Author Archives: L'aura

from: L’aura Joy laura.joyful@gmail.com via yahoogroups.com
to: cnvc-trainers@yahoogroups.com
date: Mon, Apr 23, 2012 at 12:58 AM
subject: CNVC: gratitude for cyclone support (India)

Dear Community,

Although delayed, I want to express my deepest gratitude to those of you who supported me and my NVC space in India after cylone Thane hit on Dec 29/11. I feel relieved that this email is emerging now, as I was caught up in my own overwhelm, burn out and depression during and after the cyclone,
I had a hard time typing and sending these words…

Although I feel a little awkward sending this to the whole list (generating more mail in your inboxes than necessary), I want to be able to acknowledge all of you who supported me, financially and with love. I received financial donations in cash and via paypal, which I can track, but the donations via bank transfer were all without name or country. So I’m hoping those of you who sent money this way will also have a chance to read this…

For transparency, I received about €1500 in total. Because of a confusion with paypal (my account is now blocked, as they didn’t see the donations as donations, but rather as unregistered business transactions!), I haven’t spent the money yet (except for Liv and Kay’s on-the-spot donation which went straight to buying a new back-up battery system, so that we could have an energy supply.) In the meantime, I took out a €2900 loan to re-thatch all of our roofs. I have a Board meeting this week, and I trust we’ll come to a final decision about where the money will go, and I imagine most people will vote to repay the loan. We also have a large meeting hall that was built during our 2008-09 Camp that needs a full new roof, but I don’t see this as an absolute priority right now.

If anyone would enjoy to know or read more than this, please let me know and I’d be happy to share on a deeper level…

with love and gratitude,
L’aura

Workshop participants’ brainstorming responses to “What does NVC mean to you…?”

- deeper understanding and connection before the trigger even arises
- is it too mental, analyzed?
- self-behaviour has to change first
- provides ability to embrace other people’s judgements and not take personally
- listen and understand self and others
- balance
- not about communication
- I stop reacting (vicious circle)
- clear, simple way to be present, not judge, feel myself
- treating my child with respect, as a human being
- spiritual practice: practical practice to live a higher consciousness
- presence, so that I can identify my feelings and not project them on others
- vulnerability
- integrating into my everyday environment
- embracing what is
- breathing before talking
- true intentions, transparency, authenticity
- patience with myself
- putting (e)motions in positive change
- being aware (getting rid) of labels
- mindful communication
- letting go of judgements

http://audio01.will.illinois.edu/focus111011b.mp3

gosh, missing dom’s live presence…

some links from this dapodi community in pune:

www.clearviewproject.org/indiabuddhismrising.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triratna_Buddhist_Community
blog.insightyv.com/?p=1155

so, i can’t say that i’m fully self-connected or fully inspired in a way where words and writing just come easy… i normally so much enjoy writing and reflecting, as it gives me a real space to explore internally… i haven’t yet had the time and space to digest all that has happened over the past week – but what i’m very clear about is how grateful i am for the growth i’m sure i’m experiencing here…

since about november or so, i’ve been telling myself that i want to have more connection with the indian community – and that independent and beyond my work with INVCI – just plain, authentic, direct connection… and yes, it’s happening! i also shared this commitment/intention during my assessment event in march – that although i was connected and involved through INVCI – i still lacked some sort of real connection… living in av and being western means that my immediate community included more people who think and behave like me than those who think and behave differently than i do… and yet, wow… how similar we all are. i’m LOVING experiencing so much connection here…

in the coming days and weeks, i’m looking forward to unpacking all that has happened and impacted me here…

gratitude…

mmm, today was calm… we were supposed to go on a little day-trip, but that didn’t happen. so instead we celebrated the first training, and i was really touched to hear how deeply impacted the women were by what they were learning and experiencing here. i recorded some of what they shared, and i hope to transcribe a few lines to post here later on.

vilas also visited for a chat, and we shared ideas about continued learning opportunities. i’ve decided to offer them a year-long leadership program, with our first training in auroville in august!

sunita and supriya left, so now we’re down to me, priti, nahid and varsha. and dhivya comes later this evening. intermediate women’s power coming up…!

My gosh, when am I ever gonna get some time and space to myself?! Some rest! No way! This is full-on 24 hours! 5 women, 1 young girl and 1 teenage boy are all dancing, the Hindi movie music blasting… I danced some, but actually am in a mood for alone-time. However, that ain’t happening, unless I wanna go sleep in the temple nearby, or under the drizzling clouds with mozzies…

However, holy cow – AMAZING! I wish I would have had time to digest and process the last 2 days of the 1st training in Pune. The first day was a bit chaotic, but it got more settled and deeper as we progressed. I landed into my “zone,” and the participants shared more and more of themselves. The celebrations at the end were heartwarming…

But no time for that – now I’m somewhere else! A basic training with 6 women in Lonavala, outside Pune. Again, amazing! Such quick connection, depth, authenticity and fun! Residential! And “Indians” aren’t afraid to share spaces together, so none of the usual triggers I’m used to with “Westerners”! There’s simplicity, flow, lightness and cooperation…

Oh, I don’t even know where to begin. It’s just so incredibly rich.

Dinner time…

Hmm, day 3… Yes! I’m curious what’s gonna emerge today… It’s so odd, though, that I almost have no feelings, no nothing happening inside (or I mean, no nothing that I’m able to connect with). It’s as if I actually need time and space to myself to be able to self-connect and really stay present to what’s happening inside – time and space to re-source, so that I’m equipped to be present at other times, when others are around. And I basically have NO space… Sharing an apartment with 4 others, their friends, their rhythm…

Wow, just sitting here… and idli is happening, in plastic bags, on the floor, from the outside stall on the street… So different… So Indian, so familiar, but so not my style… Amazing how different we can be…

Okay, I’m too distracted… But having some meaningful connections, slow and in a different flow… Happy I’m learning, growing, seeing life through different lenses…