Deepening into the present moment allows us to explore the infinite potential of connection. The European Circling Approach supports the revealing of depths in relationship and uncovers the gifts hiding in plain sight between us. It continually surprises us how much connection, insight and aliveness emerges when human beings can skillfully meet in presence.
Practice Formats
Pair and triad practice – Various practices that support a deeper acceptance and awareness of what happens when we’re in connection with another. Also about how to express from the present moment and to receive the other as they are.
Birthday Circle – The leader maintains the structure where the focus of attention is on one person. Participants are supported to own their experience in relation to the person being circled and to explore their world with wonder moment by moment.
Surrendered Leadership Circle – Everyone is invited to follow the 5 principles (see below), to take personal leadership (self-leadership) and to explore the quality of connection that is present. The leader is paradoxically both responsible for sharing and maintaining the context of the circle and also participates in the circle and is subject to the collective intelligence of the group. A metaphor for this practice is that of an orchestra, where everyone’s note is needed and through our authenticity we can help ‘tune’ each other and surrender to the conductor (life!).
The European Circling Approach allows the connection and transformation that comes through the birthday circling practice and then also supports the integration of this kind of presence and connection into everyday life. It does this via the use of principles which can be applied in everyday life situations and also through Surrendered Leadership Circles which are that one step closer to everyday life.
This approach to Circling emerged when the leaders felt called to drop their plan during a workshop and Surrender into the collective presence, trusting what would come out of the unknown. What followed over the years was a consistent pattern of people stepping into powerful self leadership, deep experiences of resonance and coherence and unique constellations that seemed to amplify what was ‘most important’ for the group to explore and experiences that could not have been known beforehand.
The European Circling Approach is based on 5 principles:
Commitment to Connection – By honoring our own and each others’ experience and being we aspire to allow each connection we have to genuinely change and create us. Every connection can teach us something and we allow the knowledge that we are already interconnected to inform how we show up in each connection.
Trusting Experience – Being a full yes to what is present in us. Listening for the messages in every experience and not fixing onto what is there for us. Discerning what arises in our experience and daring to step forward with our in-the-moment truth.
Owning your experience – Returning to what is essentially unarguable for us in our experience. Being energetically responsible for what we experience, not blaming others or making others fundamentally responsible for the quality of our experience.
Staying with the level of Sensation – Paying attention to and listening to the subtleties of experience. Being close to our embodied experience and including that in our awareness and expression.
Being with the other in their world – A willingness to lovingly explore the world of the other with curiosity into their experience and whatever is happening for them. Using yourself as an instrument in service of greater connection with the other, exploring together what is true.
