Five finds of the fornight: Edition 28

The Living Bridges journey begins in a week's time! Will you join us?

Dear reader,

The Living Bridges journey for 2022-’23 begins soon!

This year, we’re offering you a curated learning journey on Nonviolent Communication and social change.

We welcome you to join us if you find yourself in one or more of the following categories:

  • Someone who wants to to learn and integrate Nonviolent Communication

  • Someone who works in social development and want to bring empathy-based practices into the work you do

  • Someone who wants to contribute to social change and don’t know where to start!

The Living Bridges program this year is divided into three quarters: come join us for al the sessions, or pick and choose topics that are relevant for you.

We at the Living Bridges team are excited about this program—we’ve been working on the design and flow of the workshops based on feedback we’ve received this past year. This year’s learning includes a structured flow in terms of topics, opportunity to learn in workshops, a practice group and with self-assessment activities.

Want to know more?

I’m excited about learning from the facilitators for Q1—certified NVC trainers and seasoned social development practitioners who have generously offered us their time and energy. I hope you will consider joining us.

If there’s anything specific you’d like to know about, hit reply to this email or write to us at [email protected]

Warm regards,

Ranjitha

1. Quote of the fortnight

Anger is valuable as an alarm clock that wakes us up to present needs that are not being met, while acting out of anger habitually creates a heavy-handedness in which our actual needs are unlikely to be met. Anger becomes a problem when it becomes habitual because as an emotion it has limitations and uses a great deal of energy without providing much direct benefit. Used as a wake-up call, anger can point toward a source of healing. Anger becomes an inner friend inside you when you realize that it is trying to help you to see what it is that you love that you are missing as you learn to better tend to it with care, courage, and curiosity.

~ David Weinstock

2. Image of the fortnight

The difference between healthy and unhealthy conflict is this…

3. Article of the fortnight

Read an article Marshall Rosenberg in Miracles Magazine (date and year unknown) on the jackal and the giraffe. Click here.

4. Video of the fortnight

A short animated video (less than 3 min) that explains why empathy is more empowering than sympathy:

5. Upcoming event alert

For Living Bridges Quarter 1, I’m offering a two-part workshop on understanding our feelings and needs.Part 1: Saturday, April 23, 2022 | 5.00-7.00 PM IST

Part 2: Saturday, April 30, 2022 | 5.00-7.00 PM ISTThe practice of Nonviolent Communication is transformative because it goes deep into the heart of the matter: our needs, and the needs of others we relate with. Being aware of our needs can help us understand our own motivations, and move closer together, even when we are holding or discussing potentially difficult topics.

In this this two-session workshop, we will explore universal human needs, how they show up in our lives, and how we can use our feelings to build greater needs awareness.

The session will be in English with simultaneous translation to Hindi.