Peaceful conversations begin with just being able to R.E.L.A.X.©

Relax….peaceful people communicate more peacefully. This chapter explains the physiological basis of relaxation and provides practical strategies for creating internal peace within minutes.

Empathize…care about the outcome for your conversation partner as well as for yourself. But what part of empathy is genetic and what part learned? Learn how to validate your speech partner’s situation.

Listen…everyone has a story. Practice strategies for listening interactively and following up on what the speaker has said.

Accentuate the positive and reverse our psychological autopilot that causes us to stereotype, blame and focus on the negative.

Examine your goals and rephrase. What is the purpose of the conversation? Are cultural differences in speech styles causing roadblocks to effective communication? This critical chapter provides practical strategies for peaceful conversations when criticizing others and offers practice in flipping negative self-talk.

Related Materials

The Sound of Peace Within: Color Chants                                                              

Through a synthesis of eastern and western sounds, this CD or DVD in toning guides the listener to internal peace within eight minutes. Track one briefly explains the theories of balancing the central nervous system through sound and color. Track two contains an 8-minute musical meditation that encourages the listener to focus on and stimulate each energy center of the body through chanting and visualization to facilitate homeostasis and peace within. Track three provides the musical chants for advanced learners who wish to guide themselves. The CD encourages mental visualization of colors while the DVD immerses participants in the relevant colorful images.

From the Inside: Ethnographic Interview Techniques 

This DVD offers training in the techniques of interactive listening used by anthropologists and psychologists to get the “inside perspective” of the speaker rather than overlaying one’s own point of view via “pre-planned” questions. Part I explains the principles of interactive listening and provides a humorous example of what "not to do", followed by a successful interview. Part II shows the usefulness of using interactive listening techniques in crossing the barriers and stereotypes that block peace. Part III provides training examples and research evidence of effectiveness.