Topic: How do you feel about the US government shutdown? Or as always, you can talk about whatever is alive for you.

EMPATHY CAFE FACILITATOR: Lewis Brown Griggs

PRODUCER: Evan Magor

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Bridging Divides Empathy Circle: Government Shutdown

Bridging Divides Empathy Circle: Circle Benefits

The gifts of this work are quite subtle for me. I feel that after showing up for two hours, those two hours that I could have negotiated with myself to do something else. I am very grateful that this is what I did choose to do. I am lifted up by the fact that, that is true for 3 other people today in this environment.

So just that alone, and practicing our listening skills, is a positive for me because it is something that I know helps me have a greater chance of hearing other people in a more sympathetic way instead of going straight into triggering. This is my take away, is to just be mindfully with the gift of that listening and how powerful that is for me and hopefully for others too.

― Claire

I'm a bit frustrated by the extra time it takes to have to go through the process to repeat and to hear other people repeat what I did hear and I absolutely do get the benefit of it.

I'm a bit frustrated by the extra time it takes to have to go through the process to repeat and to hear other people repeat what I did hear and I absolutely do get the benefit of it. To not only hear other people feeling better heard and for me to feel heard. The benefit is well worth it.

Generally I just love the more open heart feeling and learning about one another. And very personally I actually thank you Claire because I constantly need the feedback of not just the part that feels, but when I cross over a little bit in coaching and listening and feel like the compliment of how..

"That was nice what you said," takes away from the pure listening in a nonjudgmental way. Luckily my ego has gone through enough learning so that I say, "O'h my god, thank you, I appreciate the mirror that helps me learn." Because it helps me learn.. thank you. So thank you for being bold enough for saying what I needed to hear.

― Lewis Brown Griggs

I'm grateful for being able to exercise

this muscle of listening.

I'm grateful for being able to exercise this muscle of listening. I wish I had another time in the week to do it because I feel my muscle is week when I start the call each week. I feel that it has been a week since I really exercised the muscle. I'm also grateful since it meetings my basic need for connection as well.

― Evan Magor

...later after it's over I notice that I feel lighter for having been heard by a variety of people on a variety of things.

Sometimes I feel frustrated with myself like, I wasn't clear enough and feel kind of weird. like during the call but then later after it's over I notice that I feel lighter for having been heard by a variety of people on a variety of things. So the positive effects come afterwards.

Something I have been thinking of doing is like blogging about some of the thoughts that get brought up from these calls that there is not time to share. I always feel I have more to say.

― Meagan

Notes: Empathy Circle Harvesting. - the capturing of the learnings and stories from the experience. Ideas and creativity for going forward.