People want to celebrate life, to appreciate the qualities everyone has, and to share each other’s joy. People want to feel heard and have their contribution to life acknowledged. Celebration Circles focus on what we appreciate about our work, our lives and ourselves, and give everyone an opportunity to express a sense of gratitude, to be inspired, and to feel peaceful.
Celebration Circles can work anywhere. They encourage people in the workplace, they can help a community feel more connected, they can help uplift people in hospital, residential care or schools. They give people a more positive view of themselves and the world, and this brings about a positive change in people’s experiences of life.
So, If you are looking for a group to support you as you experience everything that happens in your life you might like to 
come to a Celebration Circle.
“We often giggle and laugh together - we share the joys and funny things that happen to us - it's uplifting!”
Check out:
The background to CCs
The format for a Celebration Circle - what usually happens at a CC
Setting up your own Celebration Circle in your community, in the workplace
Let me know what happens in your Circle, or if you need any help
The background to Celebration Circles
Celebration Circles are a way of uniting people with a positive sense of themselves and their lives. They also unite people through positive connections with each other. This builds a sense of community based on trust, compassion and care. They have an effect on people’s wellbeing, and ability to face adversity as they highlight the resilience of human beings.
“Being able to re-view in a Celebration Circle helps you stop and think. You appreciate what you’ve done and who you are, rather than focusing on negative aspects of your life. I reflect like this now unconsciously, or sometimes with my partner.”
The habit of reflection
People going regularly to a Celebration Circle build the habit of reflection so that they can see what is going well. This creates positive feelings, which, in turn, leads to the higher energy levels needed to take action. This can change the way that communities work, e.g. it encourages a “can-do” attitude in organisations, a compassionate approach in residential care and hospitals, a thriving and supportive village. Celebration Circles build confidence, and hearing inspiring stories inspires others to believe in the possibilities of different futures.
“It helps you cope when things aren’t working out the way you would like them to.”
Well being & optimism
Research has shown that people need to have three positive feelings to every negative feeling to leave them with a sense of balance and optimism about their lives. Celebration Circles help to build this sense of well being and optimism.
Back to the top of the page
The format for a Celebration Circle - what usually happens at a CC
Here is the order that a Celebration Circle usually follows:
A meditation is used at the beginning to help us be present and leave behind what was happening before we arrived. It also helps us to connect with ourselves and connect with each other.
Everyone has time to share something that they have appreciated during the last week/two weeks/month (whatever time is appropriate). The group listens reflectively to each sharing, and acknowledges it without "quizzing" the speaker, "topping" their story, or giving advice.
Everyone a
lso shares a quality that has helped them in the situation or that has helped them accept or appreciate the experience. They say why it was important or helpful. Again this is acknowledged by the group.
A time for silent reflection on what has been shared.
“It becomes a tool that you use in your life, not just at a Celebration Circle meeting. It becomes a habit, a way of being that’s really helpful in your life, and it seems to bring more good things!”
If there is time and it is appropriate the Celebration Circle may do an activity Here are some examples but click here to find out how set up an appropriate activity:
· sharing some words that are important for some reason (e.g. a poem, words from a song, or a book),
· looking at a flower (or a pebble, a shell, or a stone) for 2 minutes and describing it to another person,
· talking about an object that is important for some reason,
· blowing bubbles in the garden,
· singing a song.
Time and numbers - We usually take 2 hours and limit the group to eight so that everyone has time to be heard. It could take less time if there are fewer people in your group.
Back to the top of the page
Setting up your own Celebration Circle
How to set up a Celebration Circle in your community
How to set up a Celebration Circle in your workplace
Let me know what happens in your group, or if you need any help
How to set up a Celebration Circle in your community
Invite some people – six to eight is a good number, but start with less if that is easier for you. It is a good idea to then meet regularly, e.g once a month, or once every two or three weeks.
“It is an important part of my life. It is a place where I feel heard and cherished and there is space for me to unfold and be myself. I feel that the friends at Celebration Circle are true friends and will always be part of me and in my life. I know we are all there for each other.”
Where to meet – somewhere that is comfortable so that people can relax. It may be in your home, a room in a village hall, a community centre, the tennis club. It needs to be somewhere that is quiet and where there will not be any interruptions.
How much time? – two hours for a group of eight. Meet at a time that suits your particular CC. It might suit you to meet during the day depending on the make-up of your group, or it may be better to have an evening meeting.
“I like the peacefulness, warmth and love shared with others who I have built loving, strong, and trusting relationships with.”
What to provide – it is up to you. You can just provide water to drink or tea & coffee. It isn’t a good idea to have a meal unless you allow more time at the beginning or the end of the two hours.
What to do – initially explain the guidelines, (not necessary when you have met a few times), have a short meditation that you can regularly use at the beginning of each group, prepare for the activity if you have chosen to include one.
The Celebration Circle Process
Each person has time to share something that they have done or has happened to them. They share an experience they appreciate or are pleased with. People speak randomly so that everyone has their turn to share, rather than going around the group one by one from the left or the right.
Meanwhile eve
ryone in the group actively listens without interrupting unnecessarily, and reflects back to encourage deeper understanding and connection.
When the person has shared their experience they identify a quality that has helped them in the situation or that has helped them accept or appreciate the experience.
“It enriches my life - I look forward to it and even when I am not able to go, I feel part of it. It gives me strength to follow my true path in life.”
Let me know what happens in your group, or if you need any help
Back to the top of the page
How to set up a Celebration Circle in your workplace
Invite some people – four to eight is a good number. It is a good idea to then meet regularly, e.g once a month, or once every two or three weeks.
Where to meet – somewhere that is reasonably private and comfortable so that people can relax.
“My Celebration Circle provides an opportunity to share my thoughts, views/experiences in a safe, positive environment providing unconditional and non-judgmental support. This enables me to reflect on these experiences in an encouraging and compassionate light which is conducive for my self-learning and personal growth.”
How much time? – If you have four people you could probably meet for an hour, but two hours would be better for a group of eight. You could meet at lunch time or as soon as you finish work. Your organisation may be willing to give you some time to meet as CCs have a positive influence on the way people work together, as they develop trust and creativity in the workplace.
What to provide – it is up to you. You can just provide water to drink or tea & coffee.
“It provides a time to learn about myself, to learn strategies that others use to reflect on situations to appreciate the learning and love from them. It helps me to focus on ways to embrace challenges and how to overcome them.”
What to do
Initially explain the guidelines, (not necessary when you have met a few times), have a short meditation that you can regularly use at the beginning of each group, Ask people to recall an achievement (something they are pleased with) since the last meeting. Ask them to remember their behaviour (what did they do), their thoughts (what were their thoughts), their feelings (what were their feelings). When they have shared their story, ask them what qualities thy think they expressed to help succeed. Give everyone time to share an achieveme
nt and qualities. Have a little quiet time for people to reflect on their experiences during the session.
“It has supported self-belief and confidence in my own ability, it has enabled me to grow in skills and personal experiences. It has enriched and empowered my thoughts, and trust in myself and others. I believe that I’m o.k.!””
The Celebration Circle Process
Each person has time to share something that they have done or has happened to them. They share an experience they appreciate or are pleased with. People speak randomly so that everyone has their turn to share, rather than going around the group one by one from the left or the right.
Meanwhile everyone in the group actively listens without interrupting unnecessarily, and reflects back to encourage deeper understanding and connection.
When the person has shared their experience they identify a quality that has helped them in the situation or that has helped them accept or appreciate the experience.
If you have time and it is appropriate you may like to include an activity before the quiet time.
Let me know what happens in your group, or if you need any help
Back to the top of the page
Let me know what happens in your group, or if you need any help
We’d like to know about your Celebration Circle! We’d really like to see Celebration Circles all over the world as we know that they inspire people and make people feel good. So, please could you send me an email and let me know about your group. It would be good to know:
- Your name, email & phone number
- Your geographical location
- The type of community or workplace that you meet in and where you meet
- When and how often you meet
- Info about the number of people who attend your group
Back to the top of the page
Some Guidelines
To help this Celebration Circle nurture us we are going to:
Listen to each other
Ask gentle questions and reflect appropriately to encourage people when they are sharing their experiences
Acknowledge each other’s stories
Share our own experiences
Accept and value each other
Back to the top of the page
A meditation you could use
This is a good mediation to use at the beginning of each meeting as it helps to create the right tone for your meeting. When reading this to your group pause where you see …
Just close your eyes and take a moment to go inside ... become aware of your breathing … the in breath and the out breath … simply be conscious of each breath …
With each outbreath begin to let go of whatever has been happening today … allow yourself to be really present in this room … know that you have nowhere to go and nothing to do … this is time just for you …
Make yourself comfortable in your chair, and become aware of your body ... feel your feet on the floor and your connection with the earth ... feel your body against the chair and become aware of any tensions, any stress or strain ... any places of tightness ... just notice them and let them go ...
Know that you have a body, but that you are not your body, you are more than your body ...
Now, become aware of your emotions ... how you feel at the moment ... notice the stength of your feelings … notice their effect on you … be aware of the emotions you have had today … which emotions you have let go of quickly and which you have, perhaps, held on to or tried to keep ... just experience any of the feelings you are having and then let them go ...
Know that you have emotions, but that you are not your emotions, you are more than your emotions ...
And now, become aware of your mind, of any thoughts racing or drifting by … notice them, watch them … be aware of the nature of your thoughts, are they positive and/or negative? Are these thoughts you often have ...? If so, perhaps you would like to ask why you want to keep them ...? Is it possible to let them go or to have new, different thoughts. What effect would that have? …
See or hear your thoughts and then begin to let them go, to leave your mind free for a moment ...
Know that you have a mind, but that you are not your mind, you are more than your mind ...
And now become aware of being in this room, this house … aware of each person in this room … remember how different everyone is … recall what is important about each of them to you … just take a moment to connect with each of them … feel their presence … the strength of this connection … experience this moment of quiet awareness …
Know that today is a new day full of opportunity to learn, to grow … a new day to be open to love, to connect with yourself and to connect with others ...
And now become aware of your breathing again … of the in-breath and the out-breath … and when you are ready open your eyes.
At your very first meeting you may wish to exclude “… remember how different everyone is … recall what is important about each of them to you” but it is useful to include this in later sessions to help people to connect more deeply, and to be grateful for one another’s presence.
Back to the top of the page
Some activities you could use if you have time
At your first meetings it is often useful to include an activity after everyone has shared as this helps to build trust and understanding in a different way. When you have been meeting for some time you may find that the sharing takes longer and so there is less or no time for an activity.
Sharing some words
This can be done in different ways, e.g. give everyone a short piece (this could be the words from a poem, a book, a song) to read silently for a few minutes and then time for everyone to share their responses to it, or ask people to bring along a favourite piece to share and explain why it is important to them.
Describing an object from nature
Ask each person to choose a flower (you will need a selection of flowers) Ask people to experience their flower for 2 minutes (i.e. really see the detail, smell the scent, feel its weight, etc.) and then describe it to another person. You could do the same with shells, feathers, stones, etc.
Something precious
Ask each person to bring an object that is important to them for some reason, and to talk about it’s importance for 2 minutes,
Blowing bubbles
Go outside and using children’s bubble making kits simply enjoy blowing bubbles together.
Sing a song together.
Here are some examples that you could use, but really just choose anything that appeals to the group and is uplifting.
How could anyone ever tell you
You are anything less than beautiful?
How could anyone ever tell you
You are less than whole?
How could anyone fail to notice
That your loving is a miracle?
How deeply you're connected to my soul
Into His presence would I enter now
Into Her presence would I enter now
Into The presence would I enter now
Into Our presence would I enter now
I can fly, I can fly, I can touch the sky
I can make my dreams come true
I can fly, I can fly, I can touch the sky,
I am somebody special,
I am.
Sing this next one to each person in turn, and sing the person’s name where you see ****
**** you're beautiful
**** you are so strong
Wonderful to be with, ****
Hear your loving song
Back to the top of the page
A quality
We all have many qualities. People sometimes call them virtues or values. Here is a list that may be a useful prompt for your group;
Understanding Kind Caring
Honesty Strong Courageous
Compassion Supportive Intuitive
Enthusiasm Determined Consistent
Reliability Committed Calm
Empathy Non-judgemental Peaceful
Sincerity Grateful Fair
Wisdom Trusting Fun
Dignity Optimistic Creative
Tolerance Considerate Generous
If you would like to know more about Celebration Circles please phone us on (44) 01798 872266, go to contact us or email info@wisborough.com headed “celebration circles”
Back to the top of the page