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Update from Beijing; by Jim Manske

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Warm aloha from chilly China!
Savoring our workshop last weekend in Hong Kong gives me the sweet taste of connection and a deeper understanding of how powerful NVC can be to knit connection. About 35 participants joined us for 2 full days of exploring 9 Skills for Navigating Conflict.
We supported people in finding the Zero Step by refining their intention to connect and their awareness of Presence. We got lots of positive feedback. Among my favorites from a social worker: “I had a better session with my client today. My intuition is right…this workshop changed my life.”
Offering NVC in a language other than English has increased both my clarity and my brevity. And to support our interpreters, I slow down, and get to savor more connection. We also get to be lazy trainers since we want folks to have as much time practicing in their own language as possible. Thus we speak less so that they can speak and practice more!
We made new friends and deepened connections we started to forge last summer. Our core team enjoyed many meals together before and during the workshop, and we have continued our connection via Facebook Messenger as well, sharing tidbits of our continuing adventures. I hope we get to go back to Hong Kong someday.
We’ve spent the week in Beijing, learning more about this ancient and vast city. Chinese culture amazes and inspires me. I received so little education about Asia in my Euro-centric education. To see the fruit of 5000 years of culture dazzles my imagination. If you want to learn more, I recommend “The Story of China” with the BBC’s Michael Wood available on Amazon Prime.
And the “view” from China is so different from how this country is portrayed in some of the media. Much of the time, I find it hard to distinguish between “us” and “them”, and instead discover “we”. We all have the same needs, longings, and desires. We all want to be happy and to experience more peace.
You can see some pictures of our sightseeing and training adventures on Facebook. If we are not friends yet, and you’d like to be, please send a request via FB. Although I am concerned about FB intrusion, I don’t yet know of a more powerful strategy to sustain connection with a lot of people with such ease. Do you?
We have two days of training commencing in the morning before heading to Yantai next week.
In the meantime, please consider joining Hawkeye and Becky to continue your learning!
Mahalo!
Jim
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Update from Hong Kong; By Jim Manske

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Hong Kong is like island living on steroids.  Surrounded by familiar tropical flora like ti trees and hibiscus flowers, the energy of the city vibrates with the constant background buzz of construction.  The skyline is dotted with lush green peaks and a myriad of industrial cranes hoisting new skyscrapers in every direction.  With a scarcity of land, the only way to go is up!

We arrived here a few days ago with ease even in the midst of Mercury being retrograde.  Ease, at least when compared with the potential problems of 24 hours of flights and airports and border crossings.  As usual, Hawaiian Airlines shines with Ho’okipa (hospitality) and Aloha.

Our hosts and translators, Chi and Rube, met us at the airport and guided us to our new home.  We are staying at a youth hostel (I feel so young!) in a bustling neighborhood ten minutes from the subway system which links all of the islands of Hong Kong.  (Can you imagine a subway from Maui to Lana’i and Moloka’i?)

The hostel is a renovated public housing structure built after a catastrophic fire in the 1950’s.  We requested comfort and quiet to soothe our jet lag and support the shift of our bodies to a new timezone 6 hours and 1 day in the future.  The place fits the bill, and we have quickly acclimated, although we are in bed by 9 pm and up very early.

We’ve spent the first few days playing tourist and preparing for our Nine Skills workshop that begins today.  We have about 35 folks coming to learn together with us in the spirit of mutual education.  One of the joys of being an NVC trainer is I’m constantly learning from the people who practice with us.  Each interaction remains a precious opportunity to practice NVC and enjoy connecting.

Now, off to breakfast, then to the great adventure of navigating the subway again to find our training venue!  Please keep practicing, for your attention and intention determines whether you live in a peaceful world or go to war.  I pray for peace.

-Jim

fear

Fear

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Walking quickly and alone along a wooded path at the conference center, I heard heavy footsteps and I felt a stab of fear.  I looked up to see a deer about 20 feet away on the hill.  I felt relief and connected to the beauty of the life around me.  Reflecting, I realized that I feared for my safety from another person who might be in the woods and might possibly want to harm me – one of US!

Reconciliation and connection are the antidote for the sense of fear many of us have of each other.  Through the awareness of our interdependence and through compassion we can bring safety to us all.  People do not harm others to whom they feel connected with compassion.

Through the practice of Nonviolent Communication we can transform the fear that divides us with a mentality of “us” and “them” which perpetuates enemy images like the one I had in the woods.  Although not always easy, especially in the situations that are already difficult for us, these simple, practical skills support our refocusing our attention on our common humanity and stimulate our natural experience of compassion and connection.

I am committed to dissolving my habitual reactions and being present to what is really happening from moment!  Join me and others in a commitment to connection, presence, and peaceful resolution of inner and outer conflict.

Warmly,
Jori

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