For information, contact Jen Sellers, jensellers@comcast.net and/or Wanda Poindexter at interbeingtucson@yahoo.com.

This is what we share when we talk about why Beloved Community Circles are important to us:

Why Beloved Community Circles are dear to our heart‍ ‍

We are living in such difficult times. BCC unites three interrelated focal points – there is an intermingling (merging, mixing, fusing) of them.

The three Interrelated Buckets

• Personal liberation and personal spiritual/mindfulness practice to tend to our own suffering

• Community building to actively support and care for one another in the Circle

• Social transformation to collectively engage in racial, social, and climate justice

Each of you likely has, and we certainly do, ways/groups/practices in each of these areas that you’re already involved in. Many of them may even contain overlap in the three areas of focus. We hope that our BCC space is one that explicitly combines and intermingles the three. It’s clear that spiritual/mindfulness practices lead to stronger community and social transformation – because healing one’s self impacts others. We hope to create social action from a place of peace and personal groundedness rather than a place of anger and stress – this feels uncommon in today’s world.

How will we decide what we do?

We both have an interest in doing at least something together as a group, and we want to work that out together as a group. It may be that the group decides to support each other in individual actions. Or it may be a combination. In any case, it seems that when we pull one thread in an area of social justice it touches others. So if there’s a project focused on ending racism it might touch on addressing climate chaos. And something we hope to become more skilled at – finding and bringing in joy, especially to the societal transformation focus.

Support within a Beloved Community Circle can be multi-directional

Each of us supports each other

Each of us receives support

Each of us supports the Circle as a whole and the Circle as a whole supports each of us. We like to think of the BCC not as another thing we have to commit to, but as something that sustains us in the other things we’re doing and deepens those things with that 3-way weaving of personal spirituality/mindfulness, community care, and societal justice.

Most of the other things we’re doing, while there may be some overlap, are usually focused in only one of those areas primarily. In other words, we see this as a way to reduce stress rather than increase it!

We are aware that co-creating a community is not a bed of roses; it can be messy. We each bring ourselves with us! Desires, needs, healthy behaviors, unhealthy behaviors, talents, preferences, habits, and quirks. And we bring along with us, in our own being, the societal challenges we want to change. Some of the learning and growing will be the result of this. This is a way to develop patience, tolerance, compassion, cooperative planning, peaceful conflict resolution And We are interconnected whether we like it or not, so what a chance to honor that. And we get to choose how we are, with each other and with ourselves. We know we want to build our capacity for joy and our capacity for playfulness.

Three quotes:

• Thich Nhat Hanh: It is possible that the next Buddha will not take the form of an individual. The next Buddha may take the form of a community, a community practicing understanding and loving kindness, a community practicing mindful living. And the practice can be carried out as a group, as a city, as a nation.‍ ‍

• Mazu Daoyi: To advance from where you can no longer advance and to do what can no longer be done, you must make yourself into a raft or ferryboat for others.‍ ‍

• John Bell: I am obviously completely incompetent and totally inadequate to handle the challenge that reality places before me. However, fortunately or unfortunately, I am the best person available for the job.

As we were forming the Tucson Beloved Community Circle, we organized 2 Peace Walks. These people joined us in the Walks, and a dozen of them eventually made a 6 month commitment to co-create a Tucson BCC.

As part of forming our circle, we co-created our Agreements, which we will revisit periodically for possible revisions. 

TUCSON BELOVED COMMUNITY CIRCLE

AGREEMENTS 2026

STRUCTURE

• Meeting times and place are established with group input. Begin and end meetings on time.

• Hold the intention to co-create a meeting process that is transparent and nourishing: inclusive, respectful, appreciative, and free to be vulnerable.

• Agree on ways to debrief, unwind, and have fun.

• Periodically revisit and refresh the agreements, maybe at the end/beginning of our 6-month commitment.

 

BEING PRESENT AND CONNECTED

• Offer full attention to what is happening.

• Silence phones and electronics during gatherings.

• Be mindful that all members have an opportunity and are encouraged to share and participate in gatherings.

• After speaking, wait until all others have had an opportunity to contribute before sharing again.

• Consider a short pause between sharing for reflection or a deep breath.

• Avoid interrupting the speaker.

• Take time to connect with others after and outside of meetings.

 

COMMUNICATION / DECISION MAKING / CONFLICT RESOLUTION

• Establish agreements on how best to communicate with each other between meetings: email, text, phone, encrypted service, etc.

• Have a clear decision making process. Currently experimenting with rounds of discussion until consensus is reached and asking, “Can everyone live with this decision?”

• Agree on ways to resolve tensions or disharmony between members.

  • Respectfully voice your concerns with individuals or the group – bring an issue to the light.

  • Take ownership if you do not follow through with a commitment or cause discomfort – an oops.

  • Share concerns if you feel hurt or have a discomfort caused by others – an ouch.

 

RESPECT

• Attend all gatherings because your presence is important.

• Be on time and stay until the end.

• Contribute to meetings and gatherings.

  • Volunteer to co-create meetings.

  • Respectfully share your experiences, thoughts, and concerns during meetings.

• If unable to attend all or part of a gathering:

  • Let a group member know as much in advance as possible. 

  • If you have taken on a meeting role, find a group member to replace you.

  • Intend to prepare for the circle as though participating:

    • Send comments, reflections, and check-in via email to the whole group.

    • Check in with a member who was present at the gathering for an update.