Crossroads vs Roundabouts

Spaces like crossroads and roundabouts are considered liminal spaces. They allow the practitioner to enter a space/state physically, mentally/emotionally, or spiritually that allows for or helps facilitate transition between a current and a wanted state. Magically speaking, we can use these spaces to manifest, diminish, set boundaries, remove obstacles, see potential paths, make choices, and many other things. There are many Gods and Goddesses that are associated with crossroads. Some that you may be familiar with are Hecate and Hermes (Greek), Kali and Lord Bhairava (Hindu), Mercury (Roman), and Papa Legba (Vodou), though there are many others across other cultures. Crossroads are also excellent places to connect with or leave offerings to these deities.
 
Crossroads are pretty common spaces these days, as city and country road ways are built primarily on intersecting streets. While it may be a little more difficult and much less practical to use city streets as a place for magic, considering how little privacy one would have, and it may be more difficult to properly bury or leave offerings in a respectful manner, it is not impossible. As more people have/need to live in cities for convenience urban magic has become more popular. What will be will find a way. These intersections are a great place to help you see the paths before you, make choices with the available options, or see/find a new path entirely. It is tradition to offer the Gods/Goddesses of these special spaces an offering when here, and they make good places to bury spells that require something to be trapped, absorbed or transferred. There are many superstitions involving crossroads, such as that they confuse wandering spirits (so victims of suicide or criminals that were executed were often buried there), deals with the devil were made there, and magic done to change a person’s luck were performed there (the negative energy or “bad luck” would be swapped with a passerby).
 
Roundabouts, a growing traffic trend (at least where I am from), can also be considered liminal spaces. However, they are not quite a crossroad and would be used differently for magical/spiritual practices. The streets of a crossroads intersect, while a roundabout has no actual intersecting streets. It’s cyclical design is made for different magic. As a liminal space, it is still used for the same types of magic (transition, manifestation, protection, diminishing/letting go, etc..), however, the practitioner would utilize the momentum of energy as it travels around the circle. The constant motion of the traffic that traverses every day can help build its momentum, if you set that intention. Depending on where you live, roundabouts have two different functions. If you live in countries like the UK, Ireland, Japan, Australia, or New Zealand, all places that drive on the left side of the road, traffic moves through the roundabout in a clockwise motion (Deosil). This builds energy that is great for building things up. Like calling in abundance, building a boundary, or changing one’s fate/luck for the better. However if you live in places like Canada, the USA, France, or Germany, where the traffic drives on the right side of the road, the vehicles, and therefore the energy, of the circle, travels in a counterclockwise (widdershins) direction. This energy flow is better suited to banishing, diminishing, and removal magics. Thus, spells for letting go, banishing, binding, and secrecy would be well performed here. One could also consider them a ready-made circle that could be turned to a scared space as well. Kind of makes one long for a nice abandoned town, don’t you think?
 
Both crossroads and roundabouts can provide and excellent space for magical workings, if you can find the privacy you need and the time. Have you ever used one for your work? Would you? Did you ever consider a roundabout as a potential magical space? Do you now? I would love to know your thoughts.