Practice Circle 1: January 22nd
Small Group Practice Circle (Zoom)
Duration: 65–75 minutes
Group Size: 3–4 participants
Facilitation: Shared by participants
INTENTION (Read Silently or Aloud at the Start)
This practice circle is a relational container for:
arriving together
being seen and heard
naming what is genuinely difficult
strengthening integrity, discipline, and care under pressure
asking for support without fixing or dependency
This is not therapy or problem-solving.
It is honest human contact inside a practice field.
BASIC AGREEMENTS (Zoom-Specific)
Cameras on if possible
Mute when not speaking
Speak briefly and honestly
No fixing, advice, or analysis
Silence is part of the practice
Shared responsibility for time and tone
Choose one person to lightly track time (not control).
STAGE 1 — WE ARE
Establishing the Field (5 min)
How
Go in turn around the circle
One sentence per turn
Speak in We-language
Brief pause between speakers
Prompt
“We are…”
Examples
“We are arriving together.”
“We are slowing down.”
“We are here to listen well.”
End with ~30 seconds of silence.
STAGE 2 — WE OFFER
Strengthening the Container (5 min)
How
Continue going around the circle
One offering each time it’s your turn
Keep it simple and brief
Continue circling until time ends
Prompt
“We offer…”
Examples
“We offer steadiness.”
“We offer patience.”
“We offer kindness in listening.”
End with ~30 seconds of silence.
STAGE 3 — I AM
Functional Emergence (5 min)
How
Go around the circle once
One concise sentence per person
No explanation or story
Prompt
“I am here to…” or “I bring…”
Examples
“I am here to help slow us down.”
“I bring steadiness.”
“I am here to listen carefully.”
Brief pause between speakers.
End with ~30 seconds of silence.
STAGE 4 — YOU ARE
Relational Recognition (8–10 min)
How
One person speaks at a time
That person offers a ‘You are…’ statement to each participant
Then the next person takes a turn
Guidelines
One sentence per person
Speak what feels already present
Not flattery
Not analysis
Receiver simply receives
Examples
“You are grounding.”
“You are attentive and steady.”
“You are warm and clarifying.”
End with ~30 seconds of silence.
STAGE 5 — SHARING PRACTICE
Working With What’s Hard (12–15 min)
Purpose
To be heard in what is genuinely difficult right now:
what is causing suffering, stress, or reactivity
what obscures openness, connection, or service
where pressure makes it harder to stay aligned with values, integrity, or discipline
How
Go around the circle once
2–3 minutes per person
Speak from present experience (not long backstory)
Prompt (read once)
“Share something that is genuinely hard right now —
something that’s creating stress, confusion, or inner noise;
something that makes it harder to stay open, connected, or aligned with your values.
Share just enough that you feel heard.”
Listening
No fixing
No advice
No response
Presence only
Pause briefly between speakers.
STAGE 5.5 — REFLECTIVE WITNESSING
Each Person is Heard (8–12 min)
Purpose
To let each person know they were heard
before moving into requests for support.
How
One speaker at a time
Go around the circle
Each listener offers one short reflection to that speaker
Then move to the next speaker
Reflection Guidelines
15–25 seconds each
No advice
No interpretation
No reassurance speeches
Simple stems
“What stayed with me was…”
“What I heard you naming was…”
“What felt present for me was…”
Pause briefly between speakers.
STAGE 6 — REQUEST TO THE FIELD
Asking Without Collapse (8–10 min)
Purpose
To ask for support with capacity, not solutions.
How
Go around the circle
One request per turn
You may go around more than once if time allows
Prompt
“I ask for support with…”
Examples
“I ask for steadiness when I’m tired.”
“I ask for patience when I’m reactive.”
“I ask for support staying aligned under pressure.”
No responses.
Brief silence after each request.
CLOSING — SEALING
Integration (5 min)
Optional unison line:
“May what we’ve practiced here
strengthen how we meet the world.”
45–60 seconds of silence.
Hands to heart or simple bow.
End cleanly.
FACILITATION NOTES (For Participants)
Anyone can gently say “let’s pause” if the energy speeds up
Keep reflections shorter than you think
If unsure what to say, name something simple
Silence is supportive — don’t rush to fill it
The field belongs to everyone