Escalation is a powerful force that drives us towards more destructive outcomes in moments of crisis. Many of us lacked parents who could remain calm and positive when we experienced strong emotions as children. It is normal for the young nervous systems of children to be overwhelmed by intense emotions. In these moments, children enter a raw, survival mode and need the maturity of a calm, positive, and attuned response to begin to truly understand their feelings and express their needs or boundaries in a more moderate way.In times of crisis, maturity, the ability to de-escalate, and capacity to be a "rock in the surf" are extremely valuable. In this Community Call, we will explore techniques to stay grounded and composed instead of losing our awareness and escalating. By learning these skills, we can navigate crises with stability and resilience.

Please join us for a conversation about the film 'Where Olive Trees Weep' with Sami Awad, a visionary peace activist and co-director of Nonviolence International. Sami is devoted to a “lasting and just peace” in the Holy Land, the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. He is an advocate for nonviolent resistance and an inspirational leader working towards a shared future for Palestinians and Israelis. Sami will be joined by Ibrahim Ashour from Ghaza, Project Manager of the Palestine Trauma Relief Project. In preparation, you are warmly invited (but not required) to watch the film, which gives background to the current crisis in Israel/Palestine and shows the lives of people from the occupied West Bank. Their universally human stories speak of intergenerational pain, trauma and resilience. 

How does our disconnect from ourselves, each other and the living systems we are embedded in give birth to the crises of our times? Can we bring our embodied witnessing capacity to these gaps, especially in regards to the natural world, and open up to what might become visible? What does it feel like when we allow our curiosity and system sensing capacity to enter these spaces?  Join us for this call to explore possibilities for a next level of embeddedness, connectedness and evolutionary movement.