Cultivating Compassion

Cultivating Compassion

Do you aspire to make a positive difference in the world but feel limited by your own negative emotions or lack of confidence?  

If you're struggling with anxiety, depression, or the overwhelming weight of today's world, you're not alone. Between economic uncertainty, climate change, social upheaval, and personal challenges, it's no wonder so many of us feel stuck in our own heads, replaying problems and fears on an endless loop.

If you wish to recognize your good heart and develop a deeper sense of community, our Cultivating Compassion course offers practical wisdom and personal training to help you connect with yourself and the world around you.

This course introduces you to a surprisingly effective approach: learning to focus your care and attention on others as a pathway to healing yourself. When we shift from self-focused worry to compassionate action, something remarkable happens—our anxiety and depression begin to lose their grip on us.

You'll learn practical techniques including:

• Transforming anxiety and depression through compassion
• Basic meditation to calm your mind and create spaciousness
• Self-compassion practices to stop being your own worst critic
• Compassion meditation to expand your capacity for caring about others
• Breathing practices for emotional healing (including the traditional practice of Tonglen)

When you practice sending comfort, peace, and love to others—even through visualization—your negative emotions naturally fade into the background. As the Dalai Lama observed, while others may benefit from your compassion, you become the primary beneficiary of this practice.

By training your heart and mind in compassion, you'll discover:

• Freedom from the anxiety spiral that keeps you up at night
• Relief from depression through meaningful connection with others
• Inner strength and groundedness to face life's challenges
• A sense of purpose that comes from contributing to others' well-being

This isn't about pretending everything is fine or bypassing your real struggles. Instead, you'll learn to work with your difficulties in a way that creates healing, both for yourself and for a world that desperately needs more compassion.

Join us for this transformative course and discover how compassion can become your most powerful tool for healing and growth.

Open to all: No prior experience with meditation or Buddhist concepts required—all teachings are presented in accessible, practical terms.

Cultivating Compassion
9 Online Sessions via Zoom
Dates: Thursdays, September 18 – November 20, 2025 (No class on Nov 6)
Time: 3:00–5:00 pm PT | 6:00–8:00 pm ET
Led by: Jennifer Lewis Drew & Joan Elizabeth