The Power of Circles: A Guide to Building Peaceful, Just, and Productive Communities—One Circle at a Time

The Power of Circles

A Guide to Building Peaceful, Just, and Productive Communities —One Circle at a Time

Norman G. Lavery

foreword by Mark S. Umbreit

The Power of Circles

A Guide to Building Peaceful, Just, and Productive Communities —One Circle at a Time

Copyright © 2016 Norman G. Lavery. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.

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199

W.

8

th Ave., Suite

3

Eugene, OR

97401

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paperback isbn: 978-1-4982-8134-8

hardcover isbn: 978-1-4982-8136-2

ebook isbn: 978-1-4982-8135-5

Manufactured in the U.S.A.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1: The Tack This Book Takes

Chapter 2: Definitions of Key Terms

Chapter 3: Where Are We?

Chapter 4: How Did We Get Here?

Chapter 5: Where Would We Like to Go?

Chapter 6: The Circular Nature of Things

Chapter 7: A Circles Prologue

Chapter 8: How the Circle Process Works

Chapter 9: Indigenous Circle Programs

Chapter 10: Learning from the Past

Chapter 11: Applications of the Circle Process in Our Lives

Chapter 12: Community Circles—a Community Justice Initiative

Chapter 13: The Opportunity

Chapter 14: The Challenge

Chapter 15: The Risks

Chapter 16: What Does Success Look Like?

Bibliography

Foreword

Throughout the centuries in countless cultures the circle process, in one form or another, has been an essential part of building healthy communities, resolving conflicts, and fostering a deep sense of our interconnectedness and yearning for peace. The specific manner in which the circle process is conducted may vary in different settings, but the energy of the circle is most often a constant: a consistent energy that cultivates respect, humility, authenticity, and wisdom.

Norm Lavery in his new book The Power of Circles does an unusually good job of describing the full energy and impact of the circle process, moving far beyond just the underlying principles and practices, the core values, the history and indigenous roots, all of which are central to understanding the power, the impact, and what many describe as the magic of the circle process. Few other books so thoroughly move beyond just the techniques and a specific context for the practice of the circle process to describe the wide range of settings in which the power of the circle can be applied.

The Power of Circles is an important addition to the growing literature on the circle process and its many applications. Most importantly, Lavery provides clarity and recognition of where the wisdom of the circle process emerged from and has been practiced as a way of life for centuries among so many of the indigenous people of this planet. Overall, this book you are about to read provides very practical information on how to implement and apply the circle process in multiple settings, followed by helpful guidance on future issues facing the field.

Mark Umbreit, PhD

Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking

University of Minnesota

February

2016

Preface

Why This Book Is Being Written

This is the first time in my life that anyone has said anything positive about me, sixteen-year-old Sarah whispered through her tears after Circle participants had told her that she is a beautiful person with unlimited potential. This book is for Sarah.

This book is for Chandler, who, having driven the car in which two of his friends had been killed, began to rebuild his life in the supportive Circle environment.

This book is for Julie, who gave me a hug as she stepped down from the stage after receiving her high school diploma.

And this book is for the five young men and their parents who, in a Circle, were able to talk openly about a shoplifting incident and the challenges of being teenagers.

This book is dedicated to all of the individuals and groups who have been helped by the Circle process, and to the many volunteers who have given them the gift of listening and caring.

We honor all indigenous people who, for thousands of years, have understood the importance of Circles, who have used the Circle process in their families and communities every day, and who have kept the power of the Circle process alive in their cultures so that we may benefit from it. The Circle process is a gift, and our responsibility is to use it wisely.

Circles are everywhere in our lives; from the tires we drive on at great speeds, to the bottle caps on our favorite beverages, to the games our children play during recess, and to the silent ripples on our favorite fishing pond. Without the circled wagons of the pioneers, many of us might never have been born; without the wheels on our first bicycle, we might still be learning to keep our balance; and without the hoop in the backyard, we might never have become a high school basketball star. We take Circles for granted because they are so common in our lives. Our indigenous forebears, on the other hand, gave Circles a place of great honor—not only for their spiritual and ceremonial significance, but for their practical value in providing protection, and as a gathering place for passing on the cultural stories necessary for survival.

The journey on the pages that follow begins with a recounting of the historical significance of Circles, and then, building on that rich history, posits Circles as a powerful metaphor and real-life geometry for overcoming some of our culture’s deficiencies, and for guiding us toward more fulfilled lives. The journey that unfolds elevates Circles to their just position of eminence, and offers suggestions for their use in families, neighborhoods, and communities of all types and sizes.

As we face the often overwhelming, rapid-paced environment of the twenty-first century, we have an opportunity, using Circles, to build personal and community futures that are both manageable and overflowing with hope and possibilities. We are the travelers on this journey, and the Circle process is our conveyance. Once we understand and embrace the power of the Circle process, we will communicate with each other in much better ways, boldly express our rights as citizens, and work together to build the communities we all desire.

In order to move forward realistically, we must first assess the attitudes and behaviors that define our current culture: conflicts seem to be pervasive in our families, neighborhoods, towns, and businesses; people avoid civic processes because they feel that their words will not be listened to; individuals and groups lack a forum for discussing new ideas and for reaching decisions in a democratic way; and ubiquitous electronic communication tools preclude the face-to-face sharing of stories that in the past ensured the transfer of wisdom to the next generation.

There is hope; there is a better way. And the Circle process is the key.

This book is about Circles: as geometric shapes, symbols, metaphors, containers, and portals; about their occurrence in nature, art, and technology; about their historical significance; and about their power for resolving conflicts, engaging people in civic processes, strengthening relationships, eliciting and building on creative ideas, and celebrating communities in which the full potential of every man, woman, and child is realized. It is a guide for using the Circle process, but above all else it is about the power of Circles and the magic that the Circle process can bring into our lives.

Disclaimer

I am a Caucasian resident of the United States, and have no affiliation with any indigenous clan or tribe. Because the Circle process is so integral to indigenous cultures that are built around clan and tribal units, I struggled for many years with the question of how I could possibly hope to participate in the Circle process in a meaningful and respectful way. After much searching, I finally realized that, with each Circle I convene or of which I am a part, I am helping people experience a sense of connectedness and inclusion in a caring community—the same feeling that is a touchstone of the indigenous Circle processes that we will explore below.

The thoughts and words that follow build on the research and writings of many other people, both in indigenous communities and in non-indigenous cultures, and is not intended to be a definitive treatise on Circle processes or on any other subject. Each time I read a book or a journal article, I am introduced to new resources on the subject of human interactions. This book is offered as a synthesis of my ideas—and those of many other concerned human beings—at this point in time, with a request that each reader build on it to achieve even better ways for all of us to interact.

I have included numerous quotations in the text for two reasons: first, to properly honor the wisdom of previous thinkers and writers, and second, to avoid any possible misinterpretation that might be caused by paraphrasing their words. For those phrases for which no citations are given, I respectfully acknowledge that this book builds on the ideas and words of many of the pioneers in the fields of restorative justice and the Circle process.

Acknowledgments

I acknowledge the wisdom of the many individuals who have contributed their insights to me through their writings and through my personal conversations with them. Judge Barry Stuart, through his publications and videos, is an articulate emissary of restorative justice and the Circle process. A recent visit with Barry at his home in Squamish, BC, added greatly to my understanding and appreciation of his role in the development and nurturing of the Circle process. Phillip Gatensby, a Tlingit tribal member with whom I spent a week in a Circle training seminar, continues to be an inspiration through the healing work that he and his brother Harold are doing in the Yukon. I am honored to have spent memorable time with Mark Umbreit, Howard Zehr, and Kay Pranis, all of whom are leaders in the field of restorative justice. And special thanks to Heidi Gjefle, Joan Kresich, and Lorenn Walker, all of whom graciously read early drafts of the manuscript and guided its journey in a good way.

I build on the wisdom I have gained from the above individuals, and on my experiences gained over the past twenty-three years—as a mediator and as the founder of and participant in the Community Circles restorative justice program.

I express gratitude to my parents, to my wife, Marion, and to our daughters, Kristin and Kendra, all of whom have supported me in my passion for exploration, the creative process, and the quest to develop better ways for all of us to interact more effectively.

Introduction

The Journey

This is the story of how we have interacted with each other in the past, and about the potential we have to interact more positively in the future—if we are willing to commit to the hard work of bringing that future to fruition. The foundation for the story is the Circle process—the same Circle process that has guided people to connect with each other for common purposes for thousands of years, and that has allowed people who care about each other to fulfill their shared goal of building healthy lives and communities.

This book is a guide rather than a blueprint—a guide for using the Circle process in a way that fits the culture of your family, your neighborhood, your town, or your business group—your own very special community. It is about the potential of the Circle process for building/rebuilding family units, neighborhoods, civic and business organizations.

As we explore the Circle process together, each of us will see and interpret it in the context of our own lives. We will look back at the journeys we have been on and recognize those times when the Circle process could have been helpful, and we will look forward to the next chapter of our lives and visualize how the power of the Circle process can be of value to us personally—to our interactions with relatives and loved ones, and to our social and professional associations. Advances on the ideas presented are expected and welcomed, as you build on them based on your own experience banks.

A Balancing Act

We will balance on the danger/secure ridgeline of the reader’s thoughts, feelings, and expectations; and this is done by design. The book is not meant to be a pleasant, cozy read, especially for those people who are now comfortable in professions or lifestyles in which ease and security are guaranteed by the status quo. It is meant to challenge, not console; to provoke rather than provide relaxation. It is about a new yet ancient way of bringing people together and interacting meaningfully. It is about learning to value each of our fellow human beings for their gifts.

Hope and Possibilities

Our focus will be on hope, and hope trumps negativity every time. It is my intent to share my hope with you. In the words of a recent Community Circles participant:

Thanks for all your support. You’ll never know how much people like you mean to the world. You make my life better.

The Circle process engages people in the exploration of possibilities, and builds on their innate ability to solve their own problems and design their own positive futures. The Circle process supports them on that journey. It is a way to change the conversation from a focus on problems, failures, shortcomings, and divisiveness to a focus on, and appreciation of, talents, assets, and resources—the gifts that all people have within them.

Communities—Places of Belonging

The Circle process is a uniquely capable tool for building communities. Circles enhance a sense of belonging by providing an incentive for people to participate fully by choice, rather than by obligation. The Circle process engages people and keeps them from lapsing into isolation. The wisdom of all people—including those who are outsiders on the fringes of our society—is a gift we cannot afford to lose. When all people are included in the conversation, they develop a caring attitude towards others and become accountable to the group—to their community. The Circle process is inclusive and respectful by design, and is a powerful force for developing vibrant and healthy communities.

The Costs of the Status Quo

The competitive mindset of politicians, other policy makers, and of the American formal legal system (hereafter termed the formal legal system), is costly in terms of dollars spent and human potential squandered. Battles often create further problems instead of resolving them, and the punishment paradigm that incarcerates non-violent offenders comes at a great financial cost. Of even greater cost is the loss of the potential contributions of incarcerated individuals to their families and communities. The Circle process is a way to drastically decrease the need for, and the cost of, battles; to decrease the need for punishment; and to achieve positive interactions between people and groups of all types and sizes.

My Concerns

I, like all conscientious citizens, have concerns about the path that our society is on. It will be my intent at all times to present my concerns in a positive frame, as a springboard for dialogue. By building on the good components of our culture rather than engaging in wasteful negativity, it will be my intent to take a small step forward toward achieving more collaborative interactions in communities of all types and sizes. Below are some of my concerns.

I am concerned that our proclivity for, and often reliance on, electronic communication devices is reducing human-to-human contact, increasing our sense of personal isolation, and intensifying our linear, mechanistic view of how to live with each other. Without meeting face-to-face, we have no way to understand each other’s needs, desires, and dreams. We have no forum for listening to and building on the creative gifts that each person carries within them. Without rebuilding our interconnectedness as human beings—regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or religion—we risk becoming even more a world based on competition rather than cooperation, of labeled groups rather than sentient, valued human beings, and of increasingly harsh laws and retribution.

I am concerned with the increasingly contentious attitudes of clients in my mediation practice; the proneness of citizens to engage in legal battles before attempting to resolve differences by talking with one another; the dominance of the argument culture at the local, state, and national levels; and the inability of groups to communicate in positive ways to achieve their goals—even the goals that they have agreed upon.

I am concerned about people’s propensity to apply labels to individuals. Such labeling, e.g., offender, pigeonholes them, and focuses on their past actions instead of on their potential as human beings.

I am concerned that if we continue to view crimes as offenses against the state rather than as harm caused to individuals, the number of criminals and recidivism rates will increase, and we will have to continue building more prisons and wasting more dollars and lives. The current dominant focus on real or perceived past wrongdoings blocks the energy required to do the creative design work necessary to ensure a positive future.

I am concerned for the future of my children and my grandchildren, and for the lineage yet to be born.

Our Healing Opportunity

Conflicts do not take place between the state and individuals, as in the formal legal system. They occur between human beings and between groups of human beings. In our increasingly technological world, our ability to interact in positive ways is endangered. The Circle process offers a simple and powerful way to reverse this trend, and to repair and enhance relationships. The potential for the Circle process to supplant