with each different stone representing a different position in the circle being created.
Constructing the Stone Circle
Another aspect of working with miniature megaliths is the actual construction of the stone circle itself. There is no right or wrong way to do this, just as there is no right or wrong stone with which to work. It is the intent that is important.
One method of placing the stones is to base them on the interpretations of the astrological houses. Place twelve stones in a circle, to represent the wheel of the zodiac. Each stone can represent a different Sun sign, or it can represent a different energy or area of life. Those familiar with astrology or working with birth charts might find this a very easy type of stone circle to use.
Another method of placing the stones is to use one for each sabbat. This again would be a circle representing the seasons, timing, energies, and deities associated with each position. Both this and the astrological wheel are layouts that seem to be popular among people who use miniature megaliths. The circles can have a definite beginning and end, starting at the most appropriate position for the work being done.
In the medicine wheel used by some Native Americans, different stones, each representing a specific totem or spirit guardian, are used. For those who work with totems, this may be an appealing way to use a miniature megalith. It is possible to purchase stones that have the totems already carved into them, or, for a more personal touch, they can be painted. Sun Bear published an excellent book on working with the different energies of the medicine wheel, called Dancing with the Wheel.
A friend of mine has a bag of amethyst rune stones that she uses as her miniature megalith. Sometimes she casts a stone circle with all of the runes, and sometimes she chooses specific runes with which to work. This way, not only is she doing the magical work, but she is also surrounded by the energies that specifically enhance the work being done. She finds this to be a very effective, portable, and versatile way of working with her own personal sacred space.
The runic emblems are just one type of figure that can be used on the stones in a miniature megalith. The glyphs for the planets, the signs of the zodiac, hieroglyphs, ogham, or other markings can also be used. It is possible that more than one set of stones might be desired, depending on what type of work is being done. I have to admit that I rather adhere to the belief that the less complicated things are, the better I can work with them. This is another reason why my miniature megalith is just a simple set of thirteen different quartz points, one for each month of a lunar year. Find what works for you, and stick with it.
Size should also be considered when working with the stones. If you have the space and the devotion, you could make a stone circle in your yard or garden in which to work. That would incline it to be a permanent structure. The charm of using tiny stones is that they are so portable. Pebbles, small crystals, or gemstone chips can be popped into a handbag or backpack, ever ready to offer their assistance when needed.
Working Magick in a Stone Circle
I have done ceremonies both inside a miniature stone circle and with a small group of people who surrounded the stone layout and used it as a focal point. Both methods were equally effective. Much depends on the number of people using the stones, the space available, and the purpose for which the circle is being raised.
Using the stones to cast the circle seems to set both intent and boundaries. By placing the stones in a particular pattern, sacred space can be created.
Working inside the circle somehow seems to connect participants, regardless of the restrictions of time and space. There is something special about knowing that you are in the middle of a stone circle, gathering in a way that may have brought people together in the past, and in a way that continues to bring them together. People meet for ritual and celebration at stone monuments—old and new—throughout the world. Using the stones to cast the circle seems to set both intent and boundaries. By placing the stones in a particular pattern, sacred space can be created.
One way to lay the stones is for one person (perhaps the leader of the ritual) to put them, one at a time, around the people who are gathered for the magical working. In placing the last stone where he or she is going to stand, the leader casts a magic circle of protection. Invocations can be said as the stones are being placed, or reverent silence can be kept as everyone focuses their intent on what is about to happen.
If space is at a minimum, the stone circle can be placed on a tabletop or other flat surface. In this way, it becomes a focal point for the work that is being done. Using this method, the ring of protection should be cast first, and then the stone circle created. Don’t think that in using a smaller layout, the powers of the miniature megalith are depleted—they are not. Remember, the power lies with the people who are working the magic and what they are capable of producing. The stones are only there to assist.
There are many ways of using a portable stone circle. In addition to being used for protection or as a focal point in ritual, the stones can be employed to put a ring of protection around someone or something until further assistance can arrive, perhaps in the case of a person or an animal who is not feeling well. Stone circles can also be erected to draw down the energies of particular planetary alignments, or mark specific sunrises and moonrises. A bit of astronomy and geometry might be needed for these, but it’s not complicated. A good almanac or a basic ephemeris should be able to provide the information needed. Because the stones are pocket-sized, it’s very easy to make adjustments should the calculations be a bit inaccurate. This can’t be said of their larger counterparts!
Using miniature megaliths can open up a whole new world of magic. It’s not just about the stones, and about the circles; it’s what they mean to you. From their origination centuries ago, these stone monuments have fascinated humankind. When working with our own stone circles, we link to that sense of wonder and also to the energies of the people who have been a part of stone circles throughout time. We pulse to the vibration of the actual stones, the bones of the earth. We reverberate with the energies of any glyphs we have put on the stones. More than that, though, we resonate with a part of ourselves—a part that is filled with the joy of exploration and the wonder of what we can find through connecting our own life force with that of All That Is.
Sources
Bear, Sun, Wabun Wind, and Crysalis Mulligan. Dancing with the Wheel: The Medicine Wheel Workbook. London: Simon & Schuster, 1991.
Roy, Rob. Stone Circles: A Modern Builders Guide to the Megalithic Revival. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green, 1999.
Charlie Rainbow Wolf is happiest when she is creating something, especially if it can be made from items that others have cast aside. Pottery, writing, knitting, and Tarot are her deepest interests, but she happily confesses that she’s easily distracted, because life offers so many wonderful things to explore. Charlie is the Dean of Faculty at the Grey School, where she teaches subjects in most of the sixteen departments. She is an advocate of organic gardening and cooking, and lives in the Midwest with her husband and special-needs Great Danes. www.charlierainbow.com.
Illustrator: Kathleen Edwards