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Once upon a time, in a land far away, people worked together in balance and harmony. They shared a sense of purpose and community, for they knew that what they created together would benefit their entire world.
They cooperated and challenged each other in a spirit of trust. They sat in council together, sharing their collective wisdom, listening to each other, respecting every voice, every perspective. They honored the essence and spirit of life, for they knew that their existence was woven into the very fabric of it. They were connected and committed, working together to serve a greater good... and they prospered.
Then... the wars came, and with it, separation, conflict and a sense of lack.
And, the people forgot their ways...
Until Now
Many are remembering... and calling the circle will help.
We remember the circle. Somewhere deep in our DNA, there are memories of sitting around the fire, next to the hearth, sharing story. Circle provides a safe place for us to share our stories, remember our dreams and get the courage and support we need to take the steps we want to take. It helps us to reawaken innate intelligence and heal from the personal and cultural baggage we have accumulated along the way.
What is a circle?
A circle is a council of ordinary people who come together to support each other or to perform a certain task in a spirit of shared community, mutual respect and commitment to honoring the voice of each individual. It is a mechanism for organizing and honoring the collective wisdom of the group. Called study groups in Sweden; the circle helped to reform an impoverished and war torn country into one of the leading democracies in the world; called sangha by the Buddha, the circle is the spiritual community integral to a successful Buddhist practice. The circle is an important part of many indigenous cultures, as old as the use of fire.
The "technology" of the circle is simple and easy to learn. We enjoy the PeerSpirit model as developed and taught by Christina Baldwin, Ann Linnea and colleagues of beautiful Whidbey Island, WA.
The most basic structure of a PeerSpirit circle is based on three principles, three practices and four agreements.
Principles:
- leadership is rotating,
- responsibility is shared,
- center is held by reliance on spirit.
Three Practices of Council:
- attentive listening
- intentional speaking
- conscious self-monitoring
Four Agreements
- What is said in the circle remains in the circle.
- We listen to each other as witnesses, not passing judgment.
- Each person asks for what s/he needs and offers what s/he can.
- Whenever uncertain or in need of a resting point, we agree to fall into silence, and wait for guidance.
These principles are adapted from Calling the Circle, the First and Future Culture, by Christina Baldwin
People all over the world are moving forward by moving back, honoring an ancient practice that was shared at one time by every culture on the planet. We invite you to consider joining this movement.
Recommended Reading:
Calling the Circle, the First and Future Culture, by Christina Baldwin
Wisdom Circles : A Guide to Self-Discovery and Community Building in
Small Groups, by Charles Garfield, Cindy Spring and Sedonia Cahill
The Way of Council, by Jack Zimmerman and Virginia Coyle
The Circle of Simplicity: Return to the Good Life, by Cecile Andrews
Recommended Sites:
peerspirit.com
In service to the circle, Peerspirit is a small educational company that pioneered the PeerSpirit circle methodology. They offer circle practicums, consulting and training for circle use in organizations, communities and business. Our founder, Marla Durden did her circle practicum with them, and recommends them highly.
fromthefourdirections.com
Started by Meg Wheatley and based upon the PeerSpirit model, From the Four Directions works around the globe to organize local conversation circles among citizens and leaders so that they might name their hopes and challenges, learn from colleagues, and act courageously to move their hopes into reality.
wisdomcircle.org
Wisdom Circles is an organization whose commitment is to give voice to the values of compassionate community and the make integrity a visible force in the world.
renaissancealliance.org
The Global Renaissance Alliance is a citizen-based, international network of spiritual activists, started by Marianne Williamson and Neale Donald Walsch. Their mission is to make a stand in our local and national communities for the role of spiritual principle in solving the problems of the world.
seedsofsimplicity.org
Seeds of Simplicity organizes simplicity circles, which emerge from the Swedish tradition of study circles that help people lead lives of high satisfaction and low environmental impact.
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