A retreat to develop exquisite empathy for self and others. Through self-awareness, mindfulness and Lovingkindness meditation we can learn to know and love ourselves and others.

In a world where people in the teaching, helping and healing professions are encouraged to keep "healthy boundaries" to protect themselves from burnout and secondary trauma, learning how to practice exquisite empathy can allow us to reach out in sympathy and empathy, connecting deeply with those we serve, while protecting our emotional and psychic energy.

Mindfulness helps to cultivate dual awareness of both our inner state of mind and heart and the awareness of the world in front of us. This practice helps to increase inner calm and self-knowing, as well as more balance and skillfulness concerning our interactions with others.

Metta/Lovingkindness meditation helps develop "exquisite empathy" which is a heartfelt, well-boundaried, sensitively attuned and hightly present way of being with ourselves and others. Through this practice we can develop our innate self-compassion and compassion for others.

There will be an opportunity for practicing sitting and walking meditation as well as Metta/Lovingkindness meditation.

"We often speak of mindfulness not only as bare attention but as affectionate attention. Woven into it is an orientation towards kindness and seeing deeply into the nature of things, which invites us to see how all is interconnected." - Jon Kabbat-Zinn

3 CEs available for MFT and LCSW.

Radhule Weininger, MD, PhD who practices psychotherapy and has studied Mindfulness meditation with Jack Kornfield through Spirit Rock Buddhist Center.