Why Phases of the Moon?

Vol. 8, No. 4 / April 2017

Phases of the Moon, the newsletter of the Maine NVC Network
Volume Eight, Issue Four:
Marshall Rosenberg's Compelling Vision of Social Change

Our newsletter appears approximately once a month. Our purpose is to contribute to the NVC learning of people who have taken at least an NVC Level 1 workshop, and help us stay connected as we endeavor to deepen a culture of peace within ourselves, our families and the world. We believe a Level 1 offers so many new ways of thinking that additional support for learning and integration could be helpful.

We endeavor to make each edition informative, connecting, inspiring and fun. Please let us know how the newsletter might contribute to your NVC well-being. Email: newsletter at mainenvcnetwork.org

This month we return to the theme of NVC and Social Change. I am inspired by a posting by Rachelle Lamb, used with permission.

Contents

• Feature: Marshall Rosenberg's Compelling Vision of Social Change, by Rachelle Lamb
• Upcoming Trainings
• Monthly Empathy Circles and other Ongoing groups
• Poetry Corner
• Paid Announcements

Marshall Rosenberg's Compelling Vision of Social Change
by Rachelle Lamb

Our survival as a species depends on our ability to recognize that our well-being and the well-being of others are in fact one and the same. – Marshall Rosenberg

In his book The Heart of Social Change (which is a transcript of a workshop given in San Diego in 2000), Marshall Rosenberg says two things I wish to explore (bold is mine):

1. Life-Enriching is the key concept in my paradigm: every action comes out of an image of seeing how human needs would be met by the action. That’s the vision that mobilizes everything. A life-enriching organization is one in which all work in the organization, everything that every worker does, comes out of seeing how it’s going to support life in the form of meeting needs—needs of the physical planet, trees, lakes, or human beings or animals—and it’s clear how life will be served through meeting of needs. And that’s the vision that inspires the actions, purely.
2. It is hard to separate meeting human needs from the needs of the environment: They are one and the same. Meeting the needs of all the phenomena on the planet. Seeing the oneness of it all. Seeing the beauty in that whole scheme, that whole interdependent scheme of life. Life-enriching structures—the kind of structures that I would like to see us creating and participating in—are structures whose vision is to serve life.

Question
While 2017 is still young, I imagine asking Marshall: How are we doing Marshall? Do you think we’re getting closer to what you had in mind? Read on,

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Ongoing Monthly Empathy Circle: Belfast, ME Second Friday of each month, 10am-1pm (formerly first Friday) Open Communication office, 243 High Street, Belfast You are welcome to come when you can. If this is your first time coming, please contact Linda beforehand: Phone 207-322-2122 email: chezcote5 at gmail.com Authentic Communication Groups Falmouth, ME with Andrea Ferrante, trainer and coach Two groups meet biweekly, one on alternate Wednesdays; the other on alternate Mondays. Authentic Communication Groups are coaching groups designed to open you up to an approach to living that offers greater peace, personal empowerment, and conscious connection to that which sustains and enriches life. FMI See also the Practice Groups page.   Do you want to receive emails about upcoming NVC trainings and other NVC events in and near Maine? Join the Maine NVC Network Yahoo Group The group is moderated and is only used for announcements of regional workshops and other Maine NVC Network events. Inclusion in list serve announcements does not imply endorsement by the Network.   back to top

Lost by David Wagoner Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here, And you must treat it as a powerful stranger, Must ask permission to know it and be known. The forest breathes. Listen. It answers, I have made this place around you. If you leave it, you may come back again, saying Here. No two trees are the same to Raven. No two branches are the same to Wren. If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you, You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows Where you are. You must let it find you.   Visit our Facebook page: Nonviolent Communication, Mindfullness, Empathy and Presence

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Why "Phases of the Moon" as the name of our newsletter?
We think of the moon as representing our NVC practice: although we might not always be able to see it, it is always there.
Sometimes we are deeply self-connected to our compassionate self and our NVC consciousness radiates as the full moon. Sometimes we lose self-connection and we steep in judgment and blame; then our NVC consciousness is as hard to find as the new moon. Most of the time we can show our compassionate natures partially, as the waxing and waning of the moon.

We welcome your feedback and contributions. If you have a poem, NVC celebration, or a question for Dear Giraffe that you would like to contribute, please email us, with "contribution" in the subject line. Material included in future issues is up to the discretion of the newsletter team. Email: newsletter at mainenvcnetwork.org

Newsletter team: Peggy Smith, Betsy Terrell

Photo credits:
Eclipse of 2008, © Brad, stockvault.net
image of Marshall Rosenberg book here
other photo(s) aurelia neutrino

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