the circle
Dear friends and colleagues,
Fundamental to the success of a meeting using Open Space Technology is the
circle. Way back many decades ago, lots of us who got attracted to OST were
already studying the importance, cross culturally, universally, of the
circle.I did a deep dive into studying the circle and after three years of
the study I needed to pull myself back and simply accept the power of the
circle. A great source of learning about mythology was Joseph
Campbell. Here is a link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybdfuH6KUOQ to a
brief interview of Joseph Campbell talking about the circle.
What resources have you used to understand the power of the circle better?
Birgitt
Birgitt Williams
*Senior consultant-author-mentor to leaders and consultants *
Specialist in organizational and systemic transformation, leadership
development, and the benefits of nourishing a culture of leadership.
www.dalarinternational.com
Upcoming Workshops
Holistic Leadership Development | January 5-10, 2026 | Online
Learn More & Register
https://www.dalarinternational.com/register/hld-2026/ for any of these
workshops here.
Go to www.genuinecontact.net http://www.genuinecontact.net to see the
public Genuine Contact training and mentoring options by Genuine Contact
trainers internationally. If you wish to schedule an "in-house" training
for people in your organization, please contact me, Birgitt Williams
birgitt@dalarinternational.com, via email to set up a consultation to
discern what is the best option to meet your development goals.
16 Sunny Acres Dr., Etowah, North Carolina, USA 28729
Phone: 01-919-522-7750
Like us on Facebook
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Hi Birgit,
I just posted an email about drum circles and open space....and then I saw this email!
What serendipity and synchronicity!!!
Didn't Joseph Campbell, via his mentor Carl Jung, also talk about synchronicity?
In answer to your question about 'resources' used to understand the power of the circle, I've experimented with drum circles.
Here's the body of the email I posted:
Please excuse me if this turns out to be one of my hypnopompic musings that are far from reality.
I'm reflecting on my interest in drum circles and open space, and possibilities of how the two can work together. I tried it last year at an OS event I organised. I facilitated a drum circle after a full day's worth of open space (after the closing circle), and it worked really well.
Non-verbal, embodiment of communication and alignment? Tapping into a more deeply primal, somatic, pre-verbal, pre-language.... ancient and foundational mode of connection?
I recently read this somewhere "drum circles are highly effective at flattening corporate hierarchies, [and] bridging communication gaps..."
It reminds me of open space.
Is there some shared DNA? Could this be truly useful, especially in an age when the power of somatics is becoming more and more evident?
Any further thoughts from anyone?
Have a lovely day, night... wherever you are in the world!
From: Birgitt Williams via OSList everyone@oslist.org
Sent: 20 May 2026 02:20
To: OS list everyone@oslist.org
Subject: [OSList] the circle
Dear friends and colleagues,
Fundamental to the success of a meeting using Open Space Technology is the circle. Way back many decades ago, lots of us who got attracted to OST were already studying the importance, cross culturally, universally, of the circle.I did a deep dive into studying the circle and after three years of the study I needed to pull myself back and simply accept the power of the circle. A great source of learning about mythology was Joseph Campbell. Here is a linkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybdfuH6KUOQ to a brief interview of Joseph Campbell talking about the circle.
What resources have you used to understand the power of the circle better?
Birgitt
Birgitt Williams
Senior consultant-author-mentor to leaders and consultants
Specialist in organizational and systemic transformation, leadership development, and the benefits of nourishing a culture of leadership.
www.dalarinternational.comhttp://www.dalarinternational.com/
Upcoming Workshops
Holistic Leadership Development | January 5-10, 2026 | Online
Learn More & Registerhttps://www.dalarinternational.com/register/hld-2026/ for any of these workshops here.
Go to www.genuinecontact.nethttp://www.genuinecontact.net/ to see the public Genuine Contact training and mentoring options by Genuine Contact trainers internationally. If you wish to schedule an "in-house" training for people in your organization, please contact me, Birgitt Williamsmailto:birgitt@dalarinternational.com, via email to set up a consultation to discern what is the best option to meet your development goals.
[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4yeZVf5V4yv3n0uWMWOzEr8VoVyoZcaZP9A8B5a12PLTLtbOnvyqv4aOnUEydYAIR65miWTIav8x39A]
16 Sunny Acres Dr., Etowah, North Carolina, USA 28729
Phone: 01-919-522-7750
Like us on Facebookhttps://dalarinternational.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35ed818c946a88ba7344da05f&id=6677c35b38&e=e7zyhHfiqG
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Dear Birgitt,
Thank you for sharing the interview - I enjoyed it very much. A wonderful
reminder of the power of the circle.
I’m not such a dedicated researcher through reading books. I’m feel as if
I’m a learning by doing person - the power of the circle - I’ve
experienced. And it feels like the knowledge about the power of the circle
is stored in my body.
I can immediately reconnect to moments where I was facilitating groups and
conflict arose and transformed, joy came out or tears … I’m also
remembering moments at a monthly fire gathering, the song and sharing at
the fire that transformed us.
The Genuine Contact Way of working includes working with the Medicine Wheel
Tool, and I’m reminded of so many times in nature or indoors, walking the
wheel, experiencing new insights “downloading” in real time as I’m in the
circle.
These diverse circle experiences are sitting inside me as a foundation, an
anchor. The trust, and knowing how healing and powerful the circle is an
invaluable gift, resource and contribution to my life.
I cannot wait for the next circle to be changed and uplifted by.
much Love from Berlin
Anna Caroline
P.s. that’s why I my business name includes the word “Circles”. 💞
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com http://TruthCircles.com
isaac a via OSList everyone@oslist.org schrieb am Mi. 20. Mai 2026 um
09:37:
Hi Birgit,
I just posted an email about drum circles and open space....and then I saw
this email!
What serendipity and synchronicity!!!
Didn't Joseph Campbell, via his mentor Carl Jung, also talk about
synchronicity?
In answer to your question about 'resources' used to understand the power
of the circle, I've experimented with drum circles.
Here's the body of the email I posted:
Please excuse me if this turns out to be one of my hypnopompic musings
that are far from reality.
I'm reflecting on my interest in drum circles and open space, and
possibilities of how the two can work together. I tried it last year at an
OS event I organised. I facilitated a drum circle after a full day's worth
of open space (after the closing circle), and it worked really well.
Non-verbal, embodiment of communication and alignment? Tapping into a more
deeply primal, somatic, pre-verbal, pre-language.... ancient and
foundational mode of connection?
I recently read this somewhere "drum circles are highly effective at
flattening corporate hierarchies, [and] bridging communication gaps..."
It reminds me of open space.
Is there some shared DNA? Could this be truly useful, especially in an age
when the power of somatics is becoming more and more evident?
Any further thoughts from anyone?
Have a lovely day, night... wherever you are in the world!
From: Birgitt Williams via OSList everyone@oslist.org
Sent: 20 May 2026 02:20
To: OS list everyone@oslist.org
Subject: [OSList] the circle
Dear friends and colleagues,
Fundamental to the success of a meeting using Open Space Technology is the
circle. Way back many decades ago, lots of us who got attracted to OST were
already studying the importance, cross culturally, universally, of the
circle.I did a deep dive into studying the circle and after three years of
the study I needed to pull myself back and simply accept the power of the
circle. A great source of learning about mythology was Joseph
Campbell. Here is a link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybdfuH6KUOQ to
a brief interview of Joseph Campbell talking about the circle.
What resources have you used to understand the power of the circle better?
Birgitt
Birgitt Williams
*Senior consultant-author-mentor to leaders and consultants *
Specialist in organizational and systemic transformation, leadership
development, and the benefits of nourishing a culture of leadership.
www.dalarinternational.com
Upcoming Workshops
Holistic Leadership Development | January 5-10, 2026 | Online
Learn More & Register
https://www.dalarinternational.com/register/hld-2026/ for any of these
workshops here.
Go to www.genuinecontact.net http://www.genuinecontact.net/ to see the
public Genuine Contact training and mentoring options by Genuine Contact
trainers internationally. If you wish to schedule an "in-house" training
for people in your organization, please contact me, Birgitt Williams
birgitt@dalarinternational.com, via email to set up a consultation to
discern what is the best option to meet your development goals.
16 Sunny Acres Dr., Etowah, North Carolina, USA 28729
Phone: 01-919-522-7750
Like us on Facebook
https://dalarinternational.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35ed818c946a88ba7344da05f&id=6677c35b38&e=e7zyhHfiqG
Connect on LinkedIn
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Understanding circle power?
Simpler (= I save a lot of my time and resources) to just recognize, honor
& access its power.
Because I always wonder what is real and what is my imagination, frequently
while still in circle I open doors to individual inquiry. One way is by
framing a check-out question that includes: "how am I different from the me
that walked into this room?" and the most powerful personal reveals emerge.
Q: How might I describe what happens then?
A: We have access to more awareness that we are indeed a different "we,"
given all the individually impacted "mes." At least for me that's enough to
launch me freshly into what i, myself, am to do next -- in this new
context. No need to wait or understand.
I discerned my place within it. I listen for our collective yearning. I
listen for the collective path forward, and my own place within it.
Once I sense my action is informed by spirit, it's time. Game on. Get to
it, Jane!
Jane
Thank you for the contemplative moment 🌸
Jane E. Lewis 柳 芝 蓮
+886 (0)932 259 844
JaneELewis@gmail.com
Jane
Jane E. Lewis 柳 芝 蓮
Studio Tainan
+886 (0)932 259 844
JaneELewis@gmail.com
On Wed, May 20, 2026, 09:20 Birgitt Williams via OSList everyone@oslist.org
wrote:
Dear friends and colleagues,
Fundamental to the success of a meeting using Open Space Technology is the
circle. Way back many decades ago, lots of us who got attracted to OST were
already studying the importance, cross culturally, universally, of the
circle.I did a deep dive into studying the circle and after three years of
the study I needed to pull myself back and simply accept the power of the
circle. A great source of learning about mythology was Joseph
Campbell. Here is a link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybdfuH6KUOQ to
a brief interview of Joseph Campbell talking about the circle.
What resources have you used to understand the power of the circle better?
Birgitt
Birgitt Williams
*Senior consultant-author-mentor to leaders and consultants *
Specialist in organizational and systemic transformation, leadership
development, and the benefits of nourishing a culture of leadership.
www.dalarinternational.com
Upcoming Workshops
Holistic Leadership Development | January 5-10, 2026 | Online
Learn More & Register
https://www.dalarinternational.com/register/hld-2026/ for any of these
workshops here.
Go to www.genuinecontact.net http://www.genuinecontact.net to see the
public Genuine Contact training and mentoring options by Genuine Contact
trainers internationally. If you wish to schedule an "in-house" training
for people in your organization, please contact me, Birgitt Williams
birgitt@dalarinternational.com, via email to set up a consultation to
discern what is the best option to meet your development goals.
16 Sunny Acres Dr., Etowah, North Carolina, USA 28729
https://www.google.com/maps/search/16+Sunny+Acres+Dr.,+Etowah,+North+Carolina,+USA+28729?entry=gmail&source=g
Phone: 01-919-522-7750
Like us on Facebook
https://dalarinternational.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35ed818c946a88ba7344da05f&id=6677c35b38&e=e7zyhHfiqG
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Hi Jane,
Your message showed up as all blacked out. When I hit reply, I can see blue letters. Is that true for others? If so, below, I changed the black/blue to white/black so your delicious reflection is visible.
Peggy
Understanding circle power?
Simpler (= I save a lot of my time and resources) to just recognize, honor & access its power.
Because I always wonder what is real and what is my imagination, frequently while still in circle I open doors to individual inquiry. One way is by framing a check-out question that includes: "how am I different from the me that walked into this room?" and the most powerful personal reveals emerge.
Q: How might I describe what happens then?
A: We have access to more awareness that we are indeed a different "we," given all the individually impacted "mes." At least for me that's enough to launch me freshly into what i, myself, am to do next -- in this new context. No need to wait or understand.
I discerned my place within it. I listen for our collective yearning. I listen for the collective path forward, and my own place within it.
Once I sense my action is informed by spirit, it's time. Game on. Get to it, Jane!
Jane
Thank you for the contemplative moment 🌸
Jane E. Lewis 柳 芝 蓮
+886 (0)932 259 844 <>
JaneELewis@gmail.com <> <>
<>
On May 25, 2026, at 3:58 PM, Jane Lewis via OSList everyone@oslist.org wrote:
Understanding circle power?
Simpler (= I save a lot of my time and resources) to just recognize, honor & access its power.
Because I always wonder what is real and what is my imagination, frequently while still in circle I open doors to individual inquiry. One way is by framing a check-out question that includes: "how am I different from the me that walked into this room?" and the most powerful personal reveals emerge.
Q: How might I describe what happens then?
A: We have access to more awareness that we are indeed a different "we," given all the individually impacted "mes." At least for me that's enough to launch me freshly into what i, myself, am to do next -- in this new context. No need to wait or understand.
I discerned my place within it. I listen for our collective yearning. I listen for the collective path forward, and my own place within it.
Once I sense my action is informed by spirit, it's time. Game on. Get to it, Jane!
Jane
Thank you for the contemplative moment 🌸
Jane E. Lewis 柳 芝 蓮
+886 (0)932 259 844 <>
JaneELewis@gmail.com <> <>
Jane
Jane E. Lewis 柳 芝 蓮
Studio Tainan
+886 (0)932 259 844 <>
JaneELewis@gmail.com <> <>
On Wed, May 20, 2026, 09:20 Birgitt Williams via OSList <everyone@oslist.org mailto:everyone@oslist.org> wrote:
Dear friends and colleagues,
Fundamental to the success of a meeting using Open Space Technology is the circle. Way back many decades ago, lots of us who got attracted to OST were already studying the importance, cross culturally, universally, of the circle.I did a deep dive into studying the circle and after three years of the study I needed to pull myself back and simply accept the power of the circle. A great source of learning about mythology was Joseph Campbell. Here is a link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybdfuH6KUOQ to a brief interview of Joseph Campbell talking about the circle.
What resources have you used to understand the power of the circle better?
Birgitt
Birgitt Williams
Senior consultant-author-mentor to leaders and consultants
Specialist in organizational and systemic transformation, leadership development, and the benefits of nourishing a culture of leadership.
www.dalarinternational.com http://www.dalarinternational.com/
Upcoming Workshops
Holistic Leadership Development | January 5-10, 2026 | Online
Learn More & Register https://www.dalarinternational.com/register/hld-2026/ for any of these workshops here.
Go to www.genuinecontact.net http://www.genuinecontact.net/ to see the public Genuine Contact training and mentoring options by Genuine Contact trainers internationally. If you wish to schedule an "in-house" training for people in your organization, please contact me, Birgitt Williams mailto:birgitt@dalarinternational.com, via email to set up a consultation to discern what is the best option to meet your development goals.
16 Sunny Acres Dr., Etowah, North Carolina, USA 28729 https://www.google.com/maps/search/16+Sunny+Acres+Dr.,+Etowah,+North+Carolina,+USA+28729?entry=gmail&source=g
Phone: 01-919-522-7750
Like us on Facebook https://dalarinternational.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35ed818c946a88ba7344da05f&id=6677c35b38&e=e7zyhHfiqG
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To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org
See the archives here: https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org