A few weeks before I started working with Jamie, I had begun an 7-month yoga teacher-training course to deepen my practice and to learn more about the philosophical foundation of this ancient tradition. I was constantly amazed by the similarities and connections between what I was learning in my yoga training and what I was learning as Jamie and I taught conversations workshops to workers in a large healthcare company we were working with. (This also gave me terrific experience and increased my passion for writing the book.)

In light of all the the political rhetoric of the last two weeks, the accusations and counteraccusations, the questions asked that never really get answered, the divisive personal attacks that don’t contribute to anyone’s understanding of the issues, I have been reflecting on one of the precepts I was taught in those yoga classes called Right Speech. One maxim, consisting of three questions we should ask ourselves before we speak, flew right into my heart:

   Is it true?

   Is it kind?

      Is it necessary?

   Does it improve upon the silence?

If those four questions were answered honestly before anyone spoke, how would the political conversation change? Would what we heard be more useful? Would we listen differently? How would answering these questions change the conversations in our organizations, our communities, our friendships and our families?

What would that kind of world look like?

MAREN