Self-Compassion Meditation Retreat in Sri Lanka
Planned for February 2025
At a beautiful, inspired setting in the hills above Kandy, this self-compassion meditation retreat in Sri Lanka re-connects you with kindness while nourishing your body, mind and spirit. Whether you suffer from anxiety or burnout, low self-esteem, or feeling unworthy of love, the guided self-compassion meditations and retreat environment can dismantle these patterns and make a fresh start.
- Awaken your heart with meditations that evoke loving-kindness and compassion
- Receive tools for developing well-being and resilience
- Be kinder with your dear body
- Cultivate appreciation and gratitude
- Learn a nourishing method for “heart-to-heart” communication
The retreat also includes visits to two ancient Buddhist temples nearby, (including a World Heritage site) which you may opt out of.
Along with the retreat sessions, you’ll have time to enjoy the tropical gardens, an open-air restaurant terrace, spa treatments, sunrise and sunset vistas over a wide valley, a swimming pool, and delicious meals cooked with love.
Get a taste of self-compassion!
Join the free Open Sunday Self-Compassion Meditations.
Write to get the zoom link: clearbluesky1@zoho.com.
Start & end times:
Late February 2025 – to be confirmed.
Following international travel, everyone is strongly encouraged to arrive two days early.
Retreat cost: to be confirmed
* Early bird deposit due by September 30th, 2024.
Hotel prices * to be confirmed
Double room: __ per night per person, with full board (3 meals a day, tea and snacks, and including all taxes and surcharges) *.
Triple room: __ per person with full board, inclusive *.
Single room: __ per night with full board, inclusive *.
Included in the hotel price
3 meals a day, tea and snacks at breaks
Swimming pool & outdoor lounge area
Open-air terrace restaurant with sweeping views
Yoga mats, meditation cushions and use of a spacious outdoor Yoga pavilion
Buffet meals fulfilling various needs: e.g. vegetarian, ayurvedic, gluten-free.
Exceptional experiences, an amazing atmosphere, and beautifully landscaped gardens.
The attentive and caring staff are happy to look after all your needs.
* NOTE – The hotel price & retreat costs do not include:
Flight tickets, travel health insurance, a visa for Sri Lanka, shared transport costs for temple visits, or transportation to and from the airport. The hotel is happy to arrange paid airport pickup and dropoff when you inform them of your arrival and departure dates.
Self-compassion Meditation Retreat Schedule
(subject to change, depending on extracurricular outings)
8 – 9am Breakfast
9 – 10.30 Session
10.30 – 11 Break
11 – 12.30 Session
1 – 4pm Lunch & break
4 – 5 Session
5 – 5.30 Break
5.30 – 6.30 Session
7 – 8pm Dinner
Meditation retreat sessions include:
- Tools for building well-being and resilience
- Cultivating appreciation and gratitude
- Constructive ways of relating with one’s inner critic
- Identifying and dismantling the barriers to having compassion for oneself
- An emergency on-the-spot method of self-compassion
- Research findings on the benefits of meditating on love
- Communication skills for authentic “heart-to-heart” listening
- Guided meditations that evoke kindness and compassion for oneself and others
- Gentle beginner’s movement, including Qi Gong or yoga.
The retreat is designed to support people who are new to meditation. The meditations are guided, so you can relax while listening and follow the flow.
The retreat also includes visits to two ancient Buddhist temples in the area, (including a World Heritage site) which you may opt out of.
For more information, write: clearbluesky1@zoho.com
I’ve been leading professional palliative care trainings and compassion retreats since 1978, and now I found the perfect spot. Coming to this hotel for two days, I found it so wonderful, beautiful and nourishing that I ended up staying for six weeks! Resting here, enjoying the good food and stunning views and regular Ayurvedic massages was the best thing I could do for my dear body. And, feeling the good heart and love of all the staff, I felt safe and well-cared for. You’re warmly invited to join my nourishing retreat at this lovely hotel in Sri Lanka, what most visitors describe as “a little paradise on earth”.
– Christine Longaker
Testimonials
I started really working on self-forgiveness in the initial Sunday session I had with you one year ago, and feel so grateful to say that today when I did the “Self-forgiveness” meditation, there were only minor mistakes that I sought to forgive myself for and it was easy to have that loving presence just fill my heart. I basked in it and found immense joy. Thank you so much.
I notice changes in my physiology as there seems to be a lower level of activation in my body in response to stress. I have also observed that I’m much quicker to catch myself being self-critical and to turn that into self-compassion. I’ve also seen changes in my friendships and dating life as I find that I am much less judgmental and more loving and curious about others. I find myself seeking connection and relationships without any agenda. As it can be easy to return to old patterns, I enjoy attending the Sunday meditation group and engaging each day with the meditations you give us. Your meditations have helped me in my clinical practice as a psychologist. – Chris
I’ve been practicing the “Finding Breathing Space in your Body” meditation. As I have chronic pain, it has been revelatory to greet it with kindness. I’ve done straight-forward body scans and other mindful meditations for pain before, but I’ve never approached it with this loving, non-judgmental aspect, which is comforting. And, the word “dear”, as in “This dear body, is worthy of my love” is very helpful. It was a little hard to say because I am not used to treating my body so kindly. It feels soft and gentle. – Sally
The “Healing Warmth of Love” meditation was powerful and helped me to not only feel love for myself but to want to share that inner love with others. So I thank you for that and your other wonderful gifts. You have made such a positive impact and difference in my life and I’m sure the lives of many others all over the world. I am very much looking forward to meeting you and thanking you in person in Sri Lanka. – C.M.
For me the most useful thing in recent meditations has been learning to just sit with painful emotions and discomfort and not try to change anything. It’s really helped me in some difficult situations, for example, dealing with challenging relatives at a funeral. I felt more able to observe and relax, even if it felt unpleasant and triggering, and not be drawn in to habitual negative interactions, as I usually am.
It’s a really new approach for me to just accept situations or feelings I don’t like instead of trying to “improve” or correct them. It can be really challenging not to run from things but I’m learning to trust the process and now I’m seeing the benefits. A big thank you for your inspiration in creating these meditations. – Therese
I’ve learned from a trauma researcher, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, that mindfulness can only be effective if we have self-compassion. I’ve been practicing mindfulness meditation for a long time, but have been missing this self-compassion and self-forgiveness piece in my practice. Being in your groups helped me fill in that missing piece. – Anon.
You’re welcome to join Christine’s free Open Sunday Self-Compassion meditations.
Write here to get the zoom link for the online sessions: clearbluesky1@zoho.com.
About Christine Longaker
My passion is to support people in re-connecting with their inner essence, the deep kindness and sense of ease with which they were born.
My first book, Facing Death and Finding Hope, was published by Doubleday in 1997, and is translated into 8 languages. I spent forty years training medical professionals in emotional and spiritual care for illness and dying, as well as self-care and preventing burnout.
Ten years ago, after a prolonged period of deep crises, I discovered that the core of our struggles is not feeling worthy of love, and not knowing how to come home to our true essence, which is free of suffering.
Since 2014 I’ve been researching and writing on self-compassion, resilience, forgiveness and easing grief. I offer free online guided meditations every Sunday, and a self-compassion retreat in Sri Lanka in February. My forthcoming book on self-compassion is drawn from years of personal research and teaching.
Here you can sample or buy the album of Guided meditations on Self-Compassion.