1 Find at least one other person you feel able to confide in and who would be able to confide in you. (If you don’t know anyone you need to find a new set of friends- or start up a Meet-up Group!)
2 Find a special object- call it a Talisman- to hold and pass around the circle.
3 Designate a date and time and set aside at least 2 hours free of disturbance.
4 Turn all your devices off and prepare to communicate the truth of what is going on for you right now. In the Flesh. No edits. The raw, honest authentic truth!
5 Pick up the talisman and say ‘In this Heart Circle I will have the opportunity to share but only when I hold the Talisman. Do you agree to do this too?’
6 Wait for all present to say- Yes I agree! (if they don’t, then send them home and find another group!)
7 Light a candle and pass the Talisman and this text to the left. The next person says ‘At the beginning of my sharing I will say my name and it will be repeated back by the circle as an affirmation of mutual support. Do you agree to do this too?’
8 This person lights a candle then passes the Talisman and this text to the left and so on.
9 These statements are said, asking for agreement, by other participants or if there are just 2 or three of you they are shared between you:
- I will speak from the heart about what is alive and true for me right now.
- I will own my statements by using ‘I’ and ‘my’ rather than ‘you’ or ‘we’.
- I promise to listen with empathy and to have a compassionate awareness of any judgement as it arises within me.
- During the circle, I may hear something that resonates with me. I will not directly comment on, or offer any advice to others. However it may affect my subsequent sharing.
- I may say nothing when the talisman comes to me but I will allow myself time to be present with my feelings before passing it on.
- I will allow others personal space to be fully with their own experience- in tears or laughter. Comfort or hugs may be non-verbally offered and accepted when the sharing has finished.
- I will look after my emotional and physical needs and if I have to leave the room I will do so at the end of a share.
- If I would like to talk about something said in the circle with that person afterwards, I may ask but I accept that the answer could be no.
- I promise to keep everything in this heart circle CONFIDENTIAL.
