Handbook for Facilitating Peacemaking circles
The peacemaking circle is a process that brings together individuals who wish to engage in conflict resolution, healing, support, decision making or other activities in which honest communications, relationship development, and community building are core desired outcomes.
"Circles" offer an alternative to contemporary meeting processes that often rely on hierarchy, win-lose positioning, and victim/rescuer approaches to relationships and problem solving.
Derived from aboriginal and native traditions, circles bring people together in a way that creates trust, respect, intimacy, good will, belonging, generosity, mutuality and reciprocity. The process is never about "changing others", but rather is an invitation to change oneself and one’s relationship with the community.
Peacemaking Circles intentionally create a sacred space that lifts barriers between people, opening fresh possibilities for connection, collaboration, and understanding. These circles can hold the tensions and emotions that contribute to healing. The process is never about changing others, but rather is an invitation to change one’s relationship with oneself, to the community, and to the wider universe.
Peacemaking Circle work lessens power differences of role and position. Rather than back-and-forth dialogue, circles rely on the learning that comes from the collective wisdom embedded in the experiences and stories of all participants.
This is a guide for facilitating peacemaking circles to everyone who wants to help people to use this method. Explained with details and real cases.
