On November 14–15, Compassion Institute invites you to experience the transformative power of compassion firsthand at The Art of Compassion Practice, a two-day immersive retreat at the Gyuto Foundation in Richmond, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area.
What happens when compassion moves beyond something we value and becomes something we actually practice?
“I took the class so I could grow in my self-compassion. I did not expect that it would change the way I interfaced with the world and humanity. This is just the beginning.”
Rose Hayes, Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) participant
How a compassion retreat can deepen your mindfulness and meditation practice.
Again and again, we hear how compassion training can change not only the way we relate to ourselves, but how we meet other people, navigate difficulty, and move through the world.
Compassion is more than a feeling or an aspiration. It is a capacity we can cultivate, strengthen, and bring into our everyday lives.
Guided by two of the world’s leading teachers in compassion cultivation, this mindfulness meditation retreat offers an opportunity to step away from daily demands, deepen your understanding of compassion, and discover practical ways to make it an enduring presence in how you live, work, and connect with others.
Whether you are beginning your exploration of compassion or seeking to deepen an established practice, we warmly invite you to join us.
What You Will Experience
Discover the power of compassion as a daily practice
What might change if you could meet yourself with greater kindness, navigate challenging situations with more clarity, and respond to others with deeper understanding?
Drawing on contemplative wisdom, contemporary psychology, and the science of compassion, this immersive retreat combines guided meditation, experiential exercises, teaching, reflection, and meaningful connection.
Together, we will explore how to:
Practice compassion in everyday moments
Learn simple, accessible compassion meditation techniques you can use on the spot, even in the midst of a busy and demanding life.
Cultivate greater self-compassion
Relate to yourself with kindness and understanding, especially during difficulty, uncertainty, or self-criticism.
Strengthen emotional resilience
Meet stress and challenging emotions with greater steadiness, awareness, and care.
Deepen connection with others
Move beyond isolation and reactivity toward greater empathy, understanding, and meaningful relationships.
Transform compassion into action
Bring compassion into your relationships, work, communities, and responses to suffering.
Build a sustainable personal practice
Develop tools that help compassion become a natural and enduring part of everyday life.
Integrate compassion, mindfulness, and intention
Discover how to weave compassion practices together with mindfulness meditation and intentional living to cultivate greater awareness, clarity, and purpose in everyday life.
This is not simply an opportunity to learn about compassion. It is an invitation to experience it, practice it, and bring it more fully into your life.
Learn from Two Extraordinary Teachers
This retreat offers a rare opportunity to study in person with two of the pioneering figures behind Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT), Compassion Institute’s flagship compassion education program.
Together, Thupten Jinpa and Erika Rosenberg bring an extraordinary combination of contemplative wisdom, scientific understanding, and decades of experience translating compassion into practices that enrich everyday life.
Thupten Jinpa, Ph.D.
Co-Founder and Chairman, Compassion Institute | Principal Author, Compassion Cultivation Training
Thupten Jinpa is an internationally recognized scholar, author, and teacher whose work bridges classical Buddhist contemplative wisdom with contemporary approaches to cultivating compassion.
A former Tibetan Buddhist monk, Jinpa received the Geshe Lharam degree from Ganden Monastic University in India and holds a Ph.D. in religious studies from Cambridge University.
Since 1985, he has served as the principal English translator to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, collaborating on numerous books and contributing to global conversations on compassion, ethics, and human flourishing.
Jinpa is the principal author of Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT), developed at Stanford University, and author of A Fearless Heart: How the Courage to Be Compassionate Can Transform Our Lives.
Erika Rosenberg, Ph.D.
Founding Faculty, Compassion Institute | CCT Co-Developer
Erika Rosenberg is a scientist, author, and internationally recognized teacher whose work explores the relationship between emotions, meditation, and compassion.
A founding faculty member of Compassion Institute and co-developer of Compassion Cultivation Training, Erika brings decades of experience researching and teaching about human emotions and contemplative practice.
She has taught in universities, healthcare organizations, corporations, and public forums throughout the United States and internationally.
Her teaching brings together scientific insight, practical experience, and a deeply human understanding of how compassion can transform our relationships with ourselves and others.
Who Is This Compassion Retreat For?
Everyone is welcome. No previous experience with meditation or compassion training is required.
This retreat may be particularly meaningful if you are:
Seeking greater self-compassion, emotional balance, and resilience.
Interested in deepening your meditation or mindfulness practice.
Looking for more meaningful connection in your relationships and daily life.
An educator, healthcare professional, nonprofit leader, or community advocate seeking to bring compassion into your work.
A changemaker interested in sustaining compassionate action.
A graduate of CCT or another compassion training program wishing to deepen your practice.
Whatever brings you here, you are invited to come as you are, with curiosity, openness, and a willingness to explore.
Retreat Details
Dates: Saturday, November 14 – Sunday, November 15, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Pacific Time, both days
Location: Gyuto Foundation, Richmond, California (San Francisco Bay Area)
Format: In-person, commuter retreat
Your Registration Includes
Full participation in the two-day retreat with Thupten Jinpa and Erika Rosenberg.
Guided compassion practices and experiential learning.
Access to an online classroom with supplementary practice tools, research, and learning materials.
Vegetarian lunch on both days.
Refreshments throughout the retreat.
Opportunities to connect with fellow participants.
Transportation, accommodations, and other personal expenses are not included. Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel and lodging.
Registration and Pricing
Compassion Institute is committed to making compassion education accessible to a diverse community. We offer several registration options.
$500
$575
Full access to the two-day retreat, including teaching sessions, practice materials, vegetarian lunches, refreshments, and supplementary online resources.
$695
For those with the capacity to contribute more, the Supporter Rate helps extend access to compassion training. Your additional contribution supports reduced-price Community Access registrations for educators, healthcare and community professionals, nonprofit workers, and others serving in high-impact, resource-constrained settings.
A limited number of reduced-price registrations are available for individuals committed to advancing health equity or social justice in their local communities. Eligibility details are below.
Refund Policy
No refunds will be issued unless the course does not fill a minimum number of registrants by 1 week prior to the course start date.
Community Access Registration
Applicants should:
Live or work in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Work or volunteer in health justice or social justice.
Demonstrate a commitment to serving local communities.
To request Community Access, email [email protected] with your name, email address, location, and a brief statement (250 words maximum) describing your community work.
Approved applicants will receive a discount code, subject to availability.
Space is limited. The retreat has a maximum capacity of 200 participants.
Rooted in the Wisdom and Science of Compassion
The Art of Compassion Practice draws upon Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT), an internationally taught program developed at Stanford University.
This special two-day retreat draws upon these foundations to provide an immersive experience guided by two of the program’s original creators.
Bring Compassion More Fully Into Your Life
What becomes possible when we learn to meet ourselves and others with greater kindness, courage, and understanding?
Through practice, compassion can become a powerful resource for navigating life’s challenges, deepening our relationships, and contributing to a more caring and humane world.
Join Thupten Jinpa, Erika Rosenberg, and the Compassion Institute community for two days of learning, reflection, practice, and connection.
Practice. Connect. Transform.
November 14–15, 2026 | Richmond, California
