A Circle of Trust, by Parker Palmer

विश्वास का दायरा
- पार्कर पामर ( १३ अप्रैल, २०१५)

एक जंगली जानवर की तरह, आत्मा भी दृढ, लचीली, चतुर, समझदार और आत्मनिर्भर है: उसे मालूम है कि मुश्किल जगहों पर कैसे रहना है। मैंने डिप्रेशन से जूझते समय इन गुणों के बारे में जाना। उस जानलेवा अँधेरे में जिन क्षमताओं का मुझे हमेशा आसरा था, वो छिन्न-भिन्न हो गईं। मेरी बुद्धि बेकार थी; मेरी भावनाओं मर चुकी थीं; मेरी इच्छा-शक्ति कमज़ोर थी; मेरा अहंकार बिखर गया था। लेकिन समय-समय पर, मेरे भीतरी जंगल की झाड़ियों की गहराईयों में, मुझे एक ऎसी मौजूदगी का अहसास होता था जिसे यह मालूम था कि कैसे जीना है जबकि मेरा बाकी सब मर जाना चाहता था। वह मौजूदगी मेरी दृढ और अटल आत्मा थी।

अपनी दृढ़ता के बावजूद, आत्मा संकोची भी है। बस एक जंगली जानवर की तरह, यह घने जंगल की झाड़ियों में अपने लिए सुरक्षा खोजती है, खासकर जब और लोग आस-पास होते हैं। अगर हम एक जंगली जानवर को देखना चाहते हों, तो हमें पता है कि हम जंगल में उसे चिल्ला-चिल्लाकर बाहर निकलने के लिए नहीं कहेंगे। बल्कि अगर हम जंगल में आहिस्ता से चलें, एक पेड़ के तले धैर्यपूर्वक बैठ जाएं, धरती के साथ-साथ सांस लें, और अपने आस-पास के वातावरण में समा जाएं, तो जिस जंगली जानवर को हम खोज रहे हैं वो शायद खुद ही सामने आ जाए। हम शायद उसे क्षण-भर को ही देख पाएं और शायद सिर्फ अपने आँख के कोने से ही - लेकिन वह दृश्य एक ऐसा अनुभव होगा जिसे हम हमेशा याद रखेंगे।

दुर्भाग्य से, हमारी संस्कृति में समुदाय ज़्यादातर लोगों का वो झुण्ड माना जाता है जो एक साथ जंगल के बीचों-बीच पहुँच जाता है, और आत्मा को डरा के भगा देता है। सभाओं से लेकर कक्षाओं तक, हम उपदेश देते हैं और पढाते हैं, दावे और बहस करते हैं, मांगें और घोषणाऐं करते हैं, धिक्कारते हैं और सलाहें देते हैं ,और आमतौर पर इस तरीके से बर्ताव करते हैं जो सब असल और जंगली चीज़ों को छुप जाने पर मज़बूर कर देता है। इन शर्तों के तहत, बुद्धि, भावनाऐं, संकल्प और अहंकार उभर सकता है, लेकिन आत्मा नहीं: हम सम्मानित रिश्तों, सद्भावना, और आशा जैसी सभी भावपूर्ण चीज़ों को डरा भगाते हैं।

विश्वास का दायरा ऐसे लोगों का एक समूह है जो उस “जंगल” में एक-दूसरे के साथ चुप-चाप बैठकर उस संकोची आत्मा के दिखने का इंतज़ार कर सकता है.… ऐसी जगह में, हम अपने आप की सच्चाई को सुनने, हमें जो सुख देता हो उसे छू पाने के लिए आज़ाद हो जाते हैं, अपनी गुण-दोषों को ठीक से देख पाते हैं, और बदलाव के लिए जोखिम भरे कदम उठाने के लिए तैयार हो जाते हैं - यह जानते हुए कि इसका परिणाम भले ही कुछ भी हो, हमें फिर भी स्वीकार किया जाएगा।

प्रतिबिंब के लिए मूल प्रश्न: आप "विश्वास के दायरे" से क्या समझते हैं? क्या आप विश्वास के दायरे में होने का कोई व्यक्तिगत अनुभव बांटना चाहेंगे? आपकी संकोची आत्मा को उभरने में किन चीज़ों से मदद मिलती है?

पार्कर जे. पामर, एक विश्व प्रसिद्ध लेखक, वक्ता और कार्यकर्ता हैं, जिनका कार्य शिक्षा, समुदाय, नेतृत्व, आध्यात्मिकता और सामाजिक परिवर्तन के मुद्दों पर केंद्रित है। वो अपनी नौ पुस्तकों, जैसे लैट योर लाइफ स्पीक (अपनी ज़िंदगी को बोलने दो), द करेज टू टीच ( पढ़ाने का साहस), इ हिडन होलनेस (छुपी हुई सम्पूर्णता), और हीलिंग द हार्ट ऑफ़ डेमोक्रेसी (लोकतंत्र को अंदर से स्वस्थ बनाना), के माध्यम से विश्व में लाखों लोगों तक पहुंच पाए हैं। यह अद्धरण उनकी पुस्तक ‘ए हिडन होलेनेस: द जर्नी टुवर्ड एन अनडिवाइडिड लाइफ’ (‘ छुपी हुई सम्पूर्णत: अविभाजित जीवन की ओर यात्रा) से लिया गया है।

Parker J. Palmer, is a world-renowned writer, speaker and activist who focuses on issues in education, community, leadership, spirituality and social change. He has reached millions worldwide through his nine books, including Let Your Life Speak, The Courage to Teach, A Hidden Wholeness, and Healing the Heart of Democracy. Above is an excerpt from his book titled A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life.

Seed Questions for Reflection

What do you understand by the term "circle of trust"? Can you share a personal experience of being in a circle of trust? What helps your shy soul "put in an appearance?"

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Add Your Reflection

12 Past Reflections

Emily

Mar 22, 2026

No the soul is not wild.. the energies within that bring change may feel unbridled.. The soul is a bonded safety.. held gently in the arms of the mothers.. The Hebrew Shekhinah is the feminine nature of God who has been erased from Christian History..The depths of our knowing is biological through the sensory system .The ancient Greeks knew about opposites.The Logos was not reduced to reason.. but a living dynamic between opposites.. Safety first develops in utero.. it is foundational in attachment ..it is not wild but held and mirrored.. OurGod is a Creator God. Always renewing..

Anne

Jul 4, 2015

Learn how to do this at http://www.focusingresources.com.

Indira

Apr 15, 2015

I love this concept of the Circle of trust. For me, it is firstly the desire to seek ad live in solitude for some part of daily living to first center oneself and keep that soul voice alive, regardless of joy or pain. This inner center should then hopefully be able to expand into a greater, inclusive, non-judgmental circle of trust, love, understandind and support.. Herein lies the foundations of real societies and communities.

Always Trust

Apr 14, 2015

Full TRUST is very difficult to come by these days. People talk, chat, tweet, repeat, text . . . what they know. The more one "knows" (and can share) the more interesting one becomes. People talk for talking's sake. Story telling, expanding truth and lies has become the norm! It's no wonder my small mind cannot find "truth" (trust) within the muddle of "my world".
This is why (when I married my husband), the circle formed in our union was more of trust than of love. (Out of trust comes love . . . Usually, not the other way around!)

paashi

Apr 14, 2015

My circle of trust is the awareness that is drawn to wholeness of life doing its dance. It's the urge to break through the fog of separateness while simultaneously honoring our unique soul prints. Being in the presence of trees with sunlight streaming through the canopy by myself or with others , allows my shy soul to make its appearance.

Syd

Apr 14, 2015

This writing by Parker Palmer appears to have found his soul in pain and suffering, also finding his soul in a circle of friends who can sit quietly with. My experience of my soul is like an inner landscape. It resembles someone riding a bicycle on a beautiful day and enjoying everything about the flow of the experience. This inner world is this experience of effortless oneness and appears to come from being in union with others. The soul creates a whole picture rather than a particular part. Keeping this unity within existence appears to be this self-realization I need action to embrace life, rather than this internal zone where I feel safe, peaceful, comfortable, and I will not be disturbed by anything. My soul can daydream. It can be present without content and can be without meaningful awareness of others too. There is safety in my imagination. So to me the soul takes action and to see everything changing and growing, just as my soul grows and changes. The soul is like surrenderin... View full comment

Sunil,Bangalore

Apr 14, 2015

Circle of Trust is harmony of mind, body & soul. All three must have 100% trust in each other. When Thought, Intuition and Action are in the same wave length we are in the circle of trust. So also like minded souls can form a circle of trust.

klaus

Apr 14, 2015

...and the soul is there - but what happens when it is opressed by stronger forces in you, destructive and not able to listen to your positiv inner voice? Or in other words, why are there so many sucides - mainly men betwenn 19 - 25 and between 40 - 45 years?

Apr 12, 2015

I thank God for your tough and tenacious soul!!!

Kristin Pedemonti

Apr 12, 2015

Circle of trust is a safe environment where one can share from their heart and soul and feel accepted and valued. I am fortunate to have several of these circles in my life & have relied on them in my own times of darkness. My soul is generally speaking a bit more open, yet when the darkness comes, the soul retreats and I am even more grateful for those who quietly enter space with me, sit listen and sometimes don't even say anything, simply offer their presence. Hugs to everyone, may we all be in quiet presence with each other.

david doane

Apr 12, 2015

A circle of trust may consist of me, myself, and I, or it may be me and one other person, or it may be me and a group of people. At any rate, in a circle of trust, we are being still, probably being quiet much more than speaking. There's a saying about talking only when talking is an improvement over silence. And a saying that most of our problems come from our inability to sit alone in a room and be still. It's said that we communicate head to head, heart to heart, and soul to soul. An individual enjoys a circle of trust with himself or her self when he or she can quietly be with himself or herself, reflecting or meditating or being still, tuning in to his or her own soul, not thinking frenetically about things to do. Lovers can sit without talking for extended periods and simply be together appreciating each other, soul to soul. A group, probably a small group, can similarly be together, listening to one another, being open, respectful... View full comment

Jagdish P Dave

Apr 10, 2015

Soul is to me as like light that gets dim by my own unmindful and unwise thoughts and actions. It is hard to see light when we are in sound sleep of ignorance, Of course such unawakened state causes suffering. I create and sustain my own suffering and effect the lives on people who care about me and love me. I have had such self-and-other suffering actions and experiences, at times small and at times big. during my long life span.What really helped me to reduce and end my suffering is souls searching, self examination-self awareness and regular mindfulness practice. Doing such self work with like minded people and getting support and feed back from them has been very helpful to me. I fell down, got hurt and got up, saw the light and followed the path. It is a journey, a pilgrimage.My inner being bonds with interbeing and transcends the boundaries and bonds with transbeing I often remember the song my father used ... View full comment