PLEASE NOTE - Robert Gonzales is currently experiencing health challenges and undergoing treatment. We will have clarity by July and confirm whether or not he will be co-facilitating this Awakening to Life Intensive. The planned week at Chateau Frandeux will definitely be going ahead with facilitator Robert Krzisnik and with the support of CNVC trainers Nic Burnand and Sarah Dekker.

To support Robert Gonzales on his journey, please have a look at his video message and crowdfunding page

6 1/2 Day Intensive Experiential Retreat with Robert Gonzales & Robert Krzisnik

We are inviting you on a journey of

• direct experiencing, sensing and being
• embodying our deepest authenticity
• venturing beyond head-centred thinking to reclaim wholeness
• witnessing the mystery of existence unfold

We, the Roberts, are not only connected by our first names, but also by our core yearnings to let Life flow fully; by the work that we do to support and enhance evolutionary processes; and by our spiritual histories that in both cases started off with Enlightenment Intensives, continued through various meditation practices and ultimately embraced the spiritual core of Nonviolent Communication.

We are both very excited and passionate about having created this intensive retreat, in which we, as a community, witness and support the embodiment of our deepest authenticity. 

Fully experiential retreat

The main focus of the retreat will be on direct experiencing primarily through dyad work but also through individual and group processes, including body movement and integration time in nature. Facilitators will be there not to teach, but to offer guidance and support. 

Intensity and dedication

This retreat will be held as a sacred time for our deepest Self. By “intensive retreat” we mean that:  – we will be working from around 7:00 in the morning to around 10:00 in the evening; – we ask you to refrain from using the internet (including email & cell phone), unless absolutely urgent, for the duration of the entire retreat; – we will be inviting you, during breaks and free time, to keep your intention and focus on conscious inquiry into your deepest authenticity (rather than engaging in casual socializing).

Embracing what is

This is not a self-improvement workshop, in which certain aspects of ourselves would be perceived as needing change, fixing, or healing. The participants will be continuously encouraged to experience and embrace the Whole, rather than move from an “imperfect” state to a “better” one.

Pre-requisites

While this is not a classical Nonviolent Communication training, basic Nonviolent Communication skills of honest self-expression, empathic listening and self-empathy are required.

Therefore, we would like the participants to have had at least four (4) full days of training in Nonviolent Communication with a CNVC certified trainer.

Retreat Fees 

• Retreat fees are 980 euros (incl vat) for the facilitation and organisation of the retreat.
• Accommodation prices range between €887p.p. for a single room and €695p.p. for a double/shared room. These prices are including VAT, meals and accommodation for the entire week.
• Accommodation & meals are charged separately, depending on the choice of rooms.
• 250 euros deposit required with registration to secure your place
• Supporter Rate – If you’re able, please consider giving an additional amount to support concessions for others who cannot pay the full price
• Concession places by application
• All payments due in full by 1st September 2021

About the venue:

The Domain of Château Frandeux is quietly located on the edge of the Belgian Ardennes, in the region of "Les Famennes" and belongs to the province of Namur in Wallonia. The area is also known as the Land of the Valleys. A land of castles with a rich and varied heritage. The hamlet of Frandeux consists of 40 houses and is located in the valley of the Vachau, about 6 km from Rochefort.

The Chateau looks out over a little lake and is surrounded by beautiful nature. We recommend that you bring some walking shoes and a coat. In the evenings you may warm yourself by the fireplace in the salon or make use of the sauna.

About the Facilitators:

Robert Gonzales' work Living Compassion has emerged from a lifetime of inquiry into the intersection between spirituality and human communication. His influences include Dr Marshall Rosenberg (founder of Nonviolent Communication), Stephen Schwartz (creator of Compassionate Self-Care), and other spiritual teachers.

His first formal spiritual practice was Enlightenment Intensives, which he participated in and led for many years. Robert received a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 1989, and was a practicing therapist for many years, offering individual and couples counseling. He met Marshall Rosenberg in 1985 and began teaching NVC in 1986. He is a certified trainer with the Center for Nonviolent Communication.

Robert’s work Living Compassion has evolved as an integration of embodied spirituality and Nonviolent Communication. His training offer ways to cultivate daily practices for living life fully, grounded in compassion for one’s self and others. 

Robert has contributed to the work of the Center for Nonviolent Communication as a Certified Trainer, serving as a Certification Assessor, and as Board President. He continues to serve as a lead trainer for International Intensive Trainings (IITs). He was one of the Co-founders of the NVC Training Institute and in 2010, he founded the Center for Living Compassion, a nonprofit organization through which he shares his work.  

Robert Krzisnik, MSc. Psych., has been working for 29 years with individuals and groups as psychotherapist, trainer, team coach, complex meeting facilitator and conflict mediator in a wide spectrum of environments: from corporate to educational to personal and spiritual retreats. Robert is a certified trainer with the Center for Nonviolent Communication and serves as a trainer at International Intensive Trainings (IIT’s) around the world.

In 1986, Robert experienced his first Enlightenment Intensive (out of 45, which he either attended or facilitated), and his passion for the exploration of the essence of Life has never stopped since. The most meaningful and transformative processes on his journey have been Enlightenment Intensives, Soto Zen meditation, and Nonviolent Communication. Learn more about Robert.

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PLEASE NOTE - Robert Gonzales is currently experiencing health challenges and undergoing treatment. We will have clarity by the beginning of July and confirm whether or not he will be available to co-facilitate this Awakening to Life Intensive. The week at Chateau Frandeux will definitely be going ahead with co-facilitator Robert Krzisnik and with the support of experienced CNVC trainers Nic Burnand and Sarah Dekker.

To support Robert Gonzales on his journey, please have a look at his video message and crowdfunding page