Description: Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) is an eight-week program designed to develop the qualities of compassion, empathy, and kindness for oneself and for others. CCT integrates traditional contemplative practices with contemporary psychology and scientific research on compassion.

Training: The program was developed at Stanford School of Medicine, Center for Compassion Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) by a team of contemplative scholars, clinical psychologists, and researchers. It includes:

Participation in the course requires regular attendance and 15 minutes of daily homework. No previous meditation experience is required.

Cultivation: Humans have a natural capacity for compassion. However, everyday stress, social pressure and life experience can make it difficult to fully express this capacity. Each of us can nurture and grow the compassionate instinct, like a plant that is carefully cultivated from a seed. This process requires patience, steady care, proper tools, and a supportive environment.

Why: Cultivating compassion goes beyond feeling more empathy and concern for others. It develops the strength to be with suffering, the courage to take compassionate action, and resilience in the face of life’s challenges.

These qualities support a wide range of goals, from improving personal relationships to making a positive difference in the world.

Cultivating compassion can also support one’s own health, happiness and well-being. Preliminary research suggests that CCT and similar programs can increase self-compassion and self-care, reduce stress, anxiety, and enhance connection with others. Compassion training courses are educational.

Registration: The 2016 Fall course is open to the public. If you have any questions, please contact course intructor Margy Lim.

To Register click here

The 2017 Winter CCT class will start on Monday January 23rd through March 20th from 7-9 pm. It will be held at Deborah's Palm, 555 Lytton Ave, Palo Alto 94301. Cost $350.