Our Principles and Ethics
Circling Cornwall CIC have developed what we call ‘the A to the F’ of Circling, which we believe can be practiced as a sequence and a circular process of constant improvement. – See the logo on our partners and research page.
We recognise there are many pathways to and styles of circling. We don't absolutely insist our principles are the only way to circle whilst also refuting statements from groups who claim their circling principles are the only ones and anyone not using them is not circling.
We invite you, our facilitators and collaborators to approach our events using these principles. Above is a two minute YouTube film of Richard, one of our directors, explaining them. Please subscribe to our YouTube for more detailed content: follow the link, below the embedded video, to open this film on YouTube and subscribe.
Please CLICK on image(s) below to be taken to our examples of event offerings online or in person. Contact us for details of current events.
Advance Belonging – We request that, as you have decided to come to a Circle, you step into the idea that you belong and that the others attending belong. If you feel you will have difficulty doing this, you may be socially anxious or simply nervous trying something new, we ask you reach out to a member of our team discreetly as soon as you can. Inclusive practice does not mean excluding a majority, although we do try to support everyone who wishes to attend our events as best we can.
Bring Compassion – We invite you to approach Circling activity as compassionately as you can. Sometimes you may be required to withhold your thoughts and feelings in order to do this. We invite you to notice how you experience doing this and, if it feels right in the moment, to share that you are withholding things but not necessarily everything you feel, believe or think in connection with others, or in co-created circling structures.
Connect Deliberately – Much is said around the idea of ‘Connection’ in Circling, both in the moment and when undertaking Circling activity. Circling Cornwall believe that the most important connection is with the self and that we can’t connect effectively with others, unless we are connected with our own emotional and embodied experience in a rooted and secure way. We invite you to connect with yourself first and then extend and include your experience of others in sessions.
We are proud that this principle is now being widely adopted by other Circling and Authentic Relating groups internationally.
Develop Empathy – A central part of Circling practice is being with others. We invite you to foster curiosity around those you meet within a circle and imagine what it might be like to be them. This is especially encouraged when using structures that focus primarily on empathy with others: Birthday Circles (Sometimes called Focus Circles) and Witnessing Circles. Only on progression to Anchoring Circles do we advise verbal participant interventions or Trauma Informed somatic support. (Directed by the facilitator or trained therapists assisting in particular intentional circling).
Extend Field In simple terms, we invite you to expand what is in your sphere of awareness using Circling practice. You may wish to research the transpersonal psychological work of Wilber especially pre-trans fallacy. This principle is fundamental to our published objectives as a Communty Interest Company.
For more details around our Principles and Ethics please contact us.