Below you will find the opening sections of Robert Gonzales' book. Here he introduces the reflections that follow, touching briefly on each -- Core Beliefs, Vulnerability, Spiritual Practice and Presence, for example.
Overview
As my exploration of Nonviolent Communication and spirituality deepened over the years, what has emerged in me is a clarity about ways to cultivate a daily practice of living compassion — day to day, moment by moment — with ourselves and in relationships with others. It is a practice of compassionately embracing all of life.
My deep inquiry in life has led me to develop practical pathways of living in the fullness and flow of life as a daily spiritual practice, what I call Living Compassion.
In our essence, we are beings that are alive and we are in a life flow. We are in a kind of current, like an electrical current, although this life current is much bigger and deeper. And this current of life is a manifestation of our being-ness. It is our life moving through love.
Living Compassion if the language of the heart and a way for journeying into deep authenticity. However, we cannot truly live the language of the heart unless we are able to access the heart.
We can practice it on certain levels learning the language, learning empathy skills and doing other skill building, but, we will continue to hold on to our protective structures unless we go into our heart through healing. The pathway for this healing is compassion, with unconditional acceptance and presence inherent in this.
A Two-Fold Life Practice
There are two primary and encompassing processes in life. One is the Life Force. The second is that which obstructs the Life Force.
Our tendency is to judge and make an enemy of our obstructions and those we see in others. The work of compassion is to meet and welcome the obstructions with curiosity, openness, care and warmth. Compassion sees all obstructions as life longing for fulfillment.