SELF-COMPASSION RETREAT

Self-compassion is a human quality that helps us to be kind and supportive towards ourselves in moments of difficulty. In situations of pain or failure, when we make mistakes or in adversity, instead of being self-critical and punishing ourselves, we can cultivate the capacity to offer ourselves kindness and understanding that can furthermore make us stronger and promote healthy self-esteem.

Compassion is a process that we start to cultivate and develop when we realize that:

  1. Someone or ourselves are suffering (mindfulness)
  2. We recognize that suffering is part of the reality of life (common humanity)
  3. When we become aware and allow natural feelings of connection and concern arise inside it motivates us to alleviate our own or others’ suffering (we take action)

The retreat combines two programs from prestigious universities:

  1. Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT), developed by The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University, California.
  2. Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT), developed by The Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at Emory University, Georgia.

Provided Materials: mats, meditation zafus and a special Psyke notebook to take notes throughout the retreat.

  • The retreat will be held at the Monastery of Santo Espíritu in Gilet. An area situated in pure nature, near the Sierra Calderona Natural Park, in Camp de Morvedre, just 25 minutes from Valencia, (http://santoespiritu.org/hospederia/).
  • The transfer from Valencia to the Monastery will be by minibus.
  • Accommodations: Single room. All meals included. Rooms and dining rooms are located in the same building where the sessions are held.

Cultivating Compassion generates the strength needed that allows us to approach and hold our suffering directly, along with the courage to act with authentic empathy, and a new way of relating to the discomfort of suffering.

Gaining these new capacities fosters adequate resilience to prevent us from falling into “emotional fatigue”,which can arise when we try to sustain pain with resignation without the appropriate resources.

This intensive Retreat aims to evoke, recognize and cultivate specific qualities that are inherent in the human mind and heart, through practices focused on making us able to apply compassion in our daily lives.