Facilitating Integration and Reflection After Transcendent Psychology Retreats
Introduction
The Sharing Circle is one of the most important moments of a Transcendent Psychology Retreat.
It is the bridge between experience and integration, between what was lived in the ceremony and how it can be embodied in daily life.
Adapted from the ICEERS AyaSafe6 “Guide for Managing Sharing Circles”, this document outlines how to structure, facilitate, and protect these collective spaces with clarity, respect, and therapeutic presence.
The circle is not a therapy session, but a container for listening, witnessing, and integration — where participants can share their experiences without fear of judgment or interpretation.
Purpose of the Sharing Circle
The Sharing Circle serves three primary purposes:
- Integration: To transform insights from the ceremony into conscious understanding and grounded awareness.
- Community: To reinforce the sense of belonging and mutual respect among participants.
- Containment: To provide emotional closure, ensuring that no one leaves the retreat carrying unprocessed material alone.
In Transcendent Psychology, the circle also functions as a group field of reflection — an opportunity for collective attunement and resonance that supports individual healing.
1. Preparation and Setting
1.1 Time and Space
- The Sharing Circle is held the morning after each ceremony, once participants have eaten lightly and rested.
- The space should be clean, well-ventilated, and symbolically prepared (flowers, light, circular layout).
- Arrange chairs or cushions in a perfect circle — no hierarchy, no “front.”
- Facilitators sit as part of the circle, not above it.
1.2 Opening the Circle
The facilitator begins by grounding the group:
- A few moments of silence or breathing together.
- A candle or symbolic object placed at the center to represent shared presence.
- Clear explanation of the purpose and rules of the circle.
Example opening line:
“This space is for listening, not for fixing. Each person is free to speak or remain silent. We are here to honor the truth that emerged last night, in ourselves and in each other.”
2. Principles of the Sharing Circle
Adapted from ICEERS guidelines and deepened through Transcendent Psychology’s therapeutic lens:
2.1 Confidentiality
Everything shared in the circle remains private.
What is heard here stays here.
2.2 Equality
Every voice has the same value. There are no teachers, no followers — only human beings sharing their truth.
2.3 Presence
Participants are invited to listen not only with the mind, but with the heart.
Silence is as sacred as words.
2.4 Non-Interference
No one interprets or gives advice.
Each story is complete in itself and does not require commentary.
2.5 Time Awareness
Each person is given an equal opportunity to speak.
Facilitators manage time gently, ensuring everyone has space if they wish to share.
3. Facilitator’s Role
The facilitator acts as guardian of the field — not as a therapist or director.
Your presence sets the tone of safety, containment, and respect.
3.1 Core Responsibilities
- Hold the structure and timing of the circle.
- Protect the integrity of the rules.
- Model deep listening, empathy, and stillness.
- Intervene only when necessary (e.g., emotional overflow, disrespect, cross-talking).
- Remain neutral — no interpretation or projection.
3.2 Presence and Attunement
Your role is to embody presence: calm breathing, grounded posture, open gaze.
Trust silence as much as speech.
The energy of the facilitator becomes the emotional temperature of the circle.
3.3 Managing Emotional Waves
If someone becomes emotional:
- Allow tears or trembling — do not rush to comfort or “fix.”
- Hold space in silence or with brief acknowledgment: “Thank you for sharing. We’re with you.”
- If the emotion feels overwhelming, invite a co-facilitator to support quietly.
4. Structure of the Circle
The structure balances ritual form and spontaneous flow.
Step 1: Grounding and Silence (5–10 min)
Start with a shared silence, breath, or short meditation.
Invite everyone to sense their body and heart.
Step 2: Purpose and Agreements (5 min)
Reiterate the guiding principles: confidentiality, listening, equality, and voluntary sharing.
Step 3: Sharing Round (45–90 min)
- Each participant shares one by one.
- No interruptions or feedback from others.
- Participants may share in words, gestures, or silence.
- Encourage authenticity: speaking from the heart, not the intellect.
Sample invitation:
“If you wish, share something that feels alive for you — an emotion, an image, a realization, or simply how you feel in your body.”
Step 4: Closing Reflections (10–15 min)
Once everyone has shared (or passed):
- Invite brief reflections from facilitators (never interpretations).
- Offer grounding suggestions: water, rest, silence, journaling.
- End with collective gratitude or a short grounding ritual.
Example closing:
“What we heard here belongs to each of us and to the field of our shared humanity. Let’s take a moment to thank ourselves and the medicine of listening.”
5. Integration Through Sharing
In Transcendent Psychology, the Sharing Circle is an integrative practice in itself.
It supports the transition from expanded consciousness to embodied awareness.
Integration Dynamics:
- Speaking aloud helps solidify insights into language and memory.
- Being witnessed activates the social nervous system and reduces isolation.
- Listening to others expands perspective and normalizes vulnerability.
- Silence allows emotions to settle and meaning to deepen.
These dynamics create a field of collective regulation, which is essential after intense entheogenic work.
6. After the Circle
Facilitators should:
- Stay available for individual check-ins.
- Observe participants who appeared dissociated, anxious, or isolated.
- Offer optional follow-up sessions or recommend integration support.
- Document relevant insights (confidentially) for supervision and learning.
Participants are encouraged to:
- Spend quiet time in nature or rest after the circle.
- Journal, draw, or write reflections.
- Avoid premature conclusions — integration unfolds over time.
🌅 Learn more about Integration & Pitfalls →
Facilitator Checklist
- Prepare a quiet, clean, circular space.
- Review circle principles and agreements.
- Maintain neutrality and presence.
- Protect time and confidentiality.
- Offer optional emotional support afterward.
- Debrief with your facilitation team post-retreat.
Ethical Frame
Facilitators of Transcendent Psychology are bound by the Honor Pledge & Consent:
- Respect autonomy and confidentiality.
- Avoid interpretation, advice, or influence.
- Refrain from personal, emotional, or sexual involvement with participants.
- Maintain professional composure and neutrality.
Read the Honor Pledge & Consent →
Acknowledgements
This document is adapted from the ICEERS AyaSafe6 – Guide for Managing Sharing Circles, licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0, and integrated into the Transcendent Psychology Facilitator Training Curriculum.
We honor ICEERS for their open-source commitment to safe, ethical, and culturally respectful plant medicine practices.
🔗 Learn about the ICEERS Dandelion Model →
🔗 Continue Your Journey
📄 SEO Metadata (for WordPress)
- Meta Title: Guide for Managing Sharing Circles | Transcendent Psychology Retreats
- Meta Description: Learn how to facilitate post-retreat sharing circles with presence, safety, and empathy. Adapted from ICEERS AyaSafe6 for Transcendent Psychology.
- Focus Keywords: sharing circle facilitation, integration guide, ayahuasca sharing, retreat group process, ICEERS Dandelion Model
- Schema Type: “HowTo” / “EducationalArticle”
- Internal Links: Honor Pledge, Integration Pitfalls, Guide for New Participants
🎨 Divi Layout Recommendations
| Section | Layout | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Hero Section | Full-width banner with mandala or circular motif | Warm neutral tone |
| Principles | Icon-based grid (confidentiality, equality, presence, non-interference, time) | Gentle color accents |
| Structure Steps | Numbered accordion or timeline | Interactive navigation |
| Facilitator Role | Two-column layout: text + image of circle setting | Calm typography |
| CTA Footer | “Learn more about Integration” button | Gradient background (green → gold) |
Would you like me to now develop the Integration & Follow-Up (Integration Pitfalls) page next — merging ICEERS’ “Trampas de la Integración” with your Transcendent Psychology model for post-retreat meaning-making and supervision?