Regardless of your past, your tomorrow is a clean slate
© Picsfive | Dreamstime.com - Chalkboard classroom school education
The title of our newsletter comes from a quote by Zig Zigler, best known as an American motivational speaker. I selected Zig's quote because he turned his life around several different times -- from being in the Navy to becoming a salesperson, finding himself in management, then coaching and finally as a speaker. He indicated that he started each time with a clean slate, but I don't think he did. I don't know about you, but I've spent time erasing the blackboard, and know that it is almost impossible to clean. There are all those words, diagrams and drawings that remain in the shadow. They are our past and those words and concepts contribute to our next attempt at filling up the blackboard. Through coursework, seminars, webinars and Global Book Reads, the Charter for Compassion Education Institute offers new slates upon which we can build upon our knowledge and turn our life around again, just like Zig Zigler did.
The purpose of the Charter for Compassion Education Institute (CEI) is to provide relevant and timely learning experiences for members and partners of the Charter for Compassion International. Our courses are authored by uniquely skilled contributors who share tools and strategies to cultivate self-compassion, compassion for others, and compassionate action. CEI is supported by tuition costs and is an arm of the Charter for Compassion International, CEI contributes its net income to support the operations of the Charter.
At the Charter for Compassion International, it is our dream to connect people from every nation—to share our stories, our perspectives, and our common yearning to create a world of compassion for every being. Take a look at what is being offered and consider working on a new slate.
Current Course Offerings
The Compassion Course: facilitated by Thom Bond of the New York Nonviolent Communication Center, a CEI Partner. The course is held weekly throughout the year. Registration is now open and begins June 21, 2017. Fee: $0--$52 ($1/week) or donation. Learn more. Register here.
Emotional Intelligence and Compassion: facilitated by Barbara Kerr. This is an open access course, meaning register and begin as you like. Fee: $75 (request scholarship information). Learn more. Register here.
How to Bring Balance and Compassion to Life: facilitated by Debra Scholten and Jill Hammonds. This is an open access course, start anytime you like. Fee: $99. Learn more. Register.
Practicing Spirituality with the Peacemakers: facilitated by Charter Partner, Spirituality and Practice. This is an open access course, start anytime. Fee: $49.95. Learn more. Register.
Growing Words of Compassion: Nature and Writing Practices to Love By: faciliated by Jennifer Wilhoit. Learn more. Watch for announcement of start date.
Webinars
Working in Partnership for Equality. May 24, 8 am PT. Riane Eisler, author of The Chalice and the Blade and The Real Wealth of Nations. Special offering of the Women and Girls sector. Learn more. Register.
Robin Youngson's Recording from his Webinar From Hero to Healer.
Here's the question: Why are we not making more progress on social and environmental issues? Instead, we are witnessing more poverty, more inequality, more chronic disease, more social breakdown, worsening pollution, and a growing climate crisis. Could it be that the strategies we employ as activists are actually sustaining the problems we’re trying to address? With touching honesty and humility, Youngson shares the five biggest mistakes he made in a decade of campaigning, and how his counter-intuitive new strategies led to international success. See the video.
The Marketplace
Have you visited our new Marketplace? We are becoming quite the bookstore and you'll be seeing it grow by leaps and bounds over the next weeks. Of course, we have a number of autographed books by Karen Armstrong, but we do have some additional ones that you'll want to consider from some of our partners: The Forgiveness Project by Marina Cantacuzino, founder of the project. The Forgiveness Project was founded in 2004 in response to the invasion of Iraq and as a way of countering the rhetoric of retaliation so prominent at that time. Journalist Marina Cantacuzino set out to collect stories from victims and perpetrators who had chosen to resolve conflict through dialogue and restorative means. The book also includes two forewords by Nobel Peace Prize winner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and by award-winning author, Alexander McCall Smith. You'll also want to check out a new book by Charter Education Institute instructor, Barbara Kerr. Emotional Intelligence for a Compassionate World is an engaging, self-paced workbook for individuals and teams who want to increase their Emotional Intelligence. You'll also find Robin Youngson's book From Hero to Healer in our Books from our Global Read Series.
Many of our city teams have been asking for products that will allow them to show off that they are are working towards being a compassionate city. We've heard your requests and we've added a whole new section to the Marketplace: Compassionate Cities. In the next few weeks we will have a Compassionate City Recognition plaque that will be customized for each city that orders one.
The Work of the Charter
I want to thank many of you who responded to our request for getting involved with what is happening in Yemen. Those of you who responded have received an e-mail outlining next steps. We have asked our friends at the United Religious Initiative to see if they can help, and we are hoping for some significant breakthroughs with finding medical supplies and most importantly, securing transport for food and water. If any of you have contacts, please let us know. We need many hands involved. Help us to keep organizing, networking and responding to those who need our help. If you can, please renew your membership, or become a member who supports the Charter monthly, or with a one time donation. Donate here.
