What is a story circle you ask? Great question, thanks for inquiring! As you can read on our registration page, the purpose of a story circle is to build or strengthen a sense of community within a group, to examine differences, and / or to explore social challenges through their own lives. During a story circle, a small group of people gather to each share a personal story about a specific topic or theme. In a story circle, there is no audience; everyone shares, and everyone listens with complete attention. Once everyone has told their story, participants comment on the strengths and power they see in others’ stories and draw connections between others’ stories and their own. They are a powerful tool for seeing others and for being seen. Story circles have a rich history – from Indigenous communities who used them to draw out communal experiences and make decisions for the good of the community to the Free Southern Theater that used story circles during the Civil Rights Movement to open dialogue around the topic of race and create theater pieces to reflect those stories back to larger communities.
On March 7th, we will be sharing stories focused on how we are each seeking beauty, hope, and connection during these different days. It's free, but we do ask that you kindly register in advance. You don’t need to prepare anything, simply sign on and be willing to share and listen. This is a community event, not a performance, so no theatre experience is necessary. Imagine being gathered around a (virtual) campfire exchanging stories.
I'm so grateful for how I get to connect with you in this blog space, and I truly hope that you are interested in connecting in a story circle setting as well. I'd welcome the chance to get to share my story and to listen to yours.
Questions? Want more information as you consider registering? Toss a comment below or send me a message and I'd love to see if I can help.