Skill-building. Soul-strengthening. Community-rooting.
Each year, during the Charter for Compassion’s 40 Days of Peace, we pause—not to retreat from the world, but to train ourselves for it.
This year, we are offering three distinct, yet complementary pathways designed to help people build compassion as a skill, widen their circle of concern, and strengthen their resilience for nonviolent action. Think of these offerings as morale boosters, ethics enhancers, and practical training grounds for the Beloved Community.
You’re invited to take one, two, or all three—and we especially encourage you to bring a friend. The work of peace deepens when it’s shared.
1. Cognitive-Based Compassion Training (CBCT®): Training the Mind for Compassion
What if compassion weren’t just a value—but a trainable capacity?
Cognitive-Based Compassion Training (CBCT®) was developed at Emory University to help people cultivate greater resilience, emotional balance, and compassion in everyday life. It is secular and evidence-based, drawing on neuroscience, psychology, and contemplative wisdom—without promoting any religious or philosophical belief system.CBCT rests on a simple but powerful insight: compassion is innate—and it can be strengthened through practice.
Participants learn:
- Emotional regulation and self-awareness
- Perspective-taking and empathy
- Trauma- and resilience-informed practices
- How the brain and body respond to stress, care, and connection
The training blends guided meditation, informal daily practices, and live group dialogue, all designed to integrate seamlessly into real life—whether at work, in relationships, or in community engagement.CBCT is offered through Emory’s Compassion U™ digital platform, combining:
- Ten self-guided learning modules
- Weekly live sessions for reflection and integration
- One year of access to the Compassion U™ app
There is a fee for CBCT, which supports the training, platform access, and faculty—but many participants describe it as one of the most grounding and sustaining investments they’ve made in themselves. Read More and Register.
2. Searching for the Beloved Community: Conversations for a Compassionate World
If CBCT strengthens the inner architecture of compassion, Searching for the Beloved Community strengthens the relational field between us.
Inspired by Dr. King’s vision and rooted in the Charter’s global mission, this seven-week conversation series invites people into shared inquiry about what compassion looks like in practice—in our inner lives, our relationships, and our communities.
Each 60-minute session includes:
- A short reflection
- A facilitated, drop-in conversation welcoming diverse voices
- A Compassionate Action—a simple step to practice during the week
These conversations are not about arriving at perfect answers. They are about learning to listen across differences, to stay present with complexity, and to build moral imagination together. Read More and Register. This series is open to all and free to all, because the Beloved Community can only be built if everyone has a seat at the table.
3. TLC: Training for Local Bridge Builders
Strong communities don’t begin with institutions.
They begin with people who notice one another.TLC: Training for Local Bridge Builders, developed by Compassionate Communities UK, is a 90-minute interactive workshop that equips everyday citizens to become connectors, listeners, and quiet catalysts for kindness.
This training recognizes a profound truth: community resilience grows when people know how to find one another, listen deeply, and make meaningful connections—especially in times of strain.
Participants explore:
- The Survival of Kindness – why kindness is essential to wellbeing and community health
- Treasure Mapping – identifying local assets, hidden strengths, and people already doing good work
- Exemplar Listening – practicing deep, respectful listening that builds trust and reduces isolation
- Being a Bridge Builder – learning how small, intentional actions strengthen the social fabric
TLC is practical, hopeful, and empowering—and like Searching for the Beloved Community, it is offered free of charge. Read More and Register.
An Invitation—to Practice, Not Just Reflect
These three offerings are designed to work together:
- CBCT strengthens your inner resilience and compassion
- Searching for the Beloved Community broadens your moral circle
- TLC equips you to act as a connector where you live
You don’t have to do everything.
You don’t have to do it perfectly.
You don’t have to do it alone.
Choose one path—or all three. Invite a friend. Form a small circle. Let these 40 Days of Peace be a season not only of reflection, but of training for the world we are trying to build.
All 40 Days of Peace webinars (including these offerings, except CBCT) are free. If you are able, we invite you to make a donation to help sustain this work and ensure it remains accessible to people everywhere.
The Beloved Community is not built by heroes.
It is built by ordinary people—practicing compassion again and again.
We would be honored to practice with you.
With warmest regards,
Marilyn Turkovich
