The following community agreements have been crafted with our founding core community members. Each has been carefully considered and we think you’ll agree that these help us to have the best possible events and community dynamic.
- Arrive on time (and stay for the entire gathering if at all possible). To establish a container of trust together, we ask that everyone be settled and ready to start right on time.
- Bring awareness to your energy and state of mind. Be fully present with your thoughts and intentions. Take a moment to acknowledge any lingering stress or emotions from your day or week, and let yourself settle into the group.
- Embrace open-ended dialogue. We’re not here to fix, convince, or reach final decisions; allow space for ideas to remain open and unresolved.
- Focus on ideas: The discussion should center on ideas, theories, and intellectual exploration.
- No personal advice: The group is not a space for giving or receiving personal advice or support. Focus on ideas rather than individual people, events, etc. Resist the urge to caretake or otherwise intervene when someone shares something difficult from their own experience.
- Honor individual journeys. Each of us is on a unique path, and our stories and views are not in competition. Celebrate this diversity.
- Mindfully balance your participation. Recognize when it’s time for active listening, and when it’s time to share.
- Ensure space for all voices. When someone speaks, let them be heard without debate, reaction, or immediate response.
- Listen to understand, not to respond. Embrace a mindset of genuine curiosity and receptivity, free from the urge to counter or correct.
- Resist the urge to interrupt (even to agree). Work to stay in active listening mode until someone completely finishes their thought. A few (or many) seconds of silence between speakers allows us to reflect and think.
- Speak with humility. Share your thoughts to enrich the conversation, not to prove a point, rebut someone else, or elevate yourself.
- Ask for what you need. Whether it’s asking someone to clarify or speak louder, feel comfortable expressing your needs in the moment.
- Assume best intentions, but remain mindful of impact. Words carry weight, and we honor each other by recognizing the effect our words may have.
- Don’t make assumptions. Ask clarifying questions as needed and avoid misinterpretation.
- Dignity and respect are unwavering commitments. Each person’s humanity is fundamental and beyond question.
- Keep what is shared within our container of trust. Never repeat to others what we entrust to each other.
