Sophia Circles Guidelines
The inspiration for the Sophia Circles grew out of Carolyn Rivers’ thirteen years of experience with the transformative power of working with a small circle of women who agreed to hold each other to their creative and spiritual edge in their life and their work. They called on the presence of the Divine Feminine to guide their growth and the outcome. Out of this first circle, Rivers’ vision for The Sophia Institute took shape and fellow circle members gained the courage to move in unexpected and powerful ways. The circle gave them encouragement and support to pursue their visions and respond to their heart callings.
It is further influenced by the work of Jean Shinoda Bolen, on our National Advisory Board, who has seeded circles with a sacred center worldwide and is author of the much acclaimed book, The Millionth Circle. Additionally, we are advised by Jean Houston, also on our National Advisory Board and Faculty, who proposes teaching/learning communities as central to transforming ourselves and our world.
Focus: Transforming Ourselves; Transforming Our World
Purpose:
Sophia Circles provide support and encouragement for people who are living their calling and those who wish to identify what they’re deeply called to do. The Circles provide tools to support the inner work that leads to sustainable, healthy outer action and harmonious co-creation with the Divine. They offer a place to meet other like-minded and like-hearted women and men from your community or city.
Our Values:
Wisdom – True wisdom wells up from the wisdom heart. This deep heart-based wisdom brings us to move deeply in line with our highest calling.
Wholeness – Wholeness means integrated, complete and full. This deep integrity moves us towards harmony and understanding of self and others.
Oneness – Oneness recognizes the interconnectedness of all. Alignment of body, mind and spirit with the Divine brings us to attune fully with inner wisdom and live by its promptings.
Sustainability –Sustainability transcends the ecological and environmental and extends to all levels of the physical, mental and spiritual, bringing them into accord.
Peace - Peace requires effort. Peace in the immediate environment and the world begins within and expands out.
Tools:
The Sophia Institute provides monthly access to discourses by leading-edge teachers via the internet and at Sophia Institute organized and approved presentations and workshops in Charleston and around the world. It supports transformative inner work through instruction on practices like meditation, guided visualization, heart connections, process work that allows the participant to integrate new concepts and other methods.
Membership:
Membership is donation based. These donations provide the means to offer the teachers, administrative support and the technology to make the services and discourses available to members. Because TSI is a 501(c)3 organization, membership is a donation and a way of supporting, sustaining and growing the work of TSI.
When:
Members meet a minimum of once a month to discuss monthly themes, share their experiences and hold one another to their creative and spiritual edge in their life and their work. We recommend that each member hear and/or view discourses in advance of the meeting and as frequently as they wish.
Sophia Circle Guidelines:
- Sophia Circles are deeply rooted in the wisdom of Sophia, the Divine Feminine principle. Sophia means wisdom in the ancient Greek and was personified in the Feminine. This heart wisdom is called upon to guide meetings.
- Circles are open to all regardless of caste, creed, race, sex or country.
- Speak, act and be with each other in deep integrity, heart to heart and with confidentiality.
- Honor and respect all religions as pathways to the Divine.
- Hold to the original purpose of the Sophia Circle as a place for transformation and mutual support. Sophia Circles are not spaces for networking or selling.
- Content from workshops, forums and seminars at the Sophia Institute will provide the basis for the Sophia Circle Programs. All workshops, speakers and materials used within the circles will be approved by the Sophia Institute.
- Ambassadors will serve as conveners of the Sophia Circles and will coordinate between the Circle and the Sophia Institute, through participation in Sophia Institute events in Charleston.
- Ambassadors and facilitators hold no particular office or authority and cannot engage the Sophia Institute in any contracts or obligations.
- Participation is through membership-based and monthly or annual contribution serves as a donation to our non-profit organization.
Member Guidelines:
- Foster wholeness in body, mind and spirit.
- Use wisdom in interaction with self and others.
- Practice regular prayer and meditation and other practices each is called to.
- Live a sustainable life style in respect of Mother Earth.
- Work towards peace.
- Integrate consciousness of the Divine Feminine into daily living.
- Focus on Oneness and unity to guide decisions and ideals.
- Serve others in the community.
- Confidentiality - All that is shared in the circle remains in the circle. There are no exceptions. Building group trust is essential.
- Participation is membership-based and monthly or annual contribution serves as a donation to our non-profit organization.
Ambassador Guidelines:
1. Confidentiality - All that is shared in the circle remains in the circle. There are no exceptions. Building group trust is essential.
2. Encourage participants to speak from personal experience - using "I" statements and make efforts to avoid "shoulds" or judgments.
3. Listen respectfully and actively - Give the speaker undivided attention, your presence. Some might use a “speaking stone” or object to designate who may speak. The one with the stone "has the floor" while the other circle members listen with their heart.
4. Keep the time frame around 1-1/2 to 2 hours maximum.
5. Participants at the latest TSI programs will be encouraged to facilitate the upcoming meetings and will be ambassadors from the Mother Circle, The Sophia Institute, to their circle.
