What is for dinner? How are you doing? What is on your mind. If you are new to Street Prophets please introduce yourself below in a comment. This is an Open Thread / Coffee Hour and all topics of conversation are welcome. For today's suggested topic lets consider Empathy Tents and a celebration of the Dalai Lama’s 89th birthday.
The event is a free public event. At the event the city and county of Santa Barbara will issue a proclamation to declare the day to be a day of compassion. It will include interfaith prayer and blessings. Tibetan monks will chant for World Peace. In addition there will be Tibetan Cultural Performances and Himalayan food.
The Empathy Center in Santa Barbara will be attending the event and setting up an Empathy Tent with our volunteers present to demonstrate empathic listening. Our center believes that Empathic Listening is a gateway skill that supports compassion.
Please jump the fold for a bit more on the Empathy Tent and its past use in conflict resolution and promoting empathy.
Jump the fold for more on “Empathy Tents.”
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The Empathy Tent practice is flexible at a minimum it just might consist of a few chairs and a crew of listeners willing to listen to who ever stops by. Now this could be just listening, but it also it could include reflective listening. Or it could include setting up a formal Empathy Circle. In other words the structure and process of an Empathy Tent outreach is variable depending on the location and nature of the event that the tent is set up at. Below from our website: www.empathytent.com
Empathy Circles Can Change the World
The Empathy Tent is a project of the Center for Building a Culture of Empathy. Since the 2016 presidential election we have been on the front lines at contentious rallies in Berkeley and throughout California. We listen to all sides and promote facilitated and constructive dialogue via Empathy Circles in the public square and online. See our other initiatives at: Bridging Divides with Empathy Circles and Extinction Rebellion Empathy Circles Work Group.
Below are some videos about Empathy Tent in action.
Why I'm grateful for the Empathy Tent?
Empathy Tent at UC Berkeley Ann Coulter Demonstration
Empathy Tent at UC Berkeley Sproul Plaza
Thank you for visiting today.
Jonathan Gordon