Beingness Circles: Japan

New Spirituality
Beingness Circle

The Original Guideline in Japan

This document was created based on and inspired by the ideas about “Beingness Circles” presented by the Humanity’s Team Worldwide (last updated Auguest, 2005). It was made for the facilitators and organizers of the groups as reference, and open to be updated and renewed with new ideas anytime.

Also, please note that the Beingness Circles were developed as the original and unique group activities for the Humanity’s Team, having no direct relationship with the CwG Foundation or any educational programs offered by the CwG Foundation.

It is the idea that this Beingness Circles are to be evolved in the HTs all over the world and the though leaving space for the cultural differences, the ideas or the experiences of the BC exercises are to be shared by both within and outside the country.  And the process of planning the program or the exercises for the BCs itself is open to the BC leaders and facilitator or the Country Coordinators, therefore such communication itself is also part of the BCs, and the different countries coordinating and developing the BCs together is one of the important purpose of this guideline.

This document was made by Eiko Hayakawa.

What is the Beingness Circle?

The first idea of the Beingness Circles was presented at the Country Coordinators Meeting in Turkey, November 2004, specifically presented by the Country Coordinator from Italy at that time.
It was introduced as one of the important activities for the “7 focuses of the New Spirituality”.

There is a clear difference between the on-going study groups or emotional groups and the Beingness Circle. Whereas the former can be casually held and run by anyone who is willing to, anywhere anytime, the Beingness Circle usually takes the form of “workshops” based on the concept of “Be-Do-Have” that is discussed in the CwG series.

In the Beingness Circle, the facilitator prepares the structure or the program using exercises that are taken from or taught based on often professional skills or knowledge.
This also makes possible “professional “HT activities for the purpose of fundraising.

The HT team organizer may want to invite professionals to lead the suitable exercises for one particular part of the workshop with specific Be-Do-Have concept to explore. In this case, there is another main facilitator that runs the whole Beingness Circle workshop.

This is all up to each HT team. It can of course run free of charge, if want to.

Study groups are based on the knowledge or discussion, emotional groups are based on sharing the feelings and emotions, and this Beingness Circles are based on the experiential excersies, therefore learning from the real experience is the purpose.

It is important to include the following 3 parts in The basic Beingness Circle workshops.

[Part 1]: Understanding the Be-Do-Have concept.(lecture &worksheet)
[Part 2]: Exercise/Work to experience “Being” (being the particular state, i.g. love, powerful, trust,etc.  See the attached reference. )
[Part 3]: Acting/Doing or Having Part of the Exercise. Experimenting “Doing” something  out of the state of being attained in the part 2.  This action should not be some complicated work. Rather, it should be very simple actions that we take so naturally everyday. I.g., walking, shaking hands, giving, receiving, etc.
(How do we “walk” when we are in the state of “loving”?  How and what do we “give” when we are in the state of “trust”?, etc. )

In the Part 2, we intend to become a certain state, through various mental exercises, meditation, energy work, healing experiment, etc. The purpose is to share a state of being together as a group.
In the Part 3, the point is to act out of that state of being achieved in the previous part and experience and explore the difference between being in that state and everyday life when we normally take the same action. We experience that we can change the outer reality when we change the inner being.

It is important to set the intention first in the beginning, to agree to try to be that being through this work.
It is not necessary to find the exercises specifically designed for that particular beingness. Rather, we can use some exercises for this particular purpose.

The Beingness Circle is a really powerful way to experience and practice the HT spirit, as, “Be the change we wish to see in the world.”

What is the Be-Do-Have Concept?

Human beings live everyday life usually based on the following ideas:

“We do something in order to be something.”
“We should have something first in order to be something.”
“We do something because we want to be something.”

Let’s take “being happy” as an example.

A little exaggerated thinking process as an instance;

“We get married and have a family to be happy.”
“To be happy, first we should have a house in the suburb, a nice car, and some wealth.”
“We try our best because we want to be happy.”

Let’s try  “being healthy”, next.

“We control our eating habits in order to be healthy.”
“If we have slim bodies and time to exercise, we can be healthy.”
“We go on a diet because we want to be healthy.””

We are always focusing on “Do”s and “Have”s while holding “Be” as the goal.
What CwG suggests us is to make this other way round and attain the “beingness” first, which is the practice of “being” as the function of the soul.

We are naturally taking actions with certain “beingness” as the goal. So, first we should look at which Beingness we want when we take actions. Let’s see how we act wanting certain Beingness in everyday life.

For instance, our bodies take action of “eating”. It is because you want “be” nurtured and nourished.
Furthermore, this leads to “being” healthy. We want to “be” healthy.

Our bodies take action of “sleeping”. It’s because you want to “be” rested. This also leads to “being ”healthy. 

Likewise, we “sit”, because we want to “be” comfortable. We “stand” because we want to “be ready” to move. 

What we practice in the Beingness Circle is to achieve being the being that we want first through some kind of exercise, and then practice taking simple actions that we take everyday so that we can feel the difference of having the focus in the action first.
We want to experience being the being already before we take actions with that being as the goal, and see how our actions change.

We can use all kinds of exercises to attain this beingness first.

What happens if we are already feeling and being healthy and nourished before we eat?  How do our eating habits change?  We can sleep being already well rested and relaxed before going to bed.

And we can already “be happy” before trying anything in our life.

An important point is that we can always choose and declare how we want to be. We always have a choice.

Actors know this very well.  In order to act laughing hysterically, he should feel funny already before taking actions. In order to act crying hard, he should already be sad before taking actions.
We can choose and decide which being we want.  It is not only actions that we can choose.

This part is well described in “Bringers of the Light” by Neale Donald Walsh.

“Only when your Doing flows out of your place of Being, announcing it rather than seeking to create it, can you ever be centered enough to become a Bringer of the Light”.
Most of the world has this “being/doing” paradigm backwards. People are running around everywhere doing, doing, doing, and hoping by this device to one day achieve a state of beingness (“happy”, “peaceful,” ”abundant,” “enlightened”…whatever) that will make it all worthwhile.
The sad thing about all this is that for most people, it doesn’t work out that way. They spend their whole life doing this and doing that, doing this and doing that, and all they wind up with is a great big pile of   “do-do”. ” (p.30. “Bringers of the Light”)

Reference: Quotations from CwG series about Beingness

“There’s a difference between being and doing, and most people have placed their emphasis on the latter.
Doing is a function of the body.  Being is a function of the soul.
If you think your life is about doingness, you do not understand what you are about.  Your soul doesn’t care what you do for a living----and when your life is over, neither will you.  Your soul cares only about what you’re being while you’re doing whatever you’re doing.  It is a state of beingess the soul is after, not a state of doingness.”
(P.169-170. “Conversations with God, Book One”, Chapter 12, by Neale Donald Walsh)

“In the true order of things one does not do something in order to be happy---one is happy and, hence, does something.  One does not do some things in order to be compassionate, one is compassionate and, hence, acts in a certain way.  The soul’s decision precedes the body’s action in a highly conscious person. Only an unconscious person attempts to produce a state of the soul through something the body is doing.
Your life work is a statement of Who You Are.  If it is not, then why are doing it?  Do you imagine that you have to?  You don’t have to do anything. ”
(P.185-186. “Conversations with God, Book One”, Chapter 12, by Neale Donald Walsh)

“This does not mean that “having” and “doing” will be eliminated from your life.  It means that what you experience yourself having or doing will spring from you being---not lead you to it. 
When you come from “happiness,” you do certain things because you are happy---as opposed to the old paradigm in which you did things that you hoped would make you happy.
When you come from “wisdom,” you do certain things because you are wise, not because you are trying to get to wisdom.
When you come from “love,” you do certain things because you are love, not because you want to have love. 
Everything changes; everything turns around, when you come from “being,” rather than seeking to “be.” You cannot “do” your way to “being.”  Whether you are trying to “be” happy, be wise, be love.”
(p.362. “Conversations with God, Book Three”, Chapter 21, by Neale Donald Walsh)

“You may think that you need a particular person to be happy, or a job to be successful, or some other emotional or physical gratification to be content. That is when you may wish to notice that you are here, right now, without it.  Why, then, do you think you need it ?

Close examination will reveal that you do not need it, not to survive, and not even to be happy.

Happiness is a decision, not an experience.

You can decide to be happy without what you though you needed in order to be happy, and you will be.”

Your experience is the result of your decision, not the cause of it.
(The same is true, incidentally, of love.  Love is not a reaction, love is a decision.  When you remember this, you are approaching mastery.)
(p.178. “Communion with God” by Neale Donald Walsch)

For Part 1 of the Beingness Circle:

Exercise : Beingness & Doingness

Doing is a function of the body.  Being is a function of the soul

(Ref. “Bringers of the Light” by Neale Donald.Walsh)

*********************************************************

1. In the chart, make a list of things your body has done recently, then indicate the Beingness you were trying to achieve. (This exercise was taken directly from p.25,“Bringers of the Light” )

Doingness	Beingness I wish to achieve
Reading a book	Wisdom, clarity, understanding
Writing the author	Sharing, connecting, expressing
Cleaning the dishes	(Fill in yourself)

2. Next, notice and write what you are doing right now, and then indicate the Beingness you are trying to achieve right now.

Doingness	Beingness
Sitting in a chair	Relaxed, comfortable

3. Then, feel and notice how you are, the state of your beingness right now. Don’t try to be intellectual, just feel and write simply how you are being now. Then imagine and write what actions could follow possibly with the beingness you just wrote.

My Beingness Right Now	Doingness that could derive
Tired, sleepy	Lying on the floor, Giving up studying

4. Compare 2.& 3. See how it feels if you place the order of Beingness & Doingness the other way round. We can always choose our own beingness first.  We can decide, declare and be it! Then from that beingness, naturally our Doingness comes out. Let’s live our live based on this!

Sample Exercises of Experiencing some beingness for Beingness Circles

Here are some sample exercises that have actually been practiced. The first part of the workshop should focus on achieving the beingness that the group has selected for that day, and because it is to create and experience certain state of mind, often the exercise takes the form of rituals or symbolic practice, something that work on the subconscious mind rather than discussion or logic or verbal exercises.
Once the group has agreed to achieve certain beingness together, everyone will focus on attaining that state of being, which leads to the last part of the workshop that the group decides to take one simple action being the being they have reached, and feel how the action itself feels different from everyday life.

It is a good idea to have people sharing the exercises that they have tried, creating some files so that anyone or any group can use.

1.    Beingness: “Trust”
First, make a circle and look at each other. Close eyes and decide to be the state of being “trust”, and look at the group again.  This is a very silent part.

Then, some people make 2 lines with their hands open wide in the front with the palms up or holding each other’s hands, and making a “bridge”. It might be good that men or strong people do this.

One person stand with facing backwards at a possibly a little higher place, and gently and quietly fall backwards, feeling and being “trust”, and let the people’s “bridge” receive the person’s body falling into their hands and hold strongly.

Another version:  Make a circle on the feet. Gradually make the circle smaller and smaller so that the people are tightly pushing each other amd making a very small tight circle. One person goes into the center of this small circle, with the eyes closed, fall down in all directions. The people in the circle gently receive the person, then push back to the center, and the person falls into another direction, all the while the eyes closed.
This is an amazing exercise because as you continue, the person in the center feels so much joy and fun and becoming like a basketball bouncing here and there, feeling secure, relaxed and trusting.  Take turns and experience being the beingness of “trust”, like a baby trusting the parent holding up the baby high in the air.

Action Part:  any simple action like making a big circle of the group again, and looking at each other.  How do you feel different in taking the action of “looking” at someone? Or, you can try “shaking hands”.  How do you feel if you don’t know or trust the person? How do you feel now? In many cases, shaking hands lead to hugs.

2.   Beingness: “Divine ”    Excersie “Namaste”
Spend some time meditating quietly. Then, the group opens the eyes, and start looking at each other’s eyes dearly, seeing the God in the other.  You can feel “Namaste”’s meaning which is ”God in me sees God in you”. They can keep walking in the room, having the deep eye contact with each partner.
Action Part:  any action such as “passing the salt”!! How does it feel to pass the salt to God from God?

3.  Beingness: “Abundance”  Excercise  Appreciating, and worshipping the water.
This exercise was done in the WorldWide Country Coordinators Meeting in New York, June, 2005.  Have 2 petbottles of water. (This is optional, for, 1 bottle is to compare the difference of the taste of the water after the exercise.)  It is based on the study done by Dr. Emoto about the reaction of the water crystals when given positive vibration of the words.

Place 1 bottle of water in the center of the circle of the group. First, the group looks at the bottle, maybe praying or thanking the water. Then, starting from one person in the circle, each person takes the bottle of water in the hands, looking, touching the bottle, feeling how this water arrived in front of the person, how the water was made by nature, etc., and filling yourself with thanks, give thanks and respect to the water. Hand it to the next person. When everyone is done, the group can taste the water and compare with the other bottle of water which was given nothing.

You will be surprised how the other bottle water tastes bitter, and the one worshipped tastes sweet and rich in taste.

This first part can be interpreted as achieving the state of “abundance”, because strangely enough, while saying thank you to the water, you start to appreciate the existence of the water so much, that strangely enough, we begin to feel we have so much given by the nature and feel abundant.

Action Part:  This can be the tasting action. We can compare and be surprised enough how we taste the water differently from everyday life.  Not only the taste is different, but how we drink the water is also very different. If we feel already abundant, such a little amount of water is more than enough to feel abundance.

Other Exercises:

Various sports, performance, arts, music, dance, image work, drum circles, oral pair works

Visualization, meditation

All the Exercises should consist of “being” part and “doing” part, but in order to achieve the Being, we use some doing exercise naturally, so, the whole process becomes being then doing, then being and doing, alternatively.

The Charts on the next page were taken from HTBeingness Circle Document made by Stephano in 2005.

Chart A - Inner Opportunities for individuals/groups

applying our knowledge celebrating life experiencing Oneness expressing divinity being ourSelves appreciating diversity expanding our comfort zones

giving our “gifts” receiving the gifts of others increasing awareness meeting challenges stepping into our power embracing change

openning to God telling our truth living the 5 steps to peace answering the question: “what would love do now?” and many more…

Chart B - States of Being: a helpful list for practicing BE-DO-HAVE.

1. Abundance	51. Fully Self Expression	101. Powerful
2. Acceptance	52. Fun	102. Relaxed
3. Adventure	53. Funny	103. Resilient
4. Alertness	54. Generosity	104. Resourceful
5. At Oneness	55. Gentleness	105. Responsible
6.Authenticity	56. Giving	106. Romantic
7. Awareness	57. Gladness	107. Safe
8. Balance	58. Grace	108. Satisfied
9. Beauty	59. Grand	109. Secure
10. Bliss	60. Grateful	110. Self Loving
11. Brightness	61. Gratified	111. Self Secure
12. Caring	62. Guiding	112. Sensitive
13. Charisma	63. Happy	113. Sensual
14. Charity	64. Happiness	114. Sharing
15. Cheer	65. Harmony	115. Silent
16. Clarity	66. Healthy	116. Silly
17. Comfort	67. Helpful	117. Simple
18. Comical	68. Honest	118. Sincere
19. Compassion	69. Hope	119. Smart
20. Connection	70. Hospitality	120. Special
21. Constructive	71. Humble	121. Spirited
22. Contentment	72. Humorous	122. Spiritual
23. Courteous	73. Integrity	123. Strength
24. Creative	74. Intelligent	124. Strong
25. Delight	75. Intuitive	125. Successful
26. Determined	76. Jolly	126. Supportive
27. Discipline	77. Jovial	127. Thoughtful
28. Elation	78. Joyful	128. Thrifty
29. Empathetic	79. Joyous	129. Thrilled
30. Empowered	80. Just	130. Tolerant
31. Encouraging	81. Kind	131. Tranquility
32. Endurance	82. Knowing	132. Trusting
33. Energetic	83. Leadership	133. Trustworthy
34. Enlightenment	84. Lighthearted	134. Truth
35. Entertaining	85. Love	135. Truthful
36. Enthusiastic	86. Loveable	136. Unconditional
37. Eternal	87. Loving	137. Understanding
38. Euphoria	88. Loyal	138. Unlimited
39. Excitement	89. Magnificent	139. Unrestricted
40. Faith	90. Merciful	140. Vitality
41. Faithful	91. Merry	141. Wealthy
42. Fitness	92. Nurturing	142. Willing
43. Focus	93. Observant	143. Wise
44. Forgiveness	94. Open	144. Witty
45. Free	95. Optimistic	145. Wonder
16. Free Spirit	96. Patient	146. Wonderful
47. Freedom	97. Peace	147. Worthy
48. Friendly	98. Peaceful
49. Fulfilled	99. Performer
50. Full of Life	100. Playful

*Reference: This list was originally compiled by La Rue Eppler and Direct Access International, www.directaccess2u.com

Chart C - Each individual will also find ample opportunity in the Beingness Circle in activities such as:

guiding meditations and prayer. facilitating meaningful exercises making music drumming circles dance, painting, theater public speaking reciting poetry.

sharing personal experiences. expressing from a place of Unity and Oneness organizing and facilitating simple Dahn Hak exercises getting in touch with emotions around current issues and coming to new awareness of how we hold onto the past.