- "How do I listen to others? As if everyone were my Master speaking to me his cherished last words." ~ Hafiz
Tag Archives: freedom
Exploring Violence and Nonviolence in Communication
What does Nonviolence mean to you? We opened our first class of Communication From the Inside Out with this question. As we delved into the exploration of Violence and Nonviolence we discovered that violence and the roots of violence is far more complex and complicated than we ever would have imagined. Recognizing violence in all of it’s forms Most people think of violence as physical harm, brutality and the like, in which most of us … Continue reading
Posted in A new Paradigm for childhood, NVC, Transformation
Tagged Adult-child Relationships, Arun Gandhi, child Empowerment, communication skills, Compassionate Communication, connection, Consciousness, empowerment, equality, freedom, Marshall Rosenberg, nonviolence, Nonviolent Communication, NVC, Parent-child relationships, Parenting, Power with, respect, self-help
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Moving past judgements
Moving past Judgements Have you noticed that a lot of what takes you out of being present are judgements and conclusions? Have you noticed that a lot of the feeling crappy that we experience actually has to do with judgements? What If You Stopped Judging You? What would your life be like if you could let yourself just be? What would it be like if you spent one whole day not judging you? Have you … Continue reading
Needs Vs. Strategies…
Distinguishing Needs from Strategies Something I’ve been studying and working with for many years is something called “Nonviolent Communication” or NVC, which some of you may be familiar with. I struggle with this name as I don’t believe that either the Nonviolent or the Communication piece really articulates what it’s about. My working explanation for Nonviolent Communication goes like this: Nonviolent Communication is not only a language and process for expressing ourselves and hearing others, … Continue reading
Posted in NVC
Tagged choice, communication skills, Compassionate Communication, Conflict Resolution, connection, decision making, empowerment, equality, freedom, getting along, healing, human relationships, Marshall Rosenberg, Needs, needs and strategies, Nonviolent Communication, NVC, NVC practice, Power with, relationship building, respect, Self-determination, self-responsability, win-win
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Reconstructing Adult/Child Relationships- part 1 of two
Reconstructing Adult/Child Relationships Much of the way our relationships with children are currently constructed is based on adult authority and adults acting upon children rather than sharing power and holding mutual respect with them. The labels of “adult” and “child” so often become barriers to connection, on a mutual or horizontal level, where people who find interest in each other and benefit from the company of the other engaged in freely chosen and mutually beneficial … Continue reading
Age as Grounds for Exclusion?
Age Discrimination We have perceived children for so long as immature and incompetent that we have barred them from participating in activities that allow them to mature and gain competence in the world. These ideas are based more on our sentiments about children however, than on the validity of what children, if they are allowed, are actually capable. Age in and of its self is neither a measure of competence nor of maturity, but it … Continue reading
Pursuing one’s own Interests
Pursuing One’s Own Interests The best preparation for a meaningful and productive future is a meaningful and productive present Too often, childhood is thought of in terms of preparation: “Do this now, even if it doesn’t feel connected to your most pressing interests and concerns, because later on you’ll find it useful.” Helping children to figure out what seems interesting and worth doing right now, in their current lives, helps them develop self-knowledge and experience … Continue reading
leave us kids alone… at least until we ask for your involvement
I am re-reading a children’s classic-Tom Sawyer. I am struck not only by the high level of autonomy and freedom the boys posses in this book, but also the great degree of self-confidence, trust and self-reliance. The reality of structure, supervision and control of kids lives has become, for the most part, the predominate experience. Between sports and homework and whatever extra-curricular activities kids are involved in- when is there time to play, to discover, … Continue reading
Freedom of Movement- Part 4 in series on body space/movement
Children’s Freedom of Movement The issues of space and the control of a person’s body also extend to the control of their range of movement. Not only do we invade and control children’s physical bodies/space but the way that children can move about in the world is often severely limited. Children have their movement restricted and are not free to move about as they please. They may be confined to a specific room (such as … Continue reading
Respecting Kid’s Personal and Physical Space- part one of series on body space/freedom of movement
Personal and Physical Space Personal and bodily space are interesting facets of people’s lives, ones that we generally consider the private and sovereign domain of the individual, and that the individual has the right to control and protect. Violations of personal and especially bodily space, particularly by strangers, is taken as quite a serious offense. Control of another person’s body, both in restriction of movement and in control of function, is quite literally imprisonment/slavery. While … Continue reading
Posted in A new Paradigm for childhood, body space/movement
Tagged Adult-child Relationships, Autonomy, boundaries, child Empowerment, children's rights, choice, connection, decision making, freedom, personal space, physical space, Power with, respect, self regulation, Self-determination, Wilhelm Reich
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