"Whenever Native Americans come together in groups with things to discuss, there are certain rules that we always observe. Those unspoken rules show whether the participants were reared in a good way. No one has to make a comment about another person's behavior; it is evident through their actions. Listening is the foremost rule that determines a person's integrity and substance.
"Talking Circles are what we use to bring problems out into the open, to find solutions, to share our feelings and experiences, and to honor the Sacred Points of View of every person present. To interrupt a speaker is to bring dishonor on his or her words, to bring dishonor on one's upbringing, one's family, Tribe, Clan, and Nation.
"Among other cultures, this practice may seem alien because words are not considered part of the Sacred Breath of Life that holds a person's Sacred Point of View. When people are talking, they are not listening. When one person interrupts another, the lack of respect is apparent. When people are constantly talking about anything that comes to their minds, it is a sign that they have no self-reflective skills and do not feel the weight or sacredness that their words carry. If the words that are spoken carry no commitment or carelessly hurt another, the speaker is not in tune with Oneness. Anyone can claim to be spiritual. The truth of how far they have come on the Sacred Path is noted by simply seeing how they listen and how they speak."
