Circle guidelines

These guidelines aren't a rulebook. They're a shared agreement that helps create a space built on attentiveness, respect and responsibility.

A circle doesn't become safe just because we call it safe. Its quality comes from how we're together in it.

1. 01

   Time for the gathering

   A circle has a beginning and an end. Whenever possible, we arrive on time and stay until the gathering closes, so the group's process isn't interrupted.

2. 02

   The facilitator holds the frame

   The facilitator opens the gathering and presents its intention, theme, guidelines and time frame. They watch over the flow of the circle, the boundaries of the space, and the way the group is together. They aren't responsible for each person's process, but they are responsible for the frame the gathering happens within.

3. 03

   One person speaks, the rest listen

   Everyone has space to speak. In many circles, whoever holds the talking piece speaks, it might be a stone, a shell, a candle or another symbol. The rest listen in the meantime.

4. 04

   We don't interrupt

   When someone is speaking, we don't step into their words with comments, questions or our own story. If the format of a particular circle allows for questions or responses, the facilitator will explain when there's space for them.

5. 05

   We listen without fixing

   We listen attentively, without judging, interpreting or offering unsolicited advice. Not every story needs a solution. Sometimes the greatest support is simply presence.

6. 06

   We speak from our own experience

   We talk about what we ourselves feel, think and experience. We avoid diagnosing others, assigning them intentions, or retelling other people's stories as our own.

7. 07

   You have the right to stay silent

   You don't have to speak just because it's your turn. You can stay in silence or pass the talking piece along. Presence doesn't always mean speaking.

8. 08

   We protect confidentiality

   Personal stories heard in a circle stay in the circle. After the gathering, you can talk about your own experience, but not about other participants' experiences in a way that would let others identify them.

9. 09

   Everyone is responsible for themselves, together we care for the space

   Each person is responsible for their own boundaries, decisions and way of taking part. The facilitator may step in if someone speaks for too long, guidelines are being crossed, or the gathering starts moving outside its frame. This isn't punishment or judgment, it's part of caring for the whole space.

10. 10

    A circle has its closing

    At the end, the facilitator closes the gathering and gives the group a way to step out of the circle's experience. The closing can take different forms, from a short round to silence, a summary or a simple ritual. It isn't about judging or interpreting individual contributions, but about consciously ending the shared time.