Wisdom Circles: A Guide to Self Discovery and Community Building in Small Groups - Softcover

Garfield, Charles; Spring, Cindy

4.43

7 ratings by Goodreads

9780786883639: Wisdom Circles: A Guide to Self Discovery and Community Building in Small Groups

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0786883634 ISBN 13: 9780786883639

Publisher: Hyperion, 1999

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Gathering in small group circles to heal, share, and celebrate has moved from new age workshops and 12-step programs into the mainstream. This practical, inspirational guide shows readers how to use the power of the circle to effect changes in their lives and in their communities Targeted print ads .

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Review:

At a time of increasing loneliness and individualism, Wisdom Circles provides an outline for creating your own spiritual, social, and/or consciousness-raising group. The authors--Charles Garfield, psychologist and the author of Peak Performers; Sedonia Cahill, director of a group that helps people become more spiritual; and Cindy Spring, founder of the Wisdom Circles organization--describe a structured setting in which people can meet regularly for whatever purpose they choose: getting to know each other better, sharing personal and social concerns, or just offering mutual support and healing. You'll find guidelines to help participants create rituals to begin and end a session, agree on a goal or discussion subject for each meeting, create a safe and confidential environment, and allow each member to "co-facilitate" the gathering. There's also information on dealing with problematic members, such as those with psychological problems or those who are too narcissistic or rigid in their beliefs to participate in an open, wide-ranging dialogue. Whether you're looking for ways to improve an existing group or are considering starting your own gathering of supportive friends, Wisdom Circles will help you get started; the group itself will tell you where to go from there.

From Library Journal:

The idea that a group is more than a sum of individuals is a social science axiom, and this book offers a New Age exploration of that premise. Rooted in gathering traditions, wisdom circles are discussion groups oriented to healing, sharing, celebrating, and other purposes. With his collaborators, Garfield (psychiatry, Univ. of California, San Francisco) outlines the "ten constants" that form the essence of wisdom circles. They provide guidance on how to start and sustain such groups, along with rich case study material on those involving AIDS patients, men, and corporate clients. Some readers might be put off by the book's jargon, e.g., talking stick, and no empirical evidence is presented to show that circles accomplish their lofty aims. However, the material is well organized and applies to diverse circumstances and groups. Inspirational yet practical, this book is highly recommended for public libraries and collections serving social service and other group leaders.?Antoinette Brinkman, Southwest Indiana Mental Health Ctr., Evansville
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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