Soleil were meeting for their fifth Reflection Circle session. After arranging their chairs into a circle, the teachers began to silently read a text selected from the first Reflection Circle book, an excerpt from St. Augustine’s Confessions. Next, one person in the circle read the text aloud, and each participant posed a question generated from the text. The group then broke into small groups to refine the questions and returned to the larger group to discuss them. The group was animated, and discussion was lively.

The text described a person who stole mangoes from a neighbor’s tree. The person didn’t need the mangoes but stole them anyway. The group began reflecting on the text. “What causes a thief to steal something he already has?” “There are different forms of stealing… Rich people can overprice things… Isn’t that stealing?” “Sometimes people have to steal to feed a child. Is that as wrong as stealing mangoes that you don’t need?” “Sometimes you have to choose between sins: let somebody die of hunger or steal some food.” “What would you do if you knew an innocent person was being crucified? Would you steal the nails?” “What if you were the innocent person? Would you want somebody to steal the nails to save you?” “Are there only two choices—steal the nails or let them kill?” “Conscience makes you take responsibility—you need to act on your beliefs.”

As animated as the discussion was, there were also pauses and moments of silence. Fremy Cesar, the facilitator, later explained the role of silence in the Reflection Circle process. The quiet space allows people to think more clearly. A discussion can become so animated that people stop listening to and learning from one another. The silences also give more timid participants space to contribute their own thoughts, thoughts that are valuable and would be lost in a more heated discussion. Pauses also allow participants time to evaluate their own involvement in the discussion. “Am I dominating this conversation? Am I really listening to and understanding the others? Are there others I should encourage to participate?” In order to bring needed silence to an overheated discussion, the discussion leader can pose an especially puzzling question. Eventually, a group learns to welcome silence as a space for more reflection. Participants learn to value listening as much as being heard.

After the discussion ended, the participants shared their perspectives on Reflection Circles. One person explained how the training is helping him learn to listen. He used to cut people off, thinking he knew what they were going to say before they said it. Sometimes he was wrong. He used to talk a lot, but now he stops and lets others talk; and as he listens, he is learning. Two preschool teachers spoke about how they are now more patient with their young students and more interested in listening to them. “Even little children say important things!” One man said he likes the positive things he experiences in the group, like mutual respect and tolerance; the only negative thing he notes is that the two hours the group meets each week are too short! One woman said that the Reflection Circles have taught her how to listen to different kinds of people. She used to listen in order to give a response; now she wants to listen in order to understand people.

As I sat among these teachers, it occurred to me that maybe I should remove my sandals, for I felt I was on holy ground as I observed people being transformed by listening, learning, and thinking together. I could see that the skills and values they were developing would radiate out from this circle into other aspects of their lives. Furthermore, they would share what they were learning with their students and others in Cité Soleil. Reflection Circles could become a tool for breaking down barriers between people, addressing violence, and building common ground; and to me, that common ground feels like holy ground!