Hochoka: Healing Through Conversation

When someone in your neighborhood is sick, is your whole neighborhood sick? When two neighbors disagree, is the whole neighborhood divided? Most people in the US would probably say no.

According to tribal tradition, the Lakota would say yes.?

The Lakota tribe, commonly called “Sioux”, believe that people are deeply spiritually interconnected and that when one person in a community suffers, it affects everyone. To resolve these cross-community issues, tribes gather in large healing circles called “Hochoka”, safe spaces where members can talk openly with each other. The purpose of a Hochoka is to solve problems through respectful and vulnerable conversation. This practice forms deep bonds of love and unity throughout the tribe.?

In honor of Native American Day on September 27th,? I invite you to create a space like a Hochoka to talk openly with others.?

All you have to do is bring together the people in your community (from your immediate family to your neighborhood or faith group) and have a conversation. Prioritize listening, understanding, and connecting over debating, proving, or cross-talking (see our Conversation Agreements).?

For additional help, you can use one of our many structured guides and follow the instructions. I’d recommend “Healing”, written in collaboration with Anita Sanchez, award-winning and bestselling author of The Four Sacred Gifts: Indigenous Wisdom for Modern Times.

Stewart Fletcher

Social Media Manager | Living Room Conversations

To learn more about Hochoka and Lakota healing practices, check out The Spirit of Healing: Stories, Wisdom, and Practices from Native America, by Lewis Mehl-Madrona.?