The Garrison Institute presents Training in Compassion, Cultivating a Tender Heart, a retreat focusing on meditation practices that generate greater empathy, generosity and compassion from the Buddhist and Judaic traditions. The retreat, led Norman Fischer and Rachel Cowan, takes place June 27 to 29, 2014, in Garrison, NY.

The program is based on research showing that meditative practices produce tangible benefits for those who do them, ranging from stress reduction to improved self-awareness, emotional connection and acceptance. Participants will learn about lojong, a popular Tibetan Buddhist practice that involves generating compassion by working with short aphorisms, called slogans, and fits very well into ordinary life.

Fischer, a Zen teacher, will offer his commentary on the slogans and apply Zen wisdom to them, demonstrating how they fit in that tradition. He’ll also set the stage for considering the slogans in a variety of spiritual practices and contexts. Rabbi Cowan brings insights into how the Jewish tradition uses its own form of compassionate action to enrich individual lives and the lives of community members. The program is open to all, and much of it will be in silence.

The Garrison Institute offers dozens of retreats this summer that support personal growth and social change. To see the full list, visit GarrisonInstitute.org/calendar.

The Garrison Institute is located at 14 Mary’s Way, Rt. 9D at Glenclyffe, Garrison, NY. For more information, call 845.424.4800 or visit GarrisonInstitute.org.