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2.5 | What have you learned from/observed in practicing with the Wisdom Circle in your team?
Below, you will see the Session #2 reflection questions. Please answer these questions at the bottom of the screen.
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44 Replies
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I’ve learned that I love this process and am keeping my eyes open for opportunities in my work at the EPA to apply the wisdom circle practice- so far, haven’t found the time nor opportunity. I learned that the power of just listening and ASKING QUESTIONS as opposed to offering advice, is far more conducive to deeper engagement and connection.
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As a group, we come up with caring and wise observations for each situation and/or conflict. By sharing and incorporating multiple approaches, the participants acquire a new look and perspective. As looking at things from the top of the mountain or with an eagle’s eye, we create more space and deeper understanding. This particular aspect of the process seems essential to me to transform and reinvent our habitual responses to the culture of decision making within an organization.
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Hi, Team 09! I cherish each of you and the Wisdom Circle we do! In our last Wisdom Circle, I felt my needs were heard and acknowledged. I felt re-energized by the collective wisdom shared by each of you! You are all kind, thoughtful, and generous people. Thank you very much for showing up and caring! Happy and grateful, Ban 🙂
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My Team’s Wisdom Circle was very helpful to me when I presented. Once we realized that we understood each others’ native languages, we spoke in our native languages, and that was a relaxing gift. I was not sure that I would feel better or learn something new in resolving my issue, and, fortunately I was mistaken. The inquiries from my mates helped me clarify issues related to my attitude and its roots and the contextual factors that exacerbated my negative feelings. In the sharing their related experiences I, and they, realized that while the experiences had nothing in common, the central issues were the same. Elements of how they resolved those issues helped me to see mine in a new light. I went into the process apprehensive and feeling the weight of the issue I broached, and when we ended I felt lighter and excited about new possibilities in the resolution of my issue.We all agreed the Wisdom Circle is very wise!
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Due to team members who have withdrawn or were unavailable this month, our wisdom circle was just two of us. We went with a more of a give and take than the full Wisdom Circle process, but I was still grateful for a couple of key insights that a caring third party presented. I would say that is my key learning: I too often assume I have to “figure things out for myself,” and the practice of being able to seek the perspectives of others is helpful.
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Meeting everyone where they are at, in that moment, and adjusting the agenda to attend to group dynamics. It makes me think about how important this is in the work setting, whereby spending time at the beginning and end of each meeting checking in, to really see each other in their humanity, helps create context, color and connectedness to each person and the work we are striving to achieve together. So often, it is easy to dive in without seeing one another and missed opportunities arise as a result.
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I have learned that I deeply yearn for this type of connection. This has been a profound experience. I absolutely love the wisdom circles and I learn and grow each time I engage in one.
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Our team is getting stronger all the time – better at asking powerful questions, trusting each other and meeting each other where we are. It has been amazing to see and feel the range of different issues that this collective is able to address and the power of all our different experiences, perspectives, connection and support even where we are not at all “domain” experts.
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I love connecting with my sisters in the wisdom circle. Listening and supporting in the circle I am reminded of how much we share as human beings…we struggle, we love, we grow – we learn from each other…
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I have been observing my joy of connecting with my Wisdom Circle 🙂 I have also noticed judgements surfacing and I would like to become more curious about that.
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I mostly have feedback that these check-ins are much needed and would be great to be done more frequently!
I have also observed that I am craving some community in my mindfulness practice. Aside from this current course, I am not linked in to a local group in a committed way.
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The first time we held our Wisdom Circle, I approached it with some nervousness. This time round, I noticed an absence of nervousness, which was replaced by a warmth and eagerness. I could sense this eagerness in others, too, as we delved into a topic of urgent concern to one of our circle members. Like last time, I left this gathering with a sense of connectedness and gratitude.
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I was the beneficiary of the wisdom circle and I found it to be calming, grounding, and perspective shifting. I don’t like the rigity of the timing because that adds an element of stress and it seems like people have a lot more to say than their one minute allows.
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Unfortunately I had a personal problem and couldn’t participate that day. The first meeting was amazing and I’m sure this one must have been too.
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These moments are being so enriching! In our last meeting I mentioned that at the beginning of a circle I think to myself, how can we be of any help with this topic? But in the end, I leave feeling happy that I might have helped someone with a difficult subject.
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