A New Meditation Builds Awareness, Authenticity, and Aliveness
There is a new meditation practice called “Circling.” It is amazing for many reasons. Here are eleven of them:
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It is the most powerful tool for personal transformation I have encountered in a decade…
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(but has no goal other than to be more present to what is).
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It is endorsed by Ken Wilber, my favorite author and probably the most brilliant man alive.
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It is relational—bringing a meditative attitude of acceptance and self-transcendence into the heart of their deepest emotions and toughest relationships.
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It makes intimacy more readily available in daily life—at the grocery store, at the office, with drinking buddies, and with your family.
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It exposes habitual ways of thinking, being, and acting that keep you from living the life you want.
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It gives you instant feedback on how you impact people.
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It builds an uncommon order of complexity—a simultaneous embrace of two opposing poles at the same time.
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It facilitates exactly the perspective taking capacity we need to resolve global challenges
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It is deeply healing
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It builds stronger connection and community
What is Circling?
Some people call it “intersubjective meditation,” while others call it “a structured way to love the crap out of someone.” Experts John Thompson and Sean Wilkinson of Circling Europe say, “the attention of a small group is skillfully focused on an individual, who gets to feel the impact of being supportively seen by others while also experiencing their honest, in-the-moment feelings.”
Although there are many variations, a typical circle involves one trained facilitator guiding the process, one person being “circled,” and others sharing their present-moment personal experience of the person being circled—checking their projections with each other and being willing to be 100% wrong. The attention is simultaneously fierce and passionate, challenging and supportive, decisive and forgiving. It often includes bodily sensations, emotions, thoughts, and questions to better understand how the person circling sees the world, in that precise moment.
Regardless of how it is described, I want more people to experience Circling so they can share in these wonderful benefits and help others receive the same blessing.
Humanity Needs Your Presence, Authenticity, and Connection
There are few places to practice it. To my knowledge, regular classes are available in Boulder, CO, San Francisco and Santa Cruz, CA, Austin and Houston, TX, Portland, OR, and New York City, NY. There are regular workshops in Amsterdam (the Netherlands), Oslo (Norway), London (UK), Copenhagen (Denmark). There may be others…
Fortunately the movement is growing. And Circling is an open practice, designed with no trademark and no governing body. The original creators seem only to want more presence, connection, and aliveness in the world, regardless of how that is achieved. They just want to share these benefits and bring more loving acceptance to the planet.
It does not matter whether you try “Circling” as such. I invite and encourage you to commit to some practice that awakens more presence, authenticity, and awareness of ever-present connection in your lives. I believe it is necessary for a richer, deeper experience of life, and for billions of humans to live on this planet in harmony.
Image: Some rights reserved by quinet