Encounter Yourself and Others in the Present Moment

Do you yearn for a deeper connection with yourself and others? Do you desire to be seen, heard, and embraced in your authenticity - while offering this to others? Do you wish to feel more confident speaking up and making your voice heard in your daily life and relationships?

What is Circling?

Circling is a relational meditation in which participants share their authentic present-moment experience while in connection with each other. Sometimes we think of it as an “inverse meditation,” where, instead of sitting in silence, participants actively reveal their experiences to others. As each participant brings their attention to the present moment and reveals their experience in relation to the Circle, awareness of a unique and ever-shifting relational field is experienced.

Revelations include sensations, emotions, thoughts, judgments, assumptions, stories, desires, attractions, observations about each other’s demeanour or way of being, the group's dynamics, moments of dissociation, boredom, and more, all in an exploration of consciousness through the present moment.

Two common types of Circles are “Focus Circles,” where one person is the centre of attention for a set period of time, revealing their present-moment experience to a group exploring their world, and “Organic Circles,” where there is no focus person and attention moves organically as people reveal themselves and follow their curiosity. We also practice more free-form Circles that may explicitly welcome shadowy behaviours or states such as boredom, and shared leadership circles where each participant leans into owning their desires and direction for a Circle —including allowing the Circle itself appearing to dissolve while participants create new configurations — all while staying with what is.

What is the Impact of Circling?

The practice of Circling helps develop self-awareness in relationship to others and builds the inner capacity of sharing your in-the-moment experience. This can be deeply liberating and empowering within the circle and in daily life.

From a nervous system perspective, Circling can be seen as an exercise in practicing self-regulation and co-regulation simultaneously, and moving back and forth between being aware of both aspects of regulation. It can be quite calming and transforming to notice and share experiences that can feel risky or edgy while being witnessed by others in vulnerability.

Principles of Circling

Circling can be compared to the practice of Theatrical Improvisation (Improv). While there is no script or pre-known outcome of what the performers will do, there are underlying “rules” that influence how the performers show up. A common example of a “rule” in Impov is “yes and…”.

The following principles represent “rules” or “agreements” that participants practice in the creation of a Circle.

1. Welcome Everything: This is like the “yes and” of improv. We welcome all experiences, including each experience in the Circle as we notice it. This expands the awareness and richness of the Circle and gives the Circle energetic momentum.
2. Honour Self and Other: Recognizing that my experience and the experiences of others are different, we allow others to have their experiences, as we allow ourselves to have ours. This creates a space of allowing us to all be as we are and be seen as we are.
3. Own and Reveal Your Experience: We speak with the language of ownership using “I” to ensure we are clear about “our experience” and don’t project that experience onto others. We share “withholds” that make our experience transparent with the group, also owning what feels safe and comfortable for us.
4. No Changing, Fixing, Healing: We recognize that the experience of others is sacred, complex, and mysterious. We are ignorant of the complexity of others’ experiences and don’t interfere by attempting to change them, acknowledging any agendas we have to do so.

At its simplest, it can be said that Circling is “revealing experience” — and if all participants are owning, acting, and revealing their in-the-moment experiences, that is Circling.

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