Training in Compassion - A Four-Week Course

Part 1: Compassion Training - A Four-Week Course

with Edmée Danan

Saturdays, May 24, May 31, June 7 and June 14

1pm to 2:30pm

This compassion training is designed to foster connection and support among participants through lively discussions, interactive exercises, guided meditation practices and meaningful activities to try out in your daily life. We will explore techniques to deepen our compassion for others, embrace the vital role of self-compassion, and cultivate a life filled with kindness and openness. This offering is open to Zen practitioners as well as anyone in the community.

Suggested reading:

Training in Compassion: Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong by Norman Fischer   

Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living by Pema Chödrön 

Schedule

Week 1: What is compassion?

Understand the difference between sympathy, empathy, and compassion. Learn how to cultivate compassion skills and overcome potential obstacles to compassion.

Week 2: Practicing compassion: Opening our heart to others and to ourselves

Empathy is feeling with another. It can be painful, and excessive empathy can lead to burn out. Compassion is feeling for another: it is empathy plus an active wish to relieve suffering.

Learn how to switch from empathy to compassion, thereby feeling energized and inspired instead of depleted or overwhelmed. Discover the spirit of tonglen (sending and receiving) meditation.

Week 3: Self-compassion 

Having compassion for others starts with having compassion for oneself and treating ourselves as we would our best friend. 

Learn how to develop kindness and gentleness towards yourself.

Week 4: Bringing compassion into our daily life

Use inspiring practices to bring compassion into your everyday actions and live your life with joy. 

Part 2: Practicing Compassion in Daily Life

The compassion training course detailed above will be followed by a three-month workshop series consisting of on-hour meetings. The schedule will be determined after the conclusion of Part 1.

This workshop series is designed to build up connection and support among participants to strengthen our intention to practice bodhicitta - opening our heart to others and to ourselves. We will do this by having conversations and sharing our experiences in a small group. We will use the 59 slogans of lojong  (mind training). This offering is open to anyone with some meditation experience or as a follow up after completion of the four classes of the compassion training.

Suggested reading: 

Training in Compassion: Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong by Norman Fischer   

Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living by Pema Chödrön 

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Edmée Danan was led to Zen practice after living for three years in an ashram in India. Her first teacher was Robert Aitken Roshi when she lived as a resident of the Diamond Sangha zendo on Maui, Hawaii for two years. After moving to California, she continued practicing with Jakusho Kwong Roshi at the Sonoma Mountain Zen Center until she met Jisho Warner Roshi in 1995, who authorized her to teach in April 2023. As a psychiatrist and psychotherapist, she is interested in determining when it is helpful to consider therapy to support Zen practice. She teaches meditation to both patients and health care professionals.