I have seen this for years. On the individual plane, I have seen enough personally, across the globe, to know that love offers change where shame otherwise makes it impossible. And I have read and heard of much more. I have no doubt left in me that with sufficient love, if we can muster it, no individual is truly irredeemable. Beyond the individual, I was searching and searching for years for a concrete path forward and had found nothing other than the abstract principle of love, writ large. In this newsletter I want to proclaim loudly: I think we have possibly found an "in." This is a tough claim to make, because we have so little to show for it so far. And I am still willing to put a stake in the ground and say it: I think that the Vision Mobilization framework (which we call, simply, “the VM,”) is the seed of love that can be larger than the patriarchal field.

The VM framework, for both individuals and groups, operates at a level of description coupled with compassion. Its core principle is increasing capacity to move towards vision by creating agreements that are within capacity. This means everything is within capacity, starting from the vision all the way to the most mundane actions. In this, the VM framework is like NVC, from which it ultimately emerged, and which is woven into the VM framework directly and indirectly through The Compass.

When I was putting together my previous newsletter, we had barely started the VM course. With three trainers (my sister Arnina, Emma Quayle, and me), a host of assistants (Eddy, Fox, Heather, Keiko, Lena, Marcela, Menaka, Shua, Vesta), and a thick structure of information to support the participants (over 230 of them!), we thought we would sail through the seven sessions (times two, as we put on a second sister course, “The Compass for VM,” which was only available to those who were also taking the VM course itself, and recordings of which are included for anyone who signs up to engage with the VM course recordings and materials).

The work is near its beginning. My exhaustion is supreme, as few have joined with me in this tender, fierce love. My joy and stubborn faith are even bigger. Anyone who is interested is welcome to see the results so far here.

The Circle of Support is a central part of Miki’s commitment to participate in the movement to restore the maternal gift economy: a pattern of resource flow that is based on needs and capacity; not on individuals’ access to money. The Circle of Support acts as a baseline of steady support as more and more of what Miki does in the world is offered without any paywall or exchange. If you want to learn more about gift economy, the Circle of Support, and our experimentations so far with alternative economies, we welcome you to our Circle of Support page on Miki’s website, or join the Circle here. 

With immense gratitude and awe we have seen that, despite the hardships that have come to so many in these times, people continue to join the circle while others leave. This last period, a few more people have joined than left, and the totals are slightly higher than last time. At present, we have 113 people who contribute a total of $3,925 monthly to the Circle of Support. That’s over half of our goal of 200 contributors, and just under two thirds of our goal of $6,000 a month. We feel blessed to have this much support at this time even as we hope to sustain ourselves more easily without dipping into our reserve.

Join the Circle of Support, or read more about it on Miki’s website »

and receive a $100 or $200 discount depending on the track you choose –

Do you yearn to relate to yourself and others in your life with more compassion, clarity, and connection? The Compass can support you in moving beyond multi-generational patterns of fear, anger, guilt, and blame by helping you discover, decode, and transform hidden internalized blocks, so you can celebrate the essence of who you are and enjoy an unprecedented sense of genuine openness, creativity, and compassion with yourself and others.

The Compass experience is so unique, it’s challenging to put into words especially via email. You might get a sense of it by listening to Juliana, a 2020/2021 Alumni, share her experience of The Compass, or by watching this two-minute video clip from one of Arnina's retreats (in Spanish w/English subtitles).

Intrigued? Then we invite you to join us on an eight-month journey of compassion, curiosity, and liberation with Arnina Kashtan and her life work "The Compass" which provides deep, long-lasting tools for compassionate connection with yourself and others. 

Click here for details about our program.

“My sister Arnina puts together so much — systemic perspective, compassion for trauma, deep understanding about how humans function, and more — into a comprehensive, deep, and fully accessible framework that supports dramatic shifts in the experience of being alive. I highly recommend it to anyone who has a passion for freedom.” ~ Miki Kashtan

The Facing Privilege calls are an opportunity for people to engage on the deep questions that arise as we reflect on the topic of privilege. Info and register

The Overcoming Patriarchy calls are for conversation, exploration, and active challenging of self and other based on the commitment to see and transcend all the ways in which we have internalized patriarchal thinking, to increase our collective ability to notice and act with choice. Info and register

The Questioning Money calls are an opportunity to grapple together with all aspects, both internal and external, of global capitalism and to move toward transforming it inside and out. Info and register

The Nonviolent Activism for Liberation calls are to support activists in empowering themselves within their groups and movements to increase capacity to align means with ends so as to transform cultures of burnout, conflict, mistrust, blaming and shaming into environments of solidarity, trust, experimentation, and increased capacity to move towards the possibility of a livable future. Info and register

On Sunday, November 14, at 9:00 am PT, NVC Academy is sponsoring a free viewing of Women Daring Peace, a film that shows Palestinians and Jews connecting and seeing each other in a whole new way with the help of NVC and two brave women. Following the viewing will be a Q&A discussion with the director and the film’s two protagonists, both long-standing personalities in Israel and Palestine. Come and witness how two women are contributing to peace by bringing their communities together. Info and register

There are no individual solutions to systemic collapse. A future for humanity means reweaving our frayed threads of togetherness into a fabric that is stronger than we could ever be in our individualized existence. This is what this course offers, as a deep exploration into three topics: 1) why capacity matters: freeing ourselves from patriarchal overstretching; 2) needs, impacts, resources: building blocks of integrative decisions that work for all; 3) needs choreography: leaning on all available capacity to dance together for liberation. Info and register

At a time of rapid transformation and accelerating crises in the world, the three of us are joining together in offering our newest tools for the first time in a public setting. Since the last newsletter went out, we have worked with the NVC Academy to make the course financially accessible to anyone who feels called to contribute to the large vision of this work and for whom the current fee is a barrier.

The August 2021 live course filled beyond capacity, and we are now opening it if you want to participate via the recordings, with the possibility that previous course participants may be available to accompany you.

The course is designed for individuals, communities, and organizations with live demonstrations and tools for continuing the work on your own. It follows every part of the Vision Mobilization Framework, which you can learn about from the packet available here. Info and register

This is the 5th year of this course, and registration remains open throughout the year. There’s a reason why some people have been coming for all the years of its existence. Whether you are an "official" leader or not, this ongoing program will support you in freeing yourself to fully step into leadership in all aspects of your life and work, and play your part in making life work for everyone. As our social systems unravel, this is more timely than ever. Info and register

NGL doesn’t currently have any upcoming retreats. All of our work is online at present, and includes many calls where you can learn as well as many opportunities to contribute to our work.

Sabrina (NGL member and apprentice) and Fox (NGL friend and apprentice) have founded a new NGL Welcome Crew which has the purpose of creating a bridge to ease prospective and new NGL Friends' experience of landing within NGL. They run regular Welcoming Sessions where new NGL Friends can meet each other and ask any questions they might have. The next Welcoming Sessions are scheduled for November 7, November 8, December 5 and December 9. To find out more, or if you need support with with the NGL Friend sign-up process, contact them at welcoming-friends@nglcommunity.org

Read about NGL and see whether being an NGL Friend is for you here - and while you're visiting our site, sign up for the NGL News.

Last year, BayNVC was awarded a grant from the Cotyledon Foundation (no website available), much of which was to support the NGL's gifting experiment. We just completed writing a report to the funder which you can see here. We now have a bit more clarity: it appears that 75% of the work within NGL happens without money going anywhere. None of the work happens through any exchange.

If you have the capacity to do so, please donate here.

The world is hungry for people with skills to guide diverse groups and stakeholders toward decisions that everyone can wholeheartedly embrace. Are you called to support others with collaborative decisions? See what we have coming up.

with Roni Wiener and Magda Barańska

We are thrilled that more than 130 people joined us at our May intensive, so we decided to do it again! Please invite your friends and colleagues. The Convergent Facilitation (CF) Intensive offers a comprehensive introduction to collaborative decision making. The skills you acquire will help you make group decisions more easily and effectively at home, in your work, and in your communities. This is an opportunity to learn the basics of the CF process and principles or deepen your practice. 

We are looking for someone enthusiastic, experienced, committed, and self-directed to support Convergent Facilitation by leading our outreach efforts. We want someone with a strategic vision for how to drive attendance to our workshops and generate interest in Miki’s book, the technical skills to realize that vision, and previous experience. Here are more details. If you are interested, please contact Mona.

We are celebrating our one-year anniversary of offering weekly Convergent Facilitation Coaching Calls. Our first call was on May 11, 2020! This program provides ongoing support from experienced facilitators on real-life challenges you encounter as you begin to use and apply Convergent Facilitation. We ask that you take an introductory workshop or read the book before you attend. Find out more about this project and get involved on the CF Coaching Calls Program page.

6:00 - 8:00 pm CET (Central Europe Time) Find your time zone

An ongoing series of independent units or modules, each one designed to support participants in engaging, in community, with one of the 34 Core Nonviolence Commitments. The series is for people who want to strengthen their commitment to nonviolence and increase their ability to put it into practice in their day-to-day lives. Prior NVC experience is highly recommended. You may register for the series at any time; once you are registered you will receive an email invitation once a month to RSVP, if you like, for the next module.

November: Commitment #10. Generosity

December: Commitment #11. Receptivity

January: Commitment #12. Discernment and Courage

Nonviolence is a way of being and living that orients, in thought, word, and deed, towards integrating love, truth, and courage in individual and collective action aimed at preserving what serves life and at challenging what doesn’t to transform itself so the human family can realign with life. -Miki Kashtan

In the challenging times in which we live, many of us barely dare dream of a world that honors and seeks to meet the needs of everyone. This self-paced self-study course was born from that dream and it is available without a paywall, on a gift economy basis.

Created by Miki, the course integrates principles and practices that can move you in the direction of making this dream a reality, starting with your own life, exactly where you are. Both people new to NVC and those with extensive experience have appreciated this program. Learn at your own pace, with optional built-in support from others, as part of an vibrant online community practice now numbering 389.

Sign up for the course or learn more here.

Many people are skeptical about money coming in when we provide content without a paywall. Our experience is a resounding affirmation that there is enough care and enough trust to begin to re-create flow. We are celebrating that so far this year people have downloaded 1219 items in 787 orders, giving an average $7.59 per item. Of these, 431 people didn't give any money, and we rejoice in that.  One person contributed $100 for 1 packet. This is the transitional world we want to live in, for as long as money exists: access for everyone regardless of how much money they have, supported by those who have the capacity to give more.

Visit the learning packets page here.

What if you could bring together any group of people to find solutions that are creative, satisfying, work for everyone, and actually get implemented?

In The Highest Common Denominator — Using Convergent Facilitation to Reach Breakthrough Collaborative Decisions, Miki Kashtan introduces a novel decision-making process that is designed to build trust from the very beginning, to surface concerns and address them, and to turn conflicts into dilemmas that groups feel energized to solve together.

For options about how to access the book, including the possibility of an electronic version on a gift-economy basis, visit The Highest Common Denominator.

You can also view videos from the book launch here.

I have missed my annual trips to Poland since the pandemic. So it was a totally sweet surprise to receive a package with what to me are stunningly beautiful calendars that the organizers of the Polish NVC Festival created, with original art, featuring the "Key Assumptions and Intentions of NVC."

The calendar can be purchased through their Foundation. If you are in Poland, you can visit their website. If you are anywhere else, then email is the only way to go. Contact them at krok1 @ 4kroki.org (space left to reduce spam), with the number of calendars you want, your address, and what you are choosing to give for each calendar (49, 59, 69, 79, or 99 PLN). They will let you know the shipping cost, which can be sent to them in PLN or Euros. All sales support the Festival.