ANCIENT WISDOM, MODERN CONFLICT – 19th May 2026 7pm

A workshop blending somatic movement and Non-Violent Communication (NVC) to help you navigate modern conflict with composure.

Humans have been navigating conflict, difficult emotions and hard conversations for thousands of years. And the wise traditions that helped them — yoga philosophy, mindfulness, compassionate communication — turn out to be remarkably useful today. This workshop brings that ancient toolkit into contact with the very modern challenges many of us are facing right now.

You don’t need a yoga background or any interest in philosophy to join. You just need to be someone who occasionally finds life hard to navigate. Who isn’t?

WHAT WE’LL EXPLORE

Drawing on yogic philosophy and the practical framework called Non-Violent Communication (NVC), this 2-hour session will help you:

• Understand how, where and why challenge shows up for us
• Start to think about some practical applications to deepen our self-awareness
• Name your emotions with more precision (beyond “stressed” or “fine”)
• Recognise how tension lives in the body — and how to release it
• Approach difficult conversations with more clarity and less reactivity
• Respond to others from a place of groundedness, not defence

WHAT TO EXPECT

The session moves through six connected parts:

• A grounding check-in and opening reflection
• Gentle, accessible yoga practice to settle the nervous system and open the body
• A mindfulness exercise to help you arrive fully in yourself
• A simple, practical introduction to Non-Violent Communication
• Self- and group reflection (you choose what to share – if at all)
• A closing meditation

No yoga experience needed. No special equipment. Just you, some floor space, and a willingness to look inward.

THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND IT

Yoga philosophy has always been concerned with how we relate — to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us. Concepts like ahimsa (non-harm), karuna (compassion) and maitri (loving kindness) are practical orientations for how to show up, especially when things are hard. Non-Violent Communication draws on that same spirit. At its heart, it offers a simple but radical idea: that beneath every conflict is an unmet need, and that understanding those needs is the first step toward resolution. Together, these two traditions offer something the modern world rarely provides: a grounded, embodied way to be with difficulty.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

This workshop is open to everyone. It’s especially relevant if you’re:

• Navigating tension in a relationship, at work, or within your community
• Feeling overwhelmed, reactive or emotionally fatigued
• Wanting to communicate more honestly without causing harm
• Curious about how yoga philosophy applies to everyday life
• Looking for something more substantial than a stress-relief class

You won’t be asked to debate current events, defend your views, or share anything you’re not comfortable with. The focus is on your own inner experience in a non-judgmental space.

The collegue working with me on this:

Harriette Luscombe

Harriette is a behaviour change specialist and the founder of Coaches for Change. Her work focuses on helping people live their best lives through the application of positive psychology and behavioural economics. Having spent years advising people through periods of significant change, she has a practical understanding of how modern pressure affects our temperament and our ability to stay composed under fire.

While Therese grounds the workshop in ancient traditions, Harriette provides the modern psychological bridge. Using frameworks such as Non-Violent Communication (NVC), she helps people move beyond reactive habits to find a more considered way of responding to difficulty. Her approach is steady and results-oriented, designed to ensure that the quiet found during the workshop can actually be applied to the complexities of daily professional life.