Compassionate Communication Exercise
Friday, July 18th, 2008When you have conflict with some one you care about, it can be challenging to communicate with compassion. If you have ‘history’ or shared ‘baggage’ all kinds of involuntary expression can ooze out.
Below is a powerful method of communication to help clear out anything that may unconcsiously oooooze out before you dive in to the issue(s) at hand.
This teaching comes from from Thich Naht Hahn and it goes like this-
Sit comfortably side by side or facing each other directly (with nothing between you). One person at a time does the following:
1. Share 3 acknowledgements of the other person
2. Say 3 ways you are personally responsible for the situation
3. Share what is left
Another way(that can be combined with the way above) is to speak in 3rd person. For example, when I share with Sharon, I would be saying “When Sharon does…., I….”
One other thought as a way to start a conversation–see if the starting point can be each person describing where they think the other person is. Basically an empathy exercise, and each person goes until the other person feels satisfied with the level of understanding the other has.
Let me know how it goes. jen@happilyevernow.com
