"A small body of determined spirits, fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history." Mohandas Gandhi

What Are Heart Circles?

Heart Circles are small self-facilitated support groups for people wanting to become more creative, joyful, intuitive, heart-directed and responsive to the uncertain times in which we live. When people sit in Circle with each other to explore what they truly want to create in their lives and world, they connect quickly and deeply.

A new kind of community can emerge from this connection. The community holds space for individuals to live life directed by what they truly want instead of what they should or shouldn't do. These individuals then offer back to the community the vitality and creativity of their passion and clarity of purpose. This strengthens the community which in turn creates an even more nurturing environment for the individuals within it. And on it goes.

These kind of self-organized circles are not only joyful and effective but they also may be crucial in building sustainable communities to take us safely through this period of global transition from competition and fear to co-operation and love.

Anyone can co-create a Heart Circle with others. They can be composed of friends and acquaintances, or committed partnerships or family members. They can also be formed within schools, businesses, non-profit organizations or church and temples. They meet weekly or bi-monthly. They can have as few as two members and as many as ten.

What a Heart Circle is not

It isn't a psychology-based processing group, nor is it an action group with specific goals or a group that forms around any specific modality or belief. It's not a traditional support or recovery group.

The Heart Circle agenda

At the core of Heart Circle Model is its simple agenda: people sit quietly together for a few minutes to tune in. Then there is a short check-in to find out what everyone is feeling as the Circle opens. The rest of the Circle time is used to explore what each person wants to create in their lives. Closure follows. There is an inherent power in this simplicity. The Heart Circles book tells you how to move through this agenda effectively.

Benefits of being in a Heart Circle:

Practice navigating intentionally from suffering to joyDistinguish between you're conditioned wants and what you truly wantFind the courage to receive support & love from othersExpand your capacity to be empathetic & caringEstablish your inner 'witness' to experience who you areImprove your relationships by honestly saying what you want and feelReceive uplifting nurturing feedback from people you love and trustPractice feeling your energetic connection to everythingFeel passionate about what you want while being content with what you haveIntentionally create deeper friendshipsReceive support for bringing your gifts into the worldBuild your own community to take you through these time

An introduction to heart circles by founder Tej Steiner

"If the purpose of life is to ‘awaken to life’ then the purpose of community is to provide an environment 'to awaken in'. These dual purposes are joined together by original design. As this is true, there is a need for new ‘social structures’ that synergizes or brings together this ‘awakening process’ with the process of forming reflective and protective relationships and communities. The Heart Circle model is one of these new ‘social structures’. It has a vast capacity to serve this dual need. It provides people with an opportunity to enhance their own spiritual practice on their own. It also provides an opportunity to create with others ongoing weekly or bimonthly circles to practice in. These ‘heart circles’ become the ‘playground’; the ‘laboratory’; the ‘classroom’ in which to practice. And, synergistically, this practicing together in circle creates the foundation for loving relationship and vital community. What is learned in the heart circle is then taken out into daily life and applied to each moment and to all relationships."

Tej Steiner