why "stone circles?"
This is a question we get asked all the time. Mostly it was an intuitive decision, based on the following passage, read long ago in a book whose title has sadly been forgotten.
stone circles are universally holy constructions.
They symbolize the sacred doorway,
the center of the universe,
the dwelling place of the life force.
stone circles in the United Kingdom, such as the photos that appear on the website, were built for seemingly distinct but connected purposes. They were used scientifically, as a way of measuring the movement of the sun and moon, thereby enabling prehistoric peoples to keep track of time. And they were also used as meeting places for ritual, celebration and worship. Both graceful and desolate, stone circles are mostly full of mystery; there is a lot we don't know.
Simple piece of earth, stone are significant in many cultural traditions and virtually every world religion. Christ was called "the spiritual rock from which the water of life springs." For Muslims, the Black Stone of Mecca at Ka'aba is the holiest sanctuary, the destination of thousands of yearly pilgrimages. In the Hebrew Bible, Jacob dreamed of a stone that was embodied with the divine spirit of God; the stone was an integral part of his revelation, serving as a mediator between himself and god.
Australian aborigines believe that dead ancestors continue to exist in stones as virtuous powers. If these stones are rubbed, one's power increases. And Carl Jung believed that stones symbolized our innermost center — complete, unchanging and lasting. It represents the experience of something eternal, moments of immortality.
Circles have always symbolized wholeness. With no beginning or end, circles allow individuals to face one another and hear one another's voices; energy is more equally distributed.