ON PURPOSE, WITH PURPOSE: A Simple Circle of Inquiry
Companion Circle of Inquiry Guide
Handbook | Audiobook | Companion Song| Centering Practice | Circle Guide: In-depth | Discussion Prompts
1. Opening Words
(to be read or played aloud)
“Welcome to this circle.
This is a space of respect, reflection, and presence.
A time to pause—not to fix, persuade, or perform—but to listen.
To the text. To the body. To what matters.
May we each speak only from our own experience,
and listen without interruption or judgment.”Encourage silence between shares.
Pause after someone speaks.
Let the silence do some of the work.
2. Circle Flow (30–90 minutes, repeatable)
A. Choose a Passage
Select a short excerpt from On Purpose, With Purpose.
A single paragraph or short section is enough.
Let one person read it aloud slowly.
Optionally, read it a second time.
B. Reflective Prompts
Use one of the following prompts to invite sharing:
What in this passage speaks to me right now?
Where do I feel alignment—or misalignment—with this?
What part of my life is being gently asked for attention?
What does “living what matters” mean for me in this season?
Participants may share in turn or popcorn-style.
No cross-talk.
No advice.
No correcting.
3. Embodied Check-Ins
(every 20–30 minutes, choose one)
Orientation Pause (2 minutes)
Feel your feet on the ground.
Place one hand on your chest, one on your belly.
Breathe slowly.
Ask inwardly:
“What matters now?”
The Alignment Line (3 minutes)
Feel your spine.
Imagine a steady line running from the top of your head
down through your body
into the earth.
Ask:
“Where am I aligned?”
“Where am I being pulled off-center?”
Let the body answer quietly.
Purpose Gesture (2 minutes)
Invite each person to let their body form a simple gesture
that reflects how purpose feels right now—
open, uncertain, grounded, reaching, resting.
Hold the gesture for a few breaths.
Let it speak without words.
4. Closing the Circle
“Thank you for showing up.
Thank you for listening.
Thank you for honoring what matters.”
Invite a final moment of silence.
Optionally, go around once more with:
one word of insight, or
one small action each person feels called to take next.
5. Pass It Forward
You don’t need to be an expert to host a circle.
This is how On Purpose, With Purpose spreads:
•host a circle with friends, neighbors, or colleagues
•choose any passage that resonates
•adapt the practices to fit your group
•add music, walking, journaling, or art
Purpose is not taught.
It’s shared—
presence to presence,
life to life.You are now a steward of this work.
Share the guide.
Share the pause.
Live what matters.
CALL TO ACTION
“Let alignment ripple outward.”
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 permission.
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.