REWILDING THE HUMAN HEART: A Simple Circle of Inquiry
Companion Circle of Inquiry Guide
Handbook | Audiobook | Companion Song | Centering Practice | Circle Guide: In-depth | Discussion Prompts
There is no “right way” to open a Circle of Inquiry—only a sincere one.
What matters most is creating space for deep listening and allowing enough time for every voice to be welcomed and heard. Often, a single, thoughtfully offered prompt is all it takes to open a conversation that becomes meaningful, memorable, and even life-changing for everyone present.
This guide is not a script, but a companion. You’re invited to draw from it as feels natural—choosing prompts, embodiment practices, or gentle suggestions that resonate with you and your group in the moment. Trust your intuition. The circle will tell you what it needs.
Some hosts like to use a small bell or simple sound to mark transitions—moving the group gently into a new experience, or returning everyone to the shared center. Use what feels supportive. Simplicity is enough.
1. Opening Words
“Welcome to this rewilding circle.
This is a space for remembering.
Not a classroom. Not a debate.
But a sacred pause in the rush of things—
A place to listen, to feel, to speak your truth.
To be with one another in real presence.
May we trust silence. May we honor each voice.
May we remember that we are not separate
from the Earth, from each other, or from we many regard as sacred.”
Encourage a breath and a moment of silence before continuing.
Optional: play 1 minute of soft natural soundscape—rain, birds, or wind. Or play the Companion Song to Rewilding the Human Heart.
2. Circle Flow (30–90 minutes, repeatable)
A. Choose a Passage
Pick a short excerpt or paragraph from Rewilding the Human Heart—a single stanza or even a chapter line is enough.
Let one person read it aloud. Let it echo.
B. Reflective Prompts
Choose one or more of these questions to spark gentle sharing:
What speaks to me most in this passage?
What memory or longing is stirred?
How have I lived—or forgotten—this truth?
Where do I feel this in my body?
What part of me is ready to rewild?
Sharing may be done in turns or “popcorn” style.
No cross-talk, advice, or fixing—just deep listening.
Allow silence between shares. Let it breathe.
3. Embodied Check-Ins (every 20–30 minutes)
Pause the verbal flow and invite the body into the circle with simple practices:
Tree Breath (2 min)
Stand tall. Feel your spine like a tree trunk.
Inhale: grow branches. Exhale: drop roots.
Ask:
“Where am I planted? What light draws me?”
Breath of the Wild (2 min)
Breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth with a sigh.
Let it get bigger, softer, truer.
Ask:
“What am I ready to release?”
Rewilding Walk (3 min)
Slowly walk the perimeter of the space as if in a forest.
Let each step be a remembering.
Ask:
“What is waking up in me?”
Gesture of Truth (2 min)
Let your body shape a gesture that feels true in this moment.
Hold it. Feel it. Let it speak wordlessly.
4. Closing the Circle
“Thank you for listening.
Thank you for showing up with your whole being.
This is the beginning of a deeper homecoming.”
Invite each person to offer a short reflection, image, or gesture to close.
Optional: Lie in a circle, eyes closed, and listen to 1–2 minutes of natural sound or music.
5. INVITATION TO TAKE IT OUTWARD
You do not need to be an expert to lead.
You only need to be present.
If this circle moved something in you:
•Open a small gathering with friends.
•Read passages from Rewilding the Human Heart aloud.
•Use this guide, the centering practice, or the companion song.
•Let each circle become its own living ecosystem.
Sharing your experiences with others ripples outward farther than you can possibly imagine.
This is how Rewilding the Human Heart spreads: presence to presence, circle to circle. This is how rewilding happens—
heart to heart, circle to circle,
until remembering becomes contagious.
Sample Invitation for Opening Your Own Circle
→ Copy and Paste from: Google Docs
This letter is simply an invitation—borrow it, reshape it, or write your own.
Use it if it helps you begin. There’s no right way to invite others—only your care and willingness to listen.
The circle begins with you.