Council
Everyone is welcome in council. Council is one way we can tend the soul of the world. Our society is currently focused on division, with language and identity; Council is not.
What Is Council?
The Latin word concilium, from which the word council derives, means “a gathering of people.” As we use the term, council refers to an intentional, set-aside time and place in which people come together.
Some use the word “sacred” to describe this special space, though council does not connote any particular spiritual tradition. As a practice, the way of council helps us define WHERE, WHEN, WHO, WHAT and HOW we gather together.
We create a circle, in a particular place, for a given length of time, and invite individuals to come together with the intention to listen and speak from the heart.
Council is a practice in which individuals deepen self-awareness, groups find cohesion, and communities build bridges.
- Council is not therapy; nobody purports to hold more authority or wisdom than anyone else.
- Council is not religion; there is no dogma or belief system that is elevated or preferenced over any other.
- Council is not gossip; the focus is on personal stories, not judgment or opinions of others.
- Council is not casual; the form is intended to create a strong container for sharing vulnerably and inviting the emergence of collective wisdom.
- Council is not fixed; it is a dynamic and emergent co-creation of participants who bring their good intention to the gathering, in service of themselves and others.
- Council is not exclusive; by including everything, seen and unseen, shadow and light, nothing is ignored.
Why Council Matters
Given the times and challenges, there is a serious necessity to circle in community around what matters. As we face the changing climate and its effect on our lands and sociopolitical fractures, we know that Council is an antidote to fearful isolation.
In Council, we listen for our ancestors and the natural world through the wisdom of dreams, symbols, myths and personal stories that inform the collective story.
Dis-ease is often the consequence of having been separated from the Earth ways. To gather with people in times of crisis, personal and collective, to remember humanity and heart is an action we all can take.
The tradition of Council offers us a structure and ceremony to return us to balance and wholeness.
What Happens in Council
Council is a practice of communal presence through listening with heart. In council we do not announce ourselves with titles or roles, hierarchy or status. We sit in a circle of equality and humble acknowledgment of our place of belonging here as a beloved member of a human circle.
At its heart, Council invites us to listen deeply, speak honestly, and become more aware of ourselves and our community. The circle recognizes that something meaningful can emerge when we come together with openness, attention, and a willingness to share.
- Listen from your heart.
- Speak from your heart.
- Be spontaneous.
- Be lean & to the point.
Listening from and Speaking from the Heart
- We listen deeply, bringing our fullest attention to the speaker, suspending judgement for the good of the council, and tending our own experience.
- We allow something deeper than mental information to be shared, waiting until a centered energy moves through — often as surprising to the speaker as the listener.
- We allow heart a voice when we slow down, become present, and risk sharing whatever vulnerable truth is available for expression.
- We use “I” statements, avoid crosstalk or teachings, tell our stories, and avoid philosophizing and sharing facts and what we know to be true.
- We do not edit or prepare for what is shared in council.
- We are spontaneous and honest, trusting the small, still voice.
The Heart of Council
- The truth resides in the center of the circle and becomes known in the world when we participate fully.
- No one holds more wisdom than all of us.
- What remains unconscious keeps us prisoner.
- Emptying with vulnerability and witness is soulful hygiene and clears us for our work with spirit and soul.
I look forward to being with you in council. While council may be held remotely, it is much preferred and best in person.