the symbolism of a circle

A circle is the symbol of the sun, the earth, the universe, of wholeness, perfection, peace and unity. In Native American culture as stated by Black Elk, a holy man of the Oglala Lakota Sioux, “Everything the Power of the World does is done in a circle. The sky is round, and I have heard that the Earth the round like a ball, and so are the stars. The wind in its greatest powers whirls. Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours. The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle. The moon does the same, and both are round. Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves.”

So now understanding the Universal power of the circle, take this knowing to the sacred vow of marriage. The external symbol we use for showing our love for another is the ring. The ring, has no beginning and no end, and in the sacred tradition of marriage, the ring in our culture, symbolizes eternal love and the endless union of body, of mind, and spirit.

Your rings will be worn to show to the world their love and commitment to one another. “May the presence of these rings always remind you of the eternal love you have pledged and devotion you willingly share with one another from this moment on.”…as you gently and lovingly place the ring on each other’s finger. This is a sacred vow, and like the ever changing seasons, your relationship will have times of challenge and times of growth but the ring, the reminder of your wholeness as one, keeps us true and entwined in one another’s mind, body, and spirit.