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Listening circle – Love in a time of Corona – FACILITATOR NOTES

 

Facilitator role

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You have a special role as a human helping others to also be human, within a set time and purpose. You will:

• Choose the question for discussion

• Prepare and deliver a reading or offering that will set the tone of that discussion

• Open the circle, welcoming all in and briefly reminding people of the process and purpose

• Lead the mindful reflection 

• Hold the process, purpose and timings throughout – negotiating as you do.

• Participate in the sharing and listening, and discussion at the end.

 

Note to self: there is no hierarchy in a circle. As facilitator you are part of the group and will participate fully and no differently than others when it is your turn to speak or listen. You are also human, not a shiny robot so don’t worry if you make ‘mistakes’ or are not ‘perfect’. You are a peer amongst peers. 

 

Purpose [adapt to your purpose]: 

• Nurture love as an antidote to fear 

• Develop our deep listening skills, and feel heard and understood

• Provide a space in which to help recalibrate ourselves / our work / our understanding of the world

• Find and plant the seeds of individual and collective purpose in our new reality

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Detailed facilitator process

 

1. Welcome and establish circle

 

Duration: 15mins

 

• As people join explain we’re just waiting for people to join. Talk amongst ourselves or sit, as we would if we were in a room together. Invite all to have video on.

• Purpose – we’ll probably all have our reasons for joining. I’ll say mine for setting it up, then go around. 

  • “Provide a space in which to help recalibrate ourselves / our work / our understanding of the world”

  • [add yours here]

• Explain overall process – move from personal to collective. 

  • Most of the session simple sharing and listening – personal feelings, thoughts. Couple of loops, more depending on time.

  • Finish by free-flowing conversation about common themes – might be systemic or collectively held. 

• Timings – a bit unknown but absolute outside boundary of 4.30pm – that okay for people? I’ll hold the timing.

• Groundrules – it’s really important that we all feel safe to share and get what made us come here. Only two that I would offer (others can add)

•  1) Kindness and care

  • Non-judgemental, open-hearted listening

  • Make space for each other's needs – to talk, emotions, silence – whatever we need.

  • Showing up – on time and in presence

  • Keeping what is said confidential, which means ‘no names and no gossip’

• 2) Being honest humans

  • In the moment honesty (don’t need to prepare what going to say)

  • Including saying if don’t feel like saying something

 

How does that sound for everyone?

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2. Sharing circle

 

Duration 1 hour

 

• Suggest a question to guide people’s sharing. 

  • First session – ‘How does your life feel different and how does it feel the same?’

  • OR if you’d rather simply ‘how are you here now and what have you noticed about yourself’

• Suggest process for listening circle: 

  • Invite brief, and heart-felt sharing – there is no need to fill space. 

  • We will go around as many times as time allows but at least twice (second round can be quicker, people speak only if they feel like adding).

  • Invite someone to raise hand if they would like to begin sharing. They nominate the direction it goes after – that person becomes the listener. 

  • Sharer speaks for 1-3 minutes uninterrupted. No timer.

  • Listener offer back what they have heard – perhaps focussing on strengths, values, motivations and struggles. Then they become the next sharer. 

  • Keep going for an hour

  • Any questions? 

• Mindful reflection

  • Invite people into stillness. Feel feet, body. Notice breathing. Sit in quiet and allow the dust to settle. Pause.

  • Remind people of the question and invite them to reflect on feelings, thoughts that emerge. 

  • Option to offer a reading

• Go around until hour is up (4.10ishpm).

 

3. Collective themes and learning 

 

Duration 10 minutes

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• Stepping into the collective (without focusing on individuals)

• Any themes we have noticed that might speak to something collective.

• What can we learn about this?

 

4. Next steps and close

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Duration 2 minutes 

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• Shall we do this again? When? Who facilitate next session?  

 

 

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