Medicine Circle Guidance for Participants

SAFE SPACE

As a Medicine Circle, we work through each activity (ceremony) looking after your well being. We want to provide a place where participants are free to have an experience within themselves in a mature way and are free to be vulnerable. (We will provide to you our Code of Ethics). As individuals in a Medicine Circle we collectively address our experiences, share ideas and promote support to each other. You also are providing a Safe Space for you and others by taking responsibility for your thoughts, speech, emotion, feelings and actions. It’s crucial to remember that people who attend these healing practices are looking for support, understanding, compassion, help, and growth. Together as a medicine circle we will look after:

I. Mental and physical safety from e.g. no harassment, no bullying, no violence.
II. The School provides a clear structure (information and resources) pre-ceremony and post-ceremony and appropriate tools and resources for integration.
III. Clear ground rules and expectations.
IV. Boundaries (you will learn about our: Code of Ethics).
V. Contribute to harmonious social relationships, connectedness and caring.
VI. Active listening and good communication.
VII. Support and guidance.
VIII. Opportunities to belong and for meaningful inclusion (i.e. regardless of a person’s gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities etc.)
IX. Positive social norms: respect for others (i.e. constructive feedback, inclusivity, cultural sensitivity, recognition of ethnicity, non-judgmental.
X. Recognition of unacceptable behaviours and enforcement of consequences.
XI. Screening process of participant mental and physical health status.
XII. Trained staff/facilitators/volunteers and helpers.

KNOW OUR TEAM

We encourage you to read the communications that we will be sending (PRE-ceremony) in which we will introduce members of The School with different backgrounds, skills and abilities. Our body of facilitators, helpers and volunteers will implement structure, compassion, encouragement, stability, and accountability. Help us, when we unify these energies in a medicine circle, we find balance, harmony and direction.

THE BRAT IN EACH ONE OF US

In most cases when children are denied what they want, or when they feel criticized, misunderstood, or not empathize with, what they experience emotionally is hurt. And in such instances, their impulse is either to dissolve into tears, and possibly retreat to their room or stay engaged by puffing themselves up with self-righteous anger. It is fine, this is a stage of growth.

Children, given their limited capacity not only to comprehend their emotions, but also to communicate them, they are pretty much compelled to act them out. And that is why, whether they begin to whimper, wail, shout or scream, the only way they know how to express their feelings is through visually putting them on display.

As Adults (participants in a medicine circle) we may do something similar as above mentioned with somewhat more reserve and sophistication. We are hardly dissimilar from children when we sulk, withdraw, rush to defend ourselves—or raise our voice and fervently go into blaming or perhaps counter-blaming mode. Please breathe and keep calm. Observe yourself. The lesson is there. You are healing.

This medicine circle can trigger certain hidden aspects of yourself. Unconsciously, most of us have discovered that our most potent defense is a strong offense. Consequently, when we feel denied or accused, we are likely to block off our lurking fears, insecurities, and self-doubts by turning them back on our “adversary”. Which is the reason so many of us get mad—or even “lose it” when we are facing a stage of growth.

Perhaps when we are distraught, when we let our emotions get the better of us, we really have not evolved much beyond childhood. What a great lesson! Learn from it.

Reflect, expressing our anger toward another has a condescending quality to it. It’s demeaning (mostly in reaction to our feeling demeaned ourselves). Moreover, it enables us to experience not only a certain moral superiority over the other, but a renewed sense of power over them as well. Quite literally, our “fight” vs. “flight” reaction toward them pumps up our adrenaline supplies. Our organism now “fortified,” we are able to feel back in control of the situation—though the reality of our actually getting back in the driver’s seat is far more illusory than real.

What do you know about your childhood wounds, pain, trauma? We all have those wounds. What a great opportunity to begin to reflect about what a behavior, emotion or feeling might have reminded you of, what you become particularly sensitive to.

We want to be clear about the following: We are not challenging your anger or requesting that you justify or defend it. Respect is a must. The medicine circle provides the support to help you understand yourself in front of it in a better and healthier approach. What we offer is Care and Compassion so you develop and flourish the gift of vulnerability and restore, if that is the case, your sense of relational security.

GROUND UNDERSTANDING TO OUR PARTICIPANTS

Our Mission is to establish a School that inspires, teaches and ignites every Human Being on this Planet Earth. We aim to help each person flourish, develop their potential and opportunities, and improve their physical and emotional health by creating their own reality. We will achieve these purposes through energy medicine retreats, ancestral knowledge and wisdom, healing techniques, workshops and other related activities that our team of collaborators will carry out. All achieved with a high spirit of service, creativity, celebration and foundation of ethical standards that govern us.

I. Focus on starting to know yourself with everything that the journey entails.
II. Feeling apprehensive, uncomfortable, it is fine. Learn from it.
III. Take care of yourself at all times.
IV. Communicate in a proactive way.
V. There is no such thing as a risk-free environment.
VI. The aim of the medicine circle is to be constructive, healing and growth not a vehicle for complaints, blames and guilt.
VII. We can work collaboratively to identify solutions and give our best support respecting your own process.
VIII. All participants have a voice and the right to express themselves respectfully without judgement.
IX. Everyone will be respectful and courteous to all people in the medicine circle at all times.
X. All participants can approach any of the facilitators, helpers or assistants at any time for a 1:1 conversation. Being respectful with their personal time.
XI. Participation in the sharing circle or other activities are not mandatory. However, we highly recommend it.

PURGE

Please do not be afraid of the purge. Indeed, it is not fun: Who likes to Vomit or go suddenly to Number 2? We do recommend Learn from the Purge, it can manifest in many ways such as:

Sweating, Dry heaving, Crying, Laughing, Yelling, Singing, Dancing,

Moving your body, Yawning, Mumbling, Shaking, Silence, Stretching.

It is essential, do not worry if you do not have any purge, the plant medicine, exercise, activity, meditation is working and now is in your system. Under the shamanic cosmovision the purge is a necessary stage to dispel heavy - dense energies within our bodies and this takes many forms as above mentioned.
We must be patient and respectful of ourselves and with others as we experience a purge.

Someone else’s purge may trigger emotions, memories, insecurities, fears within ourselves e.g. anger, laughter, surprise or sadness. Begin taking responsibility for yourself in front of them as this happens and use this as a catalyst to ask yourself: why am I feeling a certain way toward someone else's purge? This is the essence and beauty of these Healing Experiences.
For this reason we must be respectful and patient with someone as they go through their intensities. If you find yourselves being challenged in a way that is difficult to negotiate, please contact a facilitator. We are here to help you navigate your way through the medicine, however we can not navigate for you. You need to make decisions for yourself. Please understand this when you ask for help.

FEAR

During this journey you will encounter many obstacles. These difficulties are yours and only yours. We will be alongside you, however we will not do the walk for you, we will be there to support you. These obstacles will appear in different shapes, colors and forms…be ready. Our instinct-reaction is to have a Fight, Flight or Freeze response. It is nothing to be ashamed of. We want to push out those fears so we can feel safe. Under a shamanic perspective these fears are the indicator that something valuable is there, going through the threshold. Why not? instead of pushing out, Push in and have a dialogue with it. What is the essence of that fear?

This medicine circle is going to bring you to the journey within yourself. Now, translate this to your day to day: What is killing you in your life? What is a Death that you carry on your shoulders, in your heart or mind? Is it a behavior, a belief, a relationship, illness, a need, a want, a habit, or a lack?

We do not want to Die, we are afraid of Death. With this medicine you can die when you are still alive. Take responsibility and let yourself die along with those things that do not serve you anymore. Acceptance and surrender to become a fearless warrior, you bring the fight within. You will confront the worst enemy of all...Yourself.

Push In, decide not to be a container of a past life anymore. Bring yourself to the Present. It is a Universal law, we constantly die and reborn in this Life. Give yourself the opportunity to discover what is to the other side of death. Heal the death within yourself, make it an ally, embrace it. There is Death in Life and also Life in Death. It's part of your life. Appreciate every breath and moment. Being grateful, takes courage.

EXPECTATIONS

What we expect from our participants in this medicine circle:

I. Read all the information provided and follow the process of joining. Engage to your growth.

II. During the Medicine Circle:

a. Purging is essential, let's negotiate our outburst. If an outburst cannot be contained; ask for help, we will provide support.
b. Focus on yourself. Do not engage with another participant during ceremony, let each one have their experience.
c. Consult with facilitators before engaging other participants during ceremony. You can help other participant through your own experience.
d. Maintain cleanliness and sanitation. Pick up after yourself after each ceremony. Help us to keep the whole space clean and in order.
e. Throw away your trash, clean your bucket, clean after eating.
f. Keep your area -tent space, room space, position in the circle- neat and organized.
g. Be Respectful of others and their feelings. Everyone has a right to their truth.
h. Be mindful of the possessions of others (Code of Ethics).
i. No sharing of mats or switching places during ceremony, unless instructed by the facilitator.
j. No sharing of items that compromise sanitation.
k. Communication of truths. Be kind with yourself and open to learn from the other participants.
l. Connect Discernment with Hearth.
m. Active Listening to each participant and our facilitators.
n. Being aware of your surroundings.
o. Do not turn your car on, speakers, stereo while others are in ceremony space.
p. No engagement of violence of any sort.
q. Defend your own growth.

III. Sharing Circle

a. Do not interrupt somebody who is speaking in the sharing circle.
b. Avoid talking to somebody else directly during their sharing time. (You can always say something to that person after the sharing circle or when is your time to speak).
c. Be present. Do not use your cellphone while people are talking in the sharing circle. (of course, if it is a true emergency, you should leave quietly to use your phone).
d. Be conscious about the time while you are speaking.Do not limit yourself. You can speak more in a second round. In that way we keep the flow going.
e. We suggested focusing your sharing on topics related to your intention and purpose. Share your own personal experiences.
f. Be open and attentive. It is important that everyone feels they have the ability to participate in the sharing circle, activities and this helps create openness.
g. Limit the number of times you leave the medicine circle (restroom, water, smoke). If you absolutely must get up and leave, be sure to wait until the person sharing finishes prior to getting up.
h. Respect Confidentiality.
i. Again, we highly recommend limiting cell phone use.
j. Be conscious of your body language. Nonverbal responses can also indicate disrespect.