When I was first given Marshall Rosenberg’s book, Non-Violent Communication, (NVC) 12 years ago, it sat on my bookshelf, tucked between at least 25 books on Buddhism, mindfulness, and spiritual awakening, for over a year. I had the mindset that I would “get around to it,” but if I was honest, I also thought that the book, given its title, somehow didn’t apply to me. I didn’t see myself as violent, and therefore, I didn’t feel a rush to read it. I also didn’t see its connection to the books that surrounded it. Eventually I would come to realize the deep connection between NVC and mindfulness, and I would see NVC for what it actually is- a spiritual practice. ...
Read MoreIt’s 7:50am and I see I have 2 voice mail messages on my phone as I drive down the canyon from my mountain home. I don’t think much of it, other than I don’t recognize the numbers. My office is off a main, somewhat rural, highway on a horse ranch that is a 40-acre sanctuary in the midst of what is becoming suburban sprawl. I get to my office and play the first voice mail, which is from a concerned passerby who saw my horse on the wrong side of the fence- the highway side. I check the time he left the message- 6:45am. Emotional overwhelm kicks in. I start to panic. It’s now 7:50am, and my first client of the day will be...
Read More