Yoga of Speech: How to Talk About Anything and Still Stay Connected to Yourself and Others

Being able to communicate well and with empathy makes a large contribution to our sense of happiness and to meaningful relationships. There is power in our choice of words, especially in conversations we define as "difficult".
In fact, Judith has written a book called What We Say Matters which shows how our words have the power to either drive wedges between us or to build bridges.
As yoga students we are instructed in satya, the practice of “right speech”. Judith calls Nonviolent Communication (NVC) “applied satya”. NVC teaches us to listen to what is alive within us and to gain clarity on what we want to communicate and why before speaking.
When Judith begin studying NVC, a technique developed by Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.d., she was taken aback when she observed how powerful words actually were; that words could either intensify conflicts or defuse them in concrete and real ways was suddenly so obvious.
What is Nonviolent Communication?
Does the way you communicate foster connection or separation?
What will we study together?
In this course we will focus on understanding first what is going on in ourselves, on what drives our urge to speak. We will focus on the need for self-empathy before we even open our mouths, and we will learn how to “listen with our hearts” to the meaning behind the words of others, not just to their words.
We often believe that communication is about what we say but it is really about what the other person hears and feels listening to us. NVC helps us bring awareness to what we say and how we say it so that the other person truly hears us.
'I can definitively say that NVC has been as important in my 52 years of yoga teaching as what I learned in physical therapy school, what I learned studying with BKS Iyengar, and what I have learned in my own daily practice. NVC has been overwhelmingly important in my teaching, and foundational in my personal relationships.' - Judith Hanson Lasater
Join us to study the fundamentals and more, and to put our learning to use in live conversations between Judith and willing course members as we actually apply the principles or NVC to the real challenges of our relationships with family, friends, teachers, and students.
Learn what it means to give yourself and others empathy in a way that invites you to honour and live by your highest values.
Who is this course for?
Open to ALL: Anyone who wishes to learn how to more effectively create connection and ease in our lives, especially with those closest to us. Mastering the art of Nonviolent Communication is an essential skill for anyone who serves or teaches others include yoga teachers and therapists.
Included:
- Six live group sessions with Judith.
- Access to course content for one year (UNTIL 28th February 2025)
Strongly Recommended Reading (especially if you happen to teach yoga)
Certification
Upon completion of this course, you will receive a Yogacampus Certificate of Attendance. The course is also eligible for Yoga Alliance CPD credits.
Attendance & Replay
This course is overwhelmingly better when experienced live. We encourage full attendance to all live sessions. If you have to miss a small amount of the live sessions, we will offer the recording access for one year after the event.
Meet Judith Hanson Lasater
Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., PT, C-IAYT, E-RYT-500, has taught yoga since 1971, has written 11 books on yoga and related topics. She has studied Nonviolent Communication since 1996 and has incorporated it into her teaching and family life.
