By Tamarack Song
Caution: The contents of this book are known to bring about deep healing, peacefully resolve conflict, and create an uncommon sense of community.
The Talking Circle is a useful consensus-based creative, conflict resolution, and community building tool that is commonly practiced in indigenous cultures. It fits seamlessly into contemporary work, school, political, social, and cultural environments. Yet the Talking Circle concept often meets with resistance when initially presented. Some people think conflict is a necessary part of progress. However, differences turn into conflict only in an environment of mistrust. When there is empathy and the desire to listen, differences transform into pluses, as there is strength in diversity.
The sticking point is not the desire to listen as often as it is the ability to listen. When we are not are not able to listen, the trusting environment that encourages others to speak erodes away. This book is all about creating a setting of trust and sharing, along with the with the needed listening skills.
The rest takes care of itself, as we are intrinsically designed to function in what indigenous people call the Circle Way, which is with inclusion, mutual caring, and respect.
As a complete guide to the Talking Circle, this book starts with inspiring examples of how Talking Circles are used by people in various cultures, and by many social animals. Then the book lays out a detailed guide to conducting a Talking Circle, followed by troubleshooting help for when things go awry. In conclusion, we are given the vision of how the Talking Circle can make itself obsolete by bringing us to Communion—that spontaneous state of being in one heart and one voice.
Publishing date: December 2024
