Council Practice
A ceremonial form of structured dialogue rooted in indigenous traditions and developed for contemporary use by Jack Zimmerman and Virginia Coyle of the Ojai Foundation. Council creates a held space for authentic expression and deep listening through four intentions: speak from the heart, listen from the heart, be lean of expression, and be spontaneous. Used in schools, organisations, and leadership programmes for deep reflection and collective sense-making.
Comment l'animer
- 1
Open the council with a brief ritual — lighting a candle, a moment of silence, or a grounding breath.
- 2
State the intention or question for the council.
- 3
Explain the four intentions: speak from the heart (your direct experience), listen from the heart (without preparing your response), be lean (say what's essential), be spontaneous (speak what's alive now).
- 4
Pass the talking piece. Each person speaks when holding it without interruption or discussion.
- 5
After one round, the talking piece is available for anyone with something to add.
- 6
Close the council with a brief ritual and acknowledgement of what was shared.
Conseils
Council is not a problem-solving tool — it's a listening and presence tool.
Don't introduce it as an efficiency technique.
The facilitator must hold the space with genuine respect for silence and depth.
A weak opening ritual produces a weak council.',
Variantes
Run a brief council (one round, 2 minutes per person) as a workshop closing. Use open council (talking piece available to anyone) for less structured groups. Combine with the Talking Stick in less ceremonial contexts.
Contextes d'utilisation
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