Medicine and Compassion Retreats help people in medical and caregiving professions, and life situations develop their compassion in a way that can make it more stable, vast, and effortless.
The curriculum is based on the book, Medicine and Compassion, by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and David R Shlim MD. Retreats are taught by David R Shlim MD, and sometimes guest teachers including Lama Oser and Phakchok Rinpoche.
Compassion turns out to be a great entrance gate to Buddhist philosophy. These retreats will appeal to anyone who is interested in cultivating compassion while simultaneously gaining greater peace of mind. If you are curious about Buddhist philosophy, but have worried that it’s difficult to access, starting with compassion is a great way to begin.
Medicine & Compassion Retreats in 2024
May 23 – 26, 2024 at Gomde Austria-Germany
Do you desire the ability to be completely open with people and have them really feel your full presence and best intention for their health and wellbeing? Most of us measure our compassion by how much we cling to the feelings that are generated by others. This clinging can be painful and tiring—even traumatic. Can we care, and also let go of the feelings afterward? This is possible and requires training in the ability to let go of the emotions that are experienced.
Training in compassion is training in how to maintain a relaxed, aware mind, while being motivated by the desire to help others. Training in compassion does NOT mean trying harder; it means removing the obstacles to your innate capacity for compassion. By removing the thoughts and emotions that cause compassion to feel limited, we make our compassion more:
· Stable (from morning to night and day to day)
· Vast (Inclusive of all people)
· Effortless (More readily available at a moment’s notice)
The retreat will include lectures, discussion, problem solving and meditation practice, and the following topics will be covered:
1. Definition and basis of compassion
2. Understanding impermanence
3. Six ways to train directly to improve compassion
4. The relationship between a relaxed mind and a compassionate attitude
5. Meditation training
6. Helping ourselves and other people with the end of life
This event is suitable for you if…
– you are a doctor, nurse or healthcare professional and want to provide your patients with more authentic compassion
– you want to connect more deeply with a sick loved one or client
– you are particularly interested in Buddhism and compassion
– you are a person who cares a lot about others and sometimes feels overwhelmed
Join Dr Shlim at the beautiful retreat center in Gomde Germany-Austria this Spring. In Tibetan, “ Gom” means to become familiar with something; in this case familiar with the nature of who we really are, through study, reflection and meditation. “De” means a community. So Gomde Centers are places where the community meditate and practice together.
Whatever limits our compassion is within our own minds, and we have the potential to understand that compassion is our natural state and tap into its innate abundance.
– Dr. David Shlim
Additional events for 2024 are still in the planning stages…
If you would like to learn more about Medicine and Compassion Retreats, and stay up-to-date with our ability to offer them this year, we encourage you to subscribe to our newsletter.
Medicine & Compassion Retreats in 2023
Nepal Retreat with Phakchok Rinpoche, Lama Oser & Dr. David Shlim
The highlight of 2023 was the Medicine and Compassion Retreat in Kathmandu in November. Kathmandu, Nepal is where Dr. Shlim met Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and began the collaboration that has led to promoting the teaching of ways to train in compassion around the world.
The spiritual feeling that suffuses all of Nepal was present at our retreat location, the beautiful Gokarna Forest Resort on the outskirts of Kathmandu. Forty people from five continents attended, and were able to receive teachings from authentic Tibetan lamas, and to share the streets and shrines with devoted Buddhists from around the world.
Our Teachers in Nepal
Kyabgön Phakchok Rinpoche
is one of the most popular and accessible reincarnate Tibetan lamas in the world. He finds ways to transmit genuine Tibetan Buddhist philosophy in an accessible way for a modern generation. Combining his profound understanding of the teachings with his experiences as a husband and a father, he brings the philosophy to life and encourages us to work to improve our own lives. He was trained by some of the greatest meditation teachers of the past century. He is the nephew of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche.
Lama Oser
received his training in Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche’s monastery, and has become one of the top recognized teachers in the lineage. He is skilled at teaching in English, and exudes compassion in all of his interactions.
Dr David Shlim
has spent the last twenty-three years lecturing and teaching about how it is possible to train in compassion, including in-person retreats, online study programs, and medical school courses. Dr Shlim ran the world’s first destination travel medicine clinic in Kathmandu for fifteen years. Early in his tenure, he began to offer free medical care at a nearby Tibetan Buddhist monastery, befriending the head lama, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, and gradually discovering the benefits of Tibetan Buddhism, both personally, and in his medical practice.
Testimonials from Past Participants
We welcome you to enjoy the video testimonials from past retreats below!
Retreats Photo Gallery
Click on the side arrow to scroll through and enjoy images from past Medicine and Compassion Retreats at Turpin Meadow Ranch in Jackson, WY.
I feel that it’s critical at the present time to invest more effort into systematically developing love and compassion. If we could advance the cultivation of love and compassion to the extent we have developed technological improvements, the entire world community would benefit immeasurably.
~Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, From Medicine & Compassion