THE POWER OF CIRCLES

No matter how diverse the group of people, says Charles Garfield, "if you push their ancestry back far enough, you'll get to the same place--people sitting around the fire, telling stories." Sedonia Cahill joins Garfield to discuss the power of circles in personal renewal and community healing. Circles are a way to bring ceremony and sacredness to gatherings of friends, family and community; a way to connect on a deeper level without fear of judgment; a place where you can truly be heard. A circle is about commitment, sharing and learning from each other and, as Cahill points out, a place where you are loved, for "It's so easy to love somebody if they'll give us a glimpse inside." Cahill is the director of The Great Round, a nonprofit organization dedicated to spiritual renewal and co-author of Ceremonial Circles (HarperSanFrancisco 1990). Garfield is a best-selling author, a psychology professor, lecturer, and founder of San Francisco's Shanti Project, the first AIDS caregiving organization in the world. Together with Cindy Spring they have co-authored Wisdom Circles: A Guide to Self-Discovery and Community Building in Small Groups (Hyperion 1998).