Circle Practice

Comment

Comment by Mara Senese on January 20, 2012 at 10:24am

Hello Linda and dear ones,

How lovely to hear from you, I have thought of you often as I have become friends with Oddne (AoT person in Oslo).

Congratulations on a wonderful and inspiring piece of work.  Just giving people a taste of reflecting together is definitely World Work for changing the game on the Planet.  Thank you for having the courage to do this and for giving the rest of us the inspiration to try it ourselves. 

May I put your story on my website, as an example of Good News happening around the world in this time of evolutionary change?  Give me a buzz so that I know it is OK with you.

I trust the rest of you are also doing wonderful work.  Why not let us know about it - whatever it is!!  I am scanning the world for hopeful evolutionary work.

With much love and gratitude,

Mara

www.hopevolution.org

Comment by Linda Joy Mitchell on January 20, 2012 at 9:35am

hello dear ones - just wanting to connect back in with our circle and to share with you some reflections from hosting a circle in the street.  This was called as part of a day of action from occupy and real democracy.  Opening circle in the street and holding space in the middle of a shopping centre was a new experience and it was great, much easier than we thought it would be - so enjoy the harvest

Much love to you all  Linda xxxCircle%20IS%20real%20demcracy%20-%20Flashmob%20circles.pdf

Comment by Mara Senese on October 14, 2011 at 3:03am

Dear friends, old and new

I am so happy to report that I finally got an opportunity to try out my newest understanding of circle inspired by Christina and Ann and you darlings here!

So this is how I did it - to add to our stories of taking risks and circle practice.  

Yesterday was the last day of a three module leader development program for a group of middle managers from different units in a international company.  The top leaders of the different units came to an hour of the first module and now to the last two hours of the last module yesterday. 

When the top leaders arrived I did a piece about what the participants felt they achieved from the program.  We were about 30 people, sitting around six tables.  When that piece was finished, I told them that we would now share success stories based on the companies values and said that all the tables should be placed against the wall and that they should make a circle in the middle of the room and see how fast they could do that!  (No introduction at all).

When we were all in the circle - I had to encourage people close the circle to include me -  I asked them how they felt sitting in the circle.  What was the difference between this and sitting around tables.  Interesting responses - more visible to each other, a little scary, no leader, could see the whole group.   I have to say myself that the difference was palpable!  Vividly showing the whole group to itself.

Then I talked about the history of circle, how it is being used today, a few stories about it, putting emphasis on "a leader in every chair, participatory leadership", etc.  I pointed out how I needed to ask people to include me in the circle (tendency to keep the "leader" apart.  Then I put their values in the center on the floor and explained the power of the center and the importance of the rim. 

People followed well, nodded and seemed very present. 

Then I introduced a talking piece and how it is used.  I decided to let people ask for the talking piece instead of going around - to help them listen more and not prepare internally so much and to build on each other.  

The topic was to tell success stories based on the values - either about themselves or to recognize something someone in the group had accomplished.  This led to amazing sharing and heart felt praise of each other.  Many of them praised the top leaders for specific reasons.  People were moved and the whole exercise brought them very close as a group.

Then the CEO gave out diplomas and said something specific and positive to each participant.

My heart is full from this lovely closing and I can't wait to find other opportunities to bring circle into new arenas.

Much gratitude to you all.  May miracles show up everywhere.

with love and hugs,

Mara

Comment by daniela terrile on October 12, 2011 at 4:45pm

dear all sisters

the circle is the roof of a dome in iran and my friend has just sent a message to honour our circle. he is happy this circle is in our blog.

kirsi you are full of compassion and great capacity of seeing beyond reality.... and what is reality if not our capacity of remember what we are?  an image of God .. you talk of integrity, but you are already integre. we are all connected each other in this universe which is uni- verse, versus uni, versus unification. we are cells of the system and part of the gestalt. ... miracles are portion of the universe

let's keep on moving in the circle. if i close my eyes i feel connected to you in the circle. i would like to share with you something that i have read some time ago.

All that we see, touch and feel, reality in all its variety, is nothing more than the projection of an invisible universe which exists above our world and which is the true origin of it.

With great difficulty, we can be aware of being surrounded by invisibility, of living in a world which has its source in dreams, where all that counts and is real in a man is invisible.

All our thoughts, feelings and fantasies are invisible. Our hopes, ambitions, secrets, fears and doubts and all our sensations, attractions, desires, aversions, loves and discords belong to the impalpable but very real world of being.

The invisible is not something metaphysical, poetic or mythical, nor is it mysterious, secret or supernatural; it is not a stable part of the world of phenomena and events, of categories of elements of reality. In every epoch, the change of one period to another, of the intellectual climate, the use of increasingly sophisticated instruments, constantly alter its confines making

even larger parts of what was invisible in the past the subject of legitimate scientific research today.

 

Comment by Kirsi Joenpolvi on October 12, 2011 at 2:52pm

Oh my,  you are so lovely for reminding me of the miracles  :)  I loved your stories, and Daniela it is not too simple, I think it is my task to fully step into my integrity. The woman who was patiently waiting & tuning into the center of the light- what a wonderful reminder! I am just somehow sensitive to the typical need of the Finnish culture where people expect a very detailed & informative  explanations, the more complicated , the more it is appreciated. In fact now that I am aware of this Finnish quality (including myself)  it would be a pretty juicy piece to write about ... to some dry business magazine :) I will chew this a little but your help would be then needed! Blessings and love- oh Daniela, your picture is amazing! So happy that we have this forum. Blessings and love...Kirsi

Comment by Katharine Weinmann on October 12, 2011 at 1:02pm

My impulse upon reading these most recent posts, is to look forward to the time when I may meet each of you in person, and embrace.  For now, please know that my heart is full and it appears as tears in my eyes.  

Blessings on the breath, and love to you...

Katharine

Comment by Mara Senese on October 12, 2011 at 12:49pm

Kirsti, Daniella and Kath,

Thank you for these lovely stories and the amazing circle picture from Iran.

May miracles abound! 

love, Mara

 

Comment by daniela terrile on October 12, 2011 at 12:39pm

 

a circle  from Iran - Dome Shahanz -  Kashan October 2011

Comment by daniela terrile on October 12, 2011 at 11:38am

dear Kath

you know me and I know that the distance between my nose and the handkerchief to wipe it is not short  ;.. my eyes are full of larms and I see the scene with this woman waiting in silence and patiently.

 

yes thank you for sharing your experience and the workshop painting. I will use your piece of advice and do the same.  that's it, sit, wait and observe ... the right person, when ready, will come and join the group.

 

it is a miracle

 

Comment by Katharine Weinmann on October 12, 2011 at 11:27am

Hello, 

Daniela, your story reminds me of one I read...I think from "my" (Canada) First Nations people...wherein a woman knew she needed to call a circle for the healing of her community.  She posted notices around the community, told people of her intention, arranged the chairs, put the coffee pot on, and waited.  And waited, week after week until one other person came and sat with her.  And then another, and slowly another. Until each chair in the original small circle was occupied, and the circle was filled to the brim with stories, dreams, tears, laughter and silence. Other chairs were added. The circle grew.  The healing began.  

 

This story always speaks to me of that "miracle" of holding an intention, holding space, trusting deeply and letting go, to let be.  I share it often, as a way to help people - my "clients" - leaders in school districts, ngos and human services - "get" this idea of circle, it's ancient roots, its current power and possibility.

And as I move out in the next couple of weeks, to jump into the fire to host process painting workshops (a method of self discovery, unfettering and accessing our Source creativity) wherein we begin and close in circle, I remind myself again and again of this story.  People are coming.  A "chord" has been struck.

 

Thank you all for this rich conversation space.  

 

 

 

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