Circle Shares
Sitting in circle, hearing other perspectives, practicing my own story…these reflections have changed my life.
I co-facilitate regular circle shares based on council traditions and would love to hold space for you.
Circle is borne aloft on currents of air, double-bladed. The prospect of other people can trigger the very worst in me, but they can also offer the most intimate space for reflecting who I am. Circle allows me to practice being myself in all of my contradictions and complexities.
And being seen in that way heals some very ancient wounds.
What’s a circle share?
An intentional gathering that allows participants, no matter where they are on their paths, to check in with their most authentic selves.
Most importantly—and oftentimes most challenging—participants hold space for others to do the same.
Realizing I have an opportunity to share my most authentic self incites a gathering of intent, a personal check-in with what and who I’m bringing with me. But however much (or little) I prepare, what comes out is not always planned. There is a letting go of the telling. Perhaps I brought one aspect of self with me, but another raises her hand and asks to be given a voice.
Speaking in circle makes me more conscious of myself as a narrator. As I share myself to become myself, what stories do I want to tell, or hide, or find myself repeating?
During circle
I experience myself as a speaker. I explore my story, practicing my voice to the point of verbally reminding myself to “use my ‘I’ words” whenever I lapse into generalities.
After circle
I notice so many patterns: multiple perspectives, a more nuanced understanding of my wants and needs, increased accountability to them, a more confident narrative...
Intimacy occurs within a container
The word intimacy comes from the Latin word for “inmost.” And the boundaries of a container create safety for our vulnerable insides. A well-constructed container invites the trust required for intimacy to blossom.
The guidelines we take turns reading aloud at the start of a council sharing circle make it feel safe to share my inmost thoughts, my messy in media res. The perspectives others share add dimensions to my thinking. It’s like their words open portals to alternative realities that inspire my own questing. There is magic in not only being reflected but in holding up a mirror for another.
There are many ways to facilitate a circle share, and the format continues to evolve to meet the needs and wants of the community. Sometimes we offer a general circle share, which is ideal for deep explorations of wherever you sit in the present moment. Sometimes we hold a focus—like a word or phrase or concept—to prompt rich explorations and variations on a theme.
Crave connection?
Regular remote-friendly gatherings are going on now. Sign up to be notified by email of our next circle.