This program will be hosted both in-person and online (hybrid). This is the registration page to join online, via Zoom. (Register here if you prefer to attend in person.) Registrants will receive the link to join the program in the Order Confirmation email. This program will not be recorded. Times are ET.
Compassion and joy are qualities of heart that allow us to experience the richness and beauty of life. Embracing both, we come to see that they are intimately intertwined.
The Buddha defined compassion as a trembling of the heart which emerges as a response to sorrow when we are truly connected. To be compassionate means to be sensitive to suffering; to resonate and care for the pain, sorrow, and suffering within oneself and in others.
To be joyful is to gladden the heart, to delight in moments of joy whether one’s own or the joys of others. When we delight in the happiness and successes of one another, free from comparisons, joy is multiplied.
Both qualities of heart are rooted in empathy, our ability and willingness to understand how someone else feels. Our Dharma practice opens us up to humanity, and to all of life, which includes both sorrows and joys. Both are needed. To recognize that they live alongside one another is to open to the fullness of life as it is.
In the retreat, we will focus on both compassion and joy, deepening our understanding of each as well as delving into the interplay between the two. This program is appropriate for both new and experienced meditators. Our time together will include sitting meditation with instructions, talks, and time for discussion and questions. Everyone is welcome.
Full and partial scholarships are available up to 72 hours before the start of the program. This program will not be recorded.
Closed Captions (CC) for CIMC Programs are generated through Zoom.