Details:
Date: 26th – 28th May
Retreat Leader: Wendy Ridley
Requirements: Everyone is welcome
Cost: Generosity Model – Donation only (via the donation form at the bottom of the page; no set amount)
Format: Onsite only
Start & Finish Times: Friday 26th 18.00 – Sunday 28th 14.00
Accommodation: Land of Joy wishes for everyone who visits the centre to feel welcome, accepted, safe and secure. Our accommodation options are very limited, with mostly single sex shared accommodation and only one single room (which is sometimes needed by volunteers). This means single accommodation can only be offered to those who need it the most, but still won’t always be available. Camping can be an option at certain times of year if you have your own tent but space is very limited. Please read the relevant sections of the booking form carefully.
About the Retreat
During this retreat weekend, we will reflect on vulnerability, empathy, and resilience. We will explore what can cause us to feel overwhelmed and emotionally disconnect. We will learn techniques empowering us to relate to ourselves and to others in more balanced ways. We will explore how to genuinely understand the emotions of other people, allowing for more compassion towards ourselves and others. We will use the process of Empathy Circles to deepen our empathetic listening.
This course will help you to:
Develop a calmer more focused mind, better self-understanding, stronger emotional resilience, and therefore real empathy for others
Identify what pushes you out of balance allowing the space for wiser choices
Build closer, more nurturing relationships with family, friends, and co-workers
Deepen your active listening and embodied speech
This course is for people of all ages and backgrounds. It is designed for those who want to strengthen their inner resources which help build deep and sustainable connections and relationships. The content is rooted in Buddhist philosophy and psychology and is supported by scientific research, positive psychology, and other wisdom traditions.
About the Teacher
Since attending a meditation course in 1976 Wendy has studied and worked in 5, very different, Buddhist centres and has benefited from many retreats. Having met Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1977 she was inspired by his vision of Universal Education and did post graduate work with the aim of incorporating some of his ideas into schools.
Wendy has many years of experience working in education – as a teacher, university lecturer, local education advisor and consultant. This provided her with the skills and passion to develop and deliver training programmes. She has been involved in the development of The Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom (FDCW) as a Board member since 2005. As a senior FDCW faculty member, teaching internationally at all levels of FDCW’s programmes, Wendy enjoys facilitating workshops exploring how universal values can bring opportunities for personal development, cross-cultural peaceful co-existence and ethical dialogue.