Satanism Today - An Encyclopedia of Religion, Folklore and Popular ...

as a kind of energy containment field. With respect
to such activities as casting a spell, for example, the
circle allows energy to build up without leaking
out into the surrounding area until the proper
moment when the energy is projected outward in
a concentrated burst. More generally, the circle
provides an arena within which the vibrations of
the group energy can be altered so as to draw the
participants nearer to the otherworld.
In most religious traditions, one finds the notion
that the normally unseen spiritual world coexists in
the same time and space as the physical world, in
what might be referred to as a different dimension.
What separates them is their differing rates of vibration
(understood literally or metaphorically). Thus,
in order to enter into rapport with the otherworld,
one needs to create a space—in this case the circle—
within which the rate of vibration can be modified.
In occult traditions, the other dimensions are
understood as constituting a series of different
realms or planes, arranged according to rate of
vibration. It is the subtle energies found in these
other realms that one manipulates during magical
operations. In occult literature, the plane closest to
the physical is referred to as the etheric plane, and
the subtle energies of this realm are often termed
etheric energies. Etheric energies are subdivided
into four categories according to the four classical
elements of Greek philosophy—earth, air, fire, and
water—and hence are sometimes also referred to
as elemental energies. It is from these etheric energies
that the magician constructs the circle.
As both consecrated space in the physical
realm, and space that has also been etherialized by
being raised in vibration, the interior of the circle
is, in a sense, “between the worlds.” From this
energized space—a physical/etheric temple floating
between the worlds—it is easy for participants
to extend their imagination into the subtle realms,
and thus facilitate magical operations. By the same
token, it is easy for spiritual entities and other
powers to be drawn near the participants.
See also Magic and Magical Groups
For Further Reading:
Amber K. True Magick: A Beginner’s Guide.
Llewellyn, 1991.
Farrar, Stewart. What Witches Do: The Modern Coven
Revealed. New York: Coward, McCann, 1971.
Collective Unconscious 53
Collective Unconscious
The collective unconscious, a term coined by the
psychologist Carl Jung, refers to the storehouse of
myths and symbols to which all human beings have
access. Much of traditional Jungian analysis focuses
on the interpretation of dreams. Jung found that
the dreams of his clients frequently contained
images with which they were completely unfamiliar,
but which seemed to reflect symbols that could
be found somewhere in the mythological systems of
world culture. The notion of the collective unconscious
was used to explain this phenomenon.
Jung’s unique contribution to modern psychology
begins with the observation that the basic
structure of many symbols and myths are nearly
universal, even between cultures that had no
historical influence on one another. Most traditional
societies, for example, tell hero myths, utilize
circles to represent wholeness, the sky to symbolize
transcendence, etc. Jung theorized that this universality
resulted from unconscious patterns (genetic
or quasi-genetic predispositions to utilize certain
symbolic and mythic structures) that we inherited
from our distant ancestors. The reservoir of these
patterns constitutes a collective unconscious,
distinct from the individual, personal unconscious
that is the focus of Freudian psychoanalysis.
Jung referred to the unconscious, predisposing
patterns for particular myths and symbols as archetypes.
Hence one can talk about the mandala (i.e.,
the circle) archetype, the hero archetype (the latter
made famous by the Jungian thinker Joseph
Campbell), and so forth. Jung asserted that his
notions of the collective unconscious and the
archetypes were on par with the theory of instincts.
In other words, one examines certain kinds of
behaviors and theorizes that they are the results of
certain biological drives, although it is, of course,
impossible to directly observe such drives/instincts.
Notions derived from Jungian psychology have
been introduced into popular culture in the last
several decades, as is evident in the recent interest
in mythology. Not too many years ago, the word
myth carried with it connotations of falsity and
illusion in popular discourse. In recent years, a
more positive notion of myth has become
popular, through the work of Joseph Campbell
and other writers whose work flows out of the