The structure of conversation shapes our consciousness into different “worlds” or realities. One world is that of connection, care, wellbeing and cooperation. Another world is that of disconnection, separation, suffering, and violence. There is an empathic structure of conversation that leads to connection and also gives the ability to transform the world of disconnection.

In a famous speech by U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1962, he pointed to the moon and said we’ll be landing there by the end of the decade. Seemingly impossible, breathtakingly bold and electrifying, Kennedy declared this vision as if it was already a reality, and then was fully committed to making it happen. Similarly, I hold the seemingly impossible vision of a critical mass of people in the world this decade having empathic conversations in their personal lives, in organizations, and in groups and networks dealing with the social-political-environmental issues and challenges we face.

I believe a critical mass of people and organizations using empathic structure in difficult and healing conversations across our personal, organizational, social and political divides is essential for humanity to be able to work together to respond to the many enormous and daunting challenges before us. I see this as integral to the health and wellness movement and to creating a healthy and sustainable world for all people and all life on our planet.

The mission of this project is to spread this idea of empathic structure in conversation and give people and organizations everywhere the ability to use a number of "maps" of empathic conversation to navigate conflict and cooperate across our differences.

I call these "3Chairs Conversations" because I see empathic conversation as embodying our unfolding journey through the "duality" of opposing and often conflicting perspectives (two chairs) being held by our capacity to experience a "nondual" awareness of unifying wholeness leading to new emergent possibilities (third chair). My hope is that you will be inspired to have these conversations, and that you will inspire others.

Check Out These 3Chairs Conversations Events [hyperlinked]:

• Across The Aisle: Open Group Conversations for Healing our Political Divide

• Reconciliation & Healing Conversations

• Interview Conversations