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Seeing Through the Masks
Right now, many of us are wearing masks. COVID-19 has created a visual barrier between us which makes it harder to see each other. To reach each other. We can feel so cut off not Read more…
Natural communication connects us to situations as they evolve in real time. This allows us to adapt as the conversation shifts.
Genuine communication is not about one person or another. It's about the verbal 'dance' we do together in the present moment.
When we feel lost, Mindful Communication training allows us to regain our connection with ourselves and others.
Susan Gillis Chapman
All communication is a conversation. Our unique mindfulness-based training approach brings out our innate human capacities — allowing us to be clear, compassionate, genuine and effective. Our courses and retreats are based on The Five Keys to Mindful Communication by author and mindfulness teacher Susan Gillis Chapman. Green Zone Institute is a California 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding and supporting these unique teachings, practices and trainings.
Green Zone Institute’s online community The Green Zone Connection is designed to help us engage with Mindful Communication teachings and training in our daily lives. It’s meant to be a workable and lighthearted approach to learning, allowing us to come and go as we please while gathering inspiration at whatever level we desire.
We all carry with us the profound pain of disconnection. This affects our sense of wellbeing, as well as our work lives, our family lives, our romantic lives, friendships and more. But this is not …
Green Zone Institute is proud to announce the third year of our advanced online training. This intensive weekly seminar aims to train “Green Zone Leaders” to take Susan Gillis Chapman’s models out into the world. In this course, Green Zone Institute Executive Director and Senior Teacher Gregory Heffron will train a close cohort of participants to develop the skills to …
Green Zone Institute programs utilize mindfulness meditation and the techniques of Contemplative Psychology and the Contemplative Arts. Mindful Communication goes beyond communication skill building. While learning new skills is important, if we don’t identify and relate to the emotional states we inhabit during challenging communication, following “correct” rules or patterns will still produce harmful and ineffective results. In contrast, if we learn to recognize and take advantage of our natural open state of mind (‘The Green Light’), communication can be genuine, fresh and lively. This allows for creative and unexpected solutions with connection and precision, honesty and care.
Greg describes the natural state of open communication, and how by suppressing our innate mindfulness, we end up closing down.
Greg Heffron explains the Traffic Light metaphor
Susan Gillis Chapman explains the difference between true empathy and suppressing our intelligence
Click to hear interviews with Susan Gillis Chapman and Greg Heffron (and others) about The Five Keys to Mindful Communication and the different programs we offer.
Learn about The Three Lights in Susan Gillis Chapman’s article in the Shambhala Sun’s Mindful Living.
Right now, many of us are wearing masks. COVID-19 has created a visual barrier between us which makes it harder to see each other. To reach each other. We can feel so cut off not Read more…
Susan tells a story of how — out of the blue — surprises can take us to the limit of our comfort zone. And even a little beyond.
Our founder, Buddhist teacher and author of The Five Keys to Mindful Communication Susan Gillis Chapman shines light on this important topic. How can we stay open and also maintain healthy boundaries?
“….it’s those who can surf the waves of their own experience who can be sustained agents of change in this complex world. They don’t just collapse when things get hard. They can stay focused on Read more…
2018 Advanced Certification graduate Chris Bacon, on the global need for Mindful Communication training: “….I would like to assert that we have reached a point in history where, as boring as it may seem, we Read more…
Being human can be tough. Living in social groups — as is part of our primate nature — one of the fundamental experiences we face is being completely confused. Often by someone else. What are Read more…
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