Agreements for a Truly Safe Space

We read the five Healing Circles Langley agreements before every circle. The explanation of them is my understanding of what they mean but we have discovered that deepening this understanding is a lifelong study.

We treat each other with kindness and respect.

Everyone is welcome here. Everything is welcome here. That means that we allow others the space to share w/out interrupting, that we offer each other our full attention and presence.

We listen with compassion and curiosity.

Suspending our judgments, fixed ideas, our belief that we may know more than someone else. Staying open to whatever is being shared with compassion and curiosity for another’s experience with pain.

We honor each other’s unique ways to healing and don’t presume to advise, fix, or save one another.

Everyone here is an expert in his or her own experience. While we can share our own experience with the group and hope that this might be inspiring or helpful to others, we accept that each of us knows best for ourselves what is needed and helpful on their own healing journey. We also do not need to – nor should we – take on anyone else’s pain – we compassionately witness it without assuming responsibility for bearing it.

We each hold all stories shared in the circle confidential.

This is a small community and we need to respect each other’s privacy and confidentiality so that this circle can continue to be a safe space – what is shared in this circle stays in this circle. We don’t even share the names of one another outside this circle. And if you approach someone outside of the circle about something that was shared in the circle, always first ask their permission.

We trust each of us has guidance we need within us and we rely on the power of silence to access it.

At any time anyone can call for a moment of silence and we will ring the bell. Silence is a powerful way to access our own inner guidance and can also hold anything that is offered to the circle.

 

Header photo by David Welton