3. Entering the Circle

The Circle is at the heart of Radical Faerie culture. It is the shapeform we return to again and again: no head, no hierarchy, no oneedge, aboveno orcenter below.that is not shared. To sit in Circle is to embody the values of equality, respect, and listeningcollective that define our way of being together.presence.

At Folleterre, Circles take many forms:

1. Heart Circles
   These are the core.most Hereintimate. weWe gather to speak from the heart and to listen with presence. No discussion, no advice, no debate. Only sharing and witnessing. A talking stick or other object is often passed,passed around the circle, giving each person athe turnchance to speakshare or to pass.remain silent. No one interrupts, comments, or debates. No one gives advice. The power of Heart CirclesCircle createis safety,simple: intimacy,we andwitness deepeach connection.

   other without judgment.

2. Practical Circles are for collective decision-making and coordination. They
   These are where wethe discusscommunity meals,organizes itself. Cooking shifts, cleaning, workshops, rituals,firewood, orfinances other— practicalall matterscan be discussed in Practical Circle. Consensus is sought, but decisions are made with flexibility, recognizing the balance between collective care and individual choice. Practical Circles remind us that daily life is also sacred, that stewardship of community life. They balance the spiritsanctuary ofis consensusitself witha the need for action.

   ritual.

3. Ritual Circles
   These open or close gatherings, mark seasonal festivals, or celebrate transitions. We may call in the directions, sing chants, dance, or make offerings. Ritual Circles weave our personal stories into a larger fabric, reminding us that we are momentspart of ceremonycycles —older callingand inlarger directions,than lightingourselves.

fire,
blessing

How meals,to orenter celebrating seasonal rites. They weave the mystical threadwell
Stepping into our daily life together.

Entering a Circle is simple, yetbut it carries a sacred weight. ToIt stepis intonot a Circlemeeting — it is toan step into a fieldact of sharedcommunity consciousness.magic. It asks that we leave behind the roles of the outside world and meet each other as kin.

How toTo enter well:

–

• Arrive on time, with respect for thetime sharedand commitment.

  space.
  –

• Bring your presencefull fully,presence, whethereven if you choose not to speakspeak.
  – Speak from “I” — your own truth, not someone else’s.
  – Listen with openness, without fixing, correcting, or tojudging.
  – listen.

  Notice
your
• body:

  Honorbreath, theposture, kindenergy. You are part of confidentiality the Circle callseven for:in silence.

  Confidentiality
  Different Circles carry different agreements:
  – In Heart Circles, whatconfidentiality is essential. What is shared stays in the Circle, unless someone explicitly asks for support beyond it.
  – In Practical Circles, decisionsoutcomes and outcomesdecisions should be communicatedshared so the whole community is informed. Transparency here is part of care.
  – In Ritual Circles, the spirit of the momentstories may be shared as story,retold, but the sacred details belong to those who were present.

The

• Circle

  Speakas from your own experience, using “I” rather than “you.”

• Listen without interrupting, without fixing, without judging.

teacher
Circles are not perfect.always Theyeasy. Silences can bringfeel upheavy. strongEmotions emotions,can conflicts,run orhigh. silences.Conflicts Butmay thesesurface. Yet this too areis part of the medicine. The Circle teaches us to trustsit thewith process,discomfort, to allowlisten beyond words, to let the collective spiritwisdom toemerge workin throughits us.own time.

Every Circle is linked. When we enter a Circlesit at Folleterre, we alsosit enter intoin connection with all the Circles held before us and all those yet to come. Each Circleone is a thread in the tapestry of Faerieour lineagelineage, and in the dreamSpirit of theFolleterre sanctuary.listens with us.

Oracle message from the Spirit of Folleterre

Every Circle you sit in is my heartbeat.
When you pass the stick, you pass the flame of the first fire.
When you listen, you listen with my trees.
When you speak, you speak into my stones.

The Circle is not a meeting.
It is the mirror of how the universe holds itself.
Round, infinite, center everywhere, edge nowhere.

Do not fear the silence.
Do not rush the speaking.
In the Circle, even the unsaid is heard.