Each of the 366 meditations in this gathering of wisdom is designed to move readers away from turmoil, strife, and divisiveness and lead them toward peace, resolution, and cooperation. This shift in consciousness is challenging, but with the words and ideas of this book, readers can assemble a collection of practical tools for peaceful living. The learned behaviors of cynicism, resentment, and getting even are replaced with the skills of Nonviolent Communication, including recognizing one's needs and values and making choices in alignment with them. Peaceful Living goes beyond daily affirmations, providing the skills and consciousness you need to transform relationships, heal pain, and discover the life-enriching meaning behind even the most trying situations. Begin each day centered and connected to yourself and your values. Direct the course of your life toward your deepest hopes and needs. Ground yourself in the power of compassionate, conscious living. Mary Mackenzie, MA , is the co-founder of the NVC Academy, an online school for learning Nonviolent Communication; executive director of Peace Workshop, International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting practical methods for living nonviolently; certified trainer of Nonviolent Communication for the Center for Nonviolent Communication and mediator. Mary brings extensive experience in creating and maintaining collaborative organizations and partnerships in the business world and within families, in finding a way forward that values all needs even in challenging decision making processes, and in balancing efficiency and authenticity in all interactions. She is a deeply spiritual person with a keen sense of humor, inner clarity, and insight. Mary’s guiding vision is to help people learn concrete, practical tools for living peacefully day-to-day. She believes that if each of us steps up to the plate to transform our own negative behaviors and thought patterns we can create world peace, one heart at a time. Her individual coaching sessions with people who want to fully integrate Nonviolent Communication into their daily lives, workshops, retreats, organizational development, group facilitation, public speaking engagements, and personal daily life reflect this passion. Mary lives in Long Beach, California, with her wife, Kimberly Fox. Peaceful Living Daily Meditations for Living With Love, Healing, and Compassion By Mary Mackenzie PuddleDancer Press Copyright © 2005 Mary Mackenzie All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-892005-19-9 Contents Acknowledgements, Introduction, Feelings and Needs Lists, Meditations for JANUARY, Meditations for FEBRUARY, Meditations for MARCH, Meditations for APRIL, Meditations for MAY, Meditations for JUNE, Meditations for JULY, Meditations for AUGUST, Meditations for SEPTEMBER, Meditations for OCTOBER, Meditations for NOVEMBER, Meditations for DECEMBER, Index, How You Can Use the NVC Process, About PuddleDancer Press, About CNVC and NVC, Trade Books From PuddleDancer Press, Trade Booklets From PuddleDancer Press, About the Author, CHAPTER 1 Meditations for JANUARY JANUARY 1 If we ourselves remain angry and then sing world peace, it has little meaning. First, our individual self must learn peace. This we can practice. Then we can teach the rest of the world. — The Dalai Lama Setting Goals for the New Year What do you want to focus on this year? What are your goals, hopes, and dreams? It's important to make your goals concrete and specific. Don't just say that you want to be happier; consider how you would like your life to be different. What if your goal is to support world peace by living your own life more peacefully? Consider the specific ways you will do this, such as learning Nonviolent Communication, taking a course on anger management, working a twelve-step program, or seeing a therapist. If your goal is to contribute to world peace, your actions can be very specific and concrete. Avoid focusing on what you don't want, such as conflict at work. Rather, focus on what you want, such as harmony at work. When your goals are concrete and positively worded, you can begin to manifest them. This simple process can have a profound impact on your success. Take a few minutes today to write down your goals for the year, knowing that the goal-setting process is the first step toward manifesting your dreams. * * * JANUARY 2 The Nonviolent Communication process strengthens our ability to remain human, even under trying conditions. It reminds us about what we already know — how we humans were meant to relate to one another — and assists us in living in ways that concretely manifests this knowledge. — Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D. Nonviolent Communication Nonviolent Communication is a communication process and a model for living that was developed by Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D. more than forty years ago. It is used in thirty-five countries worldwide. The two primary c