THE JESUIT FORUM PROCESS

"You have noticed that everything an Indian does is done in a circle,
and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles,
and everything tries to be round.

Everything the Power of the World does is done in a circle.
The sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls.
Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours.
The sun comes forth and goes down in a circle.
The moon does the same, and both are round.
Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing,
and always come back again to where they were.

The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood,
and so it is in everything where power moves.

Our tepees were round like the nests of birds,
and these were always set in a circle,
the nation's hoop,
a nest of many nests,
where the Great Spirit meant for us to hatch our children."

~ Black Elk Speaks (Chapter 17), 1933

The Jesuit Forum engages people in deeper thinking and sharing on what’s going on in our globalized world, starting with their own experience.

The Jesuit Forum process of sharing circle engagement reflects and is inspired by the traditional wisdom of Indigenous sharing circles, particularly in the midst of community conflicts and injustices. Echoing this wisdom, we seek to create listening forums for reflective and fruitful dialogue towards communal and consensual discernment.

Participants sit in a circle and a facilitator introduces the process. Everyone will have the opportunity to speak for a few minutes, following the order of the circle, but anyone can pass. Participants are invited to listen to each other without interrupting, and to keep everything that is shared in the circle confidential. A talking stick or microphone can be used to put emphasis on the speaker.

The topic may be directly related to a session in one of the Forum’s dialogue guides or reflection, often answering the question "What struck you most in the material that was given to you in preparation for this session?".

A second and ideally third round of sharing will invite participants to answer other specific questions or to add comments or reflections on what someone in the group has said. Importance is given to each person’s input, ensuring that topics come alive and are enriched by each person’s experience and the energy generated by the sharing.

Through active listening and dialogue in a safe space, a small group builds trust. Sharing can then take place with both minds and heart. The hope is that this trust-building approach will counteract the growing privatization of people's faith and deepest convictions and will instead foster friendship, energy, enthusiasm and a deeper understanding of each other and of the world in which we live.

OUTCOMES

Tea picking,
Kericho region, Kenya (0°23’ S, 35°16’ E).

While tea is a hugely popular drink the world over, the tea industry is an example of commodity industries where workers struggle to have access to decent wages and living conditions that would cover some of their basic human rights such as housing, healthcare, access to water and education.

Field cultivation,
north of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India (26°22’ N – 73°02’ E).

Food sustainability has to be envisioned from “farm to fork”. Industrial agriculture is contributing to the depletion of natural resources and biodiversity loss at great speed. New agricultural models are needed to preserve the natural capital while feeding the planet’s population.

1

PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION

Participants generally say the process leads to a greater sense of belonging to a wider community of people seeking the common good - they feel less alone in their struggle to find meaning and effective ways of acting.

They also feel affirmed and receive new perspectives on their experience, enriched by the meaning they have uncovered for themselves and shared with others. They also express regaining a sense of agency and creativity.

2

GROUP GROWTH AND GREATER IMPACT

The groups that have journeyed together beyond one or two sessions attest to the gradual deepening of that commitment. Participants express the desire to take on responsibilities or to get involved in projects.

The process also builds trust and energy among a group in a way that makes it more effective in its mission. A group practicing the process regularly becomes able to consistently recognize and choose the path leading to a greater positive impact.

3

RENEWED VISION AND COMMITMENT

Participants usually leave a Forum discussion enriched by the contribution of others and by what emerged from the group conversation. They may also feel empowered and hopeful about the possibility of bringing about change in the world through their life and with others.

Participants might feel inclined to adopt new attitudes or commitments, including a desire to seek out similar experiences of sharing and listening with others.