Advanced Training: Bringing the Depth of Who We Are to Our Work - New York

In this program, we will seek to learn together about connecting with the deeper impulses that fuel our commitments to working with people in conflict -- such as compassion and the search for greater self understanding and mutual understanding. We will also learn about dealing with the tendencies that can get in the way, such as judgmentalness and the desire for control, and what underlies these.  While an appreciation for the deeper motivations, emotions and currents that underlie our work with conflict has always been a part of the Center’s approach, we have been exploring and integrating this dimension more and more into our work with conflict.

This is the second advanced program in the New York area with this specific focus, following the one we held in May, 2008. As in that program, we will be joined by Norman Fischer, a Bay Area based Buddhist Meditation teacher whose work focuses on the connection between our inner lives and what we do in the world (through his Everyday Zen Foundation). A number of you have met Norman at the 2008 training and/ or at this February’s week long retreat in Mar de Jade Mexico (or the earlier one in 2007). Much has happened in our inquiry even since that time, and we are happy to welcome him back.The program will include a meditative perspective as we seek to explore the inner dimensions of our work with persons in conflict and how that understanding directly applies to our cases and can help us deal more effectively and whole-heartedly with parties/clients. We have found that this inquiry with Norman brings a deeper appreciation for what is within us when we work with persons in conflict, a greater sensitivity to what might underlie what is going on for the parties to the conflict (as well as the other professionals, and a framework and language for integrating that understanding into our work. Those participating, who worked with people in conflict in a variety of settings, were both personally touched and professionally supported by the inquiry.  The inquiry is relevant not only mediation and collaborative practice but also negotiation, teaching and traditional law practice. If you would want to talk with one or more of those who participated, they are available to do so. The program will take place November 12-15 at the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center in Garrison, New York (approximately 1 – 1 ½ hours north of NYC by car or train).  Please let us know if you are interested in coming to this special advanced program and if you have any questions. 

Faculty:

Norman Fischer, Jack Himmelstein and Katherine Miller

More about Norman Fischer:

Norman Fischer is a poet, author, Zen Buddhist priest and former abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center. As founder of the Everyday Zen Foundation (www.everydayzen.org ), his work with meditation practice has taken him into many corners of contemporary American life: including the arts, education, hospice training, education, and lawyering as a spiritual path.  Recently, he began offering meditation training to engineers at Google.  Norman has worked with the Center for Mediation in Law on inquiries that focus on bringing the calmness and insight of meditation practice directly into conflict situations. His latest book is "Sailing Home: Using the Wisdom of the Odyssey to Navigate Life's Perils and Pitfalls" (Simon and Schuster, 2008).