CARDINAL POINTS OF PURPOSE
The fundamental and ultimate purposes of The Circle of Esse as a human society are:
[1]. The enhancement of human spirituality and FAITH in each individual, as an individual;
[2]. The enhancement of mutual understanding, acceptance and respect between individuals in matters of human spirituality and FAITH;
[3]. The enhancement of unity among all peoples in matters of human spirituality and FAITH, and in all other aspects of human interaction, as a result of enhanced individual spirituality and mutual acceptance and respect.
CARDINAL POINTS OF NAVIGATIONAL GUIDANCE
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The fundamental method by which The Circle of Esse shall maintain its proper path in its
approach to accomplishing its purposes, is by way of each individual member, in his pursuit of
those purposes, and otherwise in his daily life, guiding his own thoughts, words and actions
according to each, and all, of the following:
[1]. Tricept of The Golden Truth (Integrity)
[2]. Tricept of The Golden Rule (LOVE)
[3]. Tricept of The Golden Mean (Balance)
CARDINAL POINTS OF THE ORBIT OF THE CIRCLE
[1]. Taken together, the Cardinal Points of Purpose and the Cardinal Points of Navigational Guidance shall be known as The ORBIT of The Circle.
[2]. It is the intent of this Compass, and a fundamental directive of The Circle of Esse, that each member of The Circle shall bring and keep himself in Congruence within The ORBIT of The Circle, in all respects with regard to The Circle, and otherwise in his daily life.
[3]. "Let he who is without impurity cast the first stone"; "Judge not lest ye be judged".
As exemplified in these enlightened teachings, in applying the Golden Tricepts, it is
inherently implicit within those Tricepts, and hereby made explicit, that each individual shall
rigorously and scrupulously apply the Golden Tricepts, in their entirety, to his own actions,
thoughts, words and life; and, each individual shall equally rigorously and scrupulously avoid
applying those Tricepts to another person in any way, or in any way weighing or judging another
person, or another person's thoughts, words, actions or life, by way of The ORBIT, or by any
other standard whatsoever.
CARDINAL POINTS OF DEFINITION
For purposes of clarity and precision of meaning, so as to best attain a genuinely mutual
understanding of such meanings, the following terms, when used in this Compass, or otherwise
in a context with respect to The Circle of Esse, shall have the meanings stated below, and only
such meanings, regardless of whatever other meanings they might have in other contexts.
[1]. Esse (See Appendix)
>/ The Greater Being, spiritual and corporeal, as a Unity, which consists of the totality of
its parts, and to which each individual part directly belongs; Higher or Greater Power or Whole;
Supreme Being; First Cause; Prime Mover Unmoved; in their broadest and fully non-
particularized sense, God or Allah or Buddha or Krishna or Lord, etc.
(Each of these definitions is an approximation. All of them taken together is still an
approximation. They all point in the desired direction, but none, nor all of them, is the full
actuality of what is being pointed at. ESSE is the illimitable and not fully knowable quality
underlying all existence, and no definition or description can be fully accurate. Any definition
or description, including those herein, is to be taken as a symbolic hint rather than as a literal
accuracy.) /<
[2]. Nexus
The personal and individualized "connectedness" or "link" with, and direct participation
in, ESSE, which resides in each individual.
[3]. Love (See Appendix)
>/
[a]. ESSE, in its illimitable Unity, is LOVE.
[b]. In human beings, by way of their direct and inescapable involvement and
participation in ESSE, LOVE is a deep and abiding recognition of, and FAITH in, the actuality of
ESSE, and the actuality of each individual's NEXUS with, and direct personal role in, ESSE.
[c]. In a human being, LOVE manifests itself as selfless, unconditional and total acceptance
of the inherent worth of all forms of existence, however and whatever those forms might be; a
genuinely selfless and unconditional concern for all forms of existence, human or otherwise,
especially for individuals other than oneself, wherein any focus on the personal self is only to
the end of enhancing one's ability to focus on the Greater Whole. /<
[4]. Congruence within The ORBIT
Bringing and keeping oneself in Congruence within The ORBIT of The Circle shall mean
a genuine acceptance of and commitment to the Cardinal Points of Purpose, and a genuine and
total commitment to abiding by the Golden Tricepts in pursuing those Purposes, and in all other
phases of life, adopting no approach or means which in any way is inconsistent with those
Purposes or the Golden Tricepts.
[5]. Gnostic Razor (See Appendix)
[a]. As it is applied in this Compass, the Gnostic Razor shall be symbolized by " >/ "
at the opening, and by " /< " at the closing of the matter to which it is applied.
[b]. The Gnostic Razor is a cornerstone of the approach of The Circle of ESSE in the formulation and preservation of fundamental concepts and terms. It is the basic intellectual tool by which the fullness of meaning, and accuracy in the formulation and statement of fundamental concepts and terms is to be preserved.
[c]. When applied in this Compass, the Gnostic Razor shall mean: "The enclosed
language, taken as a whole, is as full and accurate a formulation or statement of the concept or
definition intended as language is likely able to provide. The formulation or statement of
fundamentals as provided includes all the fundamentals intended, and the only fundamentals
intended. Omit none of the fundamentals as stated, and add no additional element as being co-
equal with those fundamentals, or as being somehow even more fundamental than those stated."
(In formulating or stating any interpretive or derivative sub-concept or term, it should be clearly recognized and delineated in its formulation and statement as being an interpretation or derivation of the original fundamentals; and the validity of any interpretation or derivation, both as to its essential formulation and in its statement, should be determined by a rigorous evaluation of how fully and accurately it fits within, fulfills and complies with the true overall meaning of the original fundamentals provided herein. If any interpretation or derivation is in any way off the mark as to the true meaning of the original fundamentals, it would be better that such interpretation or derivation be left unformulated and unstated, awaiting such time as a fully proper interpretation or derivation can be devised).
[6]. Corporeal (See Appendix)
Material; physical; of or significantly traceable to materiality/ physicality; to be contra-
distinguished with "Spiritual".
[7]. Spiritual (See Appendix)
Any aspect or quality of existence which is not patently "Corporeal".
[8]. Attuniment (See Appendix)
The personal communion, communication and interrelating between an individual and
ESSE (prayer and meditation being type examples).
[9]. Faith
The personal, individualized belief in the spiritual qualities of existence and one's self,
and in the actuality of ESSE, whatever form or forms such belief or beliefs might take.
CARDINAL POINTS OF FAITH (See Appendix)
>/[1]. There is within the totality of existence, and underlying it, ESSE.
[2]. It is beyond the ability of the human mind, with any satisfactory degree of accuracy, to
conceive of the totality of ESSE in its infinite fullness with respect to ESSE's nature or form,
or as to any specific particulars regarding any aspect or quality of ESSE.
[3]. It is beyond the ability of human language to fully and accurately portray, describe or define
ESSE, or to fully and accurately communicate the nature of one person's awareness and
conception of ESSE to another person.
[4]. Each person, as an individual, has within himself a direct NEXUS with ESSE.
[5]. Each person, as an individual, possesses within his own spiritual nature the seed for his own
inner awareness of the actuality of ESSE, and of his own NEXUS.
[6]. The nature of each individual's conception of ESSE, while not fully accurate as to the
totality and specifics of ESSE in any general sense, is nonetheless the result of his own NEXUS
with and awareness of ESSE, and is therefore fully and totally valid and real for himself, to the
extent that he actualizes that validity and reality by way of his own FAITH in them.
[7]. There is limitless wisdom, understanding, peace of mind, strength and power residing in
ESSE and personal NEXUS, all of which are available to each individual by way of his NEXUS,
and to whatever extent one enhances his own NEXUS.
[8]. The path toward enhancing one's personal NEXUS, and thereby making oneself available
to the spiritual, and even corporeal, treasures awaiting each individual within ESSE is:
[a]. Actualizing within oneself a genuine and abiding FAITH that ESSE and one's
personal NEXUS are real, however one might conceive of them to be; and
[b]. Actualizing the LOVE of ESSE within oneself by nurturing and making real one's
own genuine LOVE for the Greater Whole, and others, within one's self.
[9]. The key to being able to actualize genuine FAITH and LOVE within oneself, and thereby
unlocking the door to ESSE's priceless treasures, is a primary and consistent emphasis, in every
moment of daily life, on:
[a]. ATTUNIMENT with ESSE;
[b]. Keeping one's thoughts, words and actions Congruent within the ORBIT of The Circle;
[c]. Positive thoughts, consistently reaffirmed, to the utmost exclusion possible of negative thoughts.
/<
[10]. The nature of one person's awareness and conception of ESSE and NEXUS are personal
and individual, and valid for oneself, and oneself alone. The nature of one person's awareness
and conception, while valid for himself, is in no way necessarily, or even desirably, valid for
any other person.
The fact that several, or even great numbers, of individuals appear to be in agreement
as to the nature of their awareness and conception of ESSE, in no way alters the individuality
of such awareness and conception.
Such agreement may well be only illusory due to the inherent inadequacies of language.
And, one's personal conception of ESSE is only effectuated by way of his own inner
NEXUS, even though his conception may have been impacted on by others. For those in whom
such awareness and conception is different, yet equally valid as deriving from their own
individual NEXUS, such validity shall be fully accepted and respected by those who are in
apparent agreement as to a differing conception.
CARDINAL POINTS OF GOVERNANCE
[1]. INTERPRETATION
In order to genuinely accomplish its true purposes, the manner in which The Circle of
Esse structures, governs and conducts itself is critical. If The Circle, as a society, fails to keep
itself fully Congruent within its own ORBIT of The Circle, such a failure will, in and of itself,
and at its very onset, significantly defeat the ability of The Circle to be and do what it is
intended to be and do.
This entire set of points is to be understood and applied in light of the foregoing.
[2]. ESTABLISHMENT
The coming together of two or more persons with the intent to accept and promote the
Cardinal Points of Purpose according to the Cardinal Points of Navigational Guidance - thus
aspiring toward Congruence within the ORBIT of The Circle of Esse - all as provided for in this
Compass, shall, by way of establishing and subscribing their names to an Ordinated Roll, by way
of the Rite of Subscription, all as provided for herein, thereby establish themselves as The
Circumference and Foundational Radius of The Circle, and thus, The Circle of Esse. No
additional formalities or approvals shall be required.
[3]. POWERS
The Circle of Esse, as established and conducted pursuant to this Compass, is intended,
and shall be deemed, to be a spiritual/ religious society / church, capable to the fullest extent of
applicable law of holding title to property and assets, whether real or personal, tangible or
intangible, and of conducting any and all transactions in its own name and in its own discretion,
as are provided for and allowable under applicable law, and as are Congruent within The ORBIT
of The Circle and otherwise consistent with the provisions of this Compass. This section is
intended to enable The Circle of Esse to possess and exercise, to the fullest extent, all powers,
rights, abilities, privileges and immunities as are accorded churches and religious societies
generally, and as are consistent with the provisions herein.
[4]. MEMBERSHIP
[a]. Qualifications.
In order to become a member, one need only demonstrate to the
satisfaction of any Radius to which he might apply, in such manner as shall be prescribed by The
Circumference, the following:
1). A genuine belief in the validity of The ORBIT of The Circle as leading to the
highest spiritual levels in life, and a genuine aspiration to bring and keep oneself
Congruent within The ORBIT;
[5]. STRUCTURE
[a]. CIRCUMFERENCE
(1). The Circumference shall consist of The Diameter and all Radii as may be in existence
at any point in time.
(2). The Circumference shall have ultimate authority and discretion with respect to its
own operation and regulation, and of The Circle of Esse in general, and with respect to the
establishment, structure, regulation and powers of the Radii.
[b]. RADII
The Radii (singular - Radius) shall be geographically localized congregations of members
of The Circle.
[c]. DIAMETER
(1). Purpose / Function.
The purpose and function of The Diameter of The Circle shall be
to provide a setting for the highest and best implementation of The ORBIT of The Circle, both within
The Circle itself and otherwise; the investigation and furtherance of matters spiritual generally; and
full responsibility and authority for the implementation of all activities of The Circle, spiritual,
administrative, clerical, ministerial and otherwise. The duties of The Diameter shall specifically
include, but are not limited to:
a). Rites. The Diameter shall either perform, cause to be performed, or upon request
assist in the performance of all Rites of The Circle. This does not negate the right of any other Arc
or Arcs to perform, without the assistance or sanction of The Diameter, any of such Rites under such
conditions as The Circumference may prescribe.
b). Guidance/Counseling (Confidentiality). Members of The Diameter shall, upon
request, provide Spiritual/Nexus guidance and counseling to one another, other Arcs of The Circle,
and non-members alike. When engaged in such capacity, absolute confidentiality shall clothe all
aspects of such relationship, and all Diametrics shall assure such confidentiality, at their own peril
if need be.
(2). Structure. The Diameter of The Circle is hereby established, whether occupied
and active or vacant and inactive. When occupied and active it shall function as set forth herein.
When unoccupied and inactive, The Circumference shall assume responsibility for the
administrative and mundane needs of The Circle, in such manner as it deems appropriate, until such
time as The Diameter becomes occupied and active as set forth herein.
The Diameter shall be occupied and active only so long as it has fully qualified membership,
properly inducted, as set forth below, which membership is actively engaged as such. In the event
of vacancy and inactivity, the requirements for membership and induction into The Diameter, as set
forth below, shall in no way be diluted or made less rigorous simply because no fully qualified
candidate, able to genuinely undertake the Rite of Induction, is available, but the occupancy and
activity of The Diameter shall await the appearance of such a fully qualified candidate.
The Circumference shall provide for the adequate maintenance and support of the Diameter.
The Diameter, and all members thereof, shall look to ESSE, personal NEXUS, and The Circle for
sustenance, and shall conscientiously avoid acceptance of any sustenance deriving from
non-voluntary sources, whether through the coercive power of government or otherwise.
Members of The Diameter shall be members of The Circle at large, and as such shall be full
members of each and every Radius.
(3). Requirements. Membership in The Diameter shall be only for those who manifest a
clear inclination and ability for, and commitment to, its purposes, and a total and genuine personal
commitment to The ORBIT of The Circle, including the release of personal attachment to personal
wealth or gain.
(4). Induction. Entry into The Diameter shall be by way of the Rite of Induction. The Rite
of Induction shall include the initiate's personal covenant to devote all of himself, time and energies
to the purposes of The Circle as set forth in this Compass, in Congruence within The ORBIT of The
Circle, by way of the duties spelled out herein and otherwise; and that any material wealth or gain
accruing to him while a Diametric, whether as a result of his efforts or otherwise, shall be received
on behalf of, and inure directly to the benefit of, The Circle, and not to the Diametric or any other
individual. The Rite of Induction shall also include the initiate's divestment of all personal
ownership, or claim to ownership, of all material wealth and property, either to The Circle or to such
other similar purpose as his own NEXUS might indicate, excepting only items of personal
maintenance and spiritual nurturance.
CARDINAL POINTS OF FAITH LEADERSHIP
[1]. Leadership in matters of FAITH, belief and doctrine is a subject of singular consideration,
unique unto itself, and as such, is to be viewed with extraordinary care and caution, and dealt
with in like manner.
[2]. Nothing herein is intended to either encourage or discourage the concept of FAITH
Guidance, as a concept, or the development of such Guidance within The Circle. Rather, this
set of Points is intended to underline the inherent and extraordinary dangers which exist in the
area of FAITH leadership and Guidance, and to provide pertinent structure toward avoiding those
dangers.
[3]. In order to find absolutely pure, perfect and true leadership in matters of FAITH, one must
look only to ESSE, by way of one's own enhanced NEXUS.
[4]. However, to the extent one might see value in the Guidance of another person, as being a
useful and true Guide along the path of enhancing one's own NEXUS, and only for that purpose,
one should seek out, among inevitably fallible human beings, the closest approximation to
perfection of spiritual development in another human being as one can find, and constantly
regard with due suspicion all qualities in such a Guide which are anything less than perfect. A
false leader, even if less false than genuine, can easily be worse than no leader at all, especially
in matters of spirituality and FAITH.
CARDINAL POINTS OF DISSOLUTION
[1]. Individual.
In the event disagreement in any Radius, or within The Circle as a whole, rises to the
point of irresoluble dissension, or even unpleasant antagonism, among its members, each Arc
shall seriously reconsider that to engage in or contribute to any degree of antagonism or
contention is, in and of itself, already a direct violation of The ORBIT, and a direct negation of
the fundamental purposes and teachings of The Circle. Any Arc who aspires to consider himself
true to the fundamentals of The Circle will, rather than engage in antagonism or contention,
simply walk away from such disagreement, in peace and with good heart, and re-weigh his own
attitudes and actions within The ORBIT of The Circle.
If the circumstances of disagreement are sufficiently extreme and antagonistic, the true
Arc of The Circle will, rather than contribute to such contention and antagonism, walk away
from the Radius, or even The Circle itself, including any and all worldly assets thereof, and
make a new start elsewhere, true to the fundamentals of The Circle and its ORBIT.
If The Circle of Esse, as a society, cannot survive or maintain itself by way of each
member, and The Circle as a whole, remaining true to its own fundamentals, and fully
Congruent within The ORBIT of The Circle, it will not deserve to survive as a society, nor will
it, nor any of its worldly assets, be of any further true value to those individuals who are true
to those fundamentals.
[2]. Legal.
In the event The Circle of Esse is dissolved as a legal entity, or its assets are distributed
by process of law for any reason whatsoever, it is the intent of this Compass that its assets shall
be distributed in such manner as to ensure that they will inure to the benefit of such charitable
and benevolent purposes and organizations as may be appropriate under applicable law, and to
ensure that such assets shall not inure, directly or indirectly, to any member of The Circle.
CARDINAL POINTS OF RITUAL
Spiritually related rituals have value in that they are a useful and powerful adjunct to
social cohesion, and in their effect upon the human psyche as a powerful assist in triggering and
sustaining the elements of awe and FAITH in the participants, thereby assisting in the location
and enhancement of NEXUS within each individual participant. The following Rites acknowledge
Man's close inter-relationship and participation in the planetary system in which he exists, and
serve to reinforce Man's sense of personal connectedness with his own greater environment, and
thus of his personal NEXUS with ESSE.
[1]. RITES OF TERRESTRIAL VECTOR
CARDINAL POINT OF APPENDIX TO THIS COMPASS
The Appendix to this Compass shall contain Points of Guidance as to appropriate
interpretation of this Compass and as to further illumination and expansion upon the basic
concepts herein. It shall also contain such other and further matter as is necessary, desirable or
appropriate for the furtherance of the purposes of The Circle. The Appendix is hereby
incorporated into this Compass by reference, and may be amended in such manner as prescribed
by The Circumference.
CARDINAL POINTS OF AMENDMENT TO THIS COMPASS
[1]. The Points of this Compass go to the fundamental and ultimate concepts underlying the
purposes and methodology of The Circle of Esse. Such concepts are the very heart of the reason
for The Circle, as a society, to even exist at all. Any dilution of the essential intent or meaning
of any such concepts will necessarily result in a serious, if not total, negation of the only valid
reasons for The Circle to remain in existence.
[2]. Giving due and serious consideration to Point #1 next above, this Compass may be amended
only by way of a general consensus of an assembled gathering of The Circumference, upon at
least six months notice to The Diameter and each Radius as to the purpose and specifics of the
proposed amendment.
[1]. Logical Sequence.
The Golden Tricepts are presented in their logical order of application, as follows:
DEFINITIONS
[1]. ESSE - Application of The Gnostic Razor
This definition is intended to be infinitely broad, open-ended and all inclusive as to the
concept being defined, and the Gnostic Razor has been applied to it so as to maintain these
qualities in the statement of the definition. Any restatement or interpretation of this definition
which would narrow its scope or make it anything less than openly broad and infinite in reach,
is inappropriate.
It is the intent and purpose of this definition, and of The Circle of Esse itself, to make
the definition and conception of the Greater Being - ESSE - commensurate with its own
infiniteness, so as to include within this definition any and all particularized and less open-ended
conceptions of ESSE, to the exclusion of none.
It is in this way that The Circle intends to eliminate the divisiveness and contentiousness
which exists between those of various faiths today, which divisiveness is due, at least in part,
to particularized conceptions of ESSE which appear to be in disagreement, or even direct
contradiction, with one another.
The Gnostic Razor has been applied to this definition so as to ensure that it will continue
to be able to do this.
By way of illustration, Christian doctrine conceives of ESSE in one way, and calls it God
or Lord. Buddhist doctrine conceives of ESSE in another way, and often calls it Buddha.
Moslem doctrine conceives of ESSE in yet another way, and calls it Allah.
It is a fundamental tenet of The Circle that each of these differing conceptions are actually
looking at the same "thing", but from differing conceptual vantage points and in differing ways.
This same "thing" is what The Circle calls ESSE, and in adopting this term, The Circle
recognizes that the term "ESSE" is not necessarily any more "right" or "wrong" as being a
proper name for that "thing" than is any other name for it. But ESSE is a term which is now,
and hopefully will remain, free of the particularized, and therefore divisive, connotations which
have, over the years, attached to other names for that "thing". ESSE is for everyone, to the
exclusion of none.
None of this is to say that a more particularized conception of ESSE is necessarily
invalid. A particularized conception may well be totally valid for any individual who actualizes
his own FAITH in ESSE (Or more accurately, his own FAITH in that "thing" which the term
"ESSE" is intended to represent), and in his own NEXUS, by way of that conception. Indeed,
it appears that for many individuals a less abstract and more personalized conception of ESSE
is all but essential to the individual's ability to genuinely actualize his own FAITH. In such a
case, such a particularization is fully valid, for that person (so long as he doesn't insist upon
forcing it on others). It actualizes the individual's FAITH, and in so doing, is totally valid, for
him.
Under this definition of ESSE, and by way of applying the Gnostic Razor to it, the intent
is to say that while particularized conceptions of ESSE may, and often do, differ among
individuals and groups of people, each such particularization fully fits within this definition, no
matter how differing, or even contradictory, one particularization might appear to be with respect
to another.
It is not the particular conceptualization of ESSE which is the key, but one's FAITH in
ESSE, no matter how one might happen to conceive of it.
[2]. LOVE - Application of The Gnostic Razor
There is much confusion in the world today about the subject of "love". Some of the most
hurtful things one person can do to another are often done in the name of "love". "Lover"
injures "lover", parents and children disserve one another, and friend denies friend - all in the
name of "love".
The reason for this confusing and seemingly perverse situation is that things which are
not LOVE - genuine LOVE - are too often called by the same name.
Our definition of LOVE (capitalized so as to separate it from less accurate uses of the
term) is one of genuine LOVE, in its essential and spiritual purity. The Gnostic Razor has been
applied to it so as to maintain that essential purity of definition, and to avoid any further
confusion and perversity on the subject, by keeping out anything in the use of the term which
is not genuine LOVE.
Any feeling, set of feelings, or state of being which does not fully and easily fit within
this definition, is not genuine LOVE, and should not be called by that name or confused with
it.
Consequently, the nature or intensity of any particular relationship is irrelevant to this
definition.
For example, if the state of being between two strangers is one of selfless, unconditional
and total acceptance and concern for one another, then there is genuine LOVE between them.
On the other hand, if the state of being between two people, even blood kin, mates, or
romantic "lovers", is in any way selfish, conditional or less than total acceptance of and concern
for the well being of one another, then the relationship is not one of genuine LOVE, to that
extent. Feelings in such situations may well be intense, but that intensity of emotion, if not
feelings of genuine LOVE, is something other than LOVE (quite possibly the antithesis of
LOVE), and should not be confused with it.
[3]. SPIRITUAL / CORPOREAL
The line of distinction between "spiritual" and "corporeal" is not clear cut. The location
of that line, and even its very existence, becomes more fuzzy the more closely it is approached
from either direction. Philosophical contemplation and current scientific investigation now seem
to agree in strongly suggesting that in actuality there is no line of distinction between "spiritual"
and "corporeal" at all; that any perceived differences or distinctions between the two are actually
nothing more than the result of our own differing perceptions of what is actually the same thing,
which differing perceptions are the result of our perceiving that same thing from different
vantage points at different times. A single coin can have significantly different appearances, even
to the point of appearing to be two entirely different things, if viewed from various angles or
opposite sides.
The definitions of these two terms in The compass were devised with the conscious intent
of expanding the content of the concept of "spiritual" to the greatest degree possible. This is
based on the belief that reality is far more spiritual than our corporeal senses are capable of
detecting, and that by broadening the definition of "spiritual", we will also broaden our own
ability to become aware of the more spiritual aspects of life.
But in broadening the concept of Spiritual, we do not mean to include any
particularization of that term or to include within it any connotations which may have attached
to it. It does not necessarily imply ghosts or mediums or anything else in particular. The
definitions simply mean just what they say, and nothing more.
Whatever is not clearly and patently corporeal is, by definition, necessarily Spiritual in
some way, whatever that "some way" might be. The Circle strongly suggests that each individual
look to ESSE, by way of his own NEXUS, for the answer as to what that "some way" is, rather
than to other persons, and to avoid what well may be the ignorance and superstitions of others.
[4]. ATTUNIMENT
Attuniment can be initiated by way of conscious decision, and can remain primarily
intellectual at its outer levels.
At its deeper levels, it transcends from intellectual to spiritual communion, which defies
accurate description in words. Attuniment is most effectively accomplished within one's self, in circumstances of
solitude, and without social fanfare or notoriety (as according to the teachings of Jesus, "Go into
thine own inner closet").
Group Attuniment is valid as a supplement to Attuniment in solitude and as an aid to
social cohesion, and is therefore a proper practice within The Circle. However, group Attuniment is not an equivalent of or replacement for individual Attuniment in solitude, and should not be looked upon as such.
[For when, where and how to Attune, see the Illumination entitled Attuniment].
CARDINAL POINTS OF FAITH
[1]. Application of the Gnostic Razor.
As with The Golden Tricepts and the definitions of ESSE and LOVE, the Gnostic Razor
has been applied to The Cardinal Points of FAITH so as to maintain the force and strength of
what they do say about fundamentals, by preventing the accretion of any particularizing or
otherwise narrowing interpretation or connotation to them, which they do not say or imply.
Cardinal Points #1-#9 set out a direct route by which one can actualize his own FAITH
in ESSE, and his personal NEXUS.
There are other routes available, but many of them are far less direct, and therefore far
more difficult to discern and follow. Also many of these other routes contain within their beliefs
elements of particularization which lead to exclusivity and divisiveness.
One may choose any route he feels right for himself. So long as his chosen route leads
to an actualization of FAITH within him, then it is a proper route for him.
Cardinal Points #1-#9 accomplish two things. They provide a direct route for the
actualization of FAITH in the individual, without any of the confusing and distracting or
sometimes even contradictory elements contained within other more traditional routes. And, they
establish a route which is capable of including within it any of the other more particularized
routes, if those following those other routes can but see that. The Circle of Esse excludes no one.
But there are those who may exclude themselves from The Circle, by way of the narrowness of
their own thinking.
Cardinal Point #10 is not included within the Gnostic Razor because its substance is
directly implied in the totality of Points #1-#9. Fairly read, Points #1-#9 would automatically lead
to the substance of Point #10. However, this may not be so obvious to everyone, and it is a
matter of such critical importance to The Circle's purpose of promoting understanding,
acceptance and unity among differing peoples and beliefs, that point #10 is set out explicitly as
a Cardinal Point of The Compass.
[2]. Intermediaries.
It is a direct implication of Point #4 that one's NEXUS is personal to himself, and that
no other person can have any direct impact or effect, helpful or hurtful, on one's personal
NEXUS. Resort to another person so as to somehow obtain an impact on one's NEXUS is, at
best, illusory, and, at worst, distracting and negative.
If one appears to obtain an impact on his own NEXUS by way of an intermediary, one
is, in actuality, obtaining that impact by way of his own direct NEXUS, whether he realizes that
fact or not. The intermediary is simply a focal point by which the individual triggers his own
impact on his own NEXUS.
Another person may well be a useful Guide along the path of enhancement of one's
NEXUS, but never, in reality, a true intermediary between one's self and ESSE.
CARDINAL POINTS OF GOVERNANCE
[1]. The Diameter
The Compass sets forth very high standards for membership in The Diameter.
It does so because by the very nature of The Diameter, its membership will bear a very heavy responsibility with respect to The Circle and its fundamental purposes and methodologies. It is understood they will be not only its administrative cadre, with the highest degree of fiduciary trust imposed upon them as such, but also the most likely to be looked upon as FAITH guides within The Circle. As set forth in The Cardinal Points of FAITH Leadership, a ‘false' leader can be worse than no leader at all. Thus, The Diameter is structured so as to attain and maintain the truest level of leadership possible, and to remain vacant if such a level of leadership is not available at any point in time.
The Circle, and its Compass, are fundamentally based upon the principle that if The Circle cannot survive true to its own fundamentals, then it should not survive at all.
These provisions of The Compass are based upon the premise that The Circle can better survive true to its fundamentals, during any period in which fully qualified membership in The Diameter is unavailable, by leaving it vacant and inactive, than by diluting the requirements for its membership. And, if The Circle cannot survive such a circumstance, still basically true to its fundamentals, then it shouldn't survive at all.