A Space for Connection, Compassion, and Shared Humanity Circles on Love were first initiated in the run-up to the 5th Spirit of Humanity Forum – Towards a Loving World: Leadership and Governance for Well-Being. These Circles, which were conducted in a Zoom-based Small Dialogue Format, offered a safe, loving, and reflective space for invited leaders to explore love in leadership and governance. What is it in our experience that either leads to or prevents love being a power in politics, business, education, and other areas of society? These are the types of questions and discussions that take place in Circles on Love. They provided an intimate and dialogic container—inviting deep listening, presence, and courageous conversation. Prof Ursula King raised a critical reflection at a regional SoH Forum event: “Our ideas of love have become weak. We need to understand love in a new way, or maybe an original way that has been lost. We have made love small, into something we only keep for friends and relatives, intimate connections. But the power of love is so much greater. We must nurture a different kind of love which can reach out in the world.” Prof Ursula King’s statement inspired us to invite explorations, reflections, stories, and experiences of the meaning and power of love from different perspectives, exemplifying what love looks like when it builds bridges, overcomes significant challenges, enables us to see with the eyes of another, and creates trust and harmony among people. Building on this experience, Circles of Love are now offered as a simple and powerful practice for nurturing connection and shared humanity. We encourage people everywhere, regardless of their background or beliefs, to create such spaces themselves—among family, friends, colleagues, in communities, and workplaces. Whether in person or online, formal or informal, these circles can become sanctuaries of listening, mutual care, and transformation, welcoming all who seek to connect and understand. Do you feel inspired to host a circle? In that case, the Spirit of Humanity Forum offers guidance and facilitation to support you in creating spaces grounded in authenticity, compassion, and trust. The Three Pillars The Forum is specifically using silent reflection, deep listening and dialogue in all its events to provide an opportunity for leaders and change-makers who are driven by core human values to learn from each other in a safe space and find new ways forward together. We believe this practice will create a very different outcome in meetings. Silence To see a different perspective and think new thoughts we need to give the mind a complete rest in between. In silent reflection, we digest impressions, let insights sink in and we prepare ourselves to learn something new. Listening To listen deeply with only a sincere intention to grasp what the other is trying to express without interpreting or drawing conclusions is a level of listening that can open up for the dialogue and build bridges of new understanding. Dialogue To build our understanding of something, together with others, without the pressure to make decisions or be "right." When we inquire into a subject, rather than advocate for certain ideas, we can welcome what the other has to offer and create something new together.
