Wednesday, December 23, 2009

The "N-word" from NVC consciousness: YouTube video

I recently discovered this YouTube video of an African-American man talking about the N-word.



It is an African-American man with the screen name, "NLP NVC" who talks about
how he responds to the "N-word."

I was moved by this, and struck by the congruency with NVC consciousness he
talks with. I wonder if he's studied NVC?

Click here to view the video in another window if you cannot view it above.

Friday, December 18, 2009

What ARE the principles of NVC?

Recently, I have noticed myself making reference to the "principles and practices of Compassionate Communication (a.k.a. "NVC")."

The practices of NVC are pretty clear to me -- the three modes of communication being honesty, empathy and self-empathy, within which we utilize 4 ingredients: observation, feeling, need and request.

The principles of NVC are less accessible to me, so I am getting clarity for myself what I mean when I refer to the principles of NVC.

I came across a handout from Bay NVC (www.baynvc.org) that describes these principles in a way that I like:

--

Nonviolent Communication is based on the premises that:

1. We are all trying to get our needs met.

2. We fare better if we know how to get these needs met in a cooperative, rather than an aggressive way.

3. Each of us has remarkable inner resources we can use if we are given empathy to get in touch with them.

4. People naturally enjoy contributing to the well being of others when they can do so without any element of coercion.

5. Each of us is responsible for our actions and for how we respond to what others do or say.

6. Some forms of thinking and speaking tend to disconnect us from the life within ourselves and others, whereas other forms enable us to remain connected with life.

--

I would enjoy dialogue and exploration of these ideas.

Do you resonate with these principles, as outlined by Bay NVC?

Would you add any others?