Sandhi Institute

This calendar page is for Sandhi Institute events. For additional events with Jeyanthy Siva, see Jeyanthy's calendar.

Nov 3-7, 2008
Dreaming, Visioning and Planning a medium term NVC program for multi religious clergy, community leaders and other change agents in Sri Lanka. The planning group is a team of 5 from diverse backgrounds (among us are represented all the 4 religions of Lanka, all 3 of the main ethnic groups in Lanka and both women and men)... Facilitated and supported by John Croft, Claudia Wieland, Karin Martin and others. Uberlingen, South Germany.

Sept 18-20, 2008
Presentation on NVC and Sandhi Institutes work by Jeyanthy at the W.I.N. Global Leadership Forum 2008 (Women's International Networking Conference), Barcelona, Spain

August 30-31, 2008
Introductory training on Nonviolent Communication for those interested in Work that Reconnects as well as the general public. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva. In English with German translation. Organized by Claudia Wieland. Uberlingen, Germany. (Note - this workshop is canceled due to low enrollment)

July 8 & 14, 2008 
Interview (informal chat style) about Nonviolent Communication on "Good Morning Sri Lanka" Television Breakfast show on MTV Channel One. Broadcast Islandwide from Colombo, Sri Lanka

Jan, 2008
Introductory training in Nonviolent Communication. Conducted by Jeyanthy and Shantigarba (visiting trainer from UK). In English with Sinhala translation by Chamila and Nadee. Organized by Alfons. Colombo, SL

Jan, 2008
Compassionate Conversation with Communities from different ethnic Groups in Lanka. Empathic Listening to everyones stories in a safe environment for people to speak from their heart about what its like to be who they are and living in the current situation in Sri Lanka. Facilitated by Shantigarba (visiting trainer from UK) and Jeyanthy. Organized by Alfons. Conducted in English with translation into Sinhala and Tamil. Colombo, SL

October 2007
Communication Training for Sri Lankan Diaspora Women interested in contributing to empowerment and economic development of Women in rural villages in eastern Sri Lanka. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva. In English with Tamil as needed. London, UK

22nd September, 2007
Communication Training "Transforming Enemy Images" Organized by Antowi Wibbelink.Training conducted by Jeyanthy Siva. In Hengelo, Netherlands.

21st August, 2007
"The practice of Inclusive Leadership"
Talk given by Jeyanthy Siva at the West-Indisch Pakhuis in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on the invitation of Mirella Visser founder and president of International Management & Consultancy and Vice President of the European Professional Women’s Network in Europe. Here is a link to an article written about the talk

March 17th-18th, 2007
Facilitating a meeting of Inter-religious Clergy (Buddhist Monks, Hindu Kurkal, Muslim Mullaawi and Christian Fathers) who have been meeting for several months and are doing peace projects together. Invited by Sewalanka Foundation. English/Sinhala/Tamil. Facilitation by Jeyanthy with translation and facilitation support from Sewalanka team (Newton, Slyvester, Amuthan and Thusitha) along with Sinhala translation by Nadee.

Feb.3rd-4th, 2007
"Communicating from the Heart" for University students of Ruhuna University Engineering campus (Galle). 2nd of a 6 month series. Conducted by Saumaya Rathnayake with support by Jeyanthy Siva. Translation assistance by Rukshan Fernando. Organized by Kasayapa Yapa (Univ. lecturer). (This program has been post-poned indefinitely by University)

Dec. 1st-7th, 2006
"Taking Heart in Tough Times". A Residential retreat conducted by Joanna Macy & Jeyanthy Siva. Jeyanthy & Joanna teamed up to teach in Jaffna in 2004 and are doing so again. This time at a retreat center in the Santa Cruz mountains in northern California. For more information, go to the BayNVC website.

Nov.3rd-5th, 2006
"Communicating from the Heart" for University students of Ruhuna University Engineering campus (Galle). First of a 6 month series. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva with translation assistance from Nilanjana Premaratna. Organized by Kasayapa Yapa (Univ. lecturer).

Oct. 27, 2006
"Building trust among team members, and creating a viable, empowering organizational culture through giving and receiving feedback in a way that promotes growth and learning". For the Nonviolent Peaceforce management team within Sri Lanka. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva. Colombo, Sri Lanka

Sept. 28th, 2006
Presentation of NVC and the work of teaching NVC in Lanka. Organized by Beate. Frankfurt, Germany

Sept. 20th- 24th, 2006
Presentation of NVC and the work of Sandhi at WIN Conference (Speaker at working group on "Empowering Women in Developing Countries"). Rome, Italy

Sept. 8th, 2006
Intro to NVC and Evening Presentation of our work organized by Susanne Flückiger, Zurich, Switzerland

Sept. 6th, 2006
Presentation to former participants of WIN conference organized by Pamela Burkhalter, Zurich, Switzerland

Aug. 30th, 2006
Presentation to participants of NVC coaching class organized by Suna and Regula of Metapuls, Zurich, Switzerland

Aug. 17th, 2006
Presentation to participants of Advanced workshop organized by Suna and Regula of Metapuls, Zurich, Switzerland

July15th- 16th, 2006
"NVC in Relationships" An Introduction to Nonviolent Communication with an emphasis on family relationship and dynamics. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva. 

July 11th, 2006 (Tues)
One day intro to "Nonviolent Communication" to the new field team members of the Nonviolent Peaceforce.

June 4 session course: Sat, 10th June 10-3,
& Mon evenings, 12th, 19th & 26th of June.
"Life Coaching: realizing your potential and clarifying how to reach it." Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva. Organized by Hedvig. 

May 30th- June 1st, 2006 (Tues-Thurs)
Three day introduction to "Nonviolent Communication". Workshop in Anuradhapura for staff of SEWALANKA. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva. Translated into Tamil.

Apr.29th-30th, 2006 (Sat & Sun)
"Healing Emotional Pain in Families: an Introduction to NVC" An Introduction to Nonviolent Communication with an emphaiss on family relationship and dynamics. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva. 

Apr. 4th - 6th, 2006 (Tues- Thurs)
Three day introduction to "Nonviolent Communication". Workshop in Kandy. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva. Translated by Saumaya Rathnayake. Organized by RedR. Contact their Colombo office for details: 011-257-4182

March. 25th - 26th, 2006 (Sat and Sun)
Leaderful retreat of the BayNVC Diversity Project. Among the redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains in California, USA. Attended by the co-founders (Jeyanthy Siva, Nancy Kahn, Miki Kashtan and Inbal Kashtan) and the current team. Organized by BayNVC.

Feb. 18th - 19th, 2006 (Sat and Sun)
Two day introduction to "Communicating from the Heart". Open public workshop in Colombo. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva. Organized by Asanka Weerasinghe. 

Jan. 28th - 29th, 2006 (Sat and Sun)
Two day residential training, part of a series of 6 weekend trainings. This weekend's topic was Self-empathy and Empathy, conducted by Jeyanthy Siva. Organized by Chris Rajendram and conducted by differenet trainers (Anthony Pillai, Chris Rajendram, Jeyanthy Siva, etc.,).

Jan. 21st - 22nd, 2006 (Sat and Sun)
Two day introduction to "Communicating from the Heart". Open public workshop in Colombo. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva. Organized by Saumaya Rathnayake.

Dec. 23rd-25th, 2005
"Communicating from the heart" for 100 University students in Ruhuna University (in Galle). Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva and visiting trainer John Abbe with assistance from Saumaya Rathnayake and Nilanjana Premaratna. Organized by Kasayapa.

Dec. 17th-18th, 2005
"Communicating from the Heart" One out of a series for participants in a 6 month in depth training organized by Fr. Chris Rajenderam. 20 participants plus 2 Univ. students who are learning to teach NVC. In Trimcomalee. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva with assistance from visiting trainer from UK, Michael Forrest.

Dec. 14th-Dec.16, 2005
Leaderful women's retreat: Mindfulness, silence, presense, empathy, community building. I (Jeyanthy) was invited to be part of this retreat by the organizers and we used the Sandhi office in Colombo and I am deeply touched by this experinece of spending these days wtih women in Lanka (from Jaffna, Colombo, Batti and UK) who are passionate about healing ourselves, healing the world around us and crating a world that works for all. Conducted by all of us (Amara, Becky, Indrakanthi, Jeyanthy, Vasuki and Venuri). Concieved by Vasuki and organized by Vasuki and Indrakanthi.

Nov. 26th-27th, 2005
"Living from Needs Consciousness" for Speech and occupational therapists from Colombo general hospital. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva, Organized by Saumaya Rathnayake.

Sept. 15th, 2005 -Nov. 12th, 2005
Jeyanthy traveled to the US to do fundraising and offer trainings and presentations:

Oct. 1st, 2005
Keynote Address at University of Connecticut, Annual seminar on Ahimsa and Nonviolence of the Council of Interreligious Understanding in Connecticut (comprising of Asian Studies Institute, the Jain Center of Greater Hartford (Connecticut), and a number of other community organizations).

Oct. 8th, 2005
Sandhi Institute's annual community-building and fundraising event. More details here.

Oct. 11th, 2005
Guest Speaker at a Gandhi and Nonviolence course at Stanford University, Stanford, CA (USA). "...to talk about NVC in general--what it is, why it is important not only in interpersonal communication but also in serious political conflicts." Invited by Prof. Linda Hess

Oct 30th, 2005
Visiting/Contributing to an intensive residential training run by my first teacher to NVC- Miki Kashtan. BayNVC's NVC training in the east coast

Sept. 25th, 2005
Guest Presenter at Monthly Gathering on Workplace Communication with Words That Work (invited by Maja Bengtson and Ike Lassater)

Sept. 16, 2005 -  Sept. 21, 2005ÂÂ
Living Peace: Intensive Residential Retreat (BayNVC retreat). Assisting at the 5 day retreat along with a team of amazing people.

Mid Oct. TBA
More workshops are being planned in the bay area (sponsored by BayNVC). Please check back for updates.

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August. 2005
Sat and Sun (20th & 21st)
Two day introduction to "Communicating from the Heart". Open public workshop in Colombo. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva. 

July. 2005
Sat and Sun (23rd-24th)
Two day introduction to "Communicating from the Heart". Open public workshop in Colombo. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva and John Porter (visiting trainer from the USA).

June /July 2005
17th- 4th (15 day session)
Attending the Special Sessions on Social change with Marshall Rosenberg and others in Orchidea Lodge, Switzerland.

June. 2005
Sat and Sun (11th and 12th). 9-5
Two day introduction to "Communicating from the Heart". Open public workshop in Colombo. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva

May. 2005
Co-facilitated an intensive 4.5 day visioning/review meeting of the Nonviolent Peaceforce. The meeting was with many of the international and Sri Lanka staff of Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP), some field team members and others. A "review workshop"- to understand and review the work of NP for the last couple of years, to see whats working, what needs to improved, etc., Jeyanthy was there to support their process and to co-facilitate the meetings- it was using/modeling NVC as well as group facilitation skills to help their process as they did their work in the group. Not a training of Nonviolent Communication as usual.

Worked with support team in Berkeley/Oakland to get journal report out as well as to plan the upcoming visit of trainer John Porter from Berkeley, CA (USA) to Sri Lanka. Also to plan the next fundraiser in Oct. 10th in the USA and other behind the scenes work that make it possible to do the trainings and facilitation.

Logistical things such as setting up office space and searching for office assistant, etc.,

March/April 2005
In Collaboration with the Center for Peace Building and Reconciliation (cpbr), conducting psycho social programs for 4 Tsunami affected villages/camps in the eastern coast as part of their "Friends in Need Project", Activities include spending time in the identified villages and camps supporting the relief work and building relationships with the people, identifying needs for the community & developing a psychological support and life empowerment program.
In April, Train youth volunteers from the Universities and the villages in Open Heart Communication, also in taking initiative to address needs and leading from service perspective (vs. boss perspective) to work together and to provide and coordinate relief work and psychological support for villagers...

Feb. 2005
Ad hoc Tsunami relief related activities such as: translation for volunteer doctors from the USA who went on mobile medical clinics in Kinniya in the Trincomalee district, also translated (English to Tamil and vice versa) for trauma specialist to do play activities with children in an orphanage in Trincomalee, helped the attempt to coordinate psycho social work being done in Trincomalee (low key and behind the scenes help via giving empathy to one of the coordinators and being present at meeting, etc.,)

Feb. 2005
Compassionate Listening/grief support training for volunteer Tsunami relief workers. Voice/speech and occupational therapists from Colombo general hospital- will work primarily with children in affected areas. 1.5 days of training with 1/2 day on play activities with children by Ryan. Follow-up from Jan 3 hr intro. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva & Kumudu Rathnayake. Organized by Kumudu & Saumaya Rathnayake.

Jan. 2005
Compassionate Listening/grief support training for volunteer Tsunami relief workers. Speech and occupational therapists from Colombo general hospital- to work primarily with children in affected areas. 1/2 day intro with 2nd 1/2 day on trauma counseling by a Sri Lankan psychiatrist. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva. Organized by Kumudu and Saumaya Rathnayake.

Jan. 2005
Compassionate Listening/grief support training for volunteer Tsunami relief workers. A Youth organization called "Tsunami Relief Foundation" - both groups to work primarily with children in affected areas. 3 hour intros. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva.

Jan. 2005
Articles /personal reflections written for magazines and newsletters on Tsunami, grief and spiritual dimensions of Disaster. Written by Jeyanthy Siva

Nov. 2004
Open Hearted Communication workshop, with youth from Jaffna. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva. Tamil

Nov. 2004
Open Hearted Communication workshop, with college age students and others in Colombo. Conducted by John Abbe. In English.

Oct. 2004
In cooperation with Karuna Center TOT training, Jeyanthy Siva and Ravi Shanmugaraja did the NVC portion and Sakthi Thangavelu and Rani did income genearation and other dialogue process with war affected widows from a fishing village in Jaffna. Organized by Mr. Sharma from Shanthiham.

August 2004
Open Hearted Communication workshop, with the staff of HELP-O (local NGO) in Galle. Conducted by John Abbe, in English with Sinhala translation.

July/August 2004
Open Hearted Communication two day open public workshop held in Colombo. Conducted by John Abbe and Jeyanthy Siva. Organized by Kumudu Rathnayake.

July 2004
Open Hearted Communication in Kaddaiperai, Jaffna. At Jeyanthy's family home, with mother, aunts, cousin and neighbors. Jeyanthy says: "Most challenging training I have done yet (in terms of my fear about showing myself and my vision/dreams), and most rewarding". Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva and John Abbe. Co-organized by Malar Sivasambunathan and Kunchu (Jeyanthy's mom & aunt! :-) Translation assistance by Mr. Arunagirinathan.

May 2004
Nonviolent Communication workshop for Eastern University, Trincomalee campus students in the communication program. Two days training out of a four day training organized by Fr. Chris Rajendram, University Rector. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva and Duke Duchscherer (visiting trainer from New York, USA)

Fourth and last day of Nonviolent Communication training for Eastern University communication students in Trincomalee, conducted by John Abbe and Sister Hillarina.

Communicating from the Heart - three day intro with a local NGO (TYDUP) in Trincomalee. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva and Duke Duchscherer.

Anger Management group at Kolubowila hospital in Colombo, organized by Nishanthi (psychiatrist). One day on anger and Nonviolent Communication, followed by Nishanthi's anger management workshop. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva, John Abbe and Duke Duchscherer.

April 14-16th, 2004
"Nonviolent Communication and Empowerment"
"Communicating from the Heart" and "The Work that Reconnects: Empowering ourselves and each other to keep going in difficult times" (also known as Despair work). Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva, Joanna Macy and Francis Macy. Jaffna, Sri Lanka

"Communicating from the Heart" Two day introduction to people from local NGO's doing grassroots work in the northern peninsula.Training Organized by Save the Children, Jaffna. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva and Duke Duchscherer.

"Communicating from the Heart" Four day introduction to counselors and psycho-social trainers from Shanthiham (a counseling center in Jaffna). Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva, John Abbe and Duke Duchscherer

One day introduction to University students in Jaffna. Organized by Fr. Bernard. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva

January 2004
Three day introduction to Human Rights Officers from the North and East of Lanka (Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mannar, Trinco and Ampara). Conducted in Jaffna by Jeyanthy Siva

December 2003
Five day residential training for the Nonviolent Peaceforce pilot project field team members (and team leader) in Sri Lanka. Conducted by Jeyanthy Siva and Liv Larsson.

An evening on Requests in Eugene, Oregon conducted by John Abbe

September / October 2003 in USA: From mid-August until the end of October, visited the United States connecting with people, raising funds and doing trainings.

Resource raising/Community Building event in Berkeley, California. We talked about what we were up to in the last year and half, plans for the next year, and asked for support.

Jeyanthy held an NVC training with Tamil youth from the diaspora, Southern California, USA.

Jeyanthy and Maja Bengtson conducted a Women's healing circle, for people with NVC fluency in Berkeley, CA, USA. Sept. 2003.

July 19, 2003
Communicating From the Heart -- open introductory training in Colombo

July 13, 2003
Communicating From the Heart -- introductory training for some participants in the Social Scientists Association/Bradford University peace diploma program in Vavuniya.

May 31-June 1, 2003
Communicating From the Heart -- open introductory training in Colombo

April 15-16, 2003
Communicating From the Heart -- introductory training for 20 teachers through the Nonviolent Direct Action Group in Chavakachcheri, Jaffna

March 13-14, 2003
Communicating From the Heart -- introductory training for 25 students at the Jaffna National College of Education.

Several practice groups in Jaffna

January 15-19, 2003
Communicating From the Heart -- introduction followed by intermediate training in Nonviolent Communication, with Liv Larsson (visiting trainer from Sweden).
residential training in Lewella, Kandy

January 11-12, 2003

Communicating From the Heart -- introduction to Nonviolent Communication) in Colombo, with Liv Larsson.