Karuna Graduate Training Overview
The Karuna Graduate Training is a year-long certificate program which offers tools from Karuna Training that participants can integrate into their life and work with others. This includes Compassionate Exchange, Facilitation of Experiential Exercises, Body, Speech and Mind Group Facilitation, Mindfulness Awareness Training, Speaking from the Heart Group Facilitation and Concentrated Self-Care and Self-Compassion. The prerequisite is the 2-year Karuna Basic Training.
The program consists of five seminars: 3 weekends, one 4-day residential program, one residential Deepening Week retreat, a 75 hour practicum (25 hours of direct service) and continuity groups.
The program cost is $4500 or $3900 if paid in full in advance, a $600 discount, or participants can arrange to make payments over time. We have not raised the price since 2017 and we are committed to making this financially workable for those who have a strong desire to do the program. Some tuition assistance is available. We would like a minimum of 15 participants for this program. Please note that the food and lodging costs for the residential retreats will be paid separately. Each person will have an identical private room at the Bosque Retreat Center. The costs are estimated at $110- $150 a night for food and lodging including discount, standard and patron rates.
In the graduate training we maintain the personal process component; process and regional continuity groups continue and every seminar is created for further self transformation and deeper personal inquiry. The training is designed to support us in the numerous opportunities we have to live our compassionate exchange and apply Karuna skills in the world whether that be in our relationships, service or professional life.
Margot Geist will continue as Continuity Faculty.
Seminar 1: Facilitating Mindfulness Awareness Practice with Sandra Ladley and Terry Jaworski
April 2 – 5, 2020 Ghost Ranch
Thursday arrival 4-6 pm through Sunday departure 4 pm
A retreat focused on the power of mindfulness. Participants practice seating mindfulness space awareness practice and how to introduce contemplative discipline into their work with others. Deepening the practice of meditation instruction is the take home of this program. In this course we are taking the opportunity to look deeply into the mirror at our own relationship to practice and how we understand it and communicate about it to others in a way that empowers their relationship to meditation.
Seminar 2: Facilitating Body Speech and Mind Practice and Contemplative Experiential Work with Sandra Ladley
June 26 – 28, 2020 at the Albuquerque Shambhala Center
Friday 7 pm through Sunday 4 pm
Participants learn how to teach and seat contemplative experiential work in addition to a deep dive into the mechanics and magic of the Body, Speech and Mind group practice. All this is to grow our skills in the dynamics of contemplative facilitation — when it works and when it doesn’t work. The end result is a better ability to apply the BSM form to multiple situations and to hold a container for contemplative experiential work. There will be an opportunity to present a BSM of a workplace; an organization you know well or even your home and to practice introducing BSM to others. These BSM vignettes will be practiced in small groups during the weekend.
Seminar 3: Deepening Week – Speaking from the Heart Group Facilitation with Melissa Moore and Miriam Hall
August 8 – 14, 2020 at the Ghost Ranch
Saturday arrival 3-5 pm – Sunday departure after lunch
Participants learn how to facilitate Speaking from the Heart contemplative groups while they are doing intensive Maitri Space Awareness work in a retreat setting. The Maitri emphasis is the ‘wisdom of no escape’ in that we stay in and intensify one or two colors the entire deepening week. This is the fruition of Maitri practice and where the potential transmission of a buddha family can occur in relationship to the rest of the buddha family mandala.
Seminar 4: Compassionate Exchange and Self Care with Terry Jaworski
October 23 – 25, 2020 at the Albuquerque Shambhala Center
Friday 7 pm through Sunday 4 pm
This weekend is specifically dedicated to the art of Self Care when working with others. Each participant will be doing a self-care plan and have the opportunity to implement self care over a period of time with report-outs to their continuity group and as part of their practicum. We could call this learning to live Karuna in everyday life.
The Practicum: On your own time, working with a Mentor
The heart of the training is the 75-hour practicum which includes 20 – 25 hours of direct work with others in a practicum of your design and choice. It includes as many as 50 hours preparing for, evaluating, and writing and recording a journal of your practicum along the way, and meeting in regional groups and with your faculty mentor. The idea of the practicum is to stretch you, to make it very personal and challenging in a way that you never dared to manifest. The practicum begins with a written plan and approval from your faculty mentor. The point of the practicum is to live your compassion and to apply it very directly in an area of your life that will challenge you deeply in personal growth.
Seminar 5: Graduation — All available Faculty and Mentors- Melissa Moore, Sandra Ladley, Margot Geist and others
January 21 – 24, 2021 at the Albuquerque Shambhala Center
Thursday 7 pm through Sunday 4 pm
Participants give a half hour presentation on their practicum to the whole group. The emphasis is on living Karuna in the world and on the practicums and lessons learned are the main aspect of the presentation at this graduation.
Completion of the Program
It will be acceptable to miss one seminar and receive certification.
Please contact Sandra Ladley or Melissa Moore soon if you are interested in the program.
Please click here to submit an application to the Albuquerque 2020-2021 Graduate Level training cycle
| Title | Type of program | Hours | Dates | Teachers | Location |
| Seminar 1: Facilitating Mindfulness Awareness Practice | 4 days, 3 nights residential | 26 | April 2 – 5, 2020
Thursday arrival 4 pm Sunday departure 4 pm |
Sandra Ladley and Terry Jaworski | Ghost Ranch |
| Seminar 2: Facilitating Body Speech and Mind Practice and Contemplative Creative Work | Weekend | 18 | June 26 – 28, 2020
Friday 7 – 9 pm Saturday 10 am – 9 pm Sunday 10 am – 4 pm |
Sandra Ladly | Albuquerque Shambhala Center |
| Seminar 3: Deepening Week: Speaking from the Heart Group Facilitation | 7 days, 6 nights residential retreat | 56 | August 8 – 14, 2020
Saturday 3PM arrival – Friday departure after lunch |
Melissa Moore
Miriam Hall |
Ghost Ranch |
| Seminar 4: Compassionate Exchange and Self-Care | Weekend | 18 | October 23 – 25, 2020
Friday 7 – 9 pm Saturday 10 am – 9 pm Sunday 10 am – 4 pm |
Terry Jaworski | Albuquerque Shambhala Center |
| Practicum; on own time | 75 hours with mentoring | 75 | Includes a minimum of 25 hours direct service | All Teachers are mentors | |
| Seminar 5: Graduation | 4 day program | 26 | January 21 – 24, 2021
Thursday 7pm – 9pm Friday 10 am – 6 pm Saturday 10 am – 9 pm Sunday 10 am – 4 pm |
Melissa Moore, Sandra Ladley, Margot Geist and others TBD | Albuquerque Shambhala Center |
| Continuity Groups | Meet 3 hours monthly | 30 | |||
| Total Hours | 249 |
