ON PURPOSE, WITH PURPOSE: A Circle of Inquiry Guide (In-depth)
Companion Circle of Inquiry Guide
Handbook | Audiobook | Companion Song| Centering Practice | Circle Guide: Simple | Discussion Prompts
There is no “right way” to open a Circle of Inquiry—only a sincere one.
What matters most is creating space for deep listening and allowing enough time for every voice to be welcomed and heard. Often, a single, thoughtfully offered prompt is all it takes to open a conversation that becomes meaningful, memorable, and even life-changing for everyone present.
This guide is not a script, but a companion. You’re invited to draw from it as feels natural—choosing prompts, embodiment practices, or gentle suggestions that resonate with you and your group in the moment. Trust your intuition. The circle will tell you what it needs.
Some hosts like to use a small bell or simple sound to mark transitions—moving the group gently into a new experience, or returning everyone to the shared center. Use what feels supportive. Simplicity is enough.
INTRODUCTION
Welcome.
You are entering a circle of orientation—
a space to pause, listen, and realign with what truly matters.Please find a quiet, comfortable place.
Invite your body to settle.
Let your breath deepen.You may move slowly.
You may pause at any time to reflect or journal.
There is no rush here.This is not a circle for fixing your life.
It is a circle for remembering how to stand inside it.Let us begin.
PART I: ARRIVAL & ORIENTATION
Time: 15–20 minutes
“Purpose begins when we stop rushing.”
Embodiment Practice
Sit or lie down. Imagine lengthening your spine.
Close your eyes.Feel the surface beneath you.
Let yourself be held.Imagine a wide horizon in front of you—
not a destination,
just space.Place one hand on your chest, one on your belly.
Breathe slowly.
Narrated Prompts
(Pause at least 30 seconds after each.)
What has been pulling at my attention lately?
Where do I feel scattered or overextended?
What part of me is asking for orientation?
[Pause 1–2 minutes for reflection or journaling]
PART II: MISALIGNMENT & THE COST OF DRIFT
Time: 30–40 minutes
“When we lose direction, something else pays the price.”
Circle Inquiry
(3–4 people per group or full circle)
Discussion Prompts:
Where in my life am I living out of alignment?
What has this misalignment cost me—energy, joy, presence, honesty?
What stories do I tell myself to justify staying off course?
Encourage speaking from lived experience.
No advice. No correction.
Embodied Practice
Stand.
Shake out your hands, shoulders, jaw, legs.
Say aloud (once or several times):
“I notice where I am out of alignment.”
“I am willing to reorient.”
Feel the difference in your body before and after.
[Pause for 10–15 minutes of group sharing or reflection]
PART III: THE INNER COMPASS
Time: 30 minutes
“The body knows before the mind decides.”
Guided Visualization
Narrator (read slowly):
Imagine a steady line running through the center of your body—
from the crown of your head
down through your chest and belly
into the earth.This line does not pull.
It aligns.Now imagine two possible paths in front of you—
they may be symbolic, abstract, or familiar.Notice how your body responds to each.
Inquiry
Which path brings more steadiness, not excitement?
Where does my body feel more settled, more truthful?
Movement Exercise
Slowly sway or step forward and back.
Let your body subtly choose a direction.
Trust the sensation.
Optional journaling (5–10 minutes):
What does alignment feel like in my body?
How have I known this feeling before?
PART IV: GRIEF, RELEASE, & HONESTY
Time: 25 minutes
“To choose purpose, we often have to let something go.”
Embodied Practice
Close your eyes.
Inhale deeply.
Exhale with sound—a sigh, a hum, a breath.Allow any emotion that arises:
•grief for paths not taken
•anger at wasted time
•relief at naming the truthThere is nothing to perform.
Let the body process.
Discussion / Journaling Prompts
What am I grieving as I reorient my life?
What have I been holding onto that no longer fits who I am becoming?
[Pause for quiet sharing, tears, or silence]
PART V: CHOOSING THE THREAD
Time: 30–40 minutes
“Purpose is not a destiny. It is a practice.”
Circle Inquiry
What does “living what matters” mean in this season of my life?
What is one choice I am ready to make differently?
How would my days change if I honored this orientation consistently?
Closing Embodiment
Stand in a circle or alone.
Place your feet firmly on the ground.
Lift your chest slightly.
Let your arms rest open or at your sides.
Say aloud (together or individually):
“I am here.”
“I am aligned.”
“I choose to live what matters.”
(Repeat three times.)
CLOSING & CALL TO ACTION
Time: 15 minutes
“Let alignment ripple outward.”
Optional Sharing
Popcorn-style or written:
One insight you’re carrying forward
One small action you commit to taking
Invitation to Participants
You don’t need certainty to live on purpose.
You only need orientation.
If this circle shifted something in you:
•Open your own On Purpose, With Purpose circle
•Share the handbook with friends or colleagues
•Use the Centering or Orientation Practices regularly
•Pair this work with the companion song.
Purpose grows through practice.
Alignment spreads through presence.You don’t have to be a teacher to lead.
Sharing your experiences with others ripples outward farther than you can possibly imagine.
You do not need credentials.
Only care.
Sample Letter for Opening Your Own Circle
→ Copy and Paste from: Google Docs
This letter is simply an invitation—borrow it, reshape it, or write your own.
Use it if it helps you begin. There’s no right way to invite others—only your care and willingness to listen.
The circle begins with you.