Notes from a Witness Circle

Under all of our stories is a common story.  The emotional elements are the same. Fear, joy, confusion, anger, shame, feeling compelled to do things that make absolutely no sense (until you do them and then they do), despair, victory. These are some of the elements that make up a compelling story. 

Over the course of the session Tuesday evening a theme arose: self-betrayal. That one hit everyone hard. There is probably nothing worse than betraying oneself.  

My wish for anyone reading these words is that you not betray yourself. It’s the pain that keeps on hurting. And, chances are, you will betray yourself. Giving yourself a hard time isn't useful; self-forgiveness is.

The Witness Circle is a space for men and women to come lay down the burden of their stories. These are the ones we don’t get to tell elsewhere. They’re not pretty. They’re not socially acceptable. They’re the stories that hit hard. They’re the ones you’ve built a fortress of shame around. They’re the ones you judge yourself  for. The ones that make people who haven’t done the work on themselves uncomfortable. The stories we don’t talk about. Those stories. 

My invitation to you: come get uncomfortable. Come say the thing you need to say in order to get free of the fear of being seen for all you are. 

Because the truth is: all of you is beautiful. And when you reveal the parts of you that have been hidden in the dark, for what may feel like an eternity, you become more so.

This is the space to share those stories. Drop the artifice, the layers you’ve built up around yourself. 

Come be witnessed. Come get free.