Need a patient ear? Try a listening circle

They provide a safe space for people to share stories

The number of ‘listening circles’ are growing in the city. The meetings typically involve a group of people taking turns to share their experiences or stories in order to be understood and gain empathy.
Started by entrepreneur Karthik Selva as a “social experiment to facilitate judgement-free listening”. The Listeners’ Circle has been hosting events across the city since 2018. “One can sign up as a listener or a speaker,” says Selva. There is an entry fee of Rs 150 for listeners but speakers can register free of cost.

The group hosts two types of sessions — ‘Tell Your Story’, a session with no fixed theme is conducted twice a month and ‘Coffee and Conversation’ on the second Sunday of each month. Discussions here are guided by a prompt. So far, they’ve covered prompts like weekend activities and adult friendships. The sessions are hosted at various venues across the city and each session sees about 30 participants.

Speaking about the demographic, Selva has seen an interest among people who’ve recently moved to the city. This was the case with coffee enthusiast Amish Singh who now helps host the circle. “I wanted to be a catalyst for all such people who’re coming to share their stories,” says Singh.

Chartered accountant Abhilash Lapasia has attended both as a listener and a speaker. He believes the anonymity of the members of the group helps speakers open up more easily. “Even listening to people was therapeutic,” shares Lapasia.

Space to vent

The Gratitude Listening Circle is co-hosted by counsellor Harish Bhuvan and Amaresh Nath at Whaterr Solutions, Begur. “The circle provides a safe space for people who simply wish to vent or talk,” Bhuvan notes.

The listening circle was founded in 2016, and has a specific format. Each session starts with a brief speech on listening and a themed passage reading. They then break into pairs to have conversations based on the passage reading, after which the group gets together and shares insights.

Lately, Bhuvan has observed a steady growth in interest among Bengalureans. They have 60-70 members who meet up once a week on either Tuesdays or Fridays.

Hennur-based Sahil Raina also conducts sharing circles on a smaller scale. Last year, he had organised a series of sharing circles with his partner Karuna Jenkins. Called Coming Home, it focused on somatic practices.

Contact

Listeners’ Circle: 84896 95969

Gratitude Listening Circle: whaterr.com

Sahil Raina: @rhythmincha0s on Instagram