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Pain of unmet needs vs. Beauty of needs

Recently a colleague of mine from the Center for Nonviolent Communication -- fellow certified trainer Glenda Mattinson from Toronto -- posted two quotes that, to me, illustrates the difference between two orientations to practicing Nonviolent Communication.

I have been spending a lot of effort in the past few years attempting to make Nonviolent Communication (NVC) language more, "street friendly."

Today, however, I took time to appreciate how my need for beauty and elegance is frequently met by classical NVC language.

Don't get me wrong -- I do recognize the tremendous value of making NVC language accessible and free of jargon -- in order to connect with others by using words they are familiar with.

I spent 5 years of my life as a political activist and community organizer , ranging from the end of my undergraduate years at Bowling Green State University (Ohio) into my mid- to late-20s.

During this time, I ate, breathed and lived social change -- I found meaning in seeking to transform social and political structures that I saw as unhealthy and authoritarian. While these days I focus my social change efforts on sharing Nonviolent Communication, I still enjoy staying connected to others' efforts at creating change.

I attended a 2-day workshop by NVC founder, Dr. Marshall Rosenberg, in Santa Barbara, CA in 2005. I was struck by something he said -- that if he had to do it all over again, he wouldn't call the process he pioneered, "Nonviolent Communication."

Immediately I recalled dozens of people who had said to me -- upon hearing me tell them about NVC -- something like, "I'm not a violent person, so that's not for me."

Ever since I saw Nonviolent Communication trainer Kelly Bryson animate the jackal and giraffe puppets in my first training in 1999, I have been captivated by the imagery and the FUN the puppets have brought to my learning.

I must say, I particularly enjoy wearing the jackal puppet when I play around in trainings, for example when I do role play examples or pretend to "jackal myself" (judge and blame myself, or imply there is something wrong with me).

I would like to mentor Psy.D. and Ph.D. students with academic journal articles, dissertations and theses and/or provide clinical supervision to those applying for licensure or just wanting peer support; please contact me at drdonna@qwestoffice.net for further information.

I'm just celebrating the publication of an NVC article I've written
for the News site of the Buddhist Movement I'm part of - the FWBO
(Friends of the Western Buddhist Order / TBMSG in India). It's
entitled 'Heart-to-heart Connection', and you can find it here:

http://fwbo-news.org/index.html

I'm also celebrating the ongoing series of NVC articles I'm writing
for two UK magazines: 'Juno' (natural parenting) and 'Funky Raw' (raw
food). I've posted them on my website: www.seedofpeace.org (click on 'NVC Topics')

And I'm happy to say that I've been able to use most of the material
I've created for these articles in the book I'm currently writing on
NVC and Buddhism! For a preview of some of the material, take a look
at the FWBO News article above.

Hello everybody,

It's many months I have not reported through CNVC website. I am in Dehradoon at present leading a 6 days retreat for young people. I teach and use NVC to create a support system for these youth. I am enjoying teaching and reasult of it on these young people. This year most of my time is going to be spent with such young people and the training the womwen's team in Nagpur that is working with Womwn affected by domestic violence.

I am looking forward for an opportunity to work with more trainers this year, and an opportunity to have IIT in India or in Asia in 2009.

 With regards to all

Kumarjeev

Hi dears!

I want to share with you four celebrations today!
I celebrate "nvc explosion" that seems happening here
in Estonia!

First
I am very grateful that I have an NVC partner now - we have "signed" a
cooperation agreement with my NVC friend Eva, who would like to start
working with sharing nvc as half a time work since June!!! I so much
enjoy the thought of not being alone in this "business" anymore!!!!

Dear fellows!

I have three celebrations to share with you!

I celebrate 6 years of cooperation with Liv Larsson and Kay Rung out from which we created very satisfying and nurturing 6th Experimental NVC Week "Art of Living TOgether" a month ago. I celebrate the 34 participants from 10 countries from all over Europe and even from US - so sweet to imagine that they bring seeds of love and care for everyone's needs to many places in world. ANd I feel so nurtured by feedback that participants shared at the end of training. Many of them announced that we created a space where deep transformation, healing and connection has happened. Some of them told that this week showed them how they want to live!