Mediate Your Life Weekend Online Retreat

Based in Nonviolent Communication (NVC),
with John Kinyon

Saturday & Sunday June 24-25, 2023

Navigate Your Life's Challenges from Conflict to Connection, Cooperation, and New Possibilities with Nonviolent Communication, a Mediation Framework, and Mindfulness

In this weekend experience, we'll do a deep, holistic dive into the 10 conversation maps (inner and outer) of the MYL approach for building effectiveness and resilience with conflict and adversity, strengthening relationships and cooperation, and opening to new creative possibilities for the life you want and the world you imagine

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IN THE RETREAT, THERE WILL BE:

  • Group Guided Meditations with OFNR Mindfulness (dual and nondual), the MYL Conversation Maps, and The Power of Conflict

  • A Focus on Holistic Understanding, Experiencing, and Application of the MYL Model to the Regions and Territories of Human Conflict in Our Lives

  • Working with Participants' Life Situations in the Large Group

  • In-Depth Group Sharing and Q&A

  • Break Out Sharing and Practice in Dyads/Small Groups

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THE SCHEDULE OF THE WEEKEND AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION IS BELOW

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Prerequisite Experience

This weekend retreat is designed for people who already have some experience with Nonviolent Communication (NVC), who are familiar with the OFNR communication components and have some fluency with feelings and needs vocabulary.

For preparation with the foundations of NVC, if you need this, I invite you to visit the Resources Section [link] of my website.
I recommend starting with my two foundation books [link]:
Choosing Peace
Mindfulness in Conversation Workbook

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Group size is currently limited to 20 participants. Register below to secure a spot.

Testimonials

“Before NVC and John’s classes, I braced for life’s impact. After, I am trusting and curious, open to outcome. Before, frozen and frightened. After, confident and capable. Before, withered and weak. After, self-acknowledged and compassionate. There is not one part of my life that has not been impacted by nonviolent communication and John’s trainings, all parts touched with the privilege of learning and living these principles. A warmth of gratitude washes across my heart and a sense of sharp joy pricks in my throat as I lean into John’s essence and all he teaches.” - Hope O

“Every time I asked for recommendations for NVC trainers to study with, John Kinyon’s name came up. Having experienced a lot of training with John, I’ve come to see why. He’s the real deal, who has put these skills to work in extreme situations. The Intermediate Course synthesises and practices many self-management skills to bring the spirit of NVC from a theoretical place to an internalized reality that is accessible when under stress or triggers. With those skills available, the course then practices applying those techniques to mediation and coming to agreements in difficult conversations. I highly recommend it, as these are skills that will make it much easier for you to deescalate and turn around conflicts in your life.” - John R

“Working with John has been spiritually transformational. This form of communication is a spiritual language and practicing it with John allows for communication to come from the heart. It gives our souls the language it needs to express itself in a way that allows us to be the loving people we are.” - Kelly H

“Thanks to John's class, I was able to understand how to stay connected despite conflict. Through the practice in the class but also with other students, I could sort out a difficult situation with a close friend. My relationship with my friend is now healed.” - Marie L

“In John’s course, I was able to receive a lot of empathy from people who were enthusiastically learning NVC. Learning these skills helped me to organize my thoughts more and increased my ability to listen in an NVC way. I haven't seen the ‘Healing and Reconciliation’ process anywhere else, and it helped me to support my friend who was in deep pain.” - Mina

“Working with John has enriched my life in ways beyond my expectations: My professional and personal relationships are calmer, more connection-focused and harmonious. One invaluable shift that took place for me on a personal level is that I now have simple but highly effective tools (“conversation maps”) to navigate the inevitable drama and trauma life brings. And as an unexpected bonus, I’ve been delighted to hear my 5-year-old daughter talk about the feelings and needs of herself and others. Sometimes, she even makes requests! It brings me so much joy to witness her growing into a more empathetic and emotionally intelligent person just by observing elements of empathic communication.” - Noemi

“The purpose of a map is to help someone get to where they want to go. But when the terrain is entirely internal, having a map to help guide the way is even more useful. The maps John teaches in his Intermediate Course have not only helped me successfully navigate myself through anger, shame, fear, guilt, and confusion, but also support others through their emotional challenges, deepening the sense of meaning and purpose in my life. If you are interested in living a happier and more easeful life, take this course.” - Simon W

“I feel like I am a better person although I don't always remember to practice the maps. I now recognize instantly when I am hearing something said either by me or by someone else that is not in alignment with empathic communication.  I have used the self connection practice a lot and it has helped me sort through some sticky situations, so thank you!! Overall, I would say that John's work is incredibly healing when practiced regularly. It has the potential to change the world -- literally.  It should be taught in schools.” - Wendy W

In this video, I talk about my Mediate Your Life weekly course. However, the description here applies as well to the content of the weekend retreat. In the video, I talk about Conversation Maps, The Power of Conflict, a Triad Model of Conversation & Consciousness, and being able to respond to the larger challenges we face in the world.

Map of Maps_Morrie (2)
Maps photo

The MYL Approach Gives You The Ability To:

  • Recover more quickly in the moment of a difficult interaction and remain more centered
  • Deepen presence and connection in conversations and relationships
  • Use language more skillfully in your interactions with people
  • Cope better with stress, overwhelm, and inner conflict about the past and future
  • Transform anger and frustration into empathic understanding for self and other
  • Feel more confidence and skill having difficult conversations
  • Bring your listening and empathy skills to a new level
  • Express yourself more authentically and courageously, and with compassion
  • Heal emotional hurt and pain between you and others, and experience reconciliation and forgiveness
  • Develop empathic community of support and learning at this higher level
  • Work together better to discover creative ideas and solutions

Retreat Content

The weekend online retreat provides experiences and practice with conversation maps from the work of Mediate Your Life training for navigating situations of life's challenges and conflicts (inner and outer), tapping into the positive and transformative Power of Conflict. The retreat supports integration of the awareness and language skills, deepens and strengthens the ability to maintain and return to presence, connection, and compassionate, creative action in relation to challenging conflict situations.

 

4 Foundation Maps:

  • Self-Connection/Self-Connection Practice, an OFNR mindfulness practice and coping with challenge moments
  • Empathy in Speaking and Listening/Elements of Empathy, for speaking and listening in empathic conversation
  • Safety in Conflict/Intensity Practice, for practicing to respond with self-connection and compassion in intensity of difficulty and challenge
  • Freedom in No and Yes/Need Behind the No, for responding empathically and compassionately when hearing a "no" from someone or when you are wanting to say "no"
images for blog

What are Conversation Maps?

The Mediate Your Life (MYL) training offers foundation and conflict conversation "maps," with the OFNR communication components and skills of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) at the core, for returning to empathic connection, compassion, and new creative possibilities and solutions. The conversation maps help you navigate different territories of disconnection and conflict in your life, inner and outer. Learning and practice happen in the context of building empathic community of connection and support with others in the course and in your life. The skills and structures help you return to empathic connection when you’re triggered into the brain’s Fight-Flight-Freeze stress response system. A core aspect of this level of training is a Triad Model of Conversation & Consciousness that integrates and deepens dual and non-dual awareness practice and relationship with the unconscious (e.g. subconscious and superconscious dimensions of mind, inner parts). The conversation maps come out of the Mediate Your Life Training body of work, created and developed by John Kinyon and Ike Lasater, and are associated with an empirically-supported model of emotion circuits and networks in the brain developed by affective neuroscience researcher Jaak Panksepp. In conjunction with the emotion networks there are differentiating patterns of thinking and evaluating related to each conversation type. Also integrated with this approach is Richard Schwartz's Internal Family Systems (IFS) work.

group of people table

6 Conflict Maps:

  • Resilience for Self/Mourn Celebrate Learn, to recover and strengthen your resilience and debrief with empathy and compassion after you did something you fear will be seen as a "mistake" and you're feeling anxiety, stress, or guilt/shame about negative judgments towards you from others, loss of connection, or other negative consequences.
  • Compassion for Other/Enemy Image Process, to prepare yourself to respond with empathy and compassion toward someone when you are feeling anger or frustration and having negative judgments about them.
  • Mediating Self-Compassion for the Past/Chooser-Evaluator process, for when you feel anger towards yourself and have thoughts of self-blame, -condemnation, -unworthiness, or disruption to your experience of play and joy about a past choice you made consciously or unconsciously.
  • Mediating Self-Direction for the Future/Internal Mediation process, for when you are feeling anxiety, stress, stuckness, indecision, depressed mood, or disruption to your experience of discovery and enthusiasm, and thoughts of inner demand -- should, have to, must, and possible negative consequences -- about making a decision or moving in a particular direction or towards a particular goal in the future. 
  • Bridging Differences/3Chairs Process for Difficult Conversations, for talking to someone when you are feeling trepidation or fear because there is disagreement around beliefs, lack of acceptance, and perhaps reactions of anger.
    Includes: Three Types of Agreements — main, supporting, and restoring
  • Healing Divides/Reconciliation & Healing process, for talking to someone when there are feelings of emotional hurt and pain in you and/or another person, and perhaps judgments of blame and feelings of anger.

SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEKEND RETREAT 

Sessions are held on Zoom video conferencing.

Saturday June 24

  • Session 1       9:00am - 12:00pm Pacific Time (convert to my time zone)
  • Break             12:00 - 1:00pm PT
  • Session 2       1:00 - 3:00pm PT
  • Break             3:00 - 3:30pm PT
  • Session 3       3:30 - 5:00pm PT

Sunday June 25

  • Session 1       9:00am - 12:00pm PT
  • Break             12:00 - 1:00pm PT
  • Session 2       1:00 - 3:00pm PT

Start Time on June 24:  Arrive at 8:45am Pacific Time (convert to my time zone)

For any questions, please email programs@johnkinyon.com.

REGISTRATION

The retreat is 100% guaranteed

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Philosophy of Money

My financial request for registration supports my sustainability to continue offering this work in the world. However, because this work is for the wellbeing and greater good of humanity and the world, and because I want to support a monetary system based in giving and receiving, you can request to give the amount you feel is right for you to give. The more you give the more you will be supporting the work to grow and make a contribution to a better world. Thank you for wanting to be part of this work in the world!

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Steps for Registering

  1. My financial request for the weekend is $200.

  2. Below is a registration box if you would like to register now.

  3. You can also email to request giving a different amount, or to give by PayPal or Patreon. Please give as much as feels right to you to support me and this work in the world. Thank you!

  4. For more information, questions, and requests email: programs@johnkinyon.com.

MYL Weekend Online Retreat

Mediate Your Life weekend online retreat with John Kinyon. June 24-25, 2023. Thank you for registering!

$200.00
Hands Soil Green Plant

Thank You for Financially Supporting This Work to Continue and Grow