"Magic Field" Dance Mat

Deciding between feelings and needs, observations and evaluations can be excellently trained using this dance mat.

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I will meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about
language, ideas, even the phrase each other
doesn't make any sense.
Dschalal ad-Din ar-Rumi

„The Great Wagon“ : Spring Giddiness, p. 36

Marshall Rosenberg often quotes this poem by the mystic Persian, Rumi, and this was the inspiration for the name of this floor mat for training and practice groups. 

"Beyond right or wrong there is a field. I will meet you there."

The Dance Mat  is 1.5m x 1.5m in size and made out of a hardwearing mesh fabric. It weighs 330gm/sm, can be washed easily and folds down to a handy size. It is delivered to you in a handy bag together with a brochure full of explanations and suggestions for use. 

The process of nonviolent communication is pictured here using 11 stylised flower petals, which appear to be floating over the ground. The Swiss trainer Sylvie Hörning (CNVC) created these childishly naive representations of jackal and giraffe and the catchy icons for observation, feeling, need and request. 

Uses: Especially for NVC novices it is often difficult to identify which step they are at. The distinction between feelings and needs, observation and evaluation can be trained on this excellent dance mat. The three jackal figures allude to our primitive behavior of flight, fight and freeze. The two giraffes invite you to empathy and self empathy. 

There is no fixed order and therefore no "go back to GO". Process oriented activities can therefore be split into smaller segments.

In the centre is a "Time out"  zone where dancers have the opportunity to assess and review their situation from a superordinate level. From here they can also ask other members in the group for empathy or encouragement.

You can also ask the other participants for empathy or suggestions, but you can also use the place for celebrating or mourning. The new field "Honest self-expression" is suitable for informing the audience or your conflict partner about your own feelings. We also do this here in giraffe language, we talk about our observation, the feelings triggered, the needs involved and our request.  The Magic Field is also suitable for work in the practice group.

Included: "Magic Field" Dance Mat, tote bag, instructions brochure