Conflict Zen: A "centered, balanced, and intentional" approach to conflict

I am delighted to see a new blog in the conflict resolution blogosphere: Conflict Zen created by Dr. Tammy Lenski. Her message seems aligned with ours in valuing self-awareness and mindfulness. A while back we posted this quote:

There is a dimension to the practice of mediation that has received insufficient attention: the combination of psychological, intellectual, and spiritual qualities that make a [mediator] who he or she is.   . . .   Indeed, this . . . may be one of the most potent sources of the effectiveness of mediation.

--Daniel Bowling and David A. Hoffman, Bringing Peace Into the Room: How the Personal Qualities of the Mediator Impact the Process of Conflict Resolution

I think those qualities of the mediator are the most important "sources of the effectiveness of mediation."

And it look as if Lenski will be speaking to those qualities. She writes:

Conflict Zen is the intersection of the threads of my professional life: teacher, professional mediator, executive coach, and writer. It is the place I will offer up simple, mindful practices for keeping your balance and changing your reaction in conflict. It's a site for anyone who wants to keep their balance better during difficult conversations, including mediators . . .  .

In that same post in which I included the above Bowling quote (Asclepius, JD: What can this god's daughters teach us about conflict?), I talked about the impact of the reactive brain and the reflective mind on  conflict, and mentioned one key on the path to reflective mind—self-awareness. I think I have a fellow blogger walking that path with me. I look forward with great enthusiasm to reading more about her "centered, balanced and intentional reaction" to disputes. Tammy, I am excited to welcome Conflict Zen. You are in both my Google reader and my esteem.

Hat tip to Geoff Sharp at mediator blah...blah... .

Comments

[Tammy Lenski]

Stephanie, I love this post of yours and how well you captured what I'm aiming for with my newest blog! These words of yours particularly resonated with me: "...I talked about the impact of the reactive brain and the reflective mind on conflict, and mentioned one key on the path to reflective mind--self-awareness."

One of the classes I most treasured teaching at Woodbury over the years was Interpersonal Conflict, a required course for all the mediation grad students and one that invited them into a journey of self-reflection on their own "conflict stuff." I think the seeds for Conflict Zen were born in that class and the personally transformative experiences I was privileged to witness there.

Thanks for your gracious welcome of my new endeavor as I put the wrap on my very first blog and move in the new direction. I think there's some strong connection with the work you do here on Brains on Purpose and look forward to watching for those intersections.

[poetryman69]

"Triggering the Grand Irrationality?"

Cowering in an obscure corner of the food pyramid

somewhere between the tofu and the unflavored yogurt

contemplating the juxtaposition of intangibles for all you are worth.....