Circling: Exploring Sadness & Anger

Doors open at 6:45PM / Circle begins at 7:00PM

The goal of Circling is for a group of people to see the world through your eyes, and for you to see the world through other people’s eyes. We flourish under the influence of caring, curious, and non-judgmental attention – and so does the connection between us. If money is tight, please contact me for pay-what-you-can options.

According to some theories, all feelings can be broken down into four root emotions. These are anger, sadness, fear, and joy. For example, frustration might be a combination of anger and fear, and nostalgia is probably a mix of sadness and joy, perhaps with a dash of fear that those good times will never return. But depending on our culture and upbringing, many of us don’t feel comfortable expressing these emotions: if we show fear, are we weak? In many cases, why is it more acceptable for men to get angry and for women to be sad?

In this circling series, we’re going to focus on one root emotion at each session: what are our beliefs and assumptions about it? How do we express it? How do we feel when we witness other people expressing it? What happens in our bodies? Can we learn that emotions are messengers and not commands or an absolute state of being?

The focus of this session is on sadness and grief. When something devastating happens -- or even just crummy – do you feel a heaviness or contraction in your body? Do you cry often or hardly at all? Do you avoid touching certain memories because of how you’ll feel in response? Or are you on the other extreme: when sadness blankets you, the darkness is hard to escape, and you can’t feel anything else?

I believe there’s a sacredness to sadness, and that grief deserves respect and space. Let’s talk about how we experience it and can honor it while still living our lives.

Host or Publisher Rebecca Hassell