For the first empathy circle, we each responded to the following prompt:
"Something meaningful that has happened recently in your life, and what made it so meaningful."
Then we did a group de-‐brief with the following question:
What was your experience in this Empathy Circle?
A. Our experiences:
1. Some of us described feelings of sweetness, or warmth, or intimacy.
2. This experience met a yearning for more depth.
3. Feeling enlivened.
4. A feeling of relaxation.
5. The fulfillment and enjoyment of having deep conversations.
6. A deeply nourishing experience.
7. An affirmation of humanity and goodness.
8. Loved hearing people’s stories.
B. This experience in the context of our lives:
1. Some of us felt a tension between the fulfillment of this moment, and a sense of urgency to experience more of this kind of dialogue.
2. Having this practice group is a validation of our need for this kind of engagement.
3. This kind of experience is not so visible in ‘normal’ life, where conversations are often superficial.
4. The experience of feeling everyone’s humanity, that we just had, is not always available in every group.
C. The practice:
1. Reflecting back and being heard deepens the relaxation of everyone, even beyond getting a turn to speak.
2. The power of witnessing; there is a deeper layer to reflecting back.
3. We are listening each other into being.
4. There is an enlargement that allows more of ourselves be exposed.
5. This practice is meaningful and useful. We are not just learning a skill!
6. Honoring the Empathy Circle innovator: Edwin Rutsch
Notes from Opening Minds and Hearts, September 2017
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