John (Geo) Errante

Re-entry circles with incarcerated men

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In 2001, my son was sentenced to 2.5 years in the Kansas Juvenile Correctional Facility. Let's just say it was God's way to open my heart to the flock that He was calling me to shepherd. For more than two decades, I've been teaching, mentoring,…
Nate and Angela

Circles for teachers and their students

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Angela (Ang) Coxen is a retired educator who first learned about circle work at an Art of Hosting training offered through her union. There, she was exposed to a number of hosting methods, but The Circle Way stood out. “This one lands for…
Beth Light and Harmony Hill

Circles at nursing retreats

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Harmony Hill, once a brick-and-mortar retreat center in Union, Washington, has merged with CancerLifeline and brings to that nonprofit its beloved in-person retreats for cancer patients and their loved ones. It also brings its “Harmony retreats”…
Jaune Evans and Commonweal labyrinth

Circles at cancer retreats

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When illness enters our life experience, a spiritual change can occur. We can feel alone—outsiders to the vital flow of energy that sustains us when we’re in community. One antidote for feelings of isolation is to belong, to find kindred…
Multiple hands

The benefits of persistence

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For Serita Winthrop, one of the best things about being a co-host for Healing Circles Global was that it gave her an opportunity to serve others from home. At 80, she struggled with the technology involved, especially Zoom, but she persisted.…
Stethoscope

In search of authenticity

Despite being born into a male-dominated environment, Charlie Pieterick wound up in a profession dominated by women. “I grew up in a flat above a tavern owned by my father,” Charlie says. “I was immersed in a very patriarchal culture,…
Ferry to Vashon Island

Lifting the veil and encountering Truth

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You wouldn’t think a 37-square-mile area inhabited by 11,055 people would feel like a small town, but Vashon Island does–especially for someone like Gail Labinski. During her decades as a teacher, she has watched many an islander grow up…
Young hands holding older hands

Caregiving for loved ones

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I began attending a healing circle while caregiving for my brother and sister-in-law. She was suffering from multiple chronic diseases all wrapped in quickly accelerating dementia, and my brother was exhausted from caregiving. He was experiencing…

The Birth of Healing Circles Langley

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Healing Circles Langley has grown from two monthly circles to hosting 60 circles or events per month. All of this has been accomplished without any paid staff. We raise our own money through the generosity of local Whidbey donors.

Healing Circles Gathering 2019

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During the Healing Circles Gathering at Commonweal on January 17-20, 2019, we spent an hour gathering a snapshot of who and where we are.