Five finds of the fortnight: Edition 41

How do we use our EARs?

Dear reader,

This weekend, Living Bridges brings you a two-session training that brings together the basics of Nonviolent Communication.

If you’ve had an introduction to NVC and wondered how the concepts and principles can flow together in a conversation, join us for Manasi Saxena’s workshop How to use your EARs 101 as we explore Empathy, Awareness and Response-ability.This workshop will be about practice, practice and more practice—so please join us to explore in a safe, supportive space!

More in the event section below.

With warm regards,

Ranjitha

1. Quote of the fortnight

2. Article of the fortnight

Are you someone who finds it easier to give than to receive?

I have to admit—it’s easier for me sometimes to give to others, than it is to ask for help, and to receive with grace. I recently read a piece that explores this topic:

3. Video of the fortnight

NVC Rising recently hosted a panel discussion on NVC and parenting—and have made this available to watch for free for the rest of 2022.

The panel featured Kathleen Macferran, Samuel Odhiambo, Irmtraud Kauschat and was hosted by Racheli Zohar of the NVC Rising team.

Click here to watch the panel discussion (available till 31 Dec 2022).

4. Social media post of the fortnight

Nonviolent Communication is also known as empathic communication, but there’s to “have to” or “should” about empathising. There may be interactions or moments where we can choose not to empathise with the other person.

5. This weekend: A special 2-session training on NVC

Do you ever get stuck in a conversation, despite all your best intentions? Have you ever practiced and practices your communication skills, only to find that "in real life" things are not going quite as smoothly? Wanting to know how to take this "NVC" thing and make it really practical?

We bring you this 2 session workshop, a mini training programme, on How to use your EARs - where EARS stands for:

  • Empathy: The capacity to be with someone's experience with curiosity, and listen to really understand 

  • Awareness: The inner awareness of what's going on inside me, what needs are alive, and what my physical and emotional being is telling me

  • Response-ability: The empowerment to move towards dialogue and respond, instead of react

This 2 session workshop is a culmination of Living Bridges Q1 and Q2. 

In Quarter 1, we learned the four steps of Nonviolent Communication, and in Quarter 2, we learned how to use these four steps for Self Empathy, Empathy, and Expression. This is a workshop that focuses "Fluency" - or flow in a conversation. 

In this workshop, we will weave together the three key capacities - Self-empathy, Empathy, and Expression - and focus on bringing more fluency into our practice and our expression. This means, we will work on the skills practically, and also work to identify where we are in this present moment, and choose consciously where we want to go in the next moment.

This 2-session practice workshop will be held on November 26 and 27 - 2 days, 2 sessions, 5.00-8.00pm IST.