Sunlight warming our skins breathing the warm awareness of Compassionate Presence, earthing and grounding and anchoring into some safety. 

NVC short courses Autumn 2025: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/nonviolentcommunicationnvccoursesandcoaching

Whole-body emerging ….. sensing each other in communing and connection, a togetherness.  Just checking in with your needs, what is important to you this very moment, and checking in with your feelings as an indicator for your needs…. Freedom, learning growth, ease, fun and play, connection, friendship community, space and boundaries, privacy, love and closeness….

Compassionate Presence is the hallmark of NVC and very often, we are dealing with the ‘Jackal’ (unconscious repetitive patterns on autopilot, otherwise known as the inner critic).  They keep repeating themselves ‘You are no good’ etc ……. The Jackal is pretty relentless, and its doing its best to meet your feelings and needs.  Just how do we ‘receive’ the Jackal (the inner critic) that allows for safety and containment avoiding overwhelm and being smothered by emotion, that invites the unmet need, a fresh edge into a new way of behaving and being – wholeness and balance and a way of life that we can live from – this quality of Compassionate Presence.
Meet SImon https://www.living-presence.co.uk/

Nonviolent Communication Longings of the Heart and other Reflections and Meditations

So self-empathy in compassionate connection, compassionate communication, is a radical, life serving and transformative evolutionary, deeply healing process we can learn, rather than judging and blaming, anger, criticism, blame and despair and the spiral down into despair, hopeless, or worked up into fury, frenzied anger and rage – all these are hallmarks of reactive elements withing us.  Self-empathy, empathy in presence.  Here we are learning to say hello and welcome reactive and habitual responses in ourselves, parts in ourselves which gives them a healing space, space to release, a space to breathe, not to be determined by them or hostage to them  We are back  to the pause as the first step, in a transaction with someone, in events, in our daily lives, in overwhelm for example. Just take time out, pause, drop down to where the feet meet the ground let things find their natural place in the universe, an organic natural settling, body in the body, hearing in the hearing, quite quickly we can come to our senses.  Then we can begin to notice, yes there is something down in my tummy, a clenching, settle, to allow an organic natural unfolding. Grounding will bring some degree of safety and containment. You can place your hand on your chest or tummy, sensing into what is there, something vague, intense, nebulous, we invite an intention and sense of gentleness, of softness, of compassion. We invite this warm awareness to flood around the parts, to offer support and care. And perhaps the part in you is ready for you to say hello, letting that part be the way it wants to be, we are very interested in full expression.  Coming alongside and sitting with in a gentle and warm accompaniment from the sensing body and saying hello in a gentle kindly and soft way. 

Compassionate communication invitation to entertain presence.  Presence being the foundation and centre and heart of compassionate communication – connection. Compassionate communication main premise is heart connection, not head connection, i.e. the one that judges analyses, compares and blames, criticises, abstractises. Coming from thinking directly, in general is disconnecting, it’s conceptual, it’s the narrative – its talking about experience that has been, probably and whilst useful at times, it’s not the heart of connection.  The heart of connection can be in silene, a silent empathic presence which we can offer to our inner worlds with compassion, care.  So, we just pause, resting in this moment, suspending as we invite a more sensory based experience to emerge, of course its already here in its fullness, but something may not be so available to this whole experience.  It can begin to emerge into its fullness by settling, and beginning to notice by softly noticing, softly including, like the sun rising on the horizon warming and illuminating with equality, nothing is left out.  Sensing the feet on the ground, sensing touching and contact, the settee or bed, or earth. Sensing softly and gently, warmly if you like as the body begins to sense itself more fully, radiating out and awareness into and beyond the room, out into the sky, into the milky ways, into the swirling infinite starry night with all the starlight beaning down touching our hearts. Making room for what is inside here, the inner Universe, this complexity, this mystery within. Approaching with compassion, softness, sensing what would like empathy or to be held to be supported and connected with. We approach with love and respect giving plenty of space, and closeness if appropriate.

Compassionate Accompaniment NVC Attunement

So self-empathy in compassionate connection, compassionate communication, is a radical, life serving and transformative evolutionary, deeply healing process we can learn, rather than judging and blaming, anger, criticism, blame and despair and the spiral down into despair, hopeless, or worked up into fury, frenzied anger and rage – all these are hallmarks of reactive elements withing us.  Self-empathy, empathy in presence.  Here we are learning to say hello and welcome reactive and habitual responses in ourselves, parts in ourselves which gives them a healing space, space to release, a space to breathe, not to be determined by them or hostage to them  We are back  to the pause as the first step, in a transaction with someone, in events, in our daily lives, in overwhelm for example. Just take time out, pause, drop down to where the feet meet the ground let things find their natural place in the universe, an organic natural settling, body in the body, hearing in the hearing, quite quickly we can come to our senses.  Then we can begin to notice, yes there is something down in my tummy, a clenching, settle, to allow an organic natural unfolding. Grounding will bring some degree of safety and containment. You can place your hand on your chest or tummy, sensing into what is there, something vague, intense, nebulous, we invite an intention and sense of gentleness, of softness, of compassion. We invite this warm awareness to flood around the parts, to offer support and care. And perhaps the part in you is ready for you to say hello, letting that part be the way it wants to be, we are very interested in full expression.  Coming alongside and sitting with in a gentle and warm accompaniment from the sensing body and saying hello in a gentle kindly and soft way. 

Compassionate communication invitation to entertain presence.  Presence being the foundation and centre and heart of compassionate communication – connection. Compassionate communication main premise is heart connection, not head connection, i.e. the one that judges analyses, compares and blames, criticises, abstractises. Coming from thinking directly, in general is disconnecting, it’s conceptual, it’s the narrative – its talking about experience that has been, probably and whilst useful at times, it’s not the heart of connection.  The heart of connection can be in silence, a silent empathic presence which we can offer to our inner worlds with compassion, care.  So, we just pause, resting in this moment, suspending as we invite a more sensory based experience to emerge, of course its already here in its fullness, but something may not be so available to this whole experience.  It can begin to emerge into its fullness by settling, and beginning to notice by softly noticing, softly including, like the sun rising on the horizon warming and illuminating with equality, nothing is left out.  Sensing the feet on the ground, sensing touching and contact, the settee or bed, or earth. Sensing softly and gently, warmly if you like as the body begins to sense itself more fully, radiating out and awareness into and beyond the room, out into the sky, into the milky ways, into the swirling infinite starry night with all the starlight beaming down touching our hearts. Making room for what is inside here, the inner Universe, this complexity, this mystery within. Approaching with compassion, softness, sensing what would like empathy or to be held to be supported and connected with. We approach with love and respect giving plenty of space, and closeness if appropriate.

The Heart of Connection and Sun Rising NVC Attunement

Today we are deepening the meaning of empathy in presence.  Empathy in presence is really the core approach on compassionate connection, It can be directed to our own hearts, emotions, felts senses, feelings and to others. We can sit in a quality of empathic presence which is receptive and available to both the inner and outer receiving it with an attitude of compassion. Ourt intention is one of compassion, to be compassionate, that is not necessarily a felling more an attitude, because we could feel lousy, and yet we can still hold experience with compassion.  That compassion has hallmarks of embodiment, to be grounded, open and receptive, to allow, to let things be the way they want to be without judging, blaming, repressing or masking. This itself is compassion so it can be fully received, held, it can kind of spend itself into the felt shift or fresh edge in this more open dimension of being. And as we enter presence, we pause into this experience, with this experience, and settling, just settling letting things settle. Perhaps dropping down to where the body meets the earth, resting in this contact of touch which can be reassuring soothing and comforting for the body. Inviting an availability to all the sensations of your body, from itself, it just senses them.  Sensing outwards into space, perhaps into the night sky, glittering with an ocean of stars, milky ways, galaxies, the jewel studded night sky as if being breathed by the mighty universe the body breathes organically in tune with its own needs, flowing in and out, resting in the flow of breathing grounded spacious breathing. Meeting whatever is present inside, empathic presence. Maybe placing your hand on your tummy or chest, something there needing close care or kindness. Keeping it company with this quality of compassionate empathy.  We know inside and behind these parts of ourselves, these feelings and emotions are unmet or met needs for safety and security, play and fun, peace, meaning and purpose, love and closeness, ease and comfort, community and friendship, authenticity and connection, learning and growth, freedom and many more needs.

Empathic Presence Compassionate Relationship NVC Attunement

Rest in curious, spacious, receptive and vibrant Presence.....

Spacious Open Receptive Curious Empathic Presence

In compassionate communication we can move from the reactive ’IAM’ I am angry/ hurt and the corresponding actions, which seems to be unconscious, we might shout at someone, or even ourselves.  There is no space in ‘I AM’s’ nor any awareness necessarily, they just seem to appear.  In NVC we learn to pause, to find some breathing space, to let things settle inside of us so we can have a relationship with those parts that come up. We can say ‘something in me’ rather than an @I am’ down there is feeling sad for example.  NVC is about exquisite relationship.  The earth under the feet will bring a sense of safety and containment. Having a sense of the body breathing briefly, coming into relationship with the vicseralness of the body, and as this body does so, we can begin to note the shades of nuanced Ness I n the body experientially.  We invite the intention for a warm and gentle awareness, just kind or compassionate.

Compassionate Empathic Inner Relationship NVC in Presence

The question is really, what is Presence? How are we different in presence then let’s say living from the purely that Cartesian ‘I think therefore I am ‘mind. What is not presence maybe, is not grounded, not connected, autopilot, reactive, judging blaming, criticising, basically coming from views and beliefs without reference to the whole being that we are. And coming from there often leads to disconnection and a quality of isolation.  So, Presence, pre-sense, you could almost say, before the senses.  We are invited into the senses forest.  So, just pausing and settling and letting things be the way things are, they are already being the way they want to be, in this way inviting space, sensing the space around you, and you may be lucky sitting outside sensing the land all the way across the land and up into that blue sky, or it could be dark, or inside a room and beyond the room to the outside.  Something in us can breathe with the universe.  As you begin to settle sensing the ground beneath your feet. terra firma, something very reassuring and healing about the ground, mother earth, she has given birth to us, her sons and daughters. Coming home to mother earth, sensing the affinity and sensations of life here in these sensations and touch, And the whole earth body can sense itself more fully in your own unique way.  And the being breathed by the sky, grounded, like a mountain, spacious like the sky. Immoveable yet flowing with the breathing.  Sensing what is alive in the body, something wanting some care, love or tenderness, or something wanting some celebration, or maybe a mixture and a lot of not knowing around it. It just is.  We are offering the prospect of keeping it company with kindness and care, keeping it company and maybe meeting it with ;your welcome’ or ‘hello’  or ‘you’ve had a tough week, or day’ Feelings here are telling us that we have needs for care and flow, playfulness, ease, healing, wellbeing, wholeness, love, closeness, intimacy, connection, community, friendship. Oneness, rest, deep rest, play, vitality, privacy.  Just sensing what is important in you, what needs are wanted, what is the longing, what is the hunger of the heart, what is the fullness of the heart?

Hunger and longing of the heart compassionate holdingmp

Welcome to this Nonviolent Communication (NVC) experience.
Today, I noticed the first daffodil had bloomed, and the second one was on its way. I bowed to it and said, "Welcome to the universe," acknowledging the beauty it brings. In the same way, Marshall Rosenberg brought much beauty to the universe with his paradigm of compassionate connection.
That is our intention in Nonviolent Communication. We begin with that intention—to invite compassion for ourselves and others. It’s interesting to note that compassion, according to one approach, arises when kindness meets suffering; kindness then transforms into compassion.
As we arrive, we can sense the body—feeling the contact with the earth, the seat, settee, or bed—landing and arriving with a warm awareness of compassion, or at least inviting it. The body can sense the space around it, beyond the four walls, extending around the globe, including all sentient beings, all of life—plant and animal. Above, there is the immense sky, an infinity of stars.
Sitting in this great mystery, breathing, sensing, and feeling the flow of life within us. Simply sensing what is alive in you right now. Is there something happy, open, and spacious? Or something more contracted, less than happy? Perhaps a mixture, or even something neutral? Maybe there is a lot of not knowing—simply accepting things as they are.
Welcoming and making space for ourselves here, with an attitude of care and compassion. Perhaps sensing behind the feeling to what the underlying need might be—care, kindness, compassion, freedom, play, joy, healing, and wholeness. Connection, communication, authenticity, autonomy, closeness, and love. Creativity and ease.
What would bring more richness to your life? More wonderment, amazement, freshness, and vitality? Simply resting here.

Bowing to a Daffodil Needs NVC Attunement

Yes, welcome to this compassionate communication invitation into presence.

So presence is the heart of nonviolent communication. It’s where we come from—a place of grounded, aware presence, a place of enhanced self-awareness.

Without awareness, we are operating on autopilot, from reactivity, unconscious tendencies, and habits—past learned patterns that may have served us, possibly. But in the fresh moment, we are invited to be in presence, awake to our feelings, our emotions, our moods, the sensations of our body.

We are also invited to be awake to others—how they are responding, what they are saying, how they are behaving. In this way, we can be creative with more choice. Our awareness can be awake.

We can lean into and come from compassion, kindness, care, and a quality of intelligence.

So, we just pause—being available to the life within us, sensing our whole experience.

Perhaps sensing the earth beneath your feet, or your seat, or settee, or bed—whatever contact the body is connecting with. Feeling a quality of rest from this sensing, from the body, calming and soothing, possibly through the breathing.

Sensing the space around you—the space that reaches up to the stars, around the globe. It is inclusive.

And sensing our inner world, our inner universe—what is alive in you? What feeling tones, emotional tones, mood tones in the body?

Perhaps meeting them with a certain quality of warmth and care, compassion even. A gentleness, a tenderness, a softening. Or we are celebrating.

These feelings within are telling us that we have needs—met or unmet—for love or closeness, for being safe and secure, for connection.

For freedom—a free, open, spacious place where we can breathe.

For ease and calm, for soothing.

For authenticity.

For meaning and purpose.

For play and fun—just like a child running around laughing.

For beauty—the beauty of the spring flowers emerging.

For respect.

For engagement and progress.

For being heard, to communicate, to experience community and friendship.

For growth and learning.

Sensing your needs—what needs are met already, at least to some extent, right now? In this moment, and in your life?

What can you have gratitude for already?

And what would make your life more wonderful? What needs are longing to be met?

What is the heart longing for?

What would bring more of a spring in your step, a freshness in your being?

What would make your life more wonderful?

Living Life Awake Compassionate Needs Attunement

Yes, compassionate connection, compassionate communication is really the umbrella of what's going on here—exploring embodied mediation through Nonviolent Communication.
And the key word is embodied.
Very often, it's not hard for something in us to be entertaining a lot of thinking—analyzing, contemplating, comparing, evaluating. And to some extent, that's probably necessary.
However, there are other ways of processing life. NVC invites a more embodied, relational approach.
So just pausing now... and if you want to close your eyes, feel free. Time to relax, to create a bit of space for you—your time.
Just dropping down, maybe to where your feet meet the ground. Earthing and grounding, sensing touch and contact.
Sensing the chair, or settee, or whatever surface your body is in contact with. Finding some rest here—perhaps resting briefly.
Inviting the body to begin to sense itself more fully—maybe sensing the clothing on your skin here and there: warm, soft, protecting, comforting, soothing, perhaps.
Sensing the space around you—maybe some sounds... beyond the four walls... beyond a canopy of leaves... into the vast gloom or dark night.
Into an infinity of diamonds and sapphires and rubies—stars, all keeping us company as we sit here together.
Taking a little time to sense within, from this grounded, whole, spacious sense of self.
Sensing something alive in you there. Something tender, something raw, something happy, spacious, or contracted—just making room for all of that.
With a sense of compassion and care, if you like—softness. Offering it a little acknowledgement. A tender holding, if you like.
And we know these feelings are telling us about met and unmet needs—for care, for love, for closeness, for space, for peace, for joy, for ease, for freedom, for play and fun, for healing and well-being.
For connection and friendship, for community, for learning and growth, for respect, authenticity, autonomy, and boundaries.
I'm not sure... healing... calmness...
Just sensing: what needs bring you here? What's the heart's longing in there?
What would make your life more wonderful? What would bring a freshness to your step?

Bringing a Freshness to your Step NVC attunement

So, pausing into presence. By pausing, we just go, "Hang on! I'm just going to stop." Not that I can literally stop anything—but I can become more fully self-aware.
And just begin to notice... oh yes, there's activity in the thinking, and there are feelings there.
Now, just let your body sense the ground beneath it. Feeling your feet on the ground. Feeling the chair underneath you—something solid and visceral.
Sensing the shape of your body. Noticing a few embodied breaths flowing in and flowing out. Just a couple... here is this body, here. This is me—this body—sensing outwards into space, hearing sounds... and sensing inwards to what's alive in this body.
What’s here?
Oh, something is feeling agitated. Something is feeling hurt. Something is feeling numb. It's like that in me right now.
And if it helps, I often put my hand on my chest or my tummy—just reconnecting gently with this compassionate intention. A compassionate intention toward whatever’s alive in this body, with some care, some softness.
And I can approach that something in my body. It may be clearly bounded, or it may be more diffuse. It may seem like not much is going on—but that, too, is something.
We can get a bit closer, or take more space. Does it want you to be closer? Or does it want more space?
If it wants more space, just sense your feet on the ground more fully. And that can also allow you to feel safer. Embodiment equals safety.
Is it okay to approach a bit closer to that part? Would it be okay if you said hello to it?
Hello.
Sitting alongside you, offering you care and love. Offering you a space so you can just breathe and be the way you want to be—to share the gold that’s inside of you.
You may have unmet needs, or met needs. We're not in a rush to get there. We're just going to be with you as an experience, for now—bringing tenderness and gentleness as we sit with you.

Welcoming Pausing and Grounding Saying Hello to parts NVC

Welcome to this compassionate communication session on embodied mediation.

So effectively, conflicting parts—either inside or outside—it's not uncommon. In fact, in a way, it's probably going on a lot of the time throughout the day, internally. Whether it's mild conflict—should I have tea or water? Should I go out or stay in?—and often, yes, of course, more extreme.

The conflict of eating food when we don't want to eat it—maybe things like that. Patterns that override our intentions.

Anyway, just pausing with all of this. The first port of call in any situation, really, is just to pause. Pausing and settling.

So we're not trying to change anything. It's just beginning to notice, with some space and appreciation, what is here already—beyond the patterns, the emotions, the feelings—which can often be very overwhelming.

And there's more. There's always more when the body pauses.

Sensing where the feet meet the ground. This visceral sense of contact. Just noticing what it's like for your body to sense your feet in this ordinary way.

And the seat, of course, which is underneath you—or the mattress. All the settee contact—always available at all times—can bring some relief and respite from intensity. It just broadens out our experience, or at least begins to.

And there's more. We can sense the space around us, around the shape of the body. You might hear sounds. Space goes beyond the four walls, or above the treetops, through the clouds—if there are any—into the big blue, or even night sky.

Where the stars are always present, keeping us company too—offering the majesty of infinity and space—where this body can breathe, or be breathed by the universe.

It can invite a sense, at least to some extent, of ease, openness, space. Perhaps just allowing the body to sense the breathing more fully. Grounding, spacious breathing—always available at all times.

And yes, there's a complexity within the inner universe.

Maybe sensing the emotions and the feelings in the body—tummy, chest, throat, maybe elsewhere. They’re a part of the whole. They’re there, telling us we are, in fact, alive.

And that we have needs. Feelings are telling us we have met needs—or unmet needs—for care, for love or closeness, for healing and wholeness, for understanding or connection, for space or boundaries, for openness, for play and fun, for authenticity, freedom, clarity.

Joy. Healing. Illness. Peace. Serenity. Calm. Engagement. Stimulation. Pleasure. Gratitude. Closeness. Distance. Autonomy.

Just to be our own natural selves—in an organic, easy way—in the flow.

In the Flow Compassionate Connection

So just inviting ourselves to land, to arrive more fully.
I’d rather call it compassionate connection, with communication being a strategy.
Connection is the need—the core kind of element underneath it.
And we can communicate in so many ways: verbally, non-verbally...
Yeah, even through silence... through presence.
In a way, we can’t not communicate.
And we can’t not connect—because we already are connected.
So it’s a curious thing... the mystery of human relationship, the mystery of sentient relationship.
Yes, we live in this...
...complexity of life, living together—not as atomized parts—but as a kind of dance, an interpenetrating...
...dance,
where everything influences everything.
Where there are seeming boundaries.
And I guess this is all to be explored and tested for ourselves—this relationship unique to us.
What closes us down? What disconnects us?
And what opens us up? What allows for connection?
What is a healthy boundary?
All these curiosities...
Something about community and communing brings health and wholeness.
It also has a different flavour of being.
Certainly, when I’m in community, I sense...
...a wholeness which is maybe not fully here when I’m on my own.
And sometimes it is—yeah—communing with the birds, with the trees, the sky, the earth...
I’m just pausing here...
...inviting a sensory awareness...
Sensing perhaps outwards—into the room and beyond, into space, outside, above the clouds—into that infinite ether...
An infinity of diamonds surrounding our planet...
Keeping us company as well.
And something in us incensed—this cosmic, universal, sentient connection...
As we perhaps sense inwards... to the inner universe.
What’s alive here?
What edges... what softness... what beauty... what contractions... what not-knowing and knowing...
What mystery...
Making room for all that, from a grounded, whole sense of the body—sensing the earth, perhaps inviting...
...grounding—I think—safety, wholeness...
And what needs are wanting in us...
And indeed, being met to some extent right now...
...based on the feelings here.
So perhaps we don’t need to be analytical. We can just be with it directly...
Sensing it as it is—with compassion and care...
Knowing that the needs for safety and care, love, closeness, peace, and ease are important...
Freedom... play... connection...
Joy, healing, and wholeness...
Exploration, adventure, well-being...
Learning...
Authenticity...
Communication, community, friendship...
Acknowledgement... engagement...
Beauty...
All these needs—and more—are important to us.
What would make your life more wonderful?
Sometimes the thinking mind is quite busy. Emotions can be busy too. That's okay.
The landing is not a negation. It's an inclusion of our whole experience, which brings stability and relationship to whatever's going on, in a way that invites the possibility of freshness and forward flow—especially to any stuck parts, or worried or hurt parts. Things like that.
Shall we just pause into the quality of availability—being available in a quiet way?
From the body’s perspective, from a sense of itself, tuning in... inviting sensitivity.
Maybe sensing the shape of the body. A sense of the ground and the earth. Earthing, grounding. Contact.
Just resting with these sensations of touch.
Inviting stability, safety, a wholeness.
As the body senses itself more fully, perhaps noticing the breathing—whole-body breathing, sensing—and resting.
If there's room for the body to rest a little more, to soften, opening out to the environment, the space around it, the sounds, and the space beyond the four walls—up into the ether, up into the stars.
Being held by the stars, being held by all beings that also keep us company in this web of interdependence.



Compassionate Universal Connection What would make yourt life more wonderful

Yes, welcome everyone to this compassionate communication session on embodied mediation.
So we'll just pause here, pausing to land, maybe to come home to ourselves a little more, or some.
What does that mean to come home to ourselves? What does that mean for you when there's a sense of coming home?
I guess for me, it's a place of safety. It's a place of comfort and relationship. It's where I commune, where I can be heard and listened to, where there's space. It's a place of healing, wholeness, companionship.
Coming home in this respect may not be a place so much as a sense of where the heart abides.
Sensing your relationship with your heart, with your center, with your core. What is that called? What is that? What is this center?
What's it like when it senses itself in its richness and fullness, with space and comfort?
How does the body breathe then? How does it move, sit, lie, dance?
Something, I imagine, knows all about this home.
So just pausing, maybe inviting the body to sense the earth, the settee, the chair, the bed.
Contact, something comforting about touch on the periphery, especially feet on the ground.
Perhaps this is an element of our true home—the earth—the smell of the earth, the touch, grounding and earthing.
The shape of your whole body sensing, and the body senses outwards into space, spaciousness, beyond the four walls, up into the big blue or starlit night.
We are on the east edge of the Milky Way—quite a large home—as if being breathed by it all.
Inviting some calm and comfort, perhaps, in the flow of being breathed, sensing this connection, this living connection.
Indeed, maybe even resting in it.
And maybe there are parts that are less restful as well, that can be held and entertained by this grounded, spacious, whole sense of being, offering these parts a coming home.
And perhaps being greeted by nature—the sound of birds, a blooming flower, these effulgent colours and soft petals, the sound of the bee, the leaves rustling in the wind—a coming home of a type.
Something in us just being offered this love and care of an embodied presence, if you like, even just saying a little hello to all that in there, from the whole of this here.
These feelings in us tell us we have needs unmet: unmet for care or love, or closeness, for healing, for meaning and purpose or freedom, for play and fun or connection, closeness for friendship, authenticity, autonomy or boundaries, privacy, for love.
Comfort, pleasure, creativity, the dance, the play—just sensing what needs are important to you, whether met partially or fully, where you are on that right now, and inviting these to come home more fully in a way that would make your life more wonderful.


Coming Home Landing in your Natural Place Compassionate Connection

The Loop of Overwhelm and Story
When we're faced with overwhelming emotions or narratives, the tendency might be to play into the story. “They’re a bad person,” or, “I’m a bad person,” or, “They’re bad because...,” followed by the impulse, “I’m going to tell them what for.”
Or we might internalize it: “I’ve done something wrong, and I deserve to be punished.” These feelings arise and confirm the story, and then the story reinforces the feeling — creating a kind of loop.
Grounding and WholenessHow does the principle of grounding and welcoming help us come back to our humanity, our sense of wholeness?
It allows us to have an inner relationship — one where we are not dominated by the overwhelm.
The Power of Pausing
We pause. We literally stop. This stopping isn’t about stopping our thoughts or feelings — we can’t do that — but it’s about becoming aware around them, nonjudgmentally and with kindness.
Even while walking, we might stop or sit down. We don’t have to, but the pause is an invitation to check our intention.
Checking Intention
Where are we coming from? Are we acting from anger, hurt, frustration? Or can we acknowledge that and bring in compassion and space?
We can say, “Okay, I’m now inviting a sense of softness and care as I be with myself,” with the intention to be kind.
Grounding Through the Body
We pause, check intention, and settle — letting things settle.
We let the body sense the ground: feeling our feet on the floor, our body on the seat, the bed, the earth — feeling contact.
Letting the body take refuge there, enjoying the neutral sensations of touch and contact.
Whole-Body Sensing
We rest there, sensing the body as a whole, breathing and being.
We might notice the feeling of fabric on the skin.
This is grounding through whole-body sensing.
Welcoming What’s Inside
We might sense something stirring inside — something overwhelming. We can put a hand on our chest, our tummy, or both, and begin to welcome it.
We may not be ready to fully welcome, but we can acknowledge it: “Oh, you're there inside of me.”
We come alongside from a grounded, spacious being.
Spaciousness and Hello
Spaciousness means sensing the space around the body — beyond the four walls, up into the stars.
All this space, grounded, entertains what’s inside.
We say a gentle “Hello” to it — “Hello to you inside there.”
Coming alongside with kindness and care.
Permission and Connection
We might ask: “Is it okay for me to say hello to you?”
If it is, we say, “Hello. Hello.”
A soft greeting, with warmth and care, to that part or quality inside.
Listening for Response
We might notice how the body responds. It might not respond, and that’s okay.
We just keep saying, “Hello. Hello.”
Sitting alongside with kindness and care.
Recognizing Needs
We recognize that these feelings point to needs — met or unmet:
Needs for care, safety, peace, love, closeness, healing, fun, play, well-being, freedom, connection, friendship, authenticity, truth, flow, naturalness, deep rest.
Letting Needs Emerge
We sense what needs are important to these parts right now — if they’re available.
It may take time for them to emerge and be known.
What’s most important is simply being unconditionally here for those parts.
Allowing Without Fixing
We allow the parts to be just as they are, without trying to fix or change them.
In doing so, they’re effectively coming home.

NVC Meeting my Vulnerable parts compassionately

The Deer, the Forest, and the Tiger

It's a bit like sitting next to a deer that comes out of a forest. You come down on your haunches and you wait. You see that deer. You don't run at it. You don't say, "Oh, there's a deer!" and run at the deer. It's like—oh my God, the deer runs off. Well, why wouldn't it? It knows something's there.

So we sit down. We wait. The deer comes close. The deer goes, "Oh, this is safe." And then it may finally come and lie down by you. And you go... you put your hand on the deer. Well, you might not. But there's a lot of beauty in this.

And then comes out a tiger. And we go, "Oh..." and then we really feel the ground. I mean, you look down slightly because you don't want to freak the tiger out, right? And we see its beautiful shape. It's a beautiful creature. Very, very beautiful. It's 500 pounds of sheer power and beauty, and it comes weaving over. It too sits down by the deer and by you. And you put your hands on both of them.

And you say: Welcome. That is presence.

Then the tiger gets up and wanders off. And you go, "Okay. It's cool." It's all me, in a way. 

Now there's a deep sigh because it recognizes the complexity of all that. And the beauty of befriending our monsters and our magicians, you know? And how they're not really there to attack us. They're there to serve us, really, underneath it all—if we take time to let them be and sit by them.

But we need to be in presence. We need to be grounded. That's the difference. Once we're there, whatever we do or say will be connecting.

The Heart of Presence and Compassion NVC invitation

And then Comes a Tiger

Guided Presence and Embodiment Practice
Introduction to Embodied Communication
Self-awareness, it's implied, but certainly any practice which brings presence is really key to non-violent communication.
No awareness of the body, no awareness of emotions, you can't really communicate. You're coming from the head. We really need to be alive to what's alive in us, and what's alive in someone else. So these are tumors are about checking in with your life, really.
In a way that's safe.
So here we go, guys. It's only about 5 minutes, 3 minutes, maybe? You know. So it's really quite short. M.
Beginning the Practice
Yeah, so you can feel free to close your eyes. And you're quite safe here. And, but we just pause into… this shared space.
Arrival and Settling
Yes, and… It's beginning to arrive. Settling.
Grounding Through Physical Contact
Sensing your feet on the ground. Reading the contact. At the soles of your feet, on the earth. Or, your body on the seat, or settee, or… Whatever it's touching.
Resting in contact. Where the body meets the earth. This is… A key visceral point. connection.
Inviting Embodiment
Inviting embodiment. Just sensing… From the body's sense of itself. It can do that. It can sense clothing on the skin, The soft fabric. You can sense the shape of itself.
The heartbeat, maybe? Breath. Tingling with life. Vibrating with life. It can be warm and cool. Moving and still.
Yeah, just pausing… and sensing.
Expanding Awareness Outward
And perhaps taking a moment to scent outwards. Sensing the room.
And sensing beyond the room, Into the open air. Fast moving towards autumn. The leaves are already changing color into their golds, and… Reds… Browns, curling slightly, maybe.
Connecting with the Natural World
Sensing beyond the canopy of trees. Big blue… Along the clouds, maybe. Up into the stars. Who's… Diamonds and pearls. keeping us company. in infinity.
All this spaciousness in our bodies. Okay, sense. Accompanied by the stars.
Recognizing Our Interconnectedness
Here we are with each other. In our houses, with our families, maybe, or on our own. Local community, neighbors. Cities, or towns, or countryside. Extending around the globe. beings. sentience. human animals, non-human animals.
Life. Being breathed by the universe. All at the same time.
Internal Check-In: Emotions and Feeling States
I'm just taking a moment to check in what's alive and you today? what mood?
Maybe… emotions, or… Feeling tones in the body there.
Sensing where they are in the body. And also.
Exploring Universal Human Needs
Elias are telling us we have needs natural on that. Needs for safety, for care. Love. Closeness. Peace. Freedom. With Zilli. Play and fun. connection. Or healing and wholeness, or growth and learning.
Intention Setting and Life Purpose
Just checking in with what brings you here. What's your intention? What is your… hearts longing. Would make your life more wonderful.
Bring… A richer meaning, and fullness, and fresh edge and flow. Into your life.


What would bring you into your Fullness NVC Attunement

NVC Self Empathic Receiving Wellbeing

Compassionate Communication Meditation
Welcome and Introduction to Presence
Welcome. This is about compassionate communication, an invitation into presence.
Very often, I guess, we're in some quality of absence.
So what is absence?
Understanding Absence: The Jackal Mind
Absence is the propensity to live in the head. We often talk about being stuck in our heads.
So absence is really summarized by the symbol, the jackal. And the jackal represents unconscious, autopilot, habitual habits - especially to do with emotions and language.
These are patterns of being which can be frustrating, constricting, oppressive, if you like. When we're held hostage, and ruled by these patterns, these somethings... Even overwhelmed by them.
Nonviolent Communication and Presence
So NVC, nonviolent communication, begins with the premise of presence.
That is epitomized by the word "awake."
Awake to the sensing. Alive, vibrant. Alive to the nuancedness of feeling and emotion and thought.
All in the context of the sensing, living in an embodied way.
Effectively, it's a conscious life in which choice... choosing presence... inviting a healing forward movement at any given time.
Guided Body Awareness
As the body senses the ground, its own shape. Sense of its whole self. Beginning to rest and settle here. As we pause.
Sensing outwards to include each other. And beyond each other, to include all beings on this planet.
Sensing into the ether. Sensing into that eternity. The stars.
Integration: Inner and Outer Awareness
And the whole of this. And sense inwardly to the inner universe.
Tender and gentle with whatever is present here.
Saying hello to it all as it rests in itself.
Resting here.

Awaken Attunement

From "I Am" to "Something in Me": A Meditation on Self-Relationship

The Challenge of Identity-Level Statements
It's very hard for us to have a relationship with ourselves, or with others, when we come from an "I am."
I am angry. I am enraged. I am jealous. I am frustrated.
These "I ams" are identity-level statements, and they're all-consuming and leading to overwhelm, often. Because an "I am" is the whole of you.
Moving to Awareness and Accuracy
And if we're more honest, these somethings in us are...
Something in me is enraged. Something in me is angry. Something in me, down there, is anxious, or jealous, or...
And as soon as the awareness comes to be accurate to our experience, i.e., it's an experience in me.
This experience is a part of me.
The Practice: Sensing and Experimenting
So I just invite you to sense your body.
Sense your body.
And just experiment with your experience. Say to yourself, oh, I am bored. I am angry. I am... whatever your emotion is, say I am. I am it. I am irritated, or... I am curious, or I am happy.
Now try this. Now go inside yourself there, and notice the feeling tone.
Something in me feels like that. Something in me is angry. Something in me is peaceful.
Befriending What's Inside
Let's go and befriend that. So we can put our hand on our chest or our tummy.
And say, oh, I'm really here to meet you inside. That's something that... it's like that, right now.
In this way, we learn to welcome, to acknowledge.
Is it okay for me to come closer to you, or do you need more space right now?
What kind of empathy would you like from me right now?
Warm and kind, perhaps?
Offering Compassionate Presence
So I'm coming and sitting either side of you. I'm keeping you company. Is there something here in me?
And of course, I'm quietly curious, behind it all, what your unmet need is, or met need is.
You can offer that in your own time. It may take a minute, or it may take 20. It might take a week.
Coming alongside you and keeping you company. As a way of welcoming.
The Transformation: From Overwhelm to Relationship
Moving from an "I am" to a "something in me" for relationship. So a "something in me" means I can have relationship with you.
In a way that's kindly, caring, and compassionate.
Assisting with you in this compassionate, warm way.
Inviting forward movement, healing, and freshness.

Healing Forward Movement and Freshness Attunement

Presence Deep Rest Meditations and Reflections inspired by Focusing, Mindfulness and Nonviolent communication Embodied Relational Presence training and personal coaching.  https://www.living-presence.co.uk/

Nonviolent Communication Longings of the Heart and other Reflections and Meditations

Simon McKibbin Presence Meditations & Reflections