CIRCLE OF SELVES
Know yourself.
Be in the best company.
What’s a Circle of Selves?
5 men in 5 sessions over 10 weeks
Circle of Selves is a short-term, focussed study group for five men.
It offers a simple, structured system to explore two things at the same time:
- Being true to your wants and needs
- Belonging to a group
You practice staying as connected as possible to yourself, while also taking action as part of a collective.
The others in that group are practicing the same thing.
What happens?
You and four other men will meet every two weeks for two months.
Each session lasts around two hours.
At the beginning, simple tools and exercises are introduced. They are designed to help you connect with yourself and the other participants, and begin to build social structures together.
Over time, the faciliator steps back more and more. The group begins to take on and share more responsibility. You all shape the space and your experience together, while maintaining a strong connection to your individual selves.
What’s the goal?
To support two things in parallel:
- A clearer appreciation of your own inner life
- A group dynamic based on collaboration, not social pressure
Past Circles of Selves have gone on to hold their own regular men’s groups, have adventures travelling together and form organisations for public good.
Like this one, Zigmal e.V., for instance!
Where does this work come from?
This kind of work is what’s sometimes called ‘initiation work’ or ‘men’s work’.
Men began gathering in this way in the 1970s and 1980s.
Small groups met to explore their inner lives and their roles in the world. There was (and still is) the argument that many of us grew older without really growing up. That while we understand the qualities a ‘good man’ would have, we haven’t met many men with those qualities yet. Perhaps we doubt whether we have those qualities ourselves – or even if we have them, we don’t dare to show them.
Circle of Selves is at its most basic an invitation to become a ‘better man’.
But – it’s a self-initiation. That means you decide what ‘a better man’ looks like.
What’s required?
To run a Circle of Selves, five men are needed.
The ideal is for all five men to commit to all five sessions.
The time between sessions is also part of the process. You notice what changes you want to make in daily life, see what happens, and bring the results back to the circle to explore further.
When can I start?
The next circle begins on April 20, and there is still space for one more. That group will run until June.
After that: Whenever five men are ready to commit, a circle can begin.
That means: If you already have five men who want to do this together, a course will be arranged.
What does it cost?
We keep these groups as affordable as we can. Each man covers his share of the basic costs: room rental and materials used during the course. Those can change depending on the room that’s used, but so far it has never been more than 55 euro per person to cover all of the sessions.
Afterwards, a donation can be made to Zigmal if the group wants to support our future work. There’s no obligation to make a donation.
Who facilitates?
The sessions are facilitated by an experienced men’s counsellor and trauma therapist who is also a Zigmal member. The role of the facilitator is to support the process, not to lead it long-term.
If, after reading all of this, you are curious about participating, drop us a message. The facilitator will contact you to introduce himself and give you more information, and there is no obligation to take anything any further if he is not a match for you.
How can I join?
To join the next Circle of Selves, or to ask any questions, you can write to:
info(at)zigmal.org
From past participants…
“Being part of this group was an amazing experience. The discussions, reflections, and insights we shared were very valuable, and I have grown a lot as a result of our time together.”
“More than that, I’m grateful for how being part of the group made me feel – part of something greater than myself, surrounded by like-minded people with similar values and goals. It was inspiring and empowering.””
“It was very meaningful and useful for me to have this forum. Thank you for being open to sharing this experience together.”