Mindfulness Level 2 – Compassion

Course Overview & Booking

Level 2 – Compassion course enables participants to develop their mindfulness practice by training in compassion.

It is ideal for those who have completed the Level 1 mindfulness training and who wish to continue to develop their mindfulness practice so as to hold inner experience with warmth and kindness.
If you have already completed an 8 week mindfulness course such as MBSR or MBCT – you can join this course by taking a short online course first. Watch out for news of the next course coming soon.
The course meets the annual continuing professional development (CPD) requirements of the UK Good Practice Guidelines (GPGs) for mindfulness teachers.
It is a pre-requisite for mindfulness teachers who wish to learn to teach our CBLC course.
To book, simply click the location and continue your mindfulness journey with compassion

Missed A Module?

Name: Mindful Acceptance – Access to Compassion
Start: 2021-09-14
End: 2021-11-09
Location: Online

Ongoing Compassion Courses

If you have started a Level 2 Compassion Course, have missed a module and wish to complete the course, you may join an existing course.

Click here to find out more and view our list of ongoing mindfulness and compassion courses or write to info@mindfulnessassociation.net for more information.

Course Structure

Weekend One

Mindful Compassion

In the first module, we build self-compassion into the core mindfulness practice of settling, grounding, resting and support. We contextualise this practice within the evolutionary model of compassion, that is grounded in neuroscience and psychology.

A key insight here is that we are caught in an ‘evolutionary set up’ that is not of our choosing and not our fault. We link this insight to the Mahayana Buddhist metaphor of the ‘lotus in the mud’: how true compassion grows out of the mud of our lives (the disowned, disliked and difficult parts of ourselves).

We then begin to cultivate positive emotions as a way of building up an inner resource from which to approach the difficulties that are part and parcel of being alive. We explore building our inner compassionate resource through compassionate imagery and mindful self-compassion practice.

Weekend Two

Four Limitless Qualities

In the second module, we approach the self -critic: that persistent inner voice that is harsh and condemning, and always finding fault in what we do.

First, we experience what it feels like to be on the receiving end of its repeated attacks, and then we look behind the critic to what is driving it; and in this way we begin to develop compassion for this part of ourselves. This raises the question – what would it be like to cultivate an inner voice that is kind and supportive, and to live your life from this place, rather than from a place of destructive self- criticism?

This is the point where we move from self-compassion towards compassion for others. Although, self-compassion always remains as the foundation of our practice because this is what makes our practice real and allows us to understand what others go through.

In this module we begin an exploration of the four limitless qualities of equanimity, love, compassion and joy. They bring a sense of balance and perspective to our practice of compassion by helping us step outside our narrow preferences, by generating love and friendliness to our inner and outer worlds, by responding appropriately to pain and suffering, while also appreciating the good things in our lives. We will also introduce tonglen, the practice of taking and sending, through which we actively engage with and transform the suffering we encounter in our lives.

Weekend Three

Compassion In Action

It is not enough to learn about compassion or do compassion practices – the crucial thing is how to embody compassion in the way we live, work and relate.

In this module, we look at how to work skilfully with the blocks to compassion and we explore how to integrate compassion into all that we do. We also bring the threads together from the previous two modules and provide an opportunity for deepening practice supported by individual practice reviews with the tutors, during which we support each participant in their next steps after the training.

Course Information

Cost & Duration

£450.00 including manuals for all three weekends, payable in three monthly instalments of £150.00

Location

We run courses across the UK including London, Manchester, Cardiff, Scarborough, Stroud, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Our flagship venue, Samye Ling, is a great place to start your Mindfulness journey and a firm favourite with everyone at the Mindfulness Association.

We also have an online course for those that can not make it to one of our centres.

About The Course

“The practices given are lifelong tools which everyone should be aware of”

This course starts with building self-compassion into basic mindfulness practice. Through compassionate imagery and mindful self-compassion, we cultivate positive emotions as a way of building up an inner resource, from which we can approach the difficulties that are part and parcel of being alive. We then approach the self-critic: that persistent inner voice that is harsh and condemning, and always finding fault in what we do. What it would be like to cultivate an inner voice that is kind and supportive, and to live life from this place, rather than from a place of destructive self-criticism?

In the course of the journey we move from self-compassion towards compassion for others, exploring practices which help us find balance and perspective beyond our narrow preferences, generating love and friendliness to our inner and outer worlds, responding appropriately to pain and suffering while also appreciating the good things in our lives, integrating compassion into all that we do. As there is a strong emphasis on the experiential nature of the course, there are home practice suggestions between the sessions that include regular compassion practice and daily life exercises.

This course takes place over three weekends, or over one weekend and a 5-day retreat, and is spread out over a six month period. It aims to enable participants to develop their mindfulness practice by training in compassion. The course is themed over the three weekends:

Self Compassion
Compassion for Others
Compassion in Action

“I feel this is a journey and not an end point – the learning is so rich and experiential”

The Mindfulness Association

Training

“The content of the course is so practical to the development of compassion. Sharing everyday experiences of compassion with others on the course really helps to see our common humanity.”

Our mindfulness courses provide an in-depth, personal, experiential practice of mindfulness that are part of a lifelong journey. We learn how to be present, respond with compassion and see deeply into our thoughts, feelings and behaviours. This three-tiered approach enables you to embody your practice as a way of life. We also provide:

Mindfulness teacher training
Compassion teacher training
Annual mindfulness practice retreats
The opportunity to study mindfulness in depth on the MSc Studies in Mindfulness in partnership with The University of Aberdeen.
Weekend workshops for Continued Professional Development for Mindfulness teachers.

You may be a beginner or have practiced mindfulness with another organisation. Either way we have courses to offer you.

Our training is based on the work of Rob Nairn. Rob is one of the world pioneers in presenting meditation training in a way that is accessible to the Western mind. He was asked to teach meditation by the Dalai Lama. His experience of over forty years of teaching meditation to Westerners has enabled him to develop a unique secular training in mindfulness, and so the Mindfulness Association was created to support this.

We are one of the top mindfulness training providers in the UK. We have been delivering 100s of compassion-based mindfulness meditation courses over 10 years across the UK and Europe.

All our courses are secular and draw from a broad range of disciplines, including neuroscience, evolutionary psychology and Buddhism.

“I appreciate the gentle kind and skilled facilitators”

Why practice with us?

“The programme is excellent, well planned and great tutors”

Compassion is at the heart of all that we do.

The Mindfulness Association has 10 years of experience of delivering courses in the UK and Europe.

All our tutors are very experienced and knowledgeable compassion-based mindfulness and practitioners.

We have a membership providing our practitioners with ongoing support.

Our tutors and courses comply with the UK Network for Mindfulness-Based Teacher Training Organisations who oversee the quality of mindfulness-based training in the UK.

“The trainers and materials were excellent – created a safe space to explore essential areas for growth”

What's Next

Insight: This course provides a strong foundation for Level 3 – Seeing Deeply – where the training shifts to focus on the insight and wisdom that arises from our practice. As we deepen our mindfulness and compassion practice through a range of guided meditations, we learn to ‘recognise what is happening, while it is happening’. We find that we gain insights into our thoughts and behaviours and transform as a result.

Teacher Training: Following this course you may wish to begin training to teach the 8 week Mindfulness Based Living Course (MBLC). By doing so will enable you to bring the benefits of mindfulness to others.

More On Mindfulness

The Practice

“Essential way of deepening mindfulness practice. More joyful and not as serious as I expected.”

Practicing mindfulness results in an unfolding of our potential. This helps us to make choices
about how we live in connection with ourselves and our world. Whatever it is that brings us
to take our first steps on the journey of becoming more mindful, we recognise that present-
moment compassionate living is the journey of a lifetime.

Why Practice Mindfulness?

“This course has made a massive difference to me, how I live and are benefiting others around me too”

We are all very busy in our modern lives and some people are looking for ways in which to cope with their anxiety, stress and pain. Furthermore, we are looking for ways in which to enhance our wellbeing and cope better with life’s challenges. We show you that practicing mindfulness becomes a way of life and enhances our very being.

Recent scientific evidence states that meditation & compassion-based mindfulness practices change the brain in a positive way and help to:

Lower heart rate and blood pressure
Relieve stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia
Increase ability to cope with difficult situations

You have probably heard the terms Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), or maybe Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) which are courses specifically developed by clinicians to help reduce stress, depression and anxiety. There are many mindfulness courses available for specific problems.

“Vital for leading happier lives and contributing to the happiness of others.”

Whilst our own tutors and graduates from the MSc Studies in Mindfulness have found even more very positive indicators which support existing evidence, we believe that Mindfulness training is not a treatment for mental health or addiction. Mindfulness is, however, proven to be beneficial for mental health in the right circumstances.Mindfulness is, however, proven to be beneficial for mental health in the right circumstances and participants on our courses have reported:

Feeling less stressed
More resilient to life’s challenges
Feeling more relaxed
Increased self-awareness and confidence
Increased sense of wellbeing.

“Like going to a gym for the mind heart and spirit”

When not to start a Mindfulness Course

If you have recently received or are currently receiving treatment from a psychiatrist, psychotherapist or counsellor for an ongoing mental health problem, we strongly advise that you obtain advice from your mental health professional before proceeding further with mindfulness training at this time.

Also, if you have recently or are currently going through a traumatic life event such as a separation from a long-term partner, the death of a close family member or friend or redundancy this may not be the best time for you to start a mindfulness course.