Way of Council
What is Way of Council about ?
The Way of Council is an ancient and modern practice, a structure for holding conversations, where each participant truly listens and truly shares. From waysofcouncil.net : “Council offers a way of communicating that encourages attentive listening, as well as honest and compassionate expression. It makes room for new insights and understandings, wisdom in decision making, and healing. As a personal practice, a group process and a life-pathway, council is an intrinsic ingredient of our education at any age and especially important for families, guides, teachers, therapists, caregivers or anyone whose work involves groups.”
Way of Council can be used to foster community & connection, for wisdom sharing, for groups decision making, storytelling, and conflict resolution
Audience
Is participant experience relevant for Way of Council ?
Audience description for Way of Council
Adults, children, disempowered people, organisations, groups, communities, schools, prisons, couples, families, and more.
Requirements
a space where everyone can sit in a circle and won’t be interrupted by sound or weather
Run Through
Arrange the room so that the entire group can sit in a circle (on chairs or cushions) without a table or any furniture in the centre. Everyone should be able to see everyone else without straining.
If possible, it is ideal for everyone to be seated on the floor on cushions with back support for whoever wants it.
It can be really nice to put something beautiful at the centre of the circle: flowers, fabrics, candles, and objects that are relevant to the topic of the gathering.
It is also good to have a talking piece: an object that can be passed around and held by the speaker. Something that is related to the theme of the conversation, something light enough to be passed around but heavy enough to feel substantial is ideal.
Meditation, drumming, singing or something like that to make a transition from the hustle and bustle of everyday life into a ceremonial or intentional setting.
Introduction
Light the candle & begin
Pose a question, present the theme, or come up with one together
Closing
Online
Way of Council works very well online! An adaptation can be that the host of the council names who the talking piece goes to next. Or the speaker can choose who is next until all have spoken.
Variations
Material for
Impact
project
ERASMUS +
Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union. Find more information about the program and its goals here: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
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