Cultivating Compassionate Connection: A day retreat on working with relationships

“Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.” Pema Chӧdrӧn

We don’t live in isolation; human interaction is an essential part of our daily lives and can be both a source of joy and a cause of suffering. Whether we are relating to our family, friends, partners, or colleagues, our human relationships can become a rich terrain through which we can develop wisdom and compassion. 

This day retreat invites us to first turn inward and relate to our own suffering with honesty and kindness. Through guided meditations, Dharma talks, and mindful dialogue, we will gently investigate how to bring more awareness, compassion, and equanimity into our interactions. Drawing on the wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings, this retreat offers a supportive space to deepen your understanding of yourself and others and to cultivate the inner qualities that foster genuine connection.

Open to all levels of experience. Come with an open heart and a willingness to explore.

Rachael Cheang has been meditating since 1997 and has studying with many different spiritual groups and Buddhist teachers. She first joined Shambhala in 2014 and is currently a trustee of the London Shambhala Meditation Centre. In 2016, she did an MSc. in Mindfulness and Compassion and is now doing a PhD researching the effects of mindfulness for people with alexithymia and autism. In 2019, she had a systematic review published about the effects of mindfulness on empathy and compassion in children and adolescents. She is a British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches (BAMBA) registered teacher, qualified to teach the 8-week Mindfulness Based Living Course and Compassion Based Living Course. She also began practicing Tai Chi in 2009 has been a qualified instructor since 2013. Rachael lives in Northampton with her husband and their four teenagers, where she runs her own meditation group, offering classes, short courses, workshops and retreats.

Timings

Arrival from 9.30am, sitting will start at 10.00am, the day closes at 5pm. 

Cost

The cost is £35. This goes towards the rental and running costs of the premises as well as the ingredients for lunch. 

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.

The teachers do not receive payment and there will be an opportunity to make a donation towards them if you so wish on the day. This is completely anonymous and voluntary and in accordance with the principle of dana, a pali word, meaning generosity and giving in the spirit of joy.