Would you like to experience group communication that elicits non-reactivity, the practice of deep listening, and the capacity for each member to be heard fully without being interrupted? This is possible with circles.
Have you ever sat in a complete circle together with others?
I don’t mean a circular table or a circle of desks.
I don’t mean a circle of chairs with a leader at the helm.
I mean a circle with no tables, no desks, no boundaries, just people sat facing each other in presence.
Circles, sometimes known as talking circles, peace-making circles, and heart circles have been part of human existence since the beginning of time and are deeply rooted into the traditional practices of indigenous people. Symbolically, the circle represents completeness, wholeness, unity, oneness, strength, and original perfection. Circles have had many uses within communities and groups, including: Peace-making, healing, general discussion, education, sharing problems, problem solving, sharing gifts, as a supportive tool, for entertaining and celebrating, and for prayer, contemplation and silence.
Circles represent an equality that allows no leader but rather a line of symmetry where everyone holds the same attention, respect and stature whilst defining a strength that’s unified for the participants. When meetings at the office or on the sports pitch end up in circles, this is not a random option that ‘just happens’ but an intuitive way of bringing people together so that each member can be seen and heard.
I believe that circles provide a massive value in today’s society. I have used circles in my previous roles as a high-performance sports mentor, as teams naturally form into circles or semi-circles within this realm, so it made sense for me to incorporate the circles’ power in the Men Without Masks program.
To experience the benefits of circles, there is no point talking about its theory. There is a huge difference between thinking and doing or being part of a real-life circle. If I described the experience I will ultimately fall short, in that if there was a way for me to replicate the experience in writing, photos and video, then they wouldn’t need to exist, but they don’t replicate well when recorded or translate well to written reviews. It’s one thing to experience a sunset but the jury is still out as to if art, music, poetry and word can do it justice! Now I am not saying my Circle work is as magnificent as a sunrise or sunset, but you get the point I am trying to make – you have to feel it first hand to appreciate the experience.
Circles are just a small part of the Men’s Retreat and I work with many other elements that I’ll serialise on more blogs as I try to give you a teaser of why my events often sell out quickly and why I have been humbled by the reviews I have been receiving from grateful men that have attended. Click the image below to find out more about the MWM Events we have coming up.
“If you have the courage to know yourself at a deeper level, Craig White is the man for you. Thanks for the awareness and the connection you gave us. Wish you all the best in your mission.”
“Craig is doing something very special with the retreats he offers, he’s giving a much needed initiation into manhood that long time ago was given by our elders and that today is so hard to find.”
“I have been on a few of Craig’s men’s coaching retreats and I can honestly say it’s amazing and changed my life in so many ways, the confidence I got and the space I created it feels so good and like I said life changing. I met some amazing guys that I can say I have more brothers in my life
