@ vilh:
I know the prompting of the circle and what it's used for. I know why and how it is cast and I know when it should be. I just never use it, casting a circle to defend yourself from what you have called upon in my view and many other people views pointless. I mean why do it? Ask yourself that question and come up with a answer. Would you phone a plumber and keep a gun with you while he helps you? No. You asked him to help in faith that he wouldn't hurt you, this works the same with spirits, and if things get out of hand then you ask it to leave.
I made the decision to stop using circles in good faith that what I call upon will not hurt me. I personally do not see the point of it, and if I was called upon then stopped from acting freely I would leave within the minute of my arrival.
@SonofShadows: That's a good point. It works as an analogy if you're calling up someone friendly, who wants to help. A plumber is, however, perhaps not the best analogy for the "Solomonic" magic of medieval grimoires. Instead, think of it like calling up a drug dealer, and offering to sell a couple of kilograms of cocaine. If you showed up without protection, you'd just get your kilograms stolen... if you're lucky. Not everything and everyone you call is friendly.
Nor is the circle's only function protection: it serves at least three distinct purposes that I can think of, only one of which is protection. There is a fundamental difference in perspective here, I think, because we are working with different types of magic. The demons you call are called by request, and asked to serve, and asked to leave. Naturally, if something comes when you ask it, it is probably friendly. The demons summoned into a circle, on the other hand, are commanded to come, and have no interest in serving you... unless you can show them that you have authority. If you do a Goetic (for instance) ritual without a circle, nothing will happen, because it is required for the demon to manifest and for the ritual to succeed; but if one did, you would have to ask it nicely to do what you want, and if it didn't want to, you'd be out of luck. With a circle, and perhaps the triangle used in some grimoires, you can achieve whatever you wish (within certain limits, of course), because you have the authority and the final say.
So to say a circle is pointless for EVERYONE is, I think, incorrect. What would be better would be "in MY practice, a circle is pointless", or "for a demonolatrist, a circle is pointless" - and I agree; for you, a circle would be pointless. NOT in all cases. That's thing I take issue with: the universal nature of your claim, as if the thousands of magicians who work within a system using circles are just silly and doing it for no reason... as if they're just too dumb to realize they don't need it at all. If that's not what you're saying, then I don't think we really disagree; if it is, then I'm a little offended, on behalf of all those magicians!
Thank you for this post. i have always kept an open mind with the views of things through the churches i don't believe everything that is told through the christian belief is the truth. but that is my opinion
I don't agree with the demon thing. I see the name as nothing but a label. demon, angel, god...they are all the same thing with emphasis on certain aspects of their personality and who is describing them. The level of power these beings hold differs, as well as their attitude, but the same is true with any race of beings.
I tried to talk to my guardian demon but i think i fell asleep...
But in my dream i was talking to someone, i don't know... Did i just talked with my guardian demon?
