Workshops and Camps in The Circle Way
The Circle Way is a process in progress, a way that has been developing for forty years in the circles and teachings of Manitonquat, Wampanoag elder, storyteller, philosopher, poet and co-founder of many schools and communities.
The theoretical basis of The Circle Way derives initially from the traditional wisdom of native elders throughout North America and their instructions to Manitonquat to make their knowledge know to the world. That story and how it developed is explained in the books Return to Creation and The Original Instructions by Manitonquat. Together with his Swedish wife Ellika Lindén and adding understanding from contemporary humanistic psychology and tools adapted from Re-evaluation Counseling, The Circle Way has continued since 1983 to develop through prison circles in America and workshops and tribal family camps in ten European countries. Out of these a community has begun in Europe and others are being planned adapting the ancient ways of the circle to create a culture that lives lightly upon the Earth following the needs of human beings for connection and closeness, for meaning, fun and creativity.
The Circle Way is about connection. It is about relationship. Relationship to ourselves, to our families, to our work, our goals and dreams, to the Earth and all life, and to the cosmic drama of which we are all a part. Manitonquat believes it was the circle that made our ancestors human and that our pervasive isolation within our culture contradicts and reduces our humanity. The purpose of the circle, he says, is for people to support one another and build their lives together. To effect this and help people connect more deeply he has developed tools that are interesting, creative, fun and inspiring.
Typical reactions at the last circle of a workshop or camp are:
“I can’t believe I got so close to complete strangers in such a short time! It’s like I have a new family!”
“This is the way human beings are supposed to live.”
“Now the task will be how can we spread this and create such a life for ourselves and our children.”
The Circle Way, The Basics
The greatest number of problems facing us are caused by us and could be eliminated by us at once, yes, this very moment by simple agreements that all of us could comprehend by paying attention to each other. (Read more...) -Manitonquat, September 2013
More about the Circle Way
Blog posts about The Circle Way
The Circle Way Overview
From the ancient wisdom carried by elders of many indigenous cultures we may distill three basic instructions for a good life, a good society, and a good world. When followed they will maintain human happiness and well-being, benefiting all of life. (Read more...)
Circle Way Leadership
Leadership is necessary. For people to work together as a group it is necessary that there be leadership. When people in a group understand the dynamics of leadership and take various leadership roles, responsibility, in other words, for the different elements that will make a successful outcome, a reaching of the group goal, the functioning of the group is more smooth, efficient, and rewarding for everyone in the group. (Read more...)
The Circle Way by Paul Beich
Our world is in a deep crisis. The way we humans have been living for the past hundreds and thousands of years has brought us to a moment in which we humans must radically change the way we live. If we are to survive, we have no choice except to drastically change how we live. (Read more...)