RAIN(N) Practice:

Guidelines for Participating in the Quaker Sharing Circle:

Focus on Group: If you stay to share or witness the sharing, my request is that you turn your heart towards the camera and offer kind eyes. It's easy to get distracted online so a strong request to turn off notifications on your phone/computer. We can hold the circle as if we were in the same room in the flesh, sharing tender space with each other.

Share or Not: You don't need to share to contribute, your presence alone is a gift and widens the container. 

Silence: Like in a Quaker service, the silence between shares is part of the experience...it creates the container and deepens the compassion.

Sharing: The circle is for sharing with the earth sangha, it's not for discussion or conversation. As witnesses, we are staying with our own selves and offering non-verbal empathy, compassion and a tender breath. We welcome hearing how someone's share touched you, but please do keep the focus on your experience. It's tempting to console and give advice...please refrain from doing so. 

Comparing: Please be mindful of comparing, it can keep us separate. We are cultivating a shared humanity through this practice. If someone moves into comparing, I might remind them to notice that, and, I invite you to do the same for me as the conditioning is deep for all of us.  

I Statements: Please use "I" statements. It's so easy to move into "you" statements but this can leave us feeling separate and "talked to" rather than shared with.

Time: Because linear time is a thing, and I want every person to have the opportunity to be held in the womb of sacred reciprocity, I will trust that folks will hold themselves in relationship to the time and that the group can be in flow together around the complexities of time limitations and authentic expression.

Confidentiality: And, finally and most importantly, is to keep all sharings confidential. You are welcome to talk about your share but not others.


Feedback: I welcome any thoughts about what could make this space the right space for you to come and share in to.

With reverence, a dollop of compassion and a sprinkle of grace, I bow to you, dear sangha, and I thank you for breathing a little more gentleness into this crazy world.