Understanding and Transforming Conflict in Our Lives

Conflict is something that touches all of us in one way or another. Understanding and Transforming Conflict in Our Lives, enables participant to visit past conflicts and rework them in different ways. The training begins with an icebreaker that gets participants comfortable with physical movement and brings awareness of the use of non-verbal communication techniques. Moving to the first activity, Manipulative Tricks enables participants to see how common situations often involve manipulation. Participants practice responding to manipulative situations with assertive responses. After this activity the concept of power begins to be explored. Times when participants felt powerful, times when power was used badly, etc. are evoked in this more personal activity, Sharing the Power. After a short break, the concept of Tableau or Sculpting is introduced with an example of how a conflict situation could be presented both non verbally and verbally, in a sculpted form. Participants practice their own sculpting in the activity, Changing the Outcome, a powerful tableau activity that puts feelings and understanding to areas that words can not. After another break, the training is culminated in the activity, Bill of Human Rights, where participants take time to reflect on what is important to them, their role in helping others to realize their rights, and the cultural context of rights. The activity is summarized with the following quote: Although attempting to bring about world peace through the internal transformation of individuals is difficult, it is the only way. Wherever I go, I express this, and I am encouraged that people from many different walks of life receive it well. Peace must first be developed within an individual. And I believe that love, compassion, and altruism are the fundamental basis for peace. Once these qualities are developed within an individual, he or she is then able to create an atmosphere of peace and harmony. This atmosphere can be expanded and extended from the individual to his family, from the family to the community and eventually to the whole world. - By H.H. The Dalai Lam