Details:

Date: 24th – 26th March

Retreat Leader: David Midgley

Requirements: Everyone is welcome

Cost: Generosity ModelDonation only (via the donation form at the bottom of the page; no set amount)

Format: Onsite & Online. Please note you will still need to book a place if attending online.

Start & Finish Times: A schedule will be shared closer to the time.

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

The supremely important role of compassion in healing the deep problems of human life is now increasingly widely recognised not only within the Buddhist community but in the wider world, including in the fields of mental health, social policy, and even in business leadership and politics.

Using this combined traditional + contemporary approach, this retreat will introduce a range of guided practices designed to enable us to bring greater compassion to all aspects of our personal and work life. There will also be interactive sessions where, through sharing our experiences and insights, we can support each other to grow into Compassion Warriors!

While as Buddhists we may sincerely wish to extend compassion to all beings, it can be difficult to really put this into practice amid the challenges of work and family life, relationships and all the stresses of modern life. The emergence of secular programmes such as Thupten Jinpa’s Compassion Cultivation Training, combining the core practices of traditional Buddhism with contemporary scientific psychology, has brought new insights and useful techniques that can greatly help with integrating compassion into our life away from the meditation cushion.

About the Teacher

David Midgley studied Western philosophy for 10 years before meeting Tibetan Buddhism in 1980.He received his initiation from Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 1981, began teaching in 1995, and established Jamyang Buddhist Centre Leeds in 1996, successively serving as its Director, Deputy Director, Trustee, Spiritual Programme Coordinator and Eco-Dharma Officer.

Since 2018, compassion has been at the heart of David’s work both in formal Buddhist teaching and in a secular context. He is accredited as a teacher of CCT (Compassion Cultivation Training), directs the annual Kinder Leeds Festival of Kindness, Compassion and Wellbeing, and works with the mental health services and City Council in Leeds to bring mindful compassion practices to those in need.

A Way to Say Thank You

As we don’t receive any subsidies from other organisations we rely solely on the kind generosity of others. If you would like to make a donation to help us cover our considerable monthly costs (including via an online bank transfer or postal cheque), please choose the amount you would like to offer using the form below (or enter a custom amount), click ‘Donate’, then choose a payment method and provide all the details we require to process your donation. Your generosity will help us continue to offer beneficial services to yourself and others.

You may also like to make a regular contribution to the centre by becoming a Branch of Joy. This kind of support gifts us a steady and ongoing income, which in turn provides the confidence and means for us to continue to flourish for many years to come.

Thank you and may you be happy.

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