"STANDARD" WISDOM CIRCLE TEMPLATE for ONE (revised 7/15/21)

ROLES

— 1 WISDOM RECEIVER: sharing their SOULFUL INQUIRY, or challenge 

— 1-2 WISDOM-KEEPERS: Not “fixing” or “problem solving”, but listening deeply from the body, heart & soul -- for images, metaphors, feelings, sensations, gestures & guidance evoked.

— 1 FACILITATOR: facilities this, all-important timekeeper, and a wisdom keeper if needed

ROUND ONE (only 30-35 mins! :)

1. Facilitator opens the sacred space, connecting us to the Wisdom-in-all-things, shares SAFETY ground rules (including confidentiality), and then 1 min of silence  (total 4-5 mins)

2. Wisdom Receiver shares her/his inquiry, and its context (KEY: 5 mins max — alerted at 4 mins)

— 1-2 WISDOM-KEEPERS: listening and sharing deeply from the body, emotional body, heart, mind & soul, for images, metaphors, feelings, sensations, gestures ... refraining from "fixing" or "problem solving"

3. One minute of focused stillness/silence  (1 min)

4. Facilitator now asks Wisdom Receiver to focuses everything into these 4 clarifying questions, (which he/she has clarified ahead of the session) (1 min response for each question):

1. Quadrant 1 (the I): What is the essence of this inquiry for you? (then breath together)

2. Quadrant 2 (the WE): How can our WE-SPACE here serve you to let go, learn, & open to soul guidance? (then breath together)

3. Quadrant 3 (the IT): what action (or process) are you intending at the end of this? (then breath together)

4. Quadrant 4 (the ITS): What future do you envision unfolding? (then breath together)
   

5. One minute of focused stillness/silence  (1 min)

6. Wisdom keepers + facilitator give Soul Mirroring  (9 mins max)

• Each shares  images, metaphors, feelings, gestures, body sensations and soul guidance (each 3 mins max) 
  

7. One minute of focused stillness/silence  (1 min)

8. Can get closure here (5-6 mins) (OR move to round 2 below) 

• Facilitator asks "And knowing that more integration will occur outside of this circle, and over time, how do you sense your situation and way forward right now?

• Wisdom receiver has 2 mins to answer this (2 mins)

• All:  each expresses up to one min of appreciation (1 min each)

OPTIONAL: ROUND TWO: DEEPER DIVE  & INTEGRATION
(adds approx 30 more mins, to the 30 mins of round #1)

8.Feedback loop: (3 mins)

• The wisdom receiver reflects more deeply on what s/he has heard, and is integrating (3 mins max)
  

9.Deeper generative dialogue , using prompts like below: (9 mins)

• facilitator asks she/he "is there any particular wisdom that is calling your soul to explore deeper? what is most striking to you? Where do you sense the most energy?

• wisdom receiver chooses the juiciest prompt above, and speaks into it for 3 mins

• the wisdom keepers respond in kind (2 mins each)

  • note: wisdom keepers stay in service to THE SOUL -- without pressure to fix, advise, or teach  -- and most importantly,  build on each other’s ideas! (2 min each max)

  1. "The Dangerous Option:" (adds 10 more mins to the total time listed above)

     • facilitator asks she/he: "would it be helpful to receive direct feedback as to the patterns that the wisdom keepers may be perceiving in you?"

     • if she/he answers yes, the facilitator asks the wisdom receiver's "ego" if it is willing to sit aside for this wonderful opportunity (this comes from Internal Family System's "parts work")

     • then each wisdom keeper can give up to 2 mins of direct feedback (6 mins max)

     • then the wisdom receiver has 3 mins to reflect on what they have received (3 mins max)

  10.Closing integration (5-7 mins)

• Facilitator asks "And knowing that more integration will occur outside of this circle, and over time, how do you sense your situation and way forward right now?

• Wisdom receiver has 2 mins to answer this (2 mins)

• All:  expression of  appreciation to each other (1 min each)

  11.Optional individual journaling & Closing: (this will extend the Total time by 6-7 mins)

• Each person journals their main "harvesting" (1 mins journaling and 1 min each to speak them = 5 mins)

  • If wisdom receiver chooses a "more defined, actionable, left brain closure" they should focus their harvesting on this end result

• Facilitator closes the circle by "dedicating the merit" (a buddhist tradition)m... or similar blessing

  
  

© 2015 parts of this template were originally created by the Presencing Institute as a "case clinic" for brainstorming

@ 2021 Revised for the NRTH community to access its deeper wisdom by Frederico and multiple soulful community members (latest revision on 7/14/21)