The Sacred Circle of Balance and Harmony

In a time before time was counted by moons, the People grew restless.

The children quarreled.

The hunters competed.

The elders’ wisdom was ignored.

The balance between all things—Earth, sky, water, fire—had started to unravel.

One night, a young child wandered alone into a nearby forest. She had been troubled by the way her community had forgotten how to live in harmony. Sitting beneath a great cedar tree, she thought to herself, “Why are we all so lost?”

The wind stirred the branches gently, and from the center of the trees stepped Grandmother Turtle, ancient and wise. Her shell was wide and round, marked with the symbols of stars, rivers, and roots.

“You seek to understand what has been forgotten,” Grandmother Turtle said softly. “It is the circle.”

“The circle?” the little one asked.

Grandmother Turtle nodded. “Everything sacred follows the circle. The day becomes night, then day again. Seasons turn. The moon waxes and wanes. We are born, we live, we die, and we return. In the circle, there is no end—only eternal connection.”

Grandmother Turtle drew a circle in the dirt. “This is the path of balance. Each person has a place. Each being—four-legged, winged, rooted, or flowing—belongs. When you honor the circle, you walk in harmony with all things.”

The child listened closely. “But how do I help the people remember?”

“Begin the circle again,” Grandmother Turtle said. “Gather them. Listen to each voice. Share food. Sing. Sit as equals. When you live in the circle, you bring back the sacred.”

Then Grandmother Turtle vanished into the trees.

The little one returned home and told the elders what she had learned. That night, the People built a fire and sat in a circle, sharing stories, food, and songs. From that day on, they remembered: the sacred way is round—like the sun, the drum, the nest, and the Earth itself.

Circles hold deep spiritual and symbolic meaning across many Indigenous cultures worldwide. Interpretations vary by region and tradition, but there are several common themes.

Wholeness & Unity:

The circle often represents the interconnectedness of all life—humans, animals, plants, the elements, and the spirit world.

In many North American Indigenous traditions, the circle is a sacred symbol of unity, balance, and the cyclical nature of life. The Medicine Wheel is a well-known example, reflecting harmony and the Four Directions and the Four Peoples.

It is similar to the Great Weave of the ancient Irish.

It represents interconnectedness—between self and nature, body and spirit, and the people within a tribe or community.

Cycles of Life & Nature:

The circle reflects the natural rhythms: seasons, life-death-rebirth, the lunar phases, and the agricultural cycle.

Among Australian Aboriginal cultures, circular symbols in art often represent campsites, waterholes, or sacred places of gathering, reinforcing life’s cyclical flow and continuity.

Sacred Space & Ceremony:

In rituals, circles were often drawn or walked to define and protect a spiritual space.

Circles can define sacred space and are used in rituals to promote equality and inclusivity within that space.

In many Andean traditions, people gather in circles for ceremonies honoring Pachamama (Mother Earth), symbolizing respect and equality—no one is above or below another.

Sacred Gathering spots are often circular in nature. Circular campsites or sacred spots found in Aboriginal art, or the healing circles where healers gather for ceremony.

The Sun & the Cosmos:

Many Celtic solar symbols are circular, tying the shape to the divine masculine, enlightenment, and divine order.

Spiritual Protection:

Oftentimes a circle is drawn for protection or for Spiritual boundaries, as a protective boundary against negative forces or to contain divine energy within the center of that circle.

In African Indigenous cosmologies, circular shrines and altars are used to call in ancestral or spiritual guidance and to create sacred boundaries.

The Eternal & Timeless:

Because the circle has no beginning or end, it often symbolizes the eternal and the spiritual realm and the eternal nature of life, the soul, and the universe. Ouroboros is an example of this.

In Māori tradition, the spiral (koru) is a circular form representing new beginnings, growth, and the unfolding of life, often seen in carvings and tattoos.

In many Indigenous traditions, the circle is more than a shape—it is a way of being.

It teaches respect, equality, and interdependence. When we honor the circle, we live in balance and harmony with the world and each other. However, how often do you see this happening around you?

Is your weave in balance?

Do you know how your weave is interacting with the weaves of others?

You will know based on how your reality feels to you.

PS-

my brother from another mother is offering in-person soul clearings this weekend in Apple Valley!

Can healing really be this easy? yup!!

to learn more click here!

SRT Clear

With love and light,

Rebecca Costello Psychic Medium

Dancing Elk Shamanic Healing