Workshops & Retreats | Classes & Groups | Talks & Events

 

WORKSHOPS & RETREATS

Dialogues of the Heart: Intimacy with Self, Others, & Life
with Catherine Cadden and Jesse Wiens

(plus special Saturday night Dancing Lodge!)

Download the WA flyer in Acrobat PDF format here.

Download the Sydney flyer in Acrobat PDF format here.

“Relationship is one of the highest and most difficult of the yogas.
Relationship goes beyond theory, beyond comfortable methods and
painful patterns to the practice of the living truth.
Relationship is good practice: it can teach you to open your heart in hell”

~ Stephen and Ondrea Levine

True intimacy with self and others asks more of us than any technique can teach, including that of Nonviolent Communication. Over the course of this weekend, we will:

• Go beyond ideas of “self-empathy” to re-forge our connection with that which empowers us
• Rediscover the path to interpersonal connection, without mechanical technique
• Grow awareness of the ideas and core beliefs that hinder us on our journey

Throughout, we will play with our demons and meet the Beloved. Dialogues of the Heart is a weekend for couples, for parents and their adult children, for friends and enemies, for NVC trainers, and for anyone else who wishes to join together in the cultivation of an immediate, authentic, and rich connection.

This training assumes a working knowledge of the basic concepts of NVC. Participants unfamiliar with these concepts are invited to take an introductory training. Information about introductory trainings can be found at www.nvcaustralia.com

Info about CATHERINE CADDEN and JESSE WIENS can be found by clicking on ABOUT at the top of this page.

WHAT TO BRING :

Wear comfortable clothes you can move in. Bring a journal, crayons, textas or pencils to write/draw. Bring a sacred personal object to give away - something of value to that you can fit in your hand.There is a possibility that you can bring your swag and stay overnight.

COST:

These programs are offered freely in joyful service of peace. At the same time, we request your contributions of $250 ($195 concession) per participant for the weekend in WA
OR
$108.00 Early Bird / $130.00 after Oct 10th per participant for the daylong in Sydney to sustain us and support peace as a viable way of living.
For both events, the Dancing Lodge evening is included or $20 if someone wants to attend this event only.

ABOUT THE SATURDAY NIGHT DANCING LODGE:

At the end of the day, Catherine will host a sacred space for free-style expression where participants have the opportunity to learn the universal dancing wheel, share their own authentic movement and play with the artistry of life. Inside you is the soul of a dancer wanting to express life.

• Deepen connection to your dance
• Move in ways you never thought possible
• Cultivate the Heart of your creative self
• Have fun expanding your body knowledge

From Catherine: It is my honor to lead this lodge. I will be bringing outrageous music from all over the world and over 20 years of dance, performance and teaching experience. I combine hip-hop, jazz, ballet, West-African, modern, funk, improvisational contact and contemporary movement to create my own sacred dance. My background includes working with Gabriel Roths Five Sacred Rhythms, The Sound/Movement Integration Center, The Ancient Modern Performance Company and Voices from the Silence Womens Performance Group.

Way of the Peaceful Leader
A Training in Nonviolent Communication for anyone working or living with youth
with Catherine Cadden and Jesse Wiens

Download the flyer in Acrobat PDF format here.

• Learn ways to create a culture of peace in a multi-age group, including teens
• Develop a capacity to be with what is in a way that invites natural compassionate communication & wise action
• Design “needs”- based curriculum that honors and engages each individual’s unique connection to life
• Deepen skills in Nonviolent Communication and integrate it into your family or work
• Cultivate your leadership “style” with a partnership model that inspires trust, respect and understanding in groups
• Nurture, rejuvenate, and reconnect with your passion for working, connecting, or living with youth

Everything we do in this training can be implemented in families, classrooms, and the outdoors!

CATHERINE CADDEN Is a certified trainer with the Center for Nonviolent Communication and has been leading backpack adventures since 1997. She also founded the TEMBA School, a visionary K-8 academic program rooted in nonviolent philosophy, Nonviolent Communication (NVC), sustainable living, and artistic expression. She has offered trainings in NVC in the United States, Canada, South Africa and Argentina. She brings over ten years of experience practicing, living and teaching NVC. Catherine also served for four years with her German shepherd dog, Marley, on WOOF Wilderness Finders working Search and Rescue missions. During those years, she gained in knowledge about wilderness survival and living interdependently with the earth.

JESSE WIENS’ path has included dishwashing, Catholic school, punk rock, art school, and Buddhist monasteries. Jesse studies nonviolence by living it, drawing inspiration from 7 years of Zen monastic training, under the guidance of many wonderful teachers, including Tenshin Reb Anderson and Toni Packer, and 6 years of dedicated Nonviolent Communication (NVC) training, including 2 years in Robert Gonzales' LIFE program and a year with BayNVC's Restorative Justice program in San Quentin Prison. In 2006, Jesse founded ZENVC, a holistic approach to NVC, which includes transformational inner practices and an emphasis on “being” nonviolence.

Together, Catherine, Jiva, and Jesse lead PLAY IN THE WILD! Wilderness Initiations into Nonviolence for Youth and Families, in the U.S. and Canada. Find out more about their treks online at playinthewild.org.

Lessons from the Elders:
Zen and the Art of Nonviolent Communication
with Catherine Cadden and Jesse Wiens

A ZENVC Weekend Retreat

The wisdom which Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is based on is as old as humanity itself. This weekend retreat draws insights from NVC’s elder siblings of Taoism, Buddhism, and North American Indigenous culture to awaken clarity and power in our practice of Nonviolent Communication, including topics such as:

• Why Intention is the Fundamental Principle of NVC, and How to Cultivate its Power
• The Other NVC: Non-Verbal Communication
• How to End the Illusion of ‘My Needs’ and ‘Your Needs’
• How to Walk in the Dark, when NVC forms aren’t Creating Connection

Utilizing art, movement, discussion, meditation, and games, we will explore together this rich texture of what it is to be human.

Wear comfortable clothes you can move in. Bring a journal, colored pens or pencils to write/draw, and a sacred personal object to give away (something of value to you that can fit in your hand).

Info about CATHERINE CADDEN and JESSE WIENS can be found by clicking on ABOUT at the top of this page.

 

CLASSES & GROUPS

The Dharma of Compassionate Communication
Practice in the "Real World"
with Michael Costuros

A Practice Group / Learning Series
For meditators who have read or had an introduction to Marshall Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication

We will focus on the spiritual practice of everyday relationships, with an emphasis on communication and its ability to support realization in the midst of challenging interactions. Bring your difficult situations to this safe learning environment!

Meetings are held on Thursdays from 7:00 to 9:00pm in San Francisco. There is no charge, but donations are invited.

Contact Michael (facilitator) if you have any questions or would like to participate.

TALKS & EVENTS

Interview with Catherine about Nonviolence in Education

Recorded on
ABC Brisbane radio, Australia
August 23rd, 2007
(Download in MP3 format)

 

Jesse Speaking on "Real World" Right Speech

Recorded at
San Francisco Buddhist Center
February 25th, 2007
(Download in MP3 format)