Maria Arpa
This week
LAST CALL FOR DRM 2022 TRAINING
Where is the Forum for Dialogue?
Plus…
Maria’s Midweek Mindfulness
and
The Wednesday Whisper
The need for Social and Cultural Community Mediators
Yesterday, I was in a group listening to some discussion surrounding vaccinations, masks, schools, children and parents. I wasn’t moved to join in so I just listened calmly and patiently. I noticed that even though the topic is a hot button, the way people were speaking about their neighbours and friends was very unlikely to lead to any kind of unified action and more likely to lead further polarization.
The conversation was an exchange of positions, judgements and opinions within a range of emotions on the anger spectrum. Sitting back, I observed a group using a topic to hold themselves in a repetitive state of conflict believing that the issue would be solved by someone else changing their position.
Eventually, I was called on to provide input. What happened was testimony to the power of empathy.
I asked for a member of the group to put themselves forward to provide an example of how we might see our truth through a different lens. I used the ‘Empathy in Action’ methodology to transform powerlessness into self empowerment.
The energy in the room shifted and ‘wrong others’ became human again.
Maria’s Mindfulness Moment
Having these tools has transformed my life.
The Wednesday Whisper
Would you like to have these tools to transform your life and those around you?
Now is the time…last call for the 2022 training. If you have been sitting on the fence, now is the time. Only 4 places left. No certainty that I will be running it again.