Recommended Guiding Principles and Values 

 

1. Respect each participant and appreciate each other’s diversity. This is the prime requisite for consultation.

 

2. Value and consider all contributions. Belittle none. Withhold evaluation until sufficient information has been gathered.

 

3. Contribute and express opinions with complete freedom and in a safe and sacred manner.

 

4. Carefully consider the views of others. if a valid point of view has been offered, accept it as your own.

 

5. Keep to the mission at hand. 

 

6. Share in the group’s unified purpose and desire for success of the mission.

 

7. Expect the truth to emerge from the clash of differing opinions. Optimum solutions emerge from diversity of opinion 

 

8. Once stated, let go of opinions. Don’t try to ‘‘defend’’ your position, but, rather let it go. Ownership causes disharmony among the team and almost always gets in the way of finding the truth.

 

9. Contribute to maintaining a friendly atmosphere by speaking with courtesy, dignity, care, and moderation. This will promote unity and openness.

 

10. Seek consent. Remember, though, that decisions, once made, become the decision of every participant. After the group has decided, dissenting opinions are destructive to the success of the mission. 

 

We Honor The Millionth Circle Principles

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1. Create sacred space. This includes physically preparing a space to accommodate the participants in a circle, usually with a centerpiece or altar.

 

2. Listen with compassion and for wisdom. This includes listening without an agenda, suspending judgment, being curious and finding the underlying meaning in others' statements. Also, it is listening for wisdom as it comes through each participant.

 

3. Speak from your heart and experience. Speak one at a time. This includes saying what is true for you and speaking to the center of the circle, not to another individual. We offer our experience and feelings to the circle, not our advice. Also, we speak one at a time and invoke a talking piece when needed, to ensure that all are heard.

 

4. Invite silence and reflection when needed, in you and in the circle. This includes listening to our own inner guidance before speaking. Also, we request silence and reflection in the circle when we feel it is needed.

 

5. Take responsibility for your experience and your impact on the circle. This includes demonstrating self-respect and self-restraint. We self-monitor to ensure that our needs and expectations are being met. We ensure our contribution adds to the positive experience of all in the circle.

 

6. Keep the confidence of the circle. This refers to our confidentiality agreements. What is spoken in the circle, stays in the circle to help ensure a safe environment for sharing our experiences and feelings.

 

7. Make decisions, when needed, by consensus. This refers to our decision making process. Should a circle need to make a decision, it is generally desirable to come to a consensus. These guidelines can be used as a starting point for group agreements in any circle, knowing that each group will add or delete as they see fit.