Dialogue
In our culture, we have learned to talk about difficult or personal topics through arguing and debating, and holding on to positions without really listening or engaging to understand. This sort of communication feeds into drama and conflict and actually creates more problems and issues. We may have experienced this in our relationships at home or at work. We see this often in politics.
From what we have seen, dialogue seems to be a way that can begin to heal us individually and collectively. We don’t view dialogue as a separate sector or aspiring “way to do business”, instead, we see it as the groundwork that should underlie all relationships, no matter the complexity.
In an intimate, safe and inclusive environment, we will explore the beauty of dialogue and how it can bring us together into a rich, deep and trusting community. If open and willing to let go, dialogue will also penetrate underneath perceptions and beliefs, and lead to deep insights.
Dialogue Focus Groups
If you have a topic you’d like to explore with your community, this is where you’d start. Online or in-person, we’ll facilitate a dialogue group around your interest. Always thoughtful, safe and open, we’d support the group in wondering about their beliefs, assumptions and opinions, while diving deeply into the topic.
Please scroll down to the bottom of this page to read about focus group ideas and past focus groups.
Dialogue Training
We offer dialogue training for businesses, institutions, groups and individuals. Always coming with an open mind, we’d work with you personally on what training format is best suited for your needs.
By allowing space for you or your group to question all assumptions and beliefs around communication, and to really feel the difference between dialogue and debate, you and your group will leave with lifelong strategies that would carry over in all facets of your lives.
All of our services are donation-based. Depending on the scale of our dialogue work together, we will work with you to gauge a donation amount.
Please reach out if interested.
We look forward to exploring options with you!
Dialogue Explained
Dialogue is anytime two or more people come together to share thoughts and ideas in a thoughtful way. Instead of arguing, dialogue looks for understanding.
We work on listening to each other even when ideas are presented that are divergent from one’s own. When we share our own thoughts, we try to be respectful and not put another idea down.
Though we go deep into many issues both societal and personal, the main gift that dialogue gives is the skills learned through practicing dialogue; unconditional listening, thoughtful responses and looking to understand someone’s story. The skills learned here can be carried over into all of our relationships.
When we communicate in a way that digs underneath opinions, assumptions and beliefs, instead of focusing on proving our own opinions, assumptions and beliefs, we find a place of openness, vulnerability and acceptance. When we feel heard, understood, and seen, we will change the world and ourselves.
A dialogue illustrates that the group is a mirror of society, a tiny community, that is discovering and learning how to dive deeper into love and compassion.
Dialogue isn’t about agreement or disagreement, but rather seeks to dig underneath all opinions and beliefs to discover love and truth.
Dialogue builds a collective trust in which we can learn to share openly and freely and not hold on tightly to our own ideas.
“So when you are listening to somebody, completely, attentively, then you are listening not only to the words, but also to the feeling of what is being conveyed, to the whole of it, not part of it.” - Jiddu Krishnamurti
“Suppose we were able to share meanings freely without a compulsive urge to impose our view or conform to those of others and without distortion and self-deception. Would this not constitute a real revolution in culture? ” - David Bohm
Possible Focus Groups (Not Conclusive)
Parenting with Love and Limits
There are so many opposing voices in our society telling us what constitutes acceptable parenting. There are also many stressors in our lives that impact our ability to parent. This group is a way for us to come together to share, discover and get curious around new ideas, and to help each other drop old, unhealthy habits. Possible topics:
What does it mean to truly see our children?
How can we minimize stressors to be more thoughtful parents?
When have you felt judged as a parent? When do you judge the most?
How do we parent with love and freedom within boundaries?
How to Create a Healthy Community
We are going to explore practical, yet utopic ideas of what a healthy society could look like.
Taking ‘The Other’ to Lunch
Do you boil over with anger sometimes when you hear an opposing view that makes no sense to you? Do you find yourself baffled by this other person’s viewpoint? Well, we all do sometimes! This group will explore these underlying emotions, and help us discover how to have more real, world changing conversations.
Religious Dialogue
No matter your background; whether you’re highly religious, atheist, or somewhere in between, we are here to understand each other’s story and religious or non religious points of view. Instead of seeing other, this is an opportunity to understand each other in new and profound ways.
Relationships and Sex Dialogue
We are all relating to others all the time. If we’re lucky, we’re intimately relating to others. So often, in these intimate relationships, we feel alone or confused by our experiences. Is this normal? Is this me? Why do I feel weird about that? Does anyone else experience that? Well, this is where you can explore all your relationship happenings left unspoken.
Political Dialogue
Politics is one of the most divisive aspects we see in culture. We feel that it is necessary to bring ‘the other’ into dialogue. No matter your personal political preference, we want everyone to feel included in this interactive interface using the practice of dialogue to bridge the gap between each other.
Past Dialogue Focused Groups
Confronting Power- Creating a Just and Healthy Community
Be a part of the first dialogue group focusing on the impact of power and injustice, and how we can confront our harmful conditioning.
Education
Come explore the world of education in our culture and others in a thoughtful environment. Although the focus will surround education and learning, the specific aspects we dive into will be decided by the group weekly. Some possible topics:
What is education and what is learning?
How is culture structured by the way in which we are taught?
Should children have voice in their learning?
Does trust or fear dictate how we educate?
On Waking Up
This group is for those who are deeply passionate around waking up. We will dig into our cultural and “normal” state of consciousness and observe our beliefs, assumptions and the nature of thought and knowledge. We will explore duality and Wholeness. We will leap into what different people call Wholeness, Buddha Nature, Cosmic Consciousness, God, or Tao and what transcendence and transpersonal means. If you’ve completed Philosophy Class for Adults, this is a good way to continue processing concepts and stay connected.