Re: sharing circles
From: pattymara (pattymarajuno.com)
Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 19:58:04 -0600 (MDT)
At Tierra Nueva, central CA coast (where the monarch butterflies are
returning in their annual migration cycle) we have Community Life
meetings.

> 1. How often does this meeting occur?
First Saturday morning of the month
> 
> 2. Is it a regular event or scheduled as needed?
regular, monthly, which just changed 3 months ago from quarterly, after
we decided to have  one (down from two) business meeting (third Thursday)
per month, and one community life per month.  We are finding this to be a
successful change...attendance at the business meetings is soaring since
it's just once a month, and attendance at the community life meetings
stays about the same.  There is a core of folk who just like interacting
this way, and we always show up.  The parents of younger children show up
less frequently (busy lives).
> 
> 3. Is there a facilitator?
We call the facilitator the "host", volunteers who are solicited every
few months to serve as host for one meeting..
> 
> 4. What is the format?
Potluck breakfast 8 - 9 am.
Opening "Kos Dance" (Greek Circle dance) 9 am
Announcements, sharings while folks write out topics on paper to put into
the "Ting" bowl.
"Ting"  9 - 10:30 or 11 am.  
Ting is a self generating "anything goes" game that brings up topics for
discussion.  Sometimes the person who wrote the topic remains anonymous,
sometimes they choose to reveal themselves.  Topics perameters:  anything
NOT business, more of emotional, relationship, community interaction type
topics.  Last meeting we had the following tings:  children excluding
younger children on the playground, welcoming new buyers into the
community,  brainstorming how to get a bigger crowd out to do the
landscape workdays, correcting glitches in notification of pesticide
sprays on a neighboring field (it was an emotional issue), creating a
"thankyou" ritual for the cooks and food, before meals.  
.Closing circle dance, with kids.
 
> 5. Do you have guidelines for participation at this meeting?
Yes. A whole list of agreements that we post and often read out loud
before beginning.  Stuff like using "I" statements, Deep Listening,
Respect, Confidentiality (if requested), Communication agreements.

> 6.. What percentage of your community attends?
It varies.  Ranging from 1/3 to 3/4....

Childcare is provided, paid for by the HOA, usually to a couple of older
community kids who have grown up here...

Patty Mara Gourley
Tierra Nueva



> 
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> email:mwholey [at] earthlink.net
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