Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living (MBCL)
Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living (MBCL) is an eight-session course that helps participants develop and experience kindness for themselves and others. MBCL focuses on cultivating compassion through a range of new meditation practices, as well as group inquiry and exploration of the science and application of compassion.
Developing compassion can valuable for anyone who yearns for a happy, healthy life in a safe, connected world - however, the course may be especially helpful for people who find it hard to be kind to themselves, have a tendency towards self-criticism, guilt, withdrawal or blaming, find it difficult to maintain a healthy balance between taking care of themselves and others, and/or who have a passion for bringing compassion to themselves, their relationships and the wider world.
The MBCL course was first developed in 2007 and has been growing in popularity ever since - it has been shown in research studies to increase self-compassion, mindfulness, quality of life and resilience, while decreasing self-criticism and stress levels.
This MBCL course will be taught by Ed Halliwell and consists of 8x2.5hr live online sessions via Zoom and one 6hr retreat day. There will be an invitation to practise the MBCL meditations for approximately 30-45 mins per day during the course.
The MBCL curriculum will address: Why do we need compassion; how has the brain and mind evolved to be compassionate (and what gets in the way of this); how we can connect with our body's innate soothing system; how we can use our imaginations to elicit compassionate responses; what are typical pitfalls and misunderstandings in the cultivation of compassion; how can we work compassionately with guilt and shame; how can we cultivate compassion in relationships; how can we practise the 'Four Friends For Life' - love, appreciation, equanimity and joy and other attitudes and actions that support sustainable happiness.
New meditation practices in MBCL include: The Safe Space, The Breathing Space with Kindness, The Compassionate Companion, Compassionately Dealing With Resistance and Desire, The Self-Compassion Break, Compassionate Body Scanning, Savouring and Revisiting The Good, Practising Equanimity, Compassionate Movement, and Flowing With The Stream of Awareness. Meditation practices will be recorded during the course for use at home in-between sessions.
Dates and Times: Weekly on Fridays from 10am-12-30pm UK time from 19th January 2024-March 22nd 2024 (no session on Fri Feb 16th), with a retreat day on Friday 8th March, 0930-1500, via Zoom
Cost: £295. (£50 deposit to reserve a place, with the balance due a month before the course begins)
Previous participants on this course have said:
"This was a fantastic course which offered lots of new practices, opportunities to talk about experiences with others participants and plenty of personal insight."
"It was hugely psychotherapeutic for me and being in the group felt supportive and safe, with Ed's sensitive leadership."
"The course has enabled me to see that change in how we relate to ourselves and our environment is possible."
"I've learned a better understanding of myself, leaving space and pausing before taking decisions or speaking out, a need and confidence to say NO."
"A highly beneficial course"
"I just love how you, Ed, facilitated this and other courses. Such an expert! Thank you! Keep up the good work, please!!! And I will be back."
"I found the content of the course extremely interesting and beneficial and the standard of teaching first class."