Mindful Non-Self-Compassion: Exploring the Meaning of Self

This course meets on Tuesday June 6, 2023

Hours:  9:00 AM - 12:00 PM PT / 12:00 - 3:00 PM EST– Click here to view the Time Conversion Chart

This workshop is open to everyone – professionals and the general public.

The cost of this workshop is $125.

Join  Chris Germer and Andrew Olendzki  as they explore precisely what is meant by “self” in early Buddhist psychology and in the widely known Mindful Self-Compassion training program during this 3-hour workshop. 

Participants will have access to recording of the workshop for two months after the live event. 

Instructors

Christopher Germer

Co-Founder, CMSC

Christopher Germer, Ph.D., is a co-developer of the MSC program and a co-founder of the Center for MSC. He is the author of the popular book, The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion, and co-author (with Kristin Neff) of the professional text, Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program, and a workbook, The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook. Chris is an MSC Teacher Trainer and leads MSC intensives and workshops around the world. Chris is also a clinical psychologist and lecturer on psychiatry (part-time) at Harvard Medical School. Chris has been integrating the principles and practices of meditation into psychotherapy since 1978. He has co-edited two influential volumes –Mindfulness and Psychotherapy, and Wisdom and Compassion in Psychotherapy – and he is a founding faculty member of both the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy and the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School. Chris maintains a small private practice in Arlington, Massachusetts, USA, specializing in mindfulness and compassion-based psychotherapy.

Andrew Olendzki

PhD

Andrew Olendzki, PhD is a Buddhist scholar, teacher, and writer living in Amherst, MA. Trained at Lancaster University (UK), the University of Sri Lanka (Perediniya), and Harvard, he worked in leadership positions for 25 years in Barre, Massachusetts, first at the Insight Meditation Society and then at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. He has taught at various New England colleges (including Amherst, Brandeis, Hampshire, Harvard, Lesley, Smith, and Wesleyan), and worked for two years with the Mind & Life Institute.. Andrew has contributed chapters to many books on Buddhist psychology, writes regularly for Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, and is the author of Unlimiting Mind: The radically experiential psychology of Buddhism (Wisdom, 2010), and Untangling Self: A Buddhist investigation of who we really are (Wisdom 2016). He is currently professor and director of the graduate Mindfulness Studies program at Lesley University.

Self-compassion is rapidly going mainstream around the world. However, the “self” in self-compassion still makes some people uncomfortable, especially when “self” is associated with selfishness. Early Buddhist psychology goes further and states that the “self” is the cause of most human suffering. How, then, do we explain the overwhelming research evidence showing that self-compassion is good for mental and physical well-being? 

This unique, public offering is an opportunity to explore precisely what is meant by “self” in early Buddhist psychology and in the widely known Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) training program. 

Andrew Olendzki, a foremost Western scholar of early Buddhism, and Chris Germer, a clinical psychologist and co-developer of the Mindful Self-Compassion program, will share their views and discuss key questions such as: 

“What is the ‘self’ and how is it created?” 

“How is the ‘self’ understood in self-compassion? 

“Can self-compassion soften the ‘self’? If so, how? 

“What is the role of mindfulness in self-compassion? 

“Who is talking to whom in loving-kindness meditation?”


Mindfulness and self-compassion practitioners will be able to practice more effortlessly by understanding the deeper roots of self-compassion in the wisdom of non-self. 

Scholars and academics will discover new threads linking wisdom and compassion in modern contemplative practice. 

Psychotherapists will learn the underlying mechanics of effective self-compassion interventions in clinical practice. 


Learning Objectives

  • Describe how a sense of “self” is constructed and deconstructed according to early Buddhist psychology 
  • Explain how self-compassion softens the “self” through warmth and goodwill. 
  • Practice self-compassion with less effort by cultivating the wisdom of non-self 
  • Integrate self-compassion into professional work more easily and effectively 

FAQ

  • Where can I find the scholarship or refund policy?

    Please refer to our public policies here: https://centerformsc.org/cmsc-policies/

  • Will I be taxed on my registration?

    ​​Information on sales tax collection that may affect your purchases of courses through CMSC: In accordance with Marketplace Facilitator/Provider laws, CMSC is now required to collect and remit sales tax on sales in some areas of the United States and Canada. This is required even as we are a registered non-profit. What does this mean for you? It means that when you purchase a course with CMSC in some states or provinces ( U.S. & Canada), the sales tax will be automatically calculated and collected at the time of checkout. This ensures compliance with tax regulations in your area. If you have any questions or concerns about this change, please don't hesitate to reach out to our customer support team: [email protected].

  • What would be grounds for participant removal?

    Participation is at the discretion of the teachers and facilitators at all times. If, in the opinion of the teachers and facilitators, you are unable to continue to participate productively in the course, you may be asked to discontinue. Decisions of removal are to ensure CMSC provides the safest space possible for our participants and teachers. Please see our refund policy regarding necessary participant removal.

  • What are the parameters of participation?

    Our programs are designed to teach participants the tools needed to develop and cultivate a mindfulness and self-compassion practice. It is not a substitute for mental health care, personal therapy or medical treatment. Personal safety and emotional wellbeing are the foundation of self-compassion training and you are primarily responsible for your own safety. Teachers and facilitators are not expected or able to provide medical and/or psychological care. Course experiences may bring up challenging memories or feelings. If you have a history with a serious mental health condition or other concerns you think may impact your ability to take this course, please contact CMSC or your healthcare professional to determine if this course is right for you. Your personal contact information may be used in the event the teacher or facilitator reasonably determines a need to call emergency services on your behalf.