At its core, ‘Nonviolence’ means minimising harm. It’s a moment by moment commitment, to tune into what’s here, to act from integrity, to live from love.

And yet it’s not as simple as it sounds. We have strong examples of nonviolent resistance, and there’s a wealth of insights and tools from nonviolent communication, and yet something about this way of life is hard to put into words.

There’s no rule book, no formula to follow. It’s not pacifism, it’s not sitting by, and it’s not doing what people want you to do. Often there will still be harm, and even our conscious choices will bring up pain. This too is part of the journey.

We all carry so many layers from our life so far and our social training – our hurts and sensitivities, our patterns and habitual strategies, our identity and core beliefs. To find what’s true, beyond fear, hatred and delusion is the deepest dive you’ll take, and it’s a moment by moment choice.

It’s a rich, raw and alive way to live. Sometimes we need to take more time to process than a situation demands. Sometimes it’s not clear what’s from love and what’s from fear. Sometimes our habits and beliefs are so strong, it’s hard to see other possibilities. Often I need others to bounce off, to process with, to tell me what they see, and help me find clarity.

If you feel the call to nonviolence, if you are committed and finding it a stretch, if you could do with some support from others on this path, who do you have alongside that you could reach out to?

If you would like some support from me, I offer one to one sessions on a donation basis. Feel free to get in touch.