This month, Jamari Michael, recipient of a grant from The Circle Way to attend the annual Whidbey Island circle practicum, describes how he skillfully crafted a non-verbal start point and check-in for his colleagues in the practicum from his appreciation for silence.
The Beauty & Benefits of Non-Verbal Circle
I have always been a human who enjoys silence. While others may rush to fill up empty space in conversation out of fear, anxiety, discomfort, pleasure, excitement, joy or a combination of such, I have always maintained a deep affinity for the lingering pauses and moments of respite from the sound of our own voices. On a really good day, I may even gaze into the eyes others, meeting the stillness and speechlessness of our voices with an extended form of communication that I believe can only occur when two or more souls break from social conditioning to engage and connect in a forgotten way.
It then comes as no surprise that while attending The Circle Way Practicum at Whidbey Island this past August, I jumped at the opportunity to lead the group with a fellow participant in a non-verbal start point and check-in. Outside, surrounded by large rooted trees and fruit bushes, we instructed participants to begin by bringing full awareness to their bodies and breath. To notice the condition of their full being—mind, body, and spirit. We encouraged them to take stock of their energy, mood, body parts, and internal organs and mechanisms. What is holding fatigued or fearful? What is full of excitement? How is the quality of your breath?
We then invited participants to sense the world around them, the human beings standing next to them and the living beings surrounding us. Reminding them that separation is illusion, we invited them to bring as deep of an awareness as they could to the energetic, unseen connection and oneness between self and all of life. We then instructed them to utilize this deep connection and pathway to take what they needed and offer what they could.
At the close of the exercise, one participant stated, “That was great. I didn’t even know I needed that.”
This is the beauty of non-verbal circle. Though circle is a process to deepen and transform conversation, the magic of circle is not isolated to verbal exchange. Circle provides a meaningful opportunity for us to play, and to explore the many ways that we are and can communicate and connect as humans, including non-verbally. There are many benefits to non-verbal circles including:
Deeper Insight
Adding a body scan or breathing exercise to your circle can facilitate the emergence of suppressed and subconscious thoughts, feelings, truths, and stories, as well as, the release and flow of challenging energies.
Greater Authenticity
The use of journaling or movement can encourage participants to voice truths they would otherwise hide in a society accustomed to speaking half-truths and lies as a normal part of everyday life.
Improved Accessibility
Artistic expression of stories through dance or drawing can be a great way to not only facilitate accessibility for people who are non-verbal or have limited speaking abilities, but also creates greater points of entry and sharing for those who do not process in linear or neurotypical ways.
Heightened Connections
Consensual touch such as hand holding or activities that require participants to mirror one another help to foster deeper connections rooted in the present and that transverse the shared interests and experiences which often undergird verbal exchanges.
Jamari Michael is a spiritual life coach and creative. He currently serves as a healing resident at InPower Institute in St. Louis, where he is focused on the healing of Black communities. A native of Columbus, OH, Jamari holds a M.S.W. from The Ohio State University, a B.A. in Comparative Human Development from The University of Chicago, and is currently pursuing a M.A. in Religious & Theological Studies from Chicago Theological Seminary.