8 Hour Empathy Circle Marathon

2026-05-16 

Participants

1. Edwin Rutsch  

2. William Kingsbury 

3. Ingrid Hirtz  

4. Jessy Lee 

5. Bob Brown  

6. Beata Terefenko  

Quick recap

This was an experimental 8-hour empathy circle recording session led by Edwin Rutsch, Director of the Empathy Center, where participants shared their personal experiences and feelings of concern, stress, worry, or fear while practicing empathic listening. The group included William (president of the Santa Barbara Empathy Center chapter), Ingrid (who has organized trainings in Phoenix), Bob (from Thousand Oaks), Beata (a psychotherapist from London), and Jesse (from Santa Barbara). Participants shared deeply personal stories including William's challenging first empathy circle experience, Edwin's concerns about caring for aging parents with dementia, Ingrid's observations about the supportive nature of ongoing empathy circles versus new ones, and Bob's reflection on finding safety and belonging after a lifetime of spiritual seeking. The session explored themes of aging, family loss, cultural connections, and the transformative power of empathic listening, with participants taking turns as listeners and speakers while using the Zoom timer to track time for the extended format.

Next steps

Beata

• Continue promoting and exploring collective trauma healing practices and creating spaces for it.

Edwin

• Continue developing the Empathy Movement Training Curriculum and integrate ideas from the marathon, including modules on nervous system regulation, focusing, and facilitator training.

• Plan and organize an "Occupy Empathy" event, starting with locations like Berkeley, San Francisco, Sacramento, and potentially expanding to other cities and countries.

• Consider testing the "Occupy Empathy" concept through an online empathy tent marathon.

• For future marathons, incorporate a mirrored motion activity every hour to help participants get into their bodies.

• For the next marathon, test having a scheduled 15-minute break and debrief in the middle of the session.

Jessy

• Explore ways to feed more virtue (positive values) into AI models, possibly through collaboration with mentors or by contributing content.

• Consider adding training on building nervous system resilience to the facilitator training curriculum.

William

• Explore and develop a theoretical framework and new vocabulary for what the empathy circle process is and does, in collaboration with Edwin and others.

• Research and potentially study the impact of empathy circles on conditions like Alzheimer's.

Summary

8-Hour Empathy Circle Session

The group met to conduct an experimental 8-hour empathy circle, with participants introducing themselves and sharing their backgrounds with the Empathy Center. Several participants discussed recent health issues, including William having a cold and Edwin recently recovering from a similar illness. The meeting was recorded for educational purposes, with participants including Edwin (Director of the Empathy Center), William (president of the Santa Barbara chapter), Ingrid (who organized trainings in Phoenix), Bob (from Thousand Oaks), Beata (a psychotherapist from London), and Jesse (from Santa Barbara).

Empathy Circle Sharing Session

The group conducted an empathy circle session with Edwin serving as the facilitator and Ingrid acting as timekeeper using Zoom's timer function. Participants shared personal experiences and concerns, including William's challenging first empathy circle experience that later led to personal growth, Edwin's concerns about caring for elderly parents with dementia and health issues, Ingrid's concerns about US-China relations and family dynamics during COVID, and Beata's reflections on the human need for consistent support and her discovery of empathy circles' depth over time. The session maintained a relaxed, slow-paced format with participants taking turns sharing and listening to each other.

Empathy Circle Practice Discussion

The meeting focused on discussions about the Empathy Circle practice and its impact on participants' lives. Bob shared his profound experience with the Empathy Circle, describing it as a revolutionary practice that brings joy and a sense of belonging, while William discussed the transformative safety experienced by new participants. Ingrid reflected on her observations of the practice, particularly how it helps develop awareness between speaking and listening, and shared an example of using this skill with her grandson. The conversation also touched on concerns about aging and dementia, with Edwin and Beata contemplating the challenges and potential loss of quality of life in such situations, while expressing a desire to continue practicing empathy even in difficult circumstances.

Empathy Circle Reflections Discussion

The group discussed personal experiences and reflections during an empathy circle session. Jessy shared feelings of disconnection from China after COVID and expressed hope that the recent American delegation visit would foster better understanding between the two countries. Bob reflected on his personal journey with fear and safety, while Ingrid shared her experiences with family loss and dementia care. William discussed his spiritual practices and suggested that empathy circles could serve as an affordable alternative to psychotherapy, proposing the need for facilitator training to address potential crises in the sessions.

Empathy Circles Monetization Discussion

The group discussed the therapeutic aspects of empathy circles and explored ways to monetize them while maintaining their core democratic and healing qualities. Edwin and Ingrid proposed creating a paid facilitator model that would allow facilitators to earn income while expanding the reach of empathy circles, with Ingrid suggesting closed groups with defined topics as a way to justify compensation. The discussion highlighted how empathy circles differ from traditional therapy by emphasizing mutual listening and learning skills that can be applied in daily life, while Beata emphasized the therapeutic power of co-regulation between nervous systems in the circle.

Empathy Circle Timer Implementation Discussion

The group discussed using the Timer app for time management during their empathy circle sessions. Edwin guided William through the app setup process, and Jessy later took over demonstrating how to set up and use multiple timers. The conversation then shifted to deeper topics about the empathy circle's impact, with participants sharing personal reflections about feeling heard, safety, and equality in the circle compared to other relationships. Bob and Beata discussed concepts of power dynamics, altered states of consciousness, and the societal pressure to maintain performance levels, particularly in relation to dementia and aging.

Empathy Circles Implementation Discussion

The group discussed the concept of empathy circles and their potential implementation, including forming a nonprofit organization to facilitate paid empathy circle sessions. Edwin shared insights from Carl Rogers about the therapeutic power of listening in addressing suicidal thoughts, while William and Jessy reflected on personal experiences with suicidal ideation and Buddhist perspectives on suffering. Edwin also outlined plans for an "Occupy Empathy" initiative, proposing to set up empathy circles in public spaces like the state capitol to model and promote the practice among politicians and the community.

Empathy Circles Discussion

The group discussed the value and impact of empathy circles, highlighting how they create a "we space" where participants can connect deeply and experience mutual understanding. Beata acknowledged the importance of empathy in helping people who feel isolated, while Edwin proposed the concept of "Occupy Empathy" activities as a way to bring this practice into the world through community collective efforts. The discussion explored how empathy circles differ from traditional talking circles by incorporating feedback and deep seeing, creating a shared space that goes beyond individual perspectives.

Empathy Curriculum Development Discussion

The group discussed developing an empathy curriculum within an Occupy movement context, with Jessy and Edwin exploring how to structure training activities. William shared insights about WeSpace, comparing it to profound spiritual experiences and connecting it to physics and consciousness, while Bob reflected on being part of a lineage of sages and communities. The discussion included comparisons between empathy circles and therapy, with Jessy finding empathy circles more effective due to their unpredictable nature and ability to stimulate creative thinking. Edwin managed meeting time and suggested extending turns to 10 minutes, while William inquired about taking a lunch break.

Global Social Witnessing Practice Discussion

Beata shared her involvement in Global Social Witnessing, a practice that creates circles to support people experiencing distress, including those from war zones, finding that simply witnessing and providing a nurturing presence can be helpful. Jessy discussed the importance of maintaining consistent structure in empathy circles, especially when new people join, and noted how Beata's insights into nervous system connections helped explain the effectiveness of these circles. Bob reflected on his neighborhood as a microcosm of societal diversity and considered how he might help foster connection among his neighbors, while Edwin and William explored the topic of inherited trauma through epigenetics and shared a story about facilitating dialogue between Jewish and Palestinian students on campus, emphasizing the importance of not taking sides but recognizing common humanity.

Restorative Empathy Circles Discussion

The group discussed their work on restorative empathy circles, with William sharing his experience of having deep antipathies toward two people and considering using the circle process with them. Edwin and Ingrid explored the balance between individual expression and shared WeSpace in empathy circles, clarifying that while participants can hold their own opinions, the process emphasizes mutual empathy as its core principle. The discussion also covered capacity building in their organization through ongoing empathy cafes, with Ingrid noting how these sessions help develop both new facilitators and deeper conversational skills, while William shared his personal experiences with trauma and a profound psychedelic journey involving the collapse of duality.

Facilitator Nervous System and Empathy

The group discussed the importance of having a strong nervous system for facilitators working with trauma and polarized views in empathy circles. Beata and Bob emphasized the need for self-regulation and maintaining a "mirror-like" presence that reflects back without distortion, allowing facilitators to serve others effectively while managing their own responses. Edwin shared insights about transitioning from groans of discomfort to "ohm" sounds during meditation, representing a shift from illusory self to true oneness. The discussion also touched on the neurogenic benefits of empathy circles, with William suggesting that the eight-hour marathon sessions may promote neurogenesis similar to hallucinogens, and the need for developing a clear framework to explain the practice of empathy circles.

Eight Hour Empathy Circle Discussion

The group discussed the effectiveness of the Eight Hour Empathy Circle as a social technology, with participants sharing their experiences and insights. William expressed skepticism but noted the practice's potential to help people connect across disagreements, while Jessy and Beata explored how the framework supports nervous system health by reducing judgment and bias. The discussion highlighted how the structured approach enables authentic, flowing conversation that would be unusual in casual settings, and participants expressed optimism about the practice's potential to drive social change in a new era shaped by AI and post-pandemic developments.

Free Will and Empathy Discussion

The group discussed themes of free will versus determinism, with Ingrid sharing her reflections on a book by William that argued against free will based on scientific research about brain function and environmental factors. Edwin and Ingrid explored how this concept challenged Ingrid's previous beliefs about personal choice and values. The conversation then shifted to empathy and connection, with Edwin explaining how humans are biologically wired for social connection and community, which supports empathy as a natural human quality. Bob reflected on his experience in an empathy marathon, discussing how he uses a mantra to stay present and connected to moment-to-moment empathy practice. Beata expressed optimism about collective changes in human consciousness, suggesting that current shifts are driven by larger forces beyond individual control and that trauma healing will require collective rather than individual efforts.

AI Safety and Control Concerns

William expressed concerns about the race for artificial superintelligence being pursued by wealthy individuals and governments, viewing it as an existential risk that could spiral out of control. Ingrid shared her experience using AI to analyze her relationship with the English language and discussed how the optimism of peers affects her more than expert opinions. Jessie raised concerns about potential loss of control over agentic AI and neural interface technology, while expressing hope that positive values could be incorporated into AI development. The group also discussed the importance of developing strong nervous systems as facilitators to handle challenging situations in empathy circles.

Empathy Movement Discussion Planning

The group participated in an empathy marathon discussion covering topics including free will, determinism, Buddhism's concepts of causes and conditions and no self, and the potential for an empathy movement. Edwin expressed optimism about expanding empathy initiatives like the Occupy Empathy concept, noting that previous attempts 4-5 years ago didn't gain traction but the current environment might be more receptive due to societal changes. The participants discussed practical next steps including potentially doing an online empathy tent marathon and testing logistics in Sacramento, while also reflecting on the experience of the 8-hour session and considering how to structure future meetings with breaks and debriefing sessions.