Podcasts about circle way

Join Michael Lerner in conversation with storyteller and storycatcher Christina Baldwin. Haunted by the question: “What do we leave in the earth for the future to find?” and having already written eight books that are standing the test of time, Christina set out to write a book of historical fiction that explores foundational human values in story. Our conversation draws on Christina's lifework and her beautiful forthcoming novel, The Beekeeper's Question. Based on her family's Montana lineage, the story chronicles life on the Homefront during World War II and the social issues stirred as two Montana families, one white settler, one Blackfeet, make their way through these times. Christina Baldwin Christina has devoted her life to fostering the power of story and facilitating the power of community. As a pioneer in personal writing and teacher of creative nonfiction, Christina has companioned thousands of people to claim their life stories. For twenty-five years, with her partner, Ann Linnea, she taught The Circle Way as collaborative practice, to leaders in education, healthcare, business, government, and community activism. She interacts globally through podcasts, videos, and emeritus mentoring in her bodies of work. Her website and blog is: www.christinabaldwin.com. Host Michael Lerner Michael is the president and co-founder of Commonweal. His principal work at Commonweal is with the Cancer Help Program, CancerChoices.org, the Omega Resilience Projects, the Collaborative on Health and the Environment, and The New School at Commonweal. He was the recipient of a MacArthur Prize Fellowship for contributions to public health in 1983 and is author of Choices in Healing: Integrating the Best of Conventional and Complementary Therapies (MIT Press). #commonweal #newschoolcommonweal #powerofstory #nonfiction #lifestories

In those significant life changing moments, like becoming a parent or losing a parent, it's easy to feel lost, ungrounded. We might think to ourselves, “Yeah, ceremony could maybe be a useful thing right now, but where do I start?” Well, there's an app for that and it's beautiful!   Music by Terry Hughes   Notes: Be Ceremonial App (App Store) Be Ceremonial App (Google Play) Be Ceremonial Daily Magic for Peace   Rate This Podcast Also Check Out: I Want to Have a Ceremony with You The Programming Language of the Soul Full Transcript Sheldon: Here's a wedding ceremony and you follow it step by step and here's a funeral ceremony… and I wanted to blow that out of the water. And so it's like a choose your own adventure experience where… here's a bunch of things to inspire you. Pick and choose the ones that you like and then change them if you want.  In those significant life-changing moments, like becoming a parent or losing a parent, it's very easy to feel lost and ungrounded. We might think to ourselves, “Ceremony could maybe be a useful thing right now, but where do I start?” As the saying goes, there's an app for that and it's beautiful.  This is Shame Piñata. I'm Colleen Thomas. Welcome to Shame Piñata, where we talk about creating rites of passage for real-life transitions. Today I'm excited to invite you to join me on a behind-the-scenes look into Be Ceremonial, the world's first ceremony creation platform. It's an app you can download from the App or the Google Play Store and it lets you build simple, customizable ceremonies for any purpose.  Just to give you a sense of how it works, I'm going to open the app on my phone right now and tell you what I see. So on the homescreen is a list of latest offerings including new ceremonies and free virtual workshops. If I click on the “Create” button, I can open a free sample ceremony and customize that or I can choose from a list of ceremonies with a defined topic, including trying to conceive, mother blessing, miscarriage, abortion, wedding, divorce, terminal diagnosis, or sitting vigil - and that's only a partial list.  Okay, so here's how building a ceremony works. If I click into the free sample ceremony, I'm asked to choose if this ceremony will be for me or for someone else (I think it's cool that you can actually gift a ceremony to a friend). Then I'm asked to choose if it will be me doing it alone, with other people, or virtually. And then I can begin building my ceremony which is structured in 5 parts: opening, past, present, future, and closing. For the opening, the app gives me three choices: Opening Space, Candle Lighting, and Three Breaths. I can click into any of these to see what they're about, what materials and preparation I'd need to do them, and a list of steps to follow. And I can look through all of the offerings until I've found the flow that works best for me. For example, I might choose to take 3 breaths to open my ceremony, release the past with a fire release ritual, take a ritual walk to honor the present, and then ceremonially cross a threshold to step into my new future, and finally close with a water ceremony. Once I've chosen all of the components, they will be available as a step-by-step list that I can have with me as I prepare and actually hold the ceremony. It's actually very cool and user friendly. And it takes some of the guesswork (and groundwork, really) out of building a ceremony so that I can really focus on what is moving in me and choose ritual components that match that flow.  Now that we've taken a deep dive into the app itself, let's come back out to the bigger picture so I can bring you into a conversation I had last spring with Megan Sheldon, the co-founder and CEO of Be Ceremonial. Here's a listen. Thomas: I'm curious, how did you find your way to ceremony in life? Sheldon: I've always been a community seeker, a connector, a convener. I was recently at a retreat that I was hosting around ritual and a girlfriend of mine from high school was telling me about these, you know, we didn't… we didn't call it ceremonies then. But she's like, “You would host these gatherings and you were so intentional in the questions you would ask and the way you would bring people together.” She was the first of any of my friends to have a baby. And she remembers, I had forgotten about this, but she remembered I gathered all of her girlfriends around in the room and I'd found this little owl shaker and I passed it around and asked everybody to infuse it with, well, you know, wishes and blessings for her. And that was, you know, 12 or 13 years ago. So I'm constantly reminded that this path hasn't been an A to B kind of path, it's been an unfolding.  When I was 20 years old, my mom went through breast cancer. And my mom and I are very close. And I was living in Montreal and she was here in Vancouver. And I remember getting the phone call from her and just like every instinct in me wanted to just get on a plane and come home and be with her. But she didn't want that. She… I was in the middle of exams and she really needed me to stay where I was, so she could focus on herself. But what she ended up doing, I now see as ritual, is she would find these books, and she was introduced to Yungian kind of theory and Marion Woodman and Women who Run with the Wolves and all of these books that, you know, she was just discovering, and she would buy two copies, and she would send me one in Montreal, and I remember I'd get these books and I would be reading them at the same time she was reading them on the other coast of Canada. And opening up this kind of world of the Divine Feminine and what it means to connect with your Ancestors and your roots and your heritage. And I'm… a white settler stolen lands here in Canada and I have really struggled with my place in this… in this part of the world. And where do I fit? Where do I belong? I think that need for belonging has been a huge theme in my life. And these books kind of taught me how to connect with that part of myself. And with my mom and with her mom and with her mother's mother and this beautiful lineage of women and men. So it's a tricky question and one that continues to evolve. But if I am being completely honest with myself, I have always been ceremonial, I just was never given the language or the permission to kind of see myself that way. So I've had to really come into it on my own and reclaim that space in a way that feels like me. Megan echoed one of my own ideas about ritual, that of it be self-organizing. That we know how do ritual together, it is one of our inherent gifts. We might have just forgotten. Sheldon: It's so interesting because people always say to me, “Oh, I could never do what you do. I could never do this!” And I think, “Do what? This was just like… I'm actually not doing…” I always say to people, “I'm actually not doing this, I'm setting the container, you know, I'm offering the invite...” I've studied a lot under the Art of Hosting - I don't know if you know it - it's like a global-wide kind of way of gathering people and their philosophy is like, the invitation is everything. If you can send out an invite and let people know what to expect and what to prepare and how to feel empowered in the space so that they're not having to look for the leader like, “Who's in charge?” Like, that's… that's one of the worst ways to convene is to have that hierarchy. So the idea of the Circle Way of having everybody step in and be responsible for co-creating the ceremony, the ritual environment has always guided me. And I'm a firm believer, and I say that every time I can be in a ceremony or a retreat, or rituals with friends, I, you know, I focus on the invitation, and I say, we were all stepped into this and we are now going to co-create this space together. And if you need to be quiet, if you need to walk away, if you need to scream, if you need to do anything that is okay. Like this is you're making your own experience. And I think that's just a way of thinking that we haven't really been taught in our capitalistic patriarchal culture of, you know, the top-down, right? This feels rebellious for a lot of people so yeah… Thomas: And it's kind of the same principle with the app, right? Because you've created this technology that people can... there's tools, there's framework, there's structure, there's examples, there's ideas, all this kind of thing…. But you're not there helping somebody in person, helping somebody create a ceremony and they can create a ceremony… Like, I created two today that are really important to me but I'm not ready to do them yet but I have the framework set for when I'm ready to step into them. And so you won't be with me when I do them. I mean, unless I could call you later and talk to me because I know you… Sheldon: Please! Thomas: …but like, you won't really be there with me. But yeah… you've created the… you've given the invitation and you've created the container. Sheldon: Yeah, and it took me a long time to see how ritual and ceremony, which for me is so sacred and so precious and so important in my life and in the lives of those that I serve and that I work with to see it as, you know, bridging with technology. So backtrack a little bit, my husband and I decided to get married eight or nine years ago now and we looked at the wedding kind of template that was in front of us and we've been to so many weddings before, and they were so lovely and so wonderful. And they weren't us. I never was like… oh… this felt exactly like me because it was exactly like my friend or my family member. So I really wanted to learn how to intentionally craft a wedding that represented our values. So that was our first ceremony to co-create together and I think we did a really wonderful job. And shortly after our wedding, we tried to get pregnant and we did. And, you know, seven weeks later, we miscarried. And then we got pregnant again and miscarried. And a third time, miscarried. And each time it was like this invisible loss that nobody knew. It was just, I mean… this was seven years ago. So it was just starting to kind of get a little bit more traction in terms of the media and people talking about it a little bit more, but nobody was talking about a ceremony where I could honor and say goodbye. I was never even offered any of the remains from the hospitals after my DNC procedures. It just… I know now I could have asked for it and they would have had to have given it to me. I didn't know that then. I didn't know my… what I was allowed to do. Everything felt so kind of, you know, the health care system owned everything, right? You don't ever think of it as being something there that you can challenge or that you can confront.  Thomas: Yeah. Sheldon: So I started to create my own rituals around my loss. And my husband, Johan and I, we created our own rituals and ceremonies to acknowledge not only the loss of life, but also the loss of the stories we'd started to tell ourselves. I had a lot of growing anxiety. What was happening? Why was my body doing this? Will I ever get pregnant? You know, it was in my mid to late 30s at that point, so that… you know, there was this time pressure that was both external and internal. Yeah, I think that time for me it was really about learning how these things that I naturally wanted and needed did in my life were rituals. It was ceremony. It was, you know… I wanted to sit with my girlfriends and not only share my story, but hear their story. I wanted to, you know, every year on a due date or on a loss date, I wanted to have something that I could do that would connect me so that I wouldn't forget that I wouldn't grow… grow further away from it.  Thomas: At the same time that Megan and Johan were dealing with pregnancy loss, they were also losing Johan's father to ALS.    Sheldon: There were so many invisible moments along that journey that we did not know how to recognize. You know, a diagnosis when you first… when he first received it, but when he first told us like, what do you do in those moments? How do you bring ritual and bring ceremony to that moment when the floor comes crashing out from underneath you? And then over the next, you know, six months and year and two years as he started to lose his capacities and we started to lose that kind of feeling of hope for the future and…  There were so many of those moments that I did not know, at the time I could have brought ritual into, I could have been kind of slowly building out that kind of legacy. So we went through that experience. And then when the pandemic hit and my husband was, you know, found himself at home, and I really wanted to imagine something new. He's a problem solver. He's like, “I just want to build something that will help people.” That's just has been his driver. It has been a really interesting experience to bridge ceremony with technology and one that I continue to learn about. But I'll get emails from people on a weekly basis about how, you know, they were gifted something through this experience, or they discovered something. They were able to honor, you know, a death anniversary in a way that they never thought was possible. And I know for 100% of… I know without a doubt that I would never have crossed paths with that person had it not been through technology. You know, they'll be in Australia, or Belgium, or St. Louis and they'll be reaching out because this app touched them in a certain way, it impacted their experience. So yeah. Thomas: Wow, you're inspiring me now. I'm thinking I have a lot of my good friends, I have their death anniversaries on my calendar so I remember to reach out to them. I would love to share your app with them.  [MUSIC Thomas: So as people check out the app and they get started with it, do you have any guidance for them on how to start the process? Sheldon: Yeah. So the app is Be Ceremonial and you are invited in and there's two pillars that make up the app environment. And one is the ability to create your own ceremony, like a DIY approach. And we started with the birth and death aspects, the two areas of life, because they're the two thresholds. They're usually the places where people are seeking ceremony the most. They… you know, they have a miscarriage or they find out they're pregnant, or they, you know, they want to honor, you know, the end of their breastfeeding journey. There's something that happened in that kind of beginning of life stage or the end of life. You know, they lost a parent, or a death anniversary's coming up, or they have been hanging on to these ashes from a cremation and they don't know what to do with them. So we really started to populate the app with these ceremonies that you could create for yourself around birth and death. And we are now in the midst of bridging out the life cycle. So, I am a Life Cycle Celebrant. I work with people on ceremonies around mastectomies and hysterectomies. Ceremonies around moving into a new home or leaving a childhood home. I've worked with people who have been fired and lost a job and they wanted to create a ceremony to kind of honor what that job brought them and also kind of burn in the fire the things that they wanted to never do again. There are so many points along the lifecycle, both visible and invisible, that deserve to be ritualized. They deserve to have that kind of ceremonial intention built into it. So that's, that's the pillar one that's like one side of the app experience is to be able to create your ceremonies and some people might come in and know exactly what they want and they just want to create a ceremony around a death anniversary, and they can just, you know, pay per use so it's a single-time purchase that they want.  And then other people are really seeking something more. They're really wanting to understand their own relationship with ritual and ceremony. Or they're a care provider. We've got a lot of death doulas and birth doulas and hospice volunteers, midwives, naturopath counselors using our app and they create ceremonies for their clients and their patients. So they're using this as a tool that they can kind of bring to the people that they work with. I've also got a lot of celebrants using this, so there's a wedding ceremony in there and if you are, celebrate, and you've got a new client, and you want to kind of give them some ideas as to what's possible in terms of ritual, you can create a wedding ceremony that you then send to them and they can pick and choose rituals they like. You can then add new ones, you can create your own, you can draw… You know, it's the biggest thing to remind yourself there is that it's you know, you don't need to follow this word for word. It's just a guide to inspire you. I think of it like a blueprint.  The other side… the other pillar of the app which we're really starting to build out this year is the learning environment. So I've hosted tons of online workshops and courses I ran last year, had about 120 students come through a six week training that we offered around end-of-life rituals. And I want to take all of those little mini workshops and build them into the app environment. So for the people that are the members, the subscribers (you can have a monthly or yearly subscription), I want there to be a place where they can go and think, “Oh, gosh, if a client just reached out, reached out or a friend reached out, and you know, they have a child who died.” And they really want to acknowledge the you know, the grief that the family and the friends might be holding. And I want to be able to create a ceremony workshop that explores kids' relationship with grief, and how to explore that.” You know, on the other side of it, maybe there's something around, you know, I've hosted a lot of divorce ceremonies, which has been really interesting for people. And everybody's always like, “Oh, I want to know more, I want to know what what else I can learn about this and how else this can be done and where the, you know, what other cultures are doing” So being able to look at the… the learning environment as a place to have that, that ability to go deeper if and when you choose. I think is really exciting for me, and for a lot of the people that have reached out because I think that there's, you know, the people that come in, and they just want something quick and they want something now and they know, you know, they don't need a whole lot of hand holding. And then there's the people that really want to build a community here and they want to share back their story after they created a ceremony so that it might inspire someone else. And that's my big hope with where Be Ceremonial can grow is that it will become, you know, “This is us. This is our invitation. We've been a catalyst, we've created this framework. Now let's let the community populate it. Let's let people step up and make this their own space. Let's allow this to be a place that connects us and inspires us when we hear stories from people around the world and how they took the same five rituals that I took and yet their ceremony turned out so differently. That's so interesting. I want to hear about that…” And that's the storyteller in me is just wanting to create a space where those stories can be celebrated and witnessed. Thomas: That's wonderful. Well, I feel like what you've created with this, the two of you, it's just such a gift. So on behalf of, I don't know, everybody everywhere, I just want to thank you so much. And I want to thank you for taking time out of your day to join me in this exploration of Megan and Johan's work at Be Ceremonial. I hope that a piece of Megan's story, either a moment of creating ritual to honor a life transition or her overall entrepreneurial spirit has inspired you as it has inspired me. Megan will be back soon to speak more about slow technology and how she is using ritual to transition from pandemic to endemic.  Megan Sheldon is a Cultural Mythologist, End of Life Storyteller, and a Celebrant. She is also the co-founder of Be Ceremonial, the world's first ceremony creation platform, giving you the ritual tools you need to create your own ceremony. You can sign up for a free account at www.beceremonial.com or download the App in the App Store. Our music is by Terry Hughes. Find us on IG and Twitter at shamepinata, reach us through our website, shamepinata.com. And subscribe to the show on your favorite player. Also be sure to check out our second show, Daily Magic for Peace, supporting you as you support Ukraine. I'm Colleen Thomas. Thanks for listening.  

Pastor (Common Ground NYC), church planter (Kindom Collective), and practitioner of the Circle Way, Chantilly Mers, embodies reverence - in everything from her writings, to singing, to conversations with strangers. In part two of our conversation, our modern ecological crisis; attending to the soil that will cultivate deep reverence; and the power of slowing down.

Pastor (Common Ground NYC), church planter (Kindom Collective), and practitioner of the Circle Way, Chantilly Mers, embodies reverence - in everything from her writings, to singing, to conversations with strangers. In part one, Chantilly offers some generous and helpful insights about what we gain when we attend to what we cannot take for granted; and how the gentle experience of being held by our mother - nature - is a wondrous place to begin.

In this enlightening episode of "The Phase 4 Podcast," we have the privilege of diving deep into the world of Cory3wing Thorell. Cory is not just a Certified Life Coach but an award-winning one, a meditation trainer, and a true master of transformation. Join us on this inspiring journey as we uncover the profound wisdom and practices that have shaped his remarkable life. Segment 1: The Path of Mastery In this opening segment, we introduce you to Cory3wing and his impressive qualifications. He's not just any Life Coach; he's certified by Mindvalley. He's also a certified 6-phase meditation trainer with Evercoach and Certified Magnetic Mind Method Creation and Insight Coach. Discover how this diverse skill set makes him an exceptional guide for individuals and groups seeking personal insight and transformation. Segment 2: A Three-Decade Journey Cory3wing's shamanic path and three decades of experience facilitating profound change and transformation create a rich backdrop for our conversation. We'll delve into the heart of his work and explore the profound impact he brings to groups, organizations, and individuals. Learn about the fundamental principles that form the foundation of his coaching approach. Segment 3: Tools of Transformation In this segment, we explore the powerful techniques that Cory3wing employs in his coaching practice. From Dream Harvesting to Choosing Joy, from the Magnetic Mind method to the Circle Way, we'll dive into how these transformative tools contribute to personal insight, growth, and creation. Gain insights into how to apply this knowledge in your journey. Segment 4: The Art of Teaching and Learning Cory3wing loves teaching the path to live a life you love, and his understanding of the dynamics of learning and growth is profound. This segment delves into his insights into how individuals learn, the stories that shape us, and the potential for significant change. Explore the LEARN-DO-TEACH model and discover what it can teach us about personal growth and transformation. Segment 5: Embracing the Journey As we conclude this episode, we reflect on the wisdom shared by Cory3wing and how it aligns with the core values of "The Phase 4 Podcast." His unwavering commitment to transformation, personal insight, and creation is a powerful reminder that the path to living a life you love is within reach. We thank you for joining us on this enlightening journey, and remember, your unique journey is a remarkable story waiting to live. Connect with Cory3wing:  https://corytimecoaching.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory3wing-thorell-93739289/ *** If you enjoyed this episode please follow the show, share it with a friend and leave a review on Spotify ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4JfM1ZitoXTP6DXXfUbqRm?si=9f68c2de30a5446f⁠ Do you want to be featured on The Phase 4 Podcast? Fill out this form:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScSDX6Nm2Mdi-auIiqAH0f3ZTjllNRlIFbanu7mzmMUzjQMvw/viewform?usp=sf_link Connect with Jp  ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/NextStepsAcademy     In addition, The Next Steps Academy is proud to announce the release of  Words From Walden, An Inspiring book that celebrates Nature, Spiritual Awakening, New Age thinking and Esoteric views of the world. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9XFT5VT?ref_=pe_3052080_397670860 ****Warning: Host audio is poor quality for episode 1+2****

Conversation with Christina Baldwin centering holding space for connection using The Circle Way. For a deeper introduction to the Essence of Circle practice. Please check Quanita and Tenneson's upcoming workshops: Essence of Circle Practice Workshops .

In times of strife - whether it's a global health crisis or our neighbours at war - what role does facilitation play? Can we hope to change the world one workshop at a time? These are challenging questions with wide-ranging consequences, but I can think of few facilitators better equipped to answer them than Quanita Roberson and Tenneson Woolf.Both have been guests on this show previously, but never together. Quanita and Tenneson's Fire and Water Leadership Journey is a programme that shapes wise leaders, prioritising emotional healing and practices including Being the Circle Way, Story, Art of Hosting, Life Coaching, and Presentations of Learnings.Join us as we explore the ever-increasing need for inner work, what it means to lead, and how we can use facilitation to serve our communities in troubled times. Find out about:●       Understanding the role of facilitation in times of crisis●       How to handle leadership in times of crisis - and how to handle bullies●       Why turning to each other might feel nice, but turning to ourselves matters more●       The dangers of inviting a group to a place that we have not been to ourselves●       Why facilitation tools will always be secondary to presence and inner work●       What happens when we prioritise witnessing, rather than discussing Don't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.Thanks to our sponsor Deckhive. Click here to find out more about the new platform for using card decks in online facilitation. Use the code workshopswork to get the first month for free. Questions and Answers[02:57] What is the role of facilitation in such troubled times?[05:57] Tenneson contributes his perspective on the same question.[13:57] How much is the global crisis of escalation a reflection of inner strife?[17:54] Does having more comfort in our values and belief systems make us less inclined to explode at things?[19:11] Tenneson responds to the same question.[24:04] Almost nobody wakes up in the morning with a plan to be a bully or an asshole. So how do we facilitate the conversation when it happens accidentally?[34:24] In our daily encounters, we have the choice to avoid escalation - but how do we know when to do so or not?[37:37] What do you rely on to invite a group to turn to themselves before each other?[44:32] How do we get each other to open up and be vulnerable, so we can experience that magical connective power of intimate trust?[49:48] How do we hold and balance space for big topics that might affect some participants more than others?[55:38] What would you say to the audience, as a final reflection of this conversation?[57:10] Quanita answers the same question.[1:00:33] What question would you like the audience to ask themselves as this episode ends?LinksQuanita's websiteTenneson's websiteThe Fire & Water Leadership websiteEpisode 123 with QuanitaEpisode 27 with TennesonConnect to Quanita and Tenneson:Quanita on LinkedInTenneson on LinkedIn

Mill Valley author May Ann Hogan wrote her memoir "Circle Way." It's a daughter's quest to understand her father. In Mary Ann's case, it's Bill Hogan, the long-time literary editor of the San Francisco Chronicle. Her husband Eric newton reads a passage from the book.

The Rev. Chantilly Mers-Pickett was born on the island of Maui and now co-leads The Common Ground in New York City. She's a musician, artist, and facilitator of The Circle Way, and has some really profound things to say about indigenous spirituality and the way of Jesus.

The Rev. Chantilly Mers-Pickett was born on the island of Maui and now co-leads The Common Ground in New York City. She's a musician, artist, and facilitator of The Circle Way, and has some really profound things to say about indigenous spirituality and the way of Jesus.

~Part of the Widening Circles Series Co-Presented with Healing Circles Global~ Moving Forward: Circles for Healing and Coming Together / Michael Lerner, Parker Palmer, Christina Baldwin, Diana Lindsay, Lisa Simms-Booth, and Rahmin Sarabi, moderated by Oren Slozberg -Co-presented with Healing Circles Global~ Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear from the founders of leading circle organizations, including Christina Baldwin and Ann Linnea of The Circle Way, Parker Palmer of the Center for Courage and Renewal, Michael Lerner of Commonweal, Diana Lindsay of Healing Circles Global, and others. This series is a fundraiser for Healing Circles Global, which offers training and healing circles to participants from all over the world at no cost.

-Co-presented with Healing Circles Global~ Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear from the founders of leading circle organizations, including Christina Baldwin and Ann Linnea of The Circle Way, Parker Palmer of the Center for Courage and Renewal, Michael Lerner of Commonweal, Diana Lindsay of Healing Circles Global, and others. This series is a fundraiser for Healing Circles Global, which offers training and healing circles to participants from all over the world at no cost. Find out more about The New School at Commonweal on our website: tns.commonweal.org. And like/follow our Soundcloud channel for more great podcasts.

-Co-presented with Healing Circles Global~ Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear from the founders of leading circle organizations, including Christina Baldwin and Ann Linnea of The Circle Way, Parker Palmer of the Center for Courage and Renewal, Michael Lerner of Commonweal, Diana Lindsay of Healing Circles Global, and others. This series is a fundraiser for Healing Circles Global, which offers training and healing circles to participants from all over the world at no cost. Register for one or all of the events in the series on the Healing Circles website. April 2 – Calling the Circle: A Leader in Every Chair / Christina Baldwin and Ann Linnea in conversation with Diana Lindsay April 9 – Circles of Trust: A Hidden Wholeness / Parker Palmer in conversation with Michael Lerner April 23 – Intentional Healing: Transformative Retreats for People with Cancer / Janie Brown in conversation with Michael Lerner April 30 – Healing Circles Global: Healing in Community / Diana Lindsay in conversation with Oren Slozberg May 1 – Moving Forward: Circles for Healing and Coming Together / Michael Lerner, Parker Palmer, Christina Baldwin, Diana Lindsay, Lisa Simms-Booth, and Rahmin Sarabi, moderated by Oren Slozberg

Today we have with us Amanda Fenton discussing holding space to spark new thinking and to foster collaborative leadership.Learning Matters series on convening methodologies for holding space for hope, healing and restoration.Amanda Fenton (she/hers) hosts participatory processes such as The Circle Way, Open Space Technology, World Café, Collective Story Harvest and others to spark new thinking, foster collaborative leadership, navigate uncertainty and possibility, accelerate learning, and move to wiser action. She is teacher of The Circle Way and the Art of Hosting, and is a co-designer and facilitator with Decolonizing Practices, inviting fellow settlers in the journey of learning and unlearning to transform colonial impacts and de-centre whiteness. Meeting Planner Tool Guide to the Meeting Planner Tool  and video Guide to the Meeting Planner Tool How to Use the Web Version of Jamboard How to Host Open Space Technology Online Using Zoom + Google SlidesSupport the show (https://www.twu.ca/donate-now)

A Story Council takes time. It is a donation of presence to one another. The experience of being heard does not come from direct response or advice; it arises from the pure act of having one’s story received and held in the center. Someone speaks of a hidden joy or a terrible burden he or she has been carrying, and as the person lays it down, it is as though the heart of the group - residing in candlelight, residing in a vase of flowers, residing on the placards of their intention statement - receives it respectfully and does not interfere with the speaker’s journey toward insight. The circle provides a kind of alchemy - to transmute sorry, to highlight joy, to open empathy where there had been enmity.”  ~ The Circle Way, Chapter 7 The Hidden and Here Mini-series aims to use storytelling to highlight and educate clinicians on the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on caregivers, non-physician essential workers and teachers who we believe have been hidden but very much here. In each episode, we will highlight their stories and a panel comprised of Sheila Lahijani, MD, Ryan Matlow, PhD, Sonoo Thadaney Israni, and Ranak Trivedi, PhD will reflect on the stories heard, discuss salient points and identify action steps that can be put in practice.  In this episode, we hear how and why these specific groups were chosen and the importance of storytelling in medical education.  CME Information: https://stanford.cloud-cme.com/medcastepisode14 Claim CME: https://stanford.cloud-cme.com/Form.aspx?FormID=783

Lady Gaga's Dog Situation, Contact Sports Discussion, Polls, Kids & Tech, polls, facts, and more --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Helen Thomas is a Hunkpapa Lakota and citizen of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, she is a Native American Student Achievement Teacher for the Title VI Native American Program at Tempe Elementary School District, and she’s just an all around great human. Super excited to share this conversation with her JUST in time for Indigenous Peoples Day.Support and Contact Helen:Instagram: https://instagram.com/helenthomas28Email: hethomas28@gmail.comResources mentioned:“Elatsoe” by Darcie Little Badger Buy from Palabras an Indigenous/Latinx owned/operated bookstore https://palabrasbookstore.indiecommerce.com/book/9781646140053Or Listen to the Audiobook on Spotify for freeAccounts to follow for Indigenous Sovereignty: @seedingsovereignty@survivalinternational@iiycfamilyMake sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss an episode. Connect with Amplify RJ on:Our Email list, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or Website.Join our Patreon, check out our Reading lists, and Events/Workshops

Karen welcomes Tenneson Woolf to conclude their two-part conversation on The Circle Way Model. Tenneson Woolf is a facilitator, workshop leader, teacher, blogger, and coach committed to improving the quality of collaboration and imagination needed in groups, teams, and organizations. Woolf's work over 20+ years has been to design and lead meetings in participative formats. From strategic visioning with boards to large conference design to communities just learning to listen again to one another. Woolf has worked significantly with faith communities, educators, and foundation leaders. Woolf holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology (1988) and a masters degree in Organizational Behavior (1993).

Karen welcomes Tenneson Woolf to start an all new set of conversations. In part one, Karen and Tenneson start their discussion on The Circle Way Model. Part two will be released on Tuesday, September 29th.  Tenneson Woolf is a facilitator, workshop leader, teacher, blogger, and coach committed to improving the quality of collaboration and imagination needed in groups, teams, and organizations. Woolf's work over 20+ years has been to design and lead meetings in participative formats. From strategic visioning with boards to large conference design to communities just learning to listen again to one another. Woolf has worked significantly with faith communities, educators, and foundation leaders. Woolf holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology (1988) and a masters degree in Organizational Behavior (1993).

In this interview Casey draws out wisdom carried by his friend Tenneson Woolf. Tenneson is a consultant, facilitator, workshop leader, coach, teacher, and writer. Keeping an eye on our collective global pandemic experience, Casey and Tenneson talk religion, human spirituality, and questions of who we are and who we want to be. They acknowledge profound challenges stirred up by the novel coronavirus and wonder about the gifts those challenges, courtesy of the virus, might have to offer us.  The conversation includes an indepth look into the formation of Tenneson’s most recent book, A Cadence of Despair: Poems and Reflections on Heartbreak, Loss and Renewal. Together Casey and Tenneson explore the contours of despair and its close cousin: shame.  Tenneson offers insights, lessons and liberation found within the courageous descent into dark, closed, fearful interior spaces. As Tenneson says, “Humans find medicine there.” The episode ends with a beautiful, honest and resonant poem from Tenneson’s book along with Tenneson’s reflection.  This is an episode that will feed you as well as require something of you… all of it reaching toward our deepest spiritual yearnings. THANK YOU TENNESON WOOLF Tenneson Woolf is a consultant, facilitator, workshop leader, coach, teacher, and writer. His work over 20+ years has been to design and lead meetings in participative formats. From strategic visioning with boards to large conference design to communities just learning to listen again to one another. His education background includes an undergraduate degree in psychology and a graduate degree in organizational behavior. His work lineages include The Berkana Institute with Margaret Wheatley, The Circle Way with Christina Baldwin and Ann Linnea, and The Art of Hosting with Toke Moeller and Monica Nissen. Originally from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Tenneson now lives in a small town where urban meets rural, Lindon, Utah, on the traditional lands of the Utes and Goshutes, in a high desert valley at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains. To learn more about Tenneson Woolf and his work check out his website, TennsonWoolf.com.  You can also follow him on Facebook and Twitter. RELEVANT LINKS From Our Conversation with Tenneson Woolf Tenneson Woolf’s Website Human to Human Podcast with Casey Tinnin — Pastor, Community Activist, Friend (Casey’s appearance on Tenneson’s podcast) Quanita Roberson – Grief, Healing and Hope – 169 (Irenicast Episode) The Fire and Water Podcast (Tenneson Wolf and Quaninta Roberson’s podcast) A Cadence of Despair: Poems and Reflections on Heartbreak, Loss and Renewal by Tenneson Woolf (Book - Amazon Affiliate Link) The Power of Vulnerability: Teachings of Authenticity, Connection, and Courage by Brené Brown PhD (Amazon Affiliate Link) CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION As a supplement to the podcasts we will be starting something called, Continuing the Conversation.  This will be an opportunity to give your thoughts on the current Irenicast episode in addition to getting a preview for the next episode.  We will be doing this the Mondays after new episodes post at 5pm PST on Facebook Live and YouTube Live. SUPPORT THE SHOW You can always count on Irenicast providing a free podcast on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month.  However, that does not mean that we do not have expense related to the show.  If we have provided value to you and you would like to support the show, here are a few options. PAYPAL - You can make a one-time, or recurring, tax-deductible donation to the show through PayPal. Just go to Irenicast.com/PayPal to make your donation. We are a 501(c)(3). MERCH - Irenicast has a merch store at Irenicast.com/Store.  We are always developing more items so check out our current offerings. AMAZON - Next time you go to make a purchase on Amazon consider using our Amazon affiliate link.  This will give us a small portion on everything you purchase.  No additional cost will be passed on to you. IRENCAST HOSTS Rev. Allen O’Brien, MAT | co-founder & co-host | allen@irenicast.com You can connect with Allen (@RevAllenOB) on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, GoodReads, & LinkedIn. Rev. Bonnie Rambob, MDiv | co-host | bonnie@irenicast.com You can connect with Bonnie on Facebook and at Parkside Community Church-UCC Pastor Casey Tinnin, MTS | co-host | casey@irenicast.com You can follow Casey on Twitter and Facebook, or you can check out his blog The Queerly Faithful Pastor or loomisucc.org Jeff Manildi | co-founder, producer & co-host | jeff@irenicast.com Follow Jeff (@JeffManildi) on facebook, instagram & twitter.  You can also listen to Jeff’s other podcast Divine Cinema. Rev. Rajeev Rambob, MCL | co-host | rajeev@irenicast.com You can follow Rajeev on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION Join our progressive Christian conversations on faith and culture by interacting with us through the following links: Read Us on our blog Irenicon Email Us at podcast@irenicast.com Follow Us on Twitter Like Us on Facebook Listen & Subscribe to Us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Android, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeart Radio, Spreaker, Pandora and SoundCloud Speak to Us on our Feedback Page and the Post Evangelical Facebook Group See Us on Instagram Support Us on PayPal, Amazon or at our Store Love Us? CREDITS Intro and Outro music created by Mike Golin. This post may contain affiliate links.  An Irenicon is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Photo (The Fresh and The Ancient) Credit -Photo by Joey Kyber on Unsplash  Jim enjoys a half-hour chatting with Tenneson Woolf. Tenneson, as you'll learn by listening is a poet, sage, spiritual inquirer, and in the best of terms - a well-above average human being. Tenneson, for the past 25 years or so, has been facilitating teams and groups using a variety of participatory leadership style.  His work and collegiality with Margaret Wheatley, guided him to learning about The Circle Way. Tenneson, since that time, has introduced persons, individuals, and teams into circles in a variety of communities.  For Tenneson, this work is Spirit-Led and essential to the circumstances human beings face in their families, jobs, faith communities, and the broader world. Jim and Tenneson spend the majority of their chat discussing the concepts of leaning into trouble. They discuss what trouble is and why people naturally avoid it. They also chat about why it is often most difficult yet most rewarding to lean into unknown, chaotic, fearful circumstances because creating islands of sanity, as Meg Wheatley states, is essential to humanity'swell being in this day and age. All of these topics flow into and through Tenneson's purpose of "striving to help people be smart together." Watch M. Wheatley's presentation on Choosing who we desire to Become. Tenneson and Jim share their stories, offer their appreciation, and wrap much of their thinking about the way forward as they stand on the frontier of entering into an 18-month rite of passage and leadership pilgrimage entitled Fire and Water. Fire and Water's participants will explore their ancestry, lean into the unknowingness of new relationships with self, fellow pilgrims, and The Divine.  This CircuOsity episode offers hope for the Fire and Water adventure as well as similar leadership and communal endeavors going on around the planet. Thanks to Tenneson for his wisdom and presence in this space and all of his endeavors.  You can learn more about Tenneson on his website or by clicking on the Fire and Water site. Enjoy the pod and offer your comments and questions. Tenneson in one of his contemplative moments.

Jim promises that CircuOsity and more thoughts about living into loving relationships via The Circle Way will be on later this week. For today - Jim considers the deepest meaning of Christ Jesus' instruction to his followers to be fearless and wholehearted.  Jim provides an example of someone, Becca Stevens, and her work with Thistle Farms and Magdalene House  transforms the lives of thousands of people.  Jim's sermon suggests that it is possible for a trip with $2.42 to a foreign land is indeed life-changing and that love heals along with faithfulness to live into an uncertain and divine future is worth the trip. Listen especially for Becca's ABCs to transform your life and the lives of the people around you.   32 “Don’t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights in giving you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to those in need. Make for yourselves wallets that don’t wear out—a treasure in heaven that never runs out. No thief comes near there, and no moth destroys. 34 Where your treasure is, there your heart will be too. (Luke 12 32-34)

J.R. Korpa's photo "Mannequin Models" courtesy of Korpa and Unsplash. Jim Opens up this week's episode with a welcome and explaining of CircuOsity's purpose. He then introduces today’s theme - learning to seek awareness in order to reduce ignorance. He uses one of Silas Day's Insight Timer meditations as a primary resource for ruminating upon this important topic. Our development of a meditative practice offers us intentional time and space to shine out awareness onto our ignorance. We focus mindfulness onto our views, experiences, and attachments (Christian terms, passions or sins). Ignorance is based upon our presumptions of reality. A Fool who discerns his ignorance gains understanding and therefore becomes wiser. A Fool who assumes that he is wise expresses and shares his foolishness. (chime) Complaining is a common place and almost always inconsequential habit in and of itself for increasing awareness, reducing suffering, and gaining insight. Jim uses this podcast to summarize how bringing awareness to his habitual complaining is helping him to shift his way of being. Silas' meditation "A Contemplation on Ignorance" shines light upon the importance of developing a meditative mindfulness practice. Complaining is a consequence of our attachments to ignorance. Jim's shadow resides in unexplored or unrefined awareness of childish desires to possess control and impatiences with himself, other people, God, and countless other circumstances residing outside of his sphere of influence. Complaining only offers wisdom when someone gains awareness of the circumstances, experiences, attachments (passions) provoking the complaint. Ignorance means to lack wisdom or unknowing. (Complain derives from the Latin term for lamentation - an expression of suffering) Buddhism teaches us to express our awareness of sufferings existence. Christianity teaches us that it is through suffering that resurrection becomes most possible. If true, and complaining or other unhelpful habits (patterns) exist, what might we do?  Jim suggests that bringing awareness to this issue renders solutions. Such opportunities include paying attention to Buddhism's Eightfold Path , Christianity's Gifts of the Spirit, and The Circle Way's principles. And, the Plan (Prayer), Do (Devote), Check (Contemplate), Act (Adapt) model,  (PDCA) provides a proven contemplative and actionable means for increasing awareness and compassion as well as for reengineering work in sacred and worldly settings. Here is some of what Jim learned and is learning as a consequence of undertaking a 21-Day Complaint-Free Challenge experience. The process requires an intentional examination of his complaining. The work begins with observation and continues with creating a prayerful (mindful) plan. The purpose in this endeavor has been to Identify a meaningful improvement opportunity, Jim loves learning and thereby understands that he needs to shine light upon the ignorance of his complaining. You should listen in order to hear about the rest of his work rather than read his probably boring explanation here. :) In sum, this opportunity (and similar intentions) all possess capacities to establish new ways of being. Jim concludes with another summary of Silas Day's wisdom. He refreshes some of today's episodes of learning: Small rituals such as meditation shine awareness onto the shadows of our personalities – our soul’s and ego’s suffering Offering Love depends upon enlightenment and devotion toward something bigger and better than ourselves. SMART Goals are excellent for any intentional practice to reduce ignorance, acknowledge suffering, and gain wisdom and joy.  Emotions are fluid and fleeting. God’s presence is always available. Working on one attachment, one pain, one burden, one wound at a time will encourage further growth, and a possibility or renewed body, mind, and spirit. . Jim says Good Bye with a Blessing, Thank you for listening, and a hope that you will share CircuOsity. Blessings along The Way, Jim                                            Visit Silas Day's website and follow him on Insight Timer.

Jim invites Gil Stafford into CircuOsity's space. Gil shares a bit of his writing to set the space for this chat.  Gil shares how his writing shapes him as much as he crafts the writing. Jim then invites Gil to talk about his personal pilgrimage using the Enneagram as a frame for the discussion. Both Jim and Gil claim the Enneagram 4 (or the Enneagram 4 claims them).  Gil describes how his own understanding of his life experiences shapes how he shows up in the world, shapes his writing, and how he leads because of this wisdom and intentional work. Gil and Jim then shift the conversation toward understanding how the Enneagram provides an excellent foundation for exercising leadership using The Circle Way  as a purposeful way for guiding groups towards wellness and effectiveness. Gil and Jim both endorse the importance of holding silence, listening attentively, and validating how one's individual work is being carried out into a person's circles (families, neighborhoods, towns, and more broadly into the world).   In summary, Enneagram and Circle Way. are methods that are accessible and fruitful for personal and shared wellness.  Gil checks the duo out with another reading of how our writing - words have meaning beyond the page.   They both offer what was this most important lessons from the conversation. Jim offers a blessing for Gil and all listeners as they travel on their pilgrimages.    May the Road Rise to Meet you and Blessings along The Way,    Cathy and Gil's Wisdom Way School.  Gil's Webpage Gil's Blog Gil's Books on Amazon

I use a quote from Linda Thompson to converse about the relationship between pain, suffering, and compassion. Thompson said: "Our uniqueness, our individuality, and our life experience molds us into fascinating beings. I hope we can embrace that. I pray we may all challenge ourselves to delve into the deepest resources of our hearts to cultivate an atmosphere of understanding, acceptance, tolerance, and compassion. We are all in this life together."  I begin by mentioning that our brains are hypersensitive to pain. Human brains do distinguish between psychological and physical trauma. And emotionally charged people tend to react rather than respond to painful circumstances. We're built that way. Conversely, in less emergent circumstances, we may delay, defer, or deny that we're suffering.  The Buddha offers the Eightfold Path  as a means for encountering and overcoming suffering. Christian moral theology offers the virtues of faith, hope, and love as devoted means for attending to our own suffering as well as the suffering of other people.  I then offer some quick blurbs about Marc and Angel Chernoff's recent post on Hack Life. Angel writes about 20 Tiny Thoughts that crush our dreams. She lists the inner critic statements we tell ourselves that cause chronic pain and diminished achievements. ("I'm not good enough," "It is too hard," "I wasn't meant to do it anyway,)" She concludes by suggesting that we should seek out the opportunity in everything.  I think opportunity is most likely to be found by truly diving into the sorrowful moments of our lives. That is where we will find God. The Way of Love and The Circle Way offer resources for creating rituals and practices for honoring ourselves and other people with patience and compassion.  Living in dynamic times such as ours requires us to be truthful yet gentle with ourselves so that we bring grace and determination with us into our communities of faith, families, neighborhoods, and the broader world.  Blessings along The Way, Jim  

Hi there,  Jim will be producing a "Circle Way" based podcast tomorrow (May 17th).  For now, here's Jim sermon from last Sunday's worship at Christ Memorial Episcopal Church. The church had a unique opportunity to worship with a limited Heritage Edition of the Gospel/Acts Saint John's Bible. Jim reads from and shares his personal experiences of Mother's Day memories.  He offers how Christians and other people of faith may interpret the Bible's examples of Good Shepherding. Mothers are shepherds of God's love in their own unique and faithful ways.  The Saint John's Bible recognizes the more than important place and leadership of women in The Bible.  Jim highlights 3 "Bs" (believing, belonging, and be-loving) as The Way for Christians to listen to the Gospel of John and become Good Shepherds ourselves, today.   Blessings along The Way  

Photo credit - Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash Jim returns to his exploration of circles and The Circle Way. Today he considers the paradoxically token nature of life and death.  He ponders how tombs and wombs often are present with one another in the same sacred space.  He enters into this conversation through Ysaye M. Barnwell's captivating lyrics and music in her song Wanting Memories. He loves Cantus' version of this song and shares it as well.  Memories inform who we are. They shape the nature of our path as well as the contents of our being. They may hold us captive and/or offer an essence for reclaiming our new life, especially when we invite God to enter into the conversation.  Memories need not bind us to some chronological and static path. Rather memories may wind and unwind us into a new and more holy space for our lives to occur. Moveover, memories along with daily experience interconnect us to one another, to God, and beyond our human sensibilities.  Jim offers one scriptural analogy thru an interpretation of St. Thomas' encounter with the Risen Christ. Thomas doubts that Jesus is resurrected, especially given Jesus' crucifixion.  Thomas demands to physically encounter Christ. His circle of friends invites him to do so with them.  In this space, all of Thomas' doubts and fears are extinguished by Christ's invitation to see God's incarnate love in a new way.   So it may be with us, regardless of our religious tradition, when we possess enough courage to love our past experiences and let go of them in the  paradoxical tomb/womb moments of our lives. Circles create space and time for such order, disorder, and reordering to unfold.  Enjoy the podcast and share it graciously as the Spirit leads you.   Blessings along The Way, Jim   Photo Credit - Inner Quest - a quilt made by Pearl Squires

[EG053] Leoni Spiesecke unterrichtet Circle Way, den Weg des Kreises. Ursprünglich brachte ihre Mutter diese hierarchiefreie Kommunikationsform der amerikanischen Ureinwohner in die Familie – und das veränderte das Familienleben von Grund auf. Daraufhin lernte die heute 27-Jährige Circleway u.a. bei Manitonquat, einem Ältesten der Wampanoag-Nation aus dem Nordosten der USA.

So, we've hung out as human beings in circles - Forever.  I'm curious about Circles - how circles shape who we are - how we meet, what circles mean for us in big, bold - small, secret ways. I'm learning about The Circle Way. It is re-creating my spirituality, psychology, and way I show up in the world. I thought I'd start a podcast and see if anyone else wants to learn more about the circular way of life, love, and learning.  

Zoe Nicholson shares the role of Chief Executive at healthcare social enterprise Here in the UK and describes her job as tethering the organisation to its purpose. She shares some of the practices they’ve developed at Here, inspired by sources like Frederic Laloux’s “Reinventing Organisations” and mindfulness, as well as some of the challenges of working in a highly regulated and hierarchical sector. How to follow Zoe: Twitter: @zoenicholson4 More resources: Here’s website http://hereweare.org.uk/ The Circle Way practice http://www.thecircleway.net/ Margaret Wheatley’s talk about islands of sanity Leadermorphosis podcast episode with Helen Sanderson and her Wellbeing Teams  

Tony Jeton "The See-Through Coach" Selimi is the author of #Loneliness: The Virus of the Modern Age". Tony went from being a teenage victim of war, living homeless on the streets of London to becoming an author, human behavioral expert, speaker, founder of TJS Cognition and Co-Creator of the Living My Illusion Documentary Series. "Many people find it challenging to operate in a world in which globalisation, fear of terrorism, and inequality fuel segregation, polarization, and inner discord – which lead to mental health, relationships family, business, financial and socio-economic issues." Topics: *** Women: How to be a thought leader in an alpha male world *** Loneliness is toxic: Antidote to break the cycle of social isolation *** The Uneducated Mind: The highest threat to mankind.*** Silence: The Relationship Killer. Info: tonyselimi.com   88-year-old Manitonquat "Medicine Story" is a storyteller, an elder and a keeper of the lore of the Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Nation of Massachusetts. The author of 12 published books, including The Joy of Caring for Children in The Circle Way, he develops tools for creating a more humane society based upon teachings of the elders of the First Nations and the explorations of his camps under the designation The Circle Way. Manitonquat has spoken to peace conferences and groups on 3 continents, was the keynote speaker at the United Nations observance of the 50th anniversary of Gandhi’s assassination, and directs prison programs for native spirituality. With his wife Ellika, he creates workshops and annual international family camps and advises new communities in 10 European countries and the US. Info: circleway.org

Nu ska du få möta två personer som har varsin spännande livsresa bakom sig och också delar en strävan efter att både själva leva enligt och sprida idén om The Circle Way (www.circleway.se), där gemenskap och lek, par- och cirkelsamtal, lyssnande och respekt för såväl människor som jorden vi lever på är centrala beståndsdelar. Camilla Måne (www.colourfulcamilla.se) är nyutexaminerad socionom OCH utbildad prästinna, leder kvinnocirklar, målar, sjunger och trummar. Kalle Grill(www.kallegrill.se) är lärare och forskare i praktisk filosofi, leder kurser där män bland annat tränar på att prata känslor och inspirerar i Sveriges Radios Tankar för dagen.  Om att våga visa känslor, om samtalets läkande kraft, om att ifrågasätta det mesta och om att försöka förena andlighet med samhällsengagemang - och mycket annat - handlar vårt samtal. Obs! Det smög sig in en felaktig referens i mitt outro: den internationella Circle Way-sidans adress är www.circleway.org.

Ellika Lindén och hennes man, Medicine Story, har inspirerat mig mycket, både privat och professionellt, genom den livsfilosofi - The Circle Way (www.circleway.org) - som de lever efter, i harmoni med såväl jorden som andra människor, och med cirkelsamtal och lyssnande som en viktig grundbult. Ellika har levt ett innehållsrikt liv, där hon gjort allt från barn-TV med Staffan Westerberg till samtalscirklar i amerikanska fängelser. Vi pratar om barndomsmagi, om att ha ett hem på flera platser i världen, om roten till onda handlingar, om kärleken till naturen - bland mycket annat.