Brazil: The Tibet House Brasil successfully concluded a six-day first introductory Cognitively Based Compassion Training (CBCT) developed by the Emory University in Atlatan (USA) last week.
Lama Rinchen Kyhenrab, a psychologist, founder of Sakya Monastery in Brazil, and Board Member of the Tibet House Brasil, conducted the training. He is, at the moment, one of the two Brazilians who are licensed to teach the CBCT in Brazil.
The training was conducted in two parts – first part from May 26 to 27 and second part from June 9 to 11.
Twenty people, mainly psychologist and medical professionals, participated the course.
Cognitively Based Compassion Training (CBCT), is a secular alternative to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of lo-jong (Mind Training) which trains practitioners to cultivate compassion through straight forward contemplative practices. The strategy it adopts is to bring a shift of perspective through reflection about ourselves, our relationship to others as well as the events in our everyday lives and develop an understanding of our interconnection.
The CBCT embraces four main components of well being – a) Reduced Mind Wandering (mindfulness), b) Ability to Rebound from negative emotions (associated with resilience), 3) Developing Positive Outlook and, 4) Caring for others (compassion).
The program follows six different modules to train the participants in compassion. These include: 1) Attentional Stability and Clarity of Mind, 2) Insight into the Nature of Mental Experience, 3) Self Compassion, 4) Cultivating Impartiality, 5) Appreciation and Affection, and 6) Empathy and Engaged Compassion
On the evening of the Friday, May 26, when Lama Rinchen begun the training program, he first introduced the participants to the definition of compassion, benefit of compassion, and the relation between compassion and well being, and then more detailed introduction to the CBCT program itself.
Lama Rinchen dealt the first three modules (Attentional Stability and Clarity of Mind, Insight into the Nature of Mental Experience, and Self Compassion) during the first part of the program conducted from May 26 to 28 and remaining three modules (Cultivating Impartiality, Appreciation and Affection, and Empathy and Engaged Compassion) in the second part of the program conducted from June 9 to 11. While introducing different modules, Lama Rinchen used power point presentations, sharing personal experiences and interactive discussions.
Each day, the program begun and ended with the meditation on Compassion. On the final day of the program, Sunday, June 28, the participants shared their observations about the program.
-Report filed by OOT Brasil-