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Creating a Listening Community:

Introduction to Restorative Circles 2020

Watch on Vimeo: “Creating a Listening Community: Introduction to Restorative Circles” This video was recorded live for the Unitarian Universalist 2020 General Assembly held in June of 2020. We introduce you to a series of exercises which highlight things that get in the way of our being able to truly listen to another person. If you watch the video with a group from your community, you can pause the video for the breakout sessions which can be done in pairs. Discuss with one another what you notice about being the listener or being the speaker.

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Creating a Listening Community:

A Restorative Circle Demonstration 2021

Watch on Vimeo: “Creating a Listening Community: A Restorative Circle Demonstration” This video was recorded for the Unitarian Universalist Association 2021 General Assembly. We offer a description of the Restorative Circle process and share a demonstration Circle based on a discussion of the implementation of the 8th Principle (https://www.8thprincipleuu.org/). Watch as the members of this imaginary community address a conflict that has created disruption amongst the leadership. The use of reflective listening slows the conversation and allows for the feelings and needs to be shared and understood. With this new understanding, they begin to build a plan to address how to move forward together.

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Restorative Circles:

A Pathway to Right Relations

2022 Demonstration

Watch on Vimeo: “Restorative Circles: A Pathway to Right Relations” This video was prerecorded for the Unitarian Universalist 2022 General Assembly held in June of 2022. In this demonstration of the Circle part of the process, we demonstrate a conversation based on conflict around the misuse of gender pronouns. The facilitator holds space for participants involved to listen and reflect the meaning of what they here being spoken. This invites understanding of each person’s point of view on what happened and the consequences for each person. We see how reflective listening can be a way to reconnect friends when conflict arises that hurts deeply.