Usually, we teach the compassion course to people who have already started on their mindfulness journey – maybe they have learned mindfulness from you and they’re asking ‘what’s next? How do I continue growing what I’ve learned so far, how can I deepen my practice?’
Where it usually takes a little while for people to settle into the group, the sharing and practising together, when people come together for the CBLC as the follow up course, there’s often an instant relaxing with each other. This is helped by the material: one of the very first things we do in the course is look at suffering and how we all have that, and how there may be a measure of avoidable suffering in there, as explained by the teaching story of the three arrows… Being real with each other, sharing both our vulnerabilities (as well as some of our delights in the appreciation and joy practices!) often allows a group gelling to happen right from the word go.
And then there’s the teaching of the compassionate mess! After all these years, it feels like such a privilege to share that message from Rob Nairn: ‘maybe at the end of this course, you’re going to receive two certificates – one of attendance, and the other a certificate of authority. You don’t have to be perfect, you’re just fine as you are you including any human messiness, and quess what? You can be a compassionate mess!’ What a relief. I love sharing this with people – and at the same time remembering and yet again reinforcing that this goes for me too…
And of course there are all the rich self-compassion practices – the soften, soothe and allow, the safe place and compassionate colour, and the compassionate being… and the challenging but often transformative ones of the self critic, working with ‘the difficult person’ and tonglen… and all of it sprinkled with reminders to focus on joy and the good stuff, plus the warm invitation to meet ourselves with kindness wherever there are difficulties in our experience. If you’d like a little reminder, here is a mini practice of softening, soothing and allowing whatever is present in your moment.
It’s true, the material is more complex, the practices more elaborate, and the sharing often more intense than in the MBLC. It asks of us as teachers to be well grounded in our own practice, to prepare well and to hold steady in the face of emotions. But what great rewards this brings! – both for our dear participants but also for ourselves.
And… with the new Compassion Based Living book that Choden and Heather have written, there’s a wonderful manual to dive into and share.
If you’d like to hear a bit more or would like an opportunity to ask questions, there’s an info session on Thursday the 23rd of January. It would be lovely to see you there!
CBLC info session with Kristine
Thursday, 23 January 2025⋅19:00 – 20:00
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85673195874?pwd=udI5Qb4k2nWkYb9afIDhRDpqbDSytr.1
Meeting ID: 856 7319 5874
Passcode: 681480
And the CBLC retreat itself here https://www.mindfulnessassociation.net/teacher-courses/train-to-teach-mindfulness-level-three/