CREATING YOUR OWN SACRED CIRCLE
"If we were to learn that listening to each other was the key to opening each other's hearts we would listen until there was peace on earth." - James O' Dea
Choose a subject you’d like to explore with your circle. It could be:
- What sustains you during difficult times?
- What holds you back from expressing your creativity, and what supports it?
- If you knew you couldn't fail, how might you live your life differently?
- What does your heart long to create?
CALL THE CIRCLE
Begin by ‘calling’ your circle – inviting people to join you on a certain day and time. An ideal number of people is six to eight, but it works with as few as two.
THE TALKING PIECE
Gather a talking piece. This is an object used to call forth truth from anyone who holds it. Typically it is a stick or a rock, or crystal, but it can be anything you are drawn to.
SET THE SCENE
Make a circle with floor cushions or chairs. Create a simple ‘altar’ at the center. Place a candle there, perhaps some fresh flowers and your chosen ‘talking piece.’ Invite your guests into the circle and explain the principles of using a talking piece, as follows:
- The talking piece is passed around the circle in a clockwise direction
- Only the person holding the talking piece speaks while others in the circle listen in silence.
- When you receive the talking piece, spend a moment in the silence. Connect with your heart. See what, if anything, comes to you to share.
- Speaking from the heart in circle is about being honest, sharing your feelings and your truth. It teaches you to trust your own authenticity. Doing so encourages others to do the same.
- If you have nothing to say, honor the silence - it can be your most authentic expression. Then, simply pass the talking piece on to the next person.
- As you wait for the talking piece, resist the temptation to rehearse what you are going to say.
- Instead, listen attentively and with an open heart to others. The quality of your listening is what helps draw forth another person's truth. Learning to honor and receive what another is saying in silence, even if you disagree with their views, can impact every relationship in your life.
- Remember, the circle is a safe and sacred space in which anything shared is confidential.
OPENING RITUAL
Begin your circle with a simple ritual. Sound a bell or a chime. Light a candle. Invite everyone to close their eyes as you speak a few words, such as: ‘I bless this circle and set the intention that every person here be empowered to discover and share more of their heart's truth for the good of all.’ Remind the circle of your chosen theme. Say it’s, ‘What sustains you during difficult times?’ Place the talking piece in the hands of a circle member and let the process begin.
TIME KEEPING
Depending on the number of people in your circle, and how much time you have, you may want to set a limit of say one or two minutes for each person’s sharing. This helps balance the circle. Two or three rounds with the talking piece works well. Bring it all to a close with a “gratitude round” where each participant gives thanks for whatever she’s grateful for. You might like to close by asking that the insights, blessings and gratitude of the circle be shared with all life.
Talking Pieces