Heartsharing circles/ listening circle

"Sitting in a circle helps us to fully see each other as peers sharing meaning, creativity, and a common center. I believe the most basic unit of co-intelligent social life is people sitting in a circle listening deeply and speaking from the heart" (Source)

A well-functioning circle should help those who usually speak a lot say less and those who usually don't speak up to say more.

Listening:

let others speak as long as they want
really hear others;
what are the words, the thoughts, the intentions, the feelings,
listen to the person thats speaking, to your own reactions to reactions of others to what is being said

Speaking fron the heart:

It means being honest, taking risks, being real, allowing the vitality and emotion we feel to find its way into our voice when we speak. It means finding ourselves saying things we have not said before -- sometimes things we didn't even realize we thought or felt.

Safe space:

people feel they won't be judged or have to deal with negative consequences as a result of our speaking truth
everything that is said in the room stays there

How:

sit in a circle
tell newcomers what to expect → everyone gets clear
silence
a talking stick/object in the middle
anyone picks it, holds it while (s)he speaks, everyone listens
no one speaks unless thay have the stick, no cross-talk or usual conversation
when the speaker is done the stick is passed onto the next person
just passing the stick without speaking is possible
continue around the circle
one speaks, the others listen
several rounds (e.g. 3-4)
when scheduled time is up or one round of the stick with no one speaking the circle is done