Re-enchanting the World

by Emma, Open Circle student

Open Circle has been such important and grounding part of my university experience. It provides a space for me to feel like a kid who is learning about the world for the first time as I also explore what values I wish to carry into my adulthood. Growing up, I was such an anxious little thing who carried too much stress for such a young girl to handle. My greatest fear was change. Attending the weekly reflection circles for the past 3 years has helped ease that little girl inside me as I learn to navigate changes and stress, appreciate the present, and exist in the moment. Words alone cannot express my appreciation for the sense of peace that Open Circle has taught me.

I was raised in a very homogenous neighbourhood where most people think and act the same, and which didn’t allow ample room to learn about other perspectives. Open Circle has opened my mind to other worldviews that I did not know existed! It's been so meaningful to learn from the variety of spiritual practices we do at the reflection circles, and to learn from and connect with my peers at our circles and events. An Open Circle memory that stands out to me is a small moment, but an impactful one. As an icebreaker during a weekly circle, we each shared our name, what our name means, and why we were named that. There were several international students in attendance that day, and I learned so much about naming customs from diverse cultures all around the world. Something as minute as a name suddenly felt so intimate as we each shared about our families and the values that our parents hoped our names would instill in us. That seemingly minor moment (an activity not meant to take more than 5 minutes!) made me reflect upon and appreciate something we often view as mundane. To me, that is where the magic of Open Circle lies — in enchanting the disenchanted, creating a new sense of awe of the world in which we live. The accumulation of these small moments encourages me to become a more empathetic community member, and they remind me that we are all on our own unique journeys.

As I enter my final semester of undergrad, I’ve paused to reflect on the last few years, and what stands out to me is how consistent and reliable Open Circle has been in helping me through these turbulent young adult years. I extend my sincerest thanks to those who help make sure Open Circle can exist so we can keep on making these enchanting moments!