Oct 24-26, 2008
Nonviolent Communication (NVC) has been developed over the past 40 years. Practicing NVC, individuals in over 65 countries find more peace, compassion, choice, and effective connection in their daily life and in their work, even in trying conditions. They do this using practical communication skills that support consciousness transformation and a different approach to inner and outer conflict.
We are all born dependent. In our culture we try to be independent. Now, in response to our current personal and global challenges, Nonviolent Communication (NVC) offers concrete tools for interdependence, a conscious practice for sustaining life at all levels.
As we learn NVC, we discover that all human actions are an attempt to meet the same basic set of shared human needs. With practice, each moment and each interaction become an opportunity for connecting with self and others, and for creating partnership with others in reaching for strategies that attend to everyone’s needs. Along the way we expand our capacity for inner freedom, care, authenticity, and personal power.
This workshop focuses on the principles and tools that make this practice a possibility. The fun activities, large group discussion, personal reflection, and small group practice comprising this workshop aim to support participants in:
· Developing an increased sense of choice by connecting deeply with our true needs instead of reacting based on impulse, habit, “should”, or rebellion.
· Strengthening our capacity for connection with others by expanding our empathic presence and learning tools for listening with compassion and precision.
· Enhancing relationships by combining care with authentic expression of our deepest truth without blame or judgment.
· Cultivating the power we have with other people by learning to ask for what we want in present time, specific requests, without making demands and with continued focus on connection.
We welcome people new to NVC, and invite those more experienced with the process to experience new tools and awareness to deepen their practice.
Miki Kashtan, co-founder of Bay Area NVC, has taught NVC in four continents. For several years she led the Social Change Project for the Center for Nonviolent Communication and over 200 people she trained through the North America NVC Leadership Program are now teaching in three continents. She facilitated a global summit in Japan and a regional summit in Africa as part of her current work supporting the movements for governmental ministries and departments of peace. A Ph.D. in sociology from UC Berkeley, she is passionate about supporting leaders with the consciousness and skills to shepherd our world into a sustainable future.