Circling

Circling is about bringing our presence, life energy and vulnerability into contact with another person or group. Through Circling, we develop our sensitivity and empathy, build capacities to better understand our own and others' impulses, begin to trust our intuition and learn to communicate our limits and longings more clearly.

Relationships can be our greatest teachers

The importance of connection and healthy relationships can not be overstated. The quality of our relationships has actually been shown to be more important for our happiness and even physical and mental health, than exercise, socioeconomic status and diet. We are simply most happy when we feel belonging, security and deep contact with other people.

But relating to other humans - even our loved ones - is challenging for most people. This is is where we experience most of our social and cultural conditioning coming to the surface, where we often put on masks to please or to provoke. Bringing awareness to all that is alive for us, in connection to other people, therefore presents a great opportunity to learn and grow from, which is a possibility within Circling.

In this form of relational meditation, we practice becoming more and more aware of what is happening in ourselves, in others and between us, to create deeper and more authentic contact - an ability you can benefit from throughout your life.

Practically, it takes place two and two, or in small or big groups. We are practicing to put into words, what we are experiencing at the moment when we are in contact with one or more people.

For example, it may be to notice what feels alive in me right now, what is happening in my body right now, what I am curious about, what I am afraid of, what is going on in my thoughts, what is happening in my feelings, and notions I have about the other or myself.

Stepping in to this space requires a little courage, but our experience shows, that you often reap many insights, lots of laughter, a strong sense of contact and a deeper presence with others.

In Circling we:

  • practice the ability to be consciously present with others.

  • practice looking through our conceptions of others, ourselves and the world.

  • practice the ability to be with the unknown, with uncertainty, with mystery.

  • let go of ideas and concepts and instead be in the direct experience of the here and now.

  • cultivate a non-judgmental and curious mind

  • be curious about the inner world of others

  • be curious about, explore and respect our personal safety zone

  • ask for support to come back to balance and presence

  • set boundaries if we need to.

Lauren

“Andreas has a wonderful ability to hold a space where I could feel completely safe and could begin to observe the layers of fear in myself that arrive in the presence of another. It's Such a gift to be able to observe these parts of myself infront of someone else, with no judgement, just pure awareness. It's a powerful practice, and a reminder that we are stronger together, especially when we are fully occupying our presence. The boundary between self and other slowly dissolves and even just the taste of that is incredible. Thank you Andreas for the very important work you are doing in this world!”

What is Circling?

Below is an excerpt from the documentary “What is it like to be you, right now?” where the founders of Circling Europe, along with students of their 6 month Facilitator Training, try to answer the above question.

What are the benefits of Circling?

Circling can, and will quite often, be very therapeutic, but at the same time it is not therapy. An important difference between therapy and Circling is that therapy includes a therapist and an uneven power relationship - a “ teacher ” and a “ student ”. In Circling all are teachers and all are students. Everyone is a beginner to what is happening in the present and through joint exploration in a non-judgmental and accepting environment, deep relational wounds can be healed.

In Circling, we assume that we do not need to change ourselves or anyone else, but instead become aware of our thoughts and ideas that we should change something. This process of deeply seeing oneself and the other, often leads to profound transformation, despite the fact that it is never the goal. This paradox is best understood when engaged in the practice.

The purpose of Circling is to, among other things, become aware of our blind spots regarding our relationship with ourselves and others in order to create deeper connection. Another purpose of Circling is to be seen as we are. When we are seen by non-judgmental and present humans, a number of health-promoting physiological processes, such as the parasympathetic nervous system and vagus nerve, and relational wounds can heal.

What is the purpose?

Here you’ll find another excerpt from the documentary “What is it like to be you, right now?” where the founders of Circling Europe, along with students of their 6 month Facilitator Training, try to answer the above question.