The Circle

Like the points on a geometrical circle, each of us are on a fixed radius, with God as our center. Although our distance from our Creator is set, our position on the divine circle is not. As with all celestial bodies, we are cyclical in nature; set into motion by gravitational pull. We orbit along an obscure path, completing our rounds in minutes or lifetimes.

Each point on this divine circle carries a unique experience. We are constantly in flux between sickness and health, loneliness and fellowship, pleasure and pain. Some spots leave us destitute, others produce more riches than we can possibly carry.

We may pretend to rely on clocks and calendars to mark our spots, but truth be told, our placeholders are useless. We may project a sense of territory, but in reality, there is no place on the circle that belongs to any one person, or any one tribe. There is no hierarchy; no place better to be than the other; no reason to be somewhere we are not. We are on cyclical time. And cyclical time, unlike linear time, has its own rhythm.

What I’ve learned by living is that our locus, where we are on the circumference of creation, is irrelevant. There’s no need to fight for a place on the loop; our places are destined to change. There’s no need for judgement or regret; all points on a perfect circle are equal distance from the center.

In the end, we will all have experienced what it means to be at a specific point. We will have trudged in the shoes of those who have been without, and we will have danced in the shoes of those who have had it all. We will have cowered in the shadows of the darkness, and we will have basked in the direct sunlight of our creator.

So before you make a judgment about a specific position, whether it’s yours or your neighbor’s, keep in mind that life is cyclical. Each point is one of many on God’s perpetually moving, divine wheel. Sooner or later your spot is destined to change.

For now, it’s just where you are on the circle. Pass It On

Sacred Texts

Over 64 major religions exist in the world; each with its own set of sacred texts. That’s a lot of words of wisdom to digest. From ancient allegories attributed to Jesus, Buddha and Mohammed to commandments straight from Yahweh, there’s no shortage of divine directives for those seeking guidance. Nor is there a deficiency of experts to interpret these manuscripts.

But divine inspiration needn’t be confined to manifestos of the past. Advice from God on how to best conduct our lives isn’t on a timeline, nor is it restricted to the interpretation of outside forces.

What I’ve learned from living is that although divine wisdom may have been recorded on ancient scrolls and tablets centuries ago, it is also written in the hearts of every man woman and child alive today. In fact, the most reliable interpretation of divine guidance is found deep within our own being. The expression of love recorded here is universal, omnipresent, and needs no translation. It is illuminating, enlightening, and surprisingly simple because it arises directly from the seat of the soul.

Our creator can whisper more into a moment of quiet solitude and prayer than could possibly be contained in volumes from the past. Divine law was never intended to chastise, nor was it designed to be so complicated that it needed decoding. After all, previous generations were not any more privileged to receive wisdom than the current one, nor were they more acquainted with the will of our creator.

Granted, discerning the truth written in our hearts, from that mischievously inserted by our chattering minds is not easy. Nevertheless, as humanitarian Albert Pike said, “We have all the light we need; we just need to put it into practice.” Taking time to decipher the truth of our hearts is great practice. As is basking in the light found in the random moments of inspiration that each of us experience daily.

Although ancient texts are great resources, the words instilled in our hearts today are just as valid and as enlightening as those that were penned centuries ago. They are as current as the evening news, as accessible as the air we breathe, with memos updated daily. Wrapped in an infinite, ongoing correspondence, authored by God, they designed to encourage, to inspire and to uplift.

Each of us is living proof of God’s uninterrupted stream of dictation to the world. Our lives are the glossy white paper; inspiration the pen that is masterfully guided by the right hand of the Divine. Take a few moments of silence to turn the pages of your heart and read the sacred words being engraved in it today. Pass it On