Hello Friends of Self-Compassion,

There are times when I feel overwhelmed by the uncertainty of what lies ahead. Whether it's my aging body, how my community is addressing issues like homelessness, or global events that are tumultuous, a range of emotions surface—from fear to anxiety to anger. In these moments, I turn to my MSC practices and begin cultivating curiosity.

I ask myself: What needs to be seen without judgment? What needs to be held gently? How does this experience connect me with every other being on this planet? Taking a breath and holding these questions may not remove uncertainty, but they bring me closer to hope and resilience so I can continue to show up for myself, my kin, and my community in the full spectrum of being alive.

I’m excited to share that on July 20th, we will host our inaugural International Self-Compassion Day with the theme of "Celebrating Common Humanity." This event offers us a chance to practice hope and resilience and deepen our understanding of interconnection. Each one of us has a unique path of intersecting identities and experiences, creating for some greater ease and others, more challenges. Celebrating common humanity uplifts our diverse paths and offers an invitation to deep connection and joy for being ourselves.

This special day features a 6-hour retreat with guided meditations, providing a space to mindfully connect. It's also a fundraiser supporting CMSC’s mission to alleviate suffering and promote well-being. Your participation will directly support our free programming and scholarships, ensuring that our Mindful Self-Compassion programs remain accessible to anyone who sees its benefits for their life, now and in the future.

Together, we can recognize and uplift our common humanity, cultivating a world that thrives on mutual support and empathy.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Elijah Zimmerman (He/They)
CMSC Executive Director

Vielen Dank • Muchas Gracias • Tack så mycket • Veel dank • Merci beaucoup
非常感谢你 • ありがとうございました • Thank you very much
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Join Us in Celebrating the First Annual International
Self-Compassion Day & Fundraiser on Saturday, July 20, 2024! Registration is open!

Six Hours of Live Online MSC Talks and Practices: Join us live online on zoom for one hour or six hours of Mindful Self-Compassion talks and practice with six of our beloved MSC Teachers including Chris Germer, Kristin Neff (United States), Marta Alonso (Spain), Mirjam Luthe (Germany), Anna Friis (New Zealand) Yuka Ebihara (Japan) and hosted by our inspiring Circles of Practice Leaders Laila Narsi and Cecilia Fernandez-Hall (United States) and Ben Weinstein (Thailand).

Innovative Fundraiser: This year, to help reach more people, as part of International Self-Compassion Day, we have created this innovative fundraising event with a goal to raise $50,000 to help expand CMSC's mission to alleviate suffering and strengthen well-being globally. Your donation of any amount will help ensure that MSC workshops, courses, teacher training, scholarships and our free Circles of Practice program continue to transform our world.

Your donation also helps pay it forward to those with financial need who want to attend International Self-Compassion Day

CMSC Member Special: Donate one. Gift One. As a CMSC Community Member, you can attend for a $10 donation when you use the coupon code CMSCMembers. Plus, your $10 donation will gift another person in financial need who couldn't otherwise attend. There are additional donation options to bring guests and help more people attend for free, so be sure to check out the registration page.
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​Scholarships: If you have a financial need and would like to attend this special offering, please fill out this scholarship form. We will notify you as free gift passes become available from our generous donors.
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​Gift an Organization with Event Passes: If you would like to gift an organization in need with free tickets, please consider sponsoring our event. On the registration page, click on "Sponsor Our Event" to discover all the additional benefits available for supporting our efforts to share self-compassion around the world.
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​Sponsors and Stories: Additionally, if you know of potential corporate sponsors you think would be a good fit, or have an MSC experience or story that would help inspire others to learn to practice self-compassion, please contact Mary Marcdante at marym@centerformsc.org.
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​And thank you for spreading the word by sharing this email with a friend or co-worker. Or better yet, donate $50 and you can bring a friend or family member as a guest, plus gift five free passes to those in need. Let’s make this inaugural International Self-Compassion Day a transformative experience for everyone. Together, we can build a more compassionate and connected global community.

Meditation: Compassion for Self and Others with Chris Germer

Join Chris Germer for this guided meditation session, "Compassion for Self and Others." In this guided practice, you'll learn to cultivate deep compassion and kindness towards yourself and those around you, with a special focus on recognizing our common humanity within self-compassion.

We invite you to join Chris and our other our inspiring presenters this year for the first annual International Self-Compassion Day on July 20th, 2024. The focus this year is "Celebrating Common Humanity: A Self-Compassion Offering", find more information about times and how to register here.

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Self-Compassion for Shame 8 Week Course

August 1st- Sept. 26th (skip Aug 29), with David Fredrickson and Carolina Bautista-Velez.

This course meets every Thursday from 9:00 - 11:30 am PT. Click here to view a Time Conversion Chart.

Cost: $695.00 USD $595.00 Early Bird Price until July 18th

Participants will be able to:

1. Summarize the theory and research on shame and self-compassion
2. Describe how self-compassion is an antidote to shame - the 3 paradoxes of shame
3. Identify personal childhood and cultural disconnections that lead to shame
4. Apply new self-compassion practices to relieve the burden of shame
5. Alleviate body shame with compassion
6. Direct self-compassion to hidden parts of ourselves
7. Disengage from habitual self-criticism by cultivating self-compassion
8. Take positive action to live with less shame in daily life

Prerequisite for registration: completion of 8-wk or 10-wk Mindful Self-Compassion Course or the 5-Day Intensive MSC Course. Must be over the age of 18 yrs old.

10 Week Live Online Mindful Self-Compassion for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) with Noriko Morita Harth and Sydney Spears

July 17 - September 18, 2024

Cost: $595 $495.00 Early Bird Price until July 11th

This course meets every Wednesdays 3 - 5 pm PT (with a 3-hour online retreat on Aug 28, 3pm-5pm PT). Click here to view the Time Conversion Chart​.​

Join our Live Online Mindful Self-Compassion class, tailored specifically for the BIPOC community. In this nurturing and supportive environment, you'll learn evidence-based practices to cultivate self-compassion, resilience, and healing. Led by experienced instructors who understand the unique challenges faced by BIPOC individuals, this class offers a safe space to explore mindfulness and self-compassion.

Scholarships Available

You can apply for a scholarship using the Scholarship Application. Places will be offered in the order application forms are received. Places are confirmed once payment is received. (Please note that scholarships are based on personal financial need, separate from being financially over-extended or over-committed.)

Live Online Mindful Self-Compassion (LOMSC)

Learn the full practices and theories of self-compassion in our 10-week, live online programs! LOMSC is taught by certified MSC teachers around the world and helps you establish a consistent self-compassion practice founded in research and science. You'll learn how self-compassion can lessen anxiety, depression and stress and improve your relationships, health, and resilience. Join a course today. Courses available monthly. Explore all upcoming LOMSC dates.

Register

Register

Self-Compassion In Psychotherapy (SCIP)
2024 Applications Open

Circles of Practice - Free Online Daily Meditations

Our MSC Circles of Practice program is a donation-based offering to our community and the public. CMSC offers 100 monthly free online daily practice sessions, all led by volunteer MSC teachers and supported by donations.These self-compassion meditation sessions are available on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Click on the links below to learn more and register for a session.

Join a session today:​

• MSC Graduates (7x weekly) | Register​
• General Public (2x daily, open to all) | Register​
• LGBTQI2S+ Affinity Circle (weekly) | Register​
• BIPOC Affinity Group (weekly) | Register​
• Hispanohablantes / Spanish speakers (weekly) | Register​
• Men’s Practice (monthly) | Register​
• NEW: SCHC Alumni (monthly) | Register​

Are You Interested in
Teaching the MSC Curriculum?

MSC Teacher Training can be a rewarding career path or inspiring avocation for those interested in pursuing a deeper commitment to Mindful Self-Compassion and sharing it with others. Your journey begins by completing a standard MSC course as a participant followed by six months of personal self-compassion practice and attending a five-day silent retreat. Once these prerequisites are met, you can apply to join our six-day in-person MSC Teacher Training course. Once accepted into the Teacher Training program, you will complete several steps to become a Trained MSC Teacher, eligible to teach the standard MSC course. After teaching a minimum of three MSC courses, you can apply to start the process of becoming a fully Certified MSC Teacher eligible to teach approved MSC adaptations, in addition to the standard MSC course. Learn more or apply for our 2024 program.

Apply for the September 7-Day In-Person Teacher Training.​

​In-Person Teacher Training with Chris Germer starting September 28 - October 4, 2024 in North Carolina​

Apply for Teen Teacher Trainings

​Live Online Teacher Training Teens – 10 Weeks Starting October 7, 2024 (Mondays) with Karen Bluth and Marina Barnes​

Looking for something else? Visit our new website and explore other courses and events on the horizon.

The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion is an international nonprofit organization that serves over 250,000 people in our global community. We are dedicated to alleviating suffering and improving the collective well-being of the planet through scientifically researched self-compassion training and practice. Our vision is a world where each person matters and everyone belongs. Your donations allow us to share self-compassion training around the world and keep Circles of Practice free to those in need. Thank you in advance for any support you are inspired to donate.