Compassion in the Buddhist tradition has a wider meaning than how we often think of it in the west.  The Dalai Lama has described compassion as having:

“a wealth of meaning that is difficult to convey succinctly, though the ideas it conveys are universally understood. It connotes love, affection, kindness, gentleness, generosity of spirit, and warm-heartedness. It is also used as a term of both sympathy and of endearment. On the other hand, it does not imply ‘pity’ as the word compassion may. On the contrary nyingjé (compassion) denotes a feeling of connection with others, reflecting its origin in empathy.

…It is both the source and the result of patience, tolerance, forgiveness, and all good qualities.”

We invite you to join us for a day of understanding and developing compassion through contemplation, chant and song.

We will:

• Learn the two primary aspects of compassion 
• Distinguish compassion from empathy
• Train in accessing our inherent compassion
• Practice essential contemplations for cultivating compassion
• Rouse compassion through chanting and singing
• Receive tools for compassion practices when in difficult situations
• Explore the obstacles to compassion
   

Teachers
Alexander deVaron began teaching in Shambhala in 1986. From 1991-1996 he lived at Karmê Chöling retreat center, working in the practice and study department. In 2010, he was appointed a Shastri (senior teacher) in Shambhala. As a householder, and full-time music teacher, he’s especially keen on how to bring the teachings into every moment of our lives. He teaches Buddhism, Shambhala Training, Shambhala Art, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and the interplay of Buddhism and Western psychology. He has also developed courses on singing, chanting, and vocal exploration as contemplative practice. He brings a light touch to his classes, encouraging curiosity and dialogue.  Alexander’s primary teachers have been Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche and  Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. He’s also grateful for the abundance of profound teachings he’s received from the many western students in these traditions.

Sukhi Barber – From an early age she was drawn to the classical and ancient traditions of art and philosophy, which led her to undertake a traditional sculptural training at The City and Guilds of London Art School. There she gained a firm grasp of figurative clay modeling and life drawing, graduating in 1995 with the prize for sculpture, and a scholarship from Madame Tussauds. Sukhi’s sculptures are intended to bridge the cultures of East and West. Embodying the peace and compositional balance of ancient devotional art, they represent complex philosophical ideas with a simplicity and clarity that renders them accessible on an intuitive level. Exploring themes of hidden potentials, and the transcendence of our limiting view of a solid reality, her work often represents the negative space as being as important as the material itself, implying the dance of form and spirit, a constant state of transformation.

Timings

Arrival from 9.30am, programme starts at 10.00am. The day closes at 5pm. 

Cost

The cost is £35.

A concession fee of £25 is available to anyone that has an annual income below £25,000, and of £20 is available to anyone that has an annual income below £20,000. Please contact [email protected] to arrange a concession or with any other questions.

We do not want cost to be a barrier to anyone attending and understand that these are challenging times financially for many people – please do not hesitate to contact us if you require a further concession.