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In this episode with Nicky Yazbeck (https://nickyyyoga.com/) and Julia, they covered:

• How Nicky holds a women’s circle for those who’ve experienced plant medicine

• Ayahuasca is a serious plant medicine and need to prepare through clean diet and other preparations

• A circle is important for creating a container for the experience

• There is a WhatsApp group important for the integration of what came up after taking the plant medicine – everyone in the group has shared experience

• People are welcome whether it’s a good or bad day

• Separate women and men’s circles are held because they’ve found a different level of sharing when the sexes are separated

• Pre-circle phone call with Nicky to set expectations

• Opening is an opportunity for someone to share – might be a chance to grow through vulnerability e.g. singing in from of the circle, teaching a meditation

• She’s found that having done plant medicine, people are willing to go deeper: there’s no hesitancy about sharing

• She asks people to be specific about what they want: to have space held for them, support given, reflection and / or advice. Definitely not there to rescue people. Attendees may check “Are you open to feedback?”

• In a 3 hour circle, there are usually 9-14 women and Nicky doesn’t keep time for how long people speak for.

• A firm guideline is that we don’t talk about people who aren’t present.

• Closing is an opportunity to ask everyone how they want to close the circle to give ownership e.g. singing a song, rolling oms, holding hands

Our book Circle Holding: A Practical Guide to Facilitating Talking Circles is available at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Circle-Holding-Practical-Facilitating-Talking/dp/1805013157/

Find details of the next free mini training and Q&A here and all our upcoming trainings on the Training menu above.