Make A Circle

The Project People warmly invite you to join us for our first Make A Circle gathering; a facilitated sharing circle to connect with our authentic self, our stories and the stories of those we share the space with.

As an organisation, mindfulness is at our heart. We are incredibly excited to be introducing circle practice into our offerings. This is the first of many Make A Circle gatherings - there will be space for feedback and this will be greatly appreciated.

Make A Circle is a queer and trans+ inclusive space and we expect those coming to our circle to share this ethos.

Date: Thursday 8th May

Time: 6:45pm - 8:30pm

Location: Shai Space, Peckham

Price: £10

You’ll need: nothing but an open heart, or the yearn to have one.

WHAT IS CIRCLE?

Circle is a facilitated gathering; a space to make connections, share stories, and to actively listen to other people you may never have met other than in this space. Our circle is not a spiritual space by definition, but if this is part of your practice then that is totally welcomed. The magic here is created by a group of people sharing a commitment to speak and be listened to, without judgement. We talk. We listen. We drink tea. Lovely!

Life can be noisy and we’re constantly told to slow down and be quieter. Perhaps we’re told this because as humans it's what we yearn for, yet those spaces of quiet can be hard to find. We’re always doing something, or trying to build something - we pose that the real ‘doing’ is in a space of stillness. But mindfulness can often feel retracted - encouraging us to retreat and to be alone. We believe the quiet rebellion of finding peace can be found in the company of others.

Talking our truths can sometimes feel uncomfy. We encourage people to sit in that space, to be curious within it, and bravely step forward to share with others what comes to them in the moment - this is where deep, inner healing can happen - however, there is no expectation to share. Do what feels right to you, in that moment!

We need community and connection - but this can be tricky when we can’t find the space to connect with ourselves. In a society where we’re constantly making things happen - what happens when all we need to make is this circle?

WHO IS IT FOR?

Our circle sessions are for all women, trans+, non-binary people and those that don't adhere to gender. Make A Circle is a queer and trans+ championing space.

Millie pays deep found thanks and homage to brilliant Gemmy Brady at Sister Stories who conducted her Circle Facilitation Training with which she has recently completed. The lineage of the circle is often found with circles of women gathering to connect with the divine feminine.

Our community is richly diverse and as such have created a space that celebrates this.

ACCESS

Shai Space is not wheelchair accessible.

We can always do more to make spaces feel safer and more inclusive. If you would like to offer any suggestions or feedback on how we can do this for you, this is welcomed.

Please email us hello@theprojectpeople.co.uk

WHAT WILL HAPPEN?

6:45pm - We invite everyone joining to arrive 15 minutes before we sit in our circle, to get a feel for the space and to share ‘hellos’ over a cup of tea.

7pm - We will sit in our circle and start with a grounding exercise and meditation to step over the threshold from the day we have come from, into the circle we’re going to.

We’ll be posed with a question prompt, which you can hold lightly or tightly for when you share.

We will then open the circle for sharing and it will remain open until the end of our session.

8:30pm - Together, we will close the circle.

Please note - we will not be able to permit latecomers once the circle is open so please arrive on or, preferably, before 7pm.

SHARED GUIDELINES:

There will be a reminder of these before we open the circle, but please make sure you read all of the guidelines to make sure this space feels resonant for you.

Everyone will have a chance to share.

The talking piece that will make its way around the circle will indicate whose turn it is to share. You can share as much or as little as you like - come as you are and how you feel in this moment. There is no right or wrong! If we are running out of time, we will indicate this with a chime - this just gently means to start closing your share and to pass on to the next person.

This is a space of no judgement and we are not here to fix people or give advice.

We warmly ask you not to respond verbally to individuals once they have shared. If you want to and it feels comfortable to do so, you may place a hand over your heart after someone has shared to indicate the active listening to the story you’ve witnessed. You could also send your energy in that person's direction if this resonates.

We kindly ask that when you do not have the talking piece, you do not talk.

In this position you are the active listeners and we invite everyone to pay particular attention when you are doing this. Being listened to, in this noisy world, is what we find truly special. We hope you feel it too!

Make A Circle is a confidential space - anything shared in circle, will stay within that circle.

You may feel a particular pull or resonance to someone's story - this is a beautiful thing to occur. However, please do not presume that the person who shared wants to talk about it further once we have closed the circle. Please allow the individual to make that choice, as they will for you.

HOW WILL I FEEL?

We can’t predict how you’ll feel after joining Make a Circle - this is not an outcome based space, but an experience based space. But we can safely say that if you’re craving new spaces, trying something new and yearning for a place where you can be unapologetically you - leaving the strict boundaries of everyday life at the door - then this space is for you. If you’ve been trying to carve out time for mindful practice, then this space is for you.

If you’ve been trying to utilise your Mindspace subscription or make that weekly yoga class, you’ve got a busy brain but retreating by yourself doesn’t always help, then perhaps circle is what you’ve been needing.

Ultimately, if you’re curious - then this space is for you.

Carving out this time, out of the mundane routines of life, has got us coming back to circle time and time again. We truly hope that it will be the same for you.

With love,

Millie & Molly - co-founders of The Project People x