When I started this newsletter back in 2022 I wanted to give it a name. I began thinking about a broader mission. I looked within my self and to nature. I ruminated on the idea that throughout my life I’ve found that I live in a circular, spiral or cyclical pattern. Most of the world, it seems, moves across a straight line, from point A to Point B, while I revisit things from the past, move away, then circle back. Things have different meaning at different stages of life. If I’m moving from point A to point B in a linear fashion, I might not be open to or accepting of the idea that life is cyclical or seasonal. This pattern has been a theme throughout my life and has become my personal philosophy.
In my newsletter on 3.4.23, I took a look New York City labyrinths and how we can use labyrinths to slow down, meditate and contemplate, following the winding path until we arrive at the center. I learned that my local park has a labyrinth. I see it almost everyday but never realized it’s purpose - I thought it was just an interesting design.
This idea of returning to something I’d seen before and understanding it in a new light, along with the labyrinth itself which doesn’t follow a straight path to the center, reminded me of the philosophy behind Circles In Space.
“…the power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round.. The sky is round … the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind in its greatest power whirls, birds make their nest in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours.”
-Black Elk Speaks
A few examples:
Walking. I walk to explore but also to think. Usually I follow the same route with slight variations. By doing this over time, I experience the same street, park or neighborhood throughout the year, noting the change of the light on the trees and buildings throughout the year.
Seasons. I can best experience the passing of time through the changing of seasons. When winter comes around again at the end of the year, I truly and deeply feel that another year has elapsed.
Songs. When I hear a song for the first time it may not grab me until years later, when it feels like the perfect moment to hear the song again. The same is true for books or anything else.
Writing: I absorb information over time. Perhaps this is why I enjoy reading and writing. I take in information, take notes, and return to it later to review and learn more from it. This blog and newsletter are perfect examples of how I tend to jump into a topic I don’t know anything about and then return to it a few months later for a deeper dive.
We can find examples of cycles, spheres and circles in nature. The fibonacci spiral, the golden spiral and more appear in plants, animals, galaxies, even our own bodies.
Eastern religions describe time as circular or cyclical. There is no beginning, no end, and time marches endlessly on as souls are reincarnated, continuing the cycle.
While I write this, I realize that I articulated this philosophy in March 2021. I again find myself returning to this idea over two years later. Certainly there is a cycle at play here.
After all, I’m just making circles in space.
I look forward to reading whatever you have chosen to write about. In fact, I prefer to defer to your judgement re what to choose rather than interfere by suggesting what you should choose!