adam shand

1. Short guided meditation and then silence (~ 10 min)
2. Thank and welcome the group
   • especially newcomers
3. Agreements
   • What happens in circle is strictly confidential
   • We do our own work at our own pace
     • it's okay to pass and it's okay to say “no”
   • We welcome silence
     • sometimes silence is required for a man's work, pay attention!
   • We are not here to advise, fix or save each other
     • we use I statements
     • we don't need to figure anything out, resolve things, achieve catharsis etc
   • But we are here with the intention of helping each other explore
     • we try to ask open questions, which allow us to be surprised by the answer
     • not about satisfying our own curiosity
     • ask what might help this man see something new?
     • analogy of being in the woods with a flashlight, “i heard something over there, did you?”
   • With a generous spirit of learning and growing, we will hold each other accountable to these agreements
     • it's not about policing it's about honouring our work and trying to get old habits out of each others way
   • We start and finish on time
     • please arrive a little early with the intention of staying to the end
   • Questions or concerns? Does everyone agree?
4. Volunteers
   • Time keeper, cleaning up
5. Check in
   • possibly focusing on heart (feelings) and body (sensations)
6. I were to explore something tonight it would be
   • it’s okay for the circle to request that somebody speak if their exploration was interesting (even if low finger score)
   • doesn’t have to be big, but try and name a place in your life where there is a tension or a difficulty which could be explored
   • there is no obligation to do work just because you’ve named something
7. Finger ranking for urgency
8. Work rounds as time allows
9. Check out
   • reminder that this is not about other men

​