Do you desire the ability to be completely open with people and have them really feel your full presence and best intention for their health and wellbeing? Most of us measure our compassion by how much we cling to the feelings that are generated by others. This clinging can be painful and tiring—even traumatic. Can we care, and also let go of the feelings afterward? This is possible and requires training in the ability to let go of the emotions that are experienced.
Training in compassion is training in how to maintain a relaxed, aware mind, while being motivated by the desire to help others. Training in compassion does NOT mean trying harder; it means removing the obstacles to your innate capacity for compassion. By removing the thoughts and emotions that cause compassion to feel limited, we make our compassion more:
we make our compassion more:
Stable (from morning to night and day to day)
· Vast (Inclusive of all people)
· Effortless (More readily available at a moment’s notice)
Whatever limits our compassion is within our own minds, and we have the potential to understand that compassion is our natural state and tap into its innate abundance. – Dr. David Shlim
What is covered in the retreat:
The retreat will include lectures, discussion, problem solving and meditation practice.
Topics:
1. Definition and basis of compassion
2. Understanding impermanence
3. Six ways to train directly to improve compassion
4. The relationship between a relaxed mind and a compassionate attitude
5. Meditation training
6. Helping ourselves and other people with the end of life
Gentle movement
In order to physically integrate what we have learned, we will practice gentle yoga-inspired exercises under the guidance of Cecilia Pla. By practicing in movement, mindfulness and care for ourselves and others can be absorbed even more deeply. We practise one relaxed session a day and thus ensure our physical well-being.
Who can take part?
Anyone with a genuine interest in cultivating more compassion is welcome to attend.
Compassion is a great gateway to the study of Tibetan Buddhism, which is based on compassion. Participants will learn how to practice in a way that leads to more peace and kindness in their lives.
This is a way of dealing better with the normal ups and downs of life.
This event is suitable for you if…
– you are a doctor, nurse or healthcare professional and want to provide your patients with more authentic compassion
– you want to connect more deeply with a sick loved one or client
– you are particularly interested in Buddhism and compassion
– you are a person who cares a lot about others and sometimes feels overwhelmed
The teacher
Dr. David Shlim
Dr. David R. Shlim has spent the last twenty-three years lecturing and teaching about how it is possible to train in compassion, including in-person retreats, online study programs, and medical school courses. Dr Shlim ran the world’s first destination travel medicine clinic in Kathmandu for fifteen years. Early in his tenure, he began to offer free medical care at a nearby Tibetan Buddhist monastery, befriending the head lama, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, and gradually discovering the benefits of Tibetan Buddhism, both personally, and in his medical practice.
YOUR CONTRIBUTION
Gomde wants to make the precious Dharma available to all who want to practise and learn it. You can support us with a donation and use the following value as a guide:
With a donation from …
350 Euro for the seminar Seminar + donation for lunch
and
150 euros for accommodation and meals
… you help to cover the fixed costs for food and accommodation.
In order to enable as many people as possible to participate in our seminars, we have not increased our previous orientation value, although the costs have risen considerably. If you are in the fortunate position of being able to give more, you help the center to offset the increased maintenance costs. Even if you can give less than the orientation value, you are very welcome! Please let us know when you register.
Timetable
The retreat begins on Thursday, May 23rd at 6 pm with dinner and ends on Sunday, May 26th after lunch.
Course language
Dr. Shlim will teach in English, but translation into German will also be provided.