Ritual Circle, do you need them?

The Circle Cast upon the Ground and all around or rather the lack of it

It is one of the most important parts to ritual in Wicca and Ritual magic. to caste the circle round, however it brings to mind some thoughts chiefly because until I started reading about ritual magic and Wicca and then when I was asked to attend rituals in the early 80s, I thought such procedures were the realms of Dennis Wheatley and Hammer Films.
I understood that the realms were always with you and in ritual or spellwork you shared with them calling on whatever spirits good or bad to aid your endeavours. My understanding that when dealing with difficult spirits was you contained them if they became difficult. Likewise any energy you raised would be directed to your target or placed in suitable object.
The imagined boundaries of these circles create some form of psychological safety net, perhaps useful for the apprentice or beginner but really do they have a place in group or advanced workings.
The work perhaps of a solitary ritual magician invoking Magus like the denizens of the hidden realms may seek comfort in the circle and triangle, but for those of a more natural path we seek to escape the barriers of walls and fortresses too commune with our spirited neighbours.
Over the years I have led numerous rituals among our friends of the wood with never a circle formed since this was not my learning. The Quarter Winds and Lords and Ladies invited gentle to attend never summoned like some lowly serf or slave to the words of man, at times attended by their presence have we been honoured at overs they have being attending their own celebration. After all there is only so many parties one can get to in a night.
At these celebrations and rituals we succeeded often in our plans, be it the communion with ourselves and the turning of the seasons or the magic to be undertaken. Yes there were times that the odd difficult spirit attended but all who attend should have skills to counter unwelcome visitors or in my practice the duty of the leader of a group is that of protection as well has direction.
When you guide others in the spiritual realm be it magic, celebration and ritual then you have the duty like that of a parent to care for your charges those who seek their path have come to you.
So my call too those that read these words is remember we are on a path to work with the others and to do that in friendship not at the point of a sword or athame you don't throw salt into eyes of a friend.
You greet those whom you want to share with in embrace and kind words and sometimes you will not get on but that is a learning experience, its life.
i have seen energy and spirits wander in and out of well caste circles, these are only as good as the persons doing them and when their focus or energy wanders so does there power to contain or repel.
Likewise over the years there have been occasions when very dark energies have popped along when people have attended who weren't in the right place. These have been kicked out of open working with very little effort.