Hello Barney,
I found this answer to your question which may also be helpful:
The wisdom behind tawaaf (circumambulation of the Ka’bah) was explained by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he said: “Tawaaf around the House, saa’i between al-Safa and al-Marwah and stoning of the Jamaraat have been ordained to establish remembrance of Allaah.” The pilgrim who goes around the House of Allaah venerates Allaah in his heart which makes him remember Allaah. His movement in walking and kissing and saluting the Black Stone and the Yemeni Corner, and pointing to the Stone, are remembrance of Allaah because they are acts of worship of Him, and every act of worship is remembrance of Allaah in a general sense. As for the words he utters, such as takbeer, dhikr and du’aa’, they are obviously remembrance of Allaah. Kissing the Black Stone is an act of worship in the sense that a person is kissing a stone with which he has no connection except that he is worshipping Allaah by venerating it and following the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by doing so, as it is proven that the caliph ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said when he kissed the Black Stone:
“I know that you are a stone and can neither bring benefit nor cause harm; were it not that I had seen the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) kiss you, I would not have kissed you.”
With regard to what some ignorant people think, that the aim is to seek blessing from it, there is no basis for that; rather it is false.
With regard to what some heretics have said, that circumambulation of the Ka’bah is like their circumambulation around the graves of their awliya’ or “saints” and is therefore idolatry, this is part of their heresy, for the believers only circumambulate it on the command of Allaah, and if something is commanded by Allaah, then doing it is an act of worship towards Allaah.
Do you not see that prostrating to anyone other than Allaah is major shirk; when Allaah commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam, their prostration to Adam was an act of worship towards Allaah, and not prostrating to him was kufr.
Hence circumambulation of the Ka’bah is one of the noblest acts of worship, and it is a pillar or essential part of Hajj, and Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam. So if the Mataaf (place of tawaaf) is quiet, the person finds joy in his tawaaf and feels that his heart is close to his Lord, which proves the high status and virtue of the House of Allaah. And Allaah is the One Whose help we seek. End quote.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him). Fataawa al-‘Aqeedah (p. 28, 29).
http://www.islamqa.com/index.php?ref...rcumambulationAnd from another part of the site:
The Muslim who affirms the Oneness of Allaah obeys the command of Allaah in all matters, great and small. When he hears the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning), “and circumambulate the Ancient House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah)” [al-Hajj 22:29], he cannot help but obey them, so he circumambulates the sacred House out of love for Allaah and in obedience to Him, hoping for mercy from Allaah and fearing His punishment. And he does not go beyond what he has been commanded to do of tawaaf, so he does not touch the stones of this House or think that it can bring benefit or cause harm.