Fall into INTIMACY this OCTOBER

October’s theme for your Be-ing:
Intimacy

If you are on our mailing list, odds are pretty good you agree with this statement…which is one of the underlying premises of our work:

Human beings seem to function better when our needs for emotional intimacy are being met.

It’s one of the reasons we are so committed to the practice of Circling.

But how do you create this sometimes elusive intimacy – especially with friends where the communication seems stuck in a rut or plateau?

One suggestion, is to practice asking to go deeper

Saying – in your own way – that you want to be able to talk about more personal, perhaps vulnerable stuff and share support, understanding, and empathy.

Asking is powerful.

Especially when you ask with some degree of vulnerability and gentleness. Knowing it’s both edgy for you to ask and edgy for them to hear. People close to us usually like to know what we want…what makes us happy and responsive to them. And the asking alone can certainly lead to a juicy conversation. 

And, you know, intimacy.

Here are some questions for you to consider around intimacy:

– What do you want more of?
– What has kept you from asking?
– How can you get past that?
– How can you ask for what you want?
– What can you do to create this whether or not you ask?

TEDx :  “Anatomy of Intimacy”

(We thought this 7 minute talk from spoken word artist, Alisha Lockley might interest you as well.)

We’d love to hear your musings about these questions, reactions to this TED Talk, and any other ideas you have about intimacy over on our facebook page.

Let’s share our thoughts & get intimate with each other

Looking forward to the next time we get to connect with you

Much love,

The Circling Institute team

Upcoming Trainings & Workshops

Intro Events
In SF Bay Area

Circling Immersion
Oct 19-20 in SF Bay Area
($100 offthrough Oct 5th)

Art of Circling Practitioner Training
$500 off full tuition through December 30th

Close your eyes, and really ponder that word: intimacy.

What was the first thing to come to your mind? What was the second? The third?

If you are like most people you answered:

• sex (or some other form of physical intimacy)
• something about vulnerability
• and then some form of communication, connection, sharing…
• maybe the word fear even popped in there somewhere.  

How many of you thought about LISTENING?  

If you are one of those rare few that did – then you are going to love this video of a conversation the Guy recently had with Jordan Hall: self-proclaimed nerd, godfather of disruptive technology, and Co-founder of the Neurohacker Collective….

Because the way these two listen to one another – fully allowing themselves to be impacted, and transformed, by what they are hearing & then reflecting back the impact they experience so the other may be transformed as well – is truly magical. 

AND

If you cocked your head slightly to the right and gave me a look like “Huh?!? What’s so intimate about listening?”  Then prepare to have your mind blown.  The way these two men get truly deep and intimate with one another – in just one hour – the first time they have ever met is gonna rock your world.  

One youtube viewer commented:  This chat was like 2 surfers riding each others waves, stopping for a moment to work out what the heck just happened or discuss how cool the ride was, and then doing it all over again. 2 surfers having this intense convo between “sets”, getting momentarily distracted until one of them would say; “dude, next wave is in”.

It’s a pretty accurate description for what happened here! The two take turns going on each other’s “ride”.  At one point Jordan burst into laughter noticing the unusual amount of sounds and gestures this “conversation” is calling forth in him and comments how the experience transcends any “surface level” communicating… And we are lucky enough to be spectators for the adventure.

One of the things I love most about this interview (and about the art of the Original Circling® Approach in general, TBH) is how Guy lives the value of wanting to get Jordan’s world…he has no attachment to being right, or showing Jordan that he “gets” him, he is leaning in to help Jordan understand his own thoughts, experiences, etc – and visibly delighting in the participatory learning of it all.

Pay attention to how Guy pauses to delve deeper into Jordan’s experience every time there is a look, or a sound, or something that hints at impact (or insight).  Notice how grateful Jordan is for the cue to savor his own experience, to allow the deeper resonance to sift to the surface, and the richness that springs forth. 

This is the power of communicating to connect rather than simply trying to understand or to be understood… The power of embodying the principles and practices of Original Circling® approach… The power of LISTENING INTIMATELY.

Share your favorite examples of the impact of applying these aspects to real-life conversations (from this interview, or your own experiences) over on our facebook page.

Do YOU want to have more intimate conversations?

Whether you are talking to colleagues, clients, romantic partners, or family members… listening with the intention to connect, offering powerful reflections, and asking deepening questions can make a profound difference.  

If you’d like to enhance your skills in these areas, join our Art of Circling Practitioner Training Program. 

Visit our website for details. We are offering $500 off  tuition for people who sign up by December 30th.

Clearly I have a biased opinion about how wonderful and powerful the principles & practices we teach are… So I thought I’d let a recent participant, Dr. Neeta Bhusan – author of Emotional Grit, share her experience (below)

Who knows, maybe the next “thank you” video we receive will be from YOU!

Big Love~

Korenna

Upcoming Trainings & Workshops

The Sovereign: Your Presence November 23 & 24

Drop in Circling Events Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays throughout the Bay Area

Art of Circling Practitioner Training begins the moment you sign up
$500 off full tuition through December 31st

Connection

With a blatantly selfish desire to create more love and community for ourselves in the world, and to promote a business model that thrives on deep, rich, mutually supportive connections, we are plotting to pander to your deepest yearnings by loving you more, offering you more, and engaging with you more.

Introducing: Themes for your Be-ing 

Throughout the year, we will share with you themes to explore…perhaps a skill, a desire, or a way of being…so together we can thrive in the evolution of our group consciousness and learning that arises while living, exploring, and discussing that theme during Circling nights, weekend workshops and year-long courses, facebook posts, blogs, videos, etc. We’ll share questions to ponder and skills to practice in your life, and we’ll ask you for feedback, stories, what you discovered and your questions. How does this sound to you? Let us know how can we inspire you!

As you may have guessed – the theme for September is CONNECTION

Because all communication starts with some form of connection.

We previewed this with our last newsletter, “Hardwired for Connection”, where we shared our favorite quotes from Brene Brown’s book Dare to Lead. This month we want to encourage you to put those sentiments into action. 

Let’s start with some questions:

• What quality of connection do you desire with the people in your life?
• How do you go about creating this connection?
• What has you wanting to connect?
• Are we connecting with you right now? How so?
• How is it to know we or someone cares about you?
• What’s it like to care about them?

Feel free to post your answers and your experience on our facebook page. Let’s share what we find and learn from each other…

How Can We Improve Our Connections?

This way of relating that Guy Sengstock stumbled across and named Circling is revealing itself to be so nourishing, bonding and transformational that as people (especially us) keep coming back for more it is  turning into a worldwide movement.

At the core, Circling is being with someone in a way that co-discovers and celebrates what it’s like to be them As Guy calls it, profoundly being with what is. 

To do this we use skills that invite intimacy, such as:

• Curiosity – asking questions that invite what’s most alive and important to be shared.
• Empathy – getting their world and what’s it’s like to be them, walking in their shoes and seeing the world through the other’s eyes…sharing what you heard them say and what you get about them in a way that has them feel totally “gotten” and understood and accepted for who they are.
• Sharing impact – sharing how they are affecting us, what it’s like to be with them, revealing ourselves in the process, which can sometimes feel risky, vulnerable, yet usually leads to more connection.
• Speaking the moment – checking in on how they are feeling right now and what it’s like to be with each other. This is so raw, honest and vulnerable that it usually melts the distance between two hearts.

With hopes of making your relationships, communities and even THE WORLD a more loving, compassionate, supportive, vibrant, passionate, fun place to be, we invite you to come play with us and practice these skills.

What’s Available Now

• Tools for Extraordinary Connection – play & practice events – to practice communicating on a deeper, more authentic level – in a safe, supportive, fun environment.
• Circling practice intro workshops – to learn and practice the Art of Circling in a relaxed, experimental format where beginners and experienced Circlers all get to participate.
• Weekend Circling Approach Intensive – getting Circled in great depth and participating in Circles.
• Art of Circling Practitioner Training – year long intensive – becoming a master of the nuances of the numerous skills of authentic relating and intimacy.
• Level 2 Facilitator Training – develop your leadership voice & skills – in life, business, leading workshops

What’s Coming in 2020 & Beyond

– On-line virtual Circling Courses – to both learn and experience getting “Circled”.

– One day Circling Workshops – to experience getting “Circled” more extensively than in a drop-in night.

– Advanced Circling Training – for graduates of Practitioner Training

– Relational empowerment courses specifically for men and women

– Touch, Affection & Authentic Relating

Make sure to join our Facebook page to learn about new events as soon as we schedule them

We look forward to the next time we get to connect with YOU

Much love,

Jon & The Circling Institute team

Upcoming Trainings & Workshops

Intro Events
In SF Bay Area

The Explorer – Getting Someone’s World
Sept 28-29 in SF Bay Area
($100 offthrough Sept 14)

Art of Circling Practitioner Training 
$1000 off full tuition through September 30