How do healing circles work?

Healing circles are safe havens. They help us step out of ordinary time into a safe and accepting environment in which we can explore our healing. With open minds, we work together to discover the best ways to remove obstacles to healing, alleviate suffering, and deepen our capacity to heal.

Where do healing circles come from?

Talking circles, peacemaking circles, or healing circles, as they are variously called, are deeply rooted in the traditional practices of indigenous people. 1 In North America, they are widely used among the First Nations people of Canada and among the many tribes of Native Americans in the US.

What is a healing circle group?

A Healing Circle is a group of people who gather together with a clear intention of healing. The circle represents life's continuation – with no beginning and no end. Each healing circle is uniquely created based on the intentions and goals of the group, or an individual being honoured.

How do talking circles work?

Talking circles, also called “peacemaking circles,” come from the traditions of indigenous people of North America, particularly tribes in the Midwest. Circle processes are based upon equality between participants and the principle of sharing power with each other instead of having power over one another.

What is an indigenous healing circle?

Introduction. Many Aboriginal communities and urban Aboriginal people in the field of social services are utilizing Healing Circles, Talking Circles or Sharing Circles as a way of providing group support for people who are dealing with issues such as addictions, violence, grief, and trauma.

Healing Circle

Why are circles important to Native Americans?

The Sacred Circle. The circle has always been an important symbol to the Native American. It represents the sun, the moon, the cycles of the seasons, and the cycle of life to death to rebirth.

How do you end a talking circle?

If someone does not wish to speak, they simply pass the token. The token may go around several times; when everyone has had the opportunity to speak as many times as they wish, the conductor ends the circle. The most common type of circle is a simple sharing circle, where people just share whatever they have to say.

What happens in a sharing circle?

It is a symbol of respect for the thought, stories, and individual histories of each member participating in a circle. When a person is holding the item in a sharing circle, they speak from the heart without interruption. Other people in the circle respectfully listen to the speaker and take in their message.

How long is a sharing circle?

Sharing Circles can vary from being a quick one minute check-in to a good ten minutes per person. From there the circle can go around in seating order.

Why are healing circles important?

Healing circles are safe havens. They help us step out of ordinary time into a safe and accepting environment in which we can explore our healing. With open minds, we work together to discover the best ways to remove obstacles to healing, alleviate suffering, and deepen our capacity to heal.

What happens at a Reiki circle?

Reiki share, also known as Reiki circle or exchange, is a gathering of Reiki believers who participate in group Reiki treatments on each other. The main purpose for the Reiki share is to give and receive Reiki in a casual atmosphere of friendship, honor, positive energy and devotion.

How do you lead a woman's circle?

What are trauma circles?

These Circles explore Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and raise awareness of the prevalence of ACEs throughout society. We've found that sharing, addressing and examining the impacts of childhood trauma through open dialogue creates a tremendous opening for healing to begin.

How do you start a talking circle?

There are so many ways to incorporate Talking Circles into your lessons! To start, we often begin with asking students, What is important about communication in a classroom and in a community? Students list all the norms they have in the class i.e. listening to the speaker, taking turns, participating in a discussion.

What is the purpose of circles?

The circle has a wide variety of purposes: conflict resolution, healing, support, decision making, information exchange and relationship development.

How do you make a talking piece?

Create your own values card talking piece.

Invite participants, one after the other, to share and explain their value, then place the card on the floor in front of them. In subsequent go-rounds, they can pick up their card when speaking and place it down when they're done.

How do you run a restorative justice circle?

The general format most people use goes: offender, victim, victim's supporter, and offender's supporter. As a circle facilitator, ask each person a set of restorative questions and listen to their response. Once everyone has responded to the restorative questions, transition into a more open model of discussion.

How do you talk to someone talking in circles?

Why do conversations go in circles?

Conversations often go in circles when everyone is advocating their own opinion. The catch? Most of the time, people don't know what it is they are disagreeing on! There's usually a misunderstanding somewhere, but everyone has assumed that the misunderstanding is actually a difference of opinion.

What do circles mean in Native American culture?

The circle is symbolic of equality, where no person is more prominent than any other person. Circle meetings ensured that all people were allowed to speak and the words spoken were accepted and respected on an equal basis. A circle around other Native American symbols signifies family ties, closeness & protection.

What is a Native American prayer circle?

A prayer circle is most simply where participants join hands in a literal circle of prayer, often as part of a vigil. Informal prayer circles have been practiced for centuries.

What is the spiritual part of the medicine wheel?

The spiritual being is represented on the medicine wheel by the yellow quadrant, which also represents the direction East, the element of Earth, the sacred medicine tobacco, and the season of Spring. Your spiritual being manifests itself as a connection to the greater world.

What are the 4 sacred medicines?

Tobacco is the first plant that the Creator gave to Native people. It is the main activator of all the plant spirits. Three other plants, sage, cedar and sweetgrass, follow tobacco, and together they are referred to as the four sacred medicines.