The Peacemaking Circle

In the winter of 2003, the BRC first experienced the Peacemaking Circle process through the work of Roca, Inc, a multicultural human development and community building organization based in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Since that initial introduction, the BRC has been utilizing Circles in our internal staff development as a means of deepening staff bonds and team building. The Circle has also been a part of our external work, including its use as the foundational process for a two-year learning project with selected practitioners in the field of community building.

While Circles are part of most indigenous traditions as a means of rebuilding community, resolving conflict, or repairing harm, the particular process we have come to know has its roots with the Tlingit First Nation people of the Yukon Territory in Northwestern Canada. The Peacemaking Circle is a process that should be experienced firsthand rather than studied, though below are some FAQ's related to what we've learned. In answering some basic introductory questions we have borrowed language from practitioners we have come to respect. A list of sources for quotes, further reading, web resources, and acknowledgements appear at the end of this page.

What are Peacemaking Circles?

  • "Peacemaking Circles are a method of communication and problem solving derived from aboriginal and native traditions. Circles are used in relationship development, healing, community building, and restorative justice efforts." (Boyes-Watson 2001, 16)
  • "Peacemaking Circles bring together the ancient wisdom of community and the contemporary value of respect for the individual in a process which honors the presence and dignity of every participant, values their contributions, emphasizes the connectedness of all things, supports emotional and spiritual expression, and gives equal voice to all." (Pranis 2001, 1)
  • "Circles bring us together to share who we are beyond our appearances. They're places of listening—of hearing what it's like to be someone else. They're also places for being heard—for expressing what's on our minds and hearts and having others receive it deeply." (Pranis, Stuart, and Wedge 2003, 3)

What are the key elements of Circle?

  • "The keepers, the talking piece, the guidelines, the ceremonies, and the decision-making by consensus—provide the outer frame, or structure, for the Circle process. The inner frame of Circles—the values, the principles, and the Medicine Wheel teaching of balance—constitute the core philosophy that grounds Circles in a healing, constructive approach." (Pranis, Stuart, and Wedge 2003, 125)

What are the stages of Circle?

  • "To convey the importance of taking time to build relationships among participants, Harold Gatensby, a Tlingit First Nations Circle practitioner and teacher, identifies four components of the Circle inspired by the Medicine Wheel. These four components—getting acquainted, building understanding and trust, addressing issues or visions, and developing a plan of action—are equally important and so warrant relatively equal time." (Pranis, Stuart, and Wedge 2003, 141)

 What are guidelines?

  • "Far from being rigid rules, Circle guidelines represent a dynamic consensus that responds to the changing circumstances of how participants want to be together." (Pranis, Stuart, and Wedge 2003, 113)
  • "Guidelines reflect the values and principles of the Circle process, both in their content (what they say) and in their relationship to participants (how they're used)." (Pranis, Stuart, and Wedge 2003, 103)
  • "The following six guidelines are essential for Circle dialogues: respect the talking piece; speak from the heart; speak with respect; listen with respect; remain in the Circle; and honor confidentiality." (Pranis, Stuart, and Wedge 2003, 106)

 What is the relevance of the Medicine Wheel and what does it represent?

  • "The Medicine Wheel shows how diversity and unity come together in balance. Each quadrant symbolizes a different aspect of life, stage of development, or set of qualities. Yet all quadrants are needed for the circle to be complete." (Pranis, Stuart, and Wedge 2003, 70)
  • "The Medicine Wheel teaches us about interconnectedness between: the four cycles of life, the four seasons, the four essential elements of the earth, the four directions, the four races, and the four elements of the human being. In many Native American cultures, a person who is acting out or harming others is 'out of balance'; if one person is out of balance, so too is the community." (Boyes-Watson 2001, 19)

 Who leads a Circle?

  • "Keepers are the caretakers of the Circle process. They facilitate the Circle dialogue, protect the integrity of the Circle process, and open/close the Circle." (Pranis, Stuart, and Wedge 2003, 82)
  • "Keepers help hold a space that's clear, open, respectful, and free. They do so principally by trusting the Circle process to draw out the wisdom of participants….keepers create an environment that encourages participants to share what's within them in ways they may not otherwise do." (Pranis, Stuart, and Wedge 2003, 82-83)
  • "Keepers are really servants of the Circle. They do not run the Circle; they serve the Circle. It's not a position of power; it is a responsibility to others."(Pranis, Stuart, and Wedge 2003, 84)

 How is the talking piece used?

As a way of facilitating dialogue without interruptions, permitting equal participation, and encouraging deep listening, a talking piece is passed from person to person within the Circle. This means that whoever is holding the talking piece is the only person invited to speak, while all others are asked to listen. The talking piece is typically a feather, rock, or other object that holds special significance to the keepers or participants.

  • "Everything in the Circle is an invitation—when you have the talking piece you are invited to speak, but you may pass. When you do not have the talking piece you are invited to listen." (Lewis 2003, 2)
  • "The talking piece is passed to facilitate and share speaking time. No one speaks without the talking piece and the talking piece goes around until all have had their say." (Lewis 2003, 4)
  • "The talking piece promotes dialogue, affirms equality, slows the pace, develops listening skills, cultivates peacemaking abilities, fosters honesty, and supports conditions for consensus." (Pranis, Stuart, and Wedge 2003, 100)

 How do you begin a Circle?

Because Circles are often used to resolve conflict, build community, or deal with difficult issues, it is important to start in what has been called "a good way." The Circle is therefore begun with an opening ceremony, which can be a song, moment of silence, or poetry reading. Following the opening ceremony is often a "check-in" round, where the talking piece is passed to allow participants the time to express their current feelings in either a brief statement or longer sharing. The purpose of this ritual is to put participants at ease, but also to mark the transition from the hectic pace of our everyday lives into the space of Circle.

  • "Circles have rituals for opening, for discussing problems and solutions, and for closing. The opening ritual marks the sacredness of the Circle and prepares everyone to be there in a good way." (Boyes-Watson 2001, 20)
  • "Openings are intended to help us shift our focus from our separateness to our relatedness. Good Circle openings invite us into a space where personal values count, where it's okay to express intense feelings, where spiritual experiences aren't dismissed, where seeking meaning in our lives matters, and where mutual respect, understanding, and trust are shared priorities." (Pranis, Stuart, and Wedge 2003, 135)

 How do you end the Circle?

Regardless of where the discussion leads, it is important to end the Circle as it is begun, in "a good way." This means giving everyone the opportunity to share where they are at with what has happened in the Circle, even if it is just one sentence or even just one word. Similar to an opening, it is also good to end with music, poetry, or other reading that helps reconnect the group before they leave Circle.

  • "The closing of a Circle is as important as its opening, and it can have multiple parts as well. To close the gathering in 'a good way', the keepers review points of agreement and disagreement; participants share their final views and what they see as next steps; then the keepers initiate a closing round of reflection and introduce a closing ceremony." (Pranis, Stuart, and Wedge 2003, 145)

 How do Circles work?

Peacemaking Circles can help foster a deep level of connection between individuals in the midst of conflict or between those with no previous connection by offering a space that is safe and open. In utilizing a talking piece, developing group guidelines, and through shared story telling, Circle participants work to develop trust and understanding. Circles run counter to the traditionally Western styles of meeting by focusing on introductions and trust building prior to exploring issues or problem solving.

In Circle there is an intimacy in facing the group without the obstruction of tables as well as in being given the opportunity to speak without interruption. At the same time, Circle is more than just "rearranging the furniture." It is really about connection as well as being an invitation to change the way individuals and communities interact. In the words of Harold Gatensby, a Tlingit First Nations leader, and Practitioner and Trainer of Circles, "The Circle is just a way of sitting and counseling on an equal basis. This is a starting place that will get us back to a healthier place."

  • "Circles are a values-led and profoundly democratic, egalitarian and spiritual process. The Circle process intentionally creates a sacred space which helps to lift barriers between people and open up fresh possibilities for connection, collaboration and mutual understanding." (Roca website)
  • "The Circle process is a gentle invitation to change one's relationship to oneself, to the community, and to the wider universe. It offers an awakening of connection and purpose beyond the myriad of differences that keep people apart and in conflict with one another." (Boyes-Watson 2001, 18)
  • "Circles are about practicing a new way to be in the world. They are about incrementally shifting habits and practicing to be in a different way with one another and ourselves. Circles develop skills at participation, consensus, shared leadership, and problem solving, all of which are all essential tools for genuine democracy and social justice. But Circles go deeper than that. They touch us at our spiritual core and help us see ourselves as part of a connected whole." (Boyes-Watson 2001, 21)

Sources for quotes and further reading:

  • Baldwin, Christina. Calling The Circle: The First and Future Culture. Newberg, Or.: Swan-Raven Company, 1994; reprint New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1998.
  • Bolen, Jean Shinoda. The Millionth Circle—How to Change Ourselves and the World: The Essential Guide to Women's Circles. Berkeley, California: Conari Press, 1999.
  • Boyes-Watson, Carolyn. "Healing the Wounds of Street Violence: Peacemaking Circles and Community Youth Development." CYD Journal, Volume 2, No. 4 (2001): 16-21.
  • Boyes-Watson, Carolyn. Holding the Space: The Journey of Circles at Roca. Boston, Mass.: The Center for Restorative Justice at Suffolk University, 2002.
  • Engel, Beverly. Women Circling the Earth: A Guide to Fostering Community, Healing, and Empowerment. Deerfield Beach, Fla.: Health Communications, 2000.
  • Garfield, Charles, Cindy Spring, and Sedonia Cahill. Wisdom Circles: A Guide to Self-Discovery and Community Building in Small Groups. New York: Hyperion, 1998.
  • Lewis, Greg. "Teaching and Learning in Circle." Conflict Management in Higher Education Report, Volume 3, Number 2 (2003): 1-11.
  • Pranis, Kay. 2001. "Going around in circles." Hearts & Hands: Minnesota's Restorative Justice Newsletter Winter/Spring: 1 (2001): 1-6.
  • Pranis, Kay, and Stuart, Barry, and Wedge, Mark. Peacemaking Circles: From Crime to Community. St. Paul, MN: Living Justice Press, 2003.
  • Pranis, Kay. The Little Book Of Circle Processes: A New/old Approach To Peacemaking. Intercourse, Pennsylvania: Good Books, 2005.

Web resources:

Acknowledgments:

We are eternally grateful to our teachers from the Yukon, particularly Harold Gatensby for his guidance and inspiration. Harold, along with Gwen Chandler-Rhivers, a Circle trainer and consultant from Minnesota, and Sayra Pinto, Director of the Working Coalition for Latino Students in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, have helped us tremendously in our exploration of the Circle.

We are also grateful to all at Roca, Inc., especially its Executive Director, Molly Baldwin, as well as Anisha Chablani and Saroeum Phoung for walking us through our first Circle experiences. We have been fortunate to meet many others who have inspired and taught us along the way, including, Carolyn Boyes-Watson, Director of the Center for Restorative Justice at Suffolk University, and Kay Pranis, Restorative Justice Planner and Circle Trainer from Minnesota.                  

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