TALKING CIRCLES

Native people regard the circle as the principal symbol for understanding life's mysteries, for they observed that it was impressed everywhere in nature. People looked out on the physical world through the eye, which is circular. The earth was round, so were the sun, moon and planets. The rising and setting of the sun followed a circular motion. The seasons formed a circle. Birds build their nests in circles. Animals marked their territories in circles. In the old days, houses or shelters were built in circles, like the teepee. To Native people, the whole of life seemed to operate in circular patterns.

SUGGESTED GUIDELINES FOR TALKING CIRCLES

Welcome everyone and ask them all to sit in the circle.

- Sit in the circle.
- Leader will talk on guidelines and will smudge the circle and the area.
- Leader shares first - using the sacred element he/she desires.
- Sharing goes clockwise, giving each person an opportunity to share from the heart.
- When someone is sharing, no one is to interrupt. The leader is the only one who can.
- If a female is on her moon cycle, she can ask the person next to her to hold the sacred
element and continue to share.
- If someone does not wish to share, he/she can pass.
- The Talking Circle has no time limit. Sharing continues until everyone in the circle has an opportunity to speak. There are exceptions to that in we can set a limit but with the understanding that it might go over the time limit.

SAFETY FOR GROUP MEMBERS

Sometimes in the safety of circle, people will find themselves bringing up sensitive issues, and for that reason, it is important that they can let the subject matter drop when they are done talking.
During the break (if you have one) or after the circle, one should not go up to another person and start discussing about what that person said in their talk without asking their permission to do so. Nothing can make person distrust or close up than having to answer for something they said during the circle. Nor should anyone talk about anything personal that others have brought up in the circle.
Remember that the circle is a place of safety and a tool to help people to speak about what they are feeling and thinking. It is not a place where we are trying to solve someone's problems.

EAGLE FEATHER.

1.  Holding the eagle feather in a talking circle indicates a hunger and thirst to be truthful and alive - together in spirit with all our relations.
2.  The eagle feather connects strength, wisdom, grace and truth throughout the
   circle.
3. The eagle feather carries our exact words and thoughts to the Creator
4.  The eagle feather grieves when given a message of foul language to carry.
5. The eagle feather connects to our ancestors and they join us in the circle.
6.  The eagle feather, when passed around the circle, conveys positive or negative
   energy to the Caretaker of the feather.
7. The eagle feather carries on the Native way of life for present and future generations.
8.  A woman should not touch the eagle feather during her moon cycle.
9.  The eagle feather is to be respected and handled with reverence and gently like a new born baby.