The Compassion Caravan

03/01/2021

Relax Renew Restore
Nurses in Nature Retreat
Friday, October 1st and Saturday, October 2nd, 2021
Visit www.CompassionCaravan.com to learn more
Located at: Innabah Camp and Retreat Center
712 Pughtown Rd.
Spring City, PA 19475

10/29/2020

09/21/2020

Happy International Day of Peace
"It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it."
— Eleanor Roosevelt
Practicing Compassion for Self and Others is a great way to spread peace.

09/14/2020

Compassionate Listening Circles for Nurses and Healthcare Workers:
- To offer Compassionate Heart-Center places for nurses and other healthcare workers to be heard.
- To offer Connection.
- To be fully present for others.
- To embrace common humanity.
- Circles are a no judgement space. The privacy of all individuals is to be respected; what is said in the circle, stays in the circle. There is no cross-talk. Shares are to be in regard to oneself and spoken from the I statement. Circle facilitators will remind all participants of these guidelines and support the group in maintaining its emotional, mental, and spiritual safety.
- The Compassionate Listening Circles are not a place for feedback, guidance, or problem-solving. Resource Referrals can be provided for this.

**DISCLAIMER** The Compassionate Listening Circles are a virtual Compassionate Listening offering and are not a replacement or substitute for medical, psychological or mental health crisis care. Participants are requested to let all facilitators know of their need to access such supports and agree to provide their phone number to the facilitator. Participation in the circles is fully voluntary. Facilitators are present to Compassionately listen and are not serving as a crisis or mental health support team.**

07/29/2020

Connection and compassion for you. Visit https://www.compassioncaravan.com and request a zoom invite.

06/13/2020

Seeking Compassionate Connection?
Compassionate Listening Circles are a safe space for nurses and healthcare workers in all settings to share what is on their minds and hearts. Silence is a welcomed share and all are invited. They were created to provide an online Zoom Circle for heart-centered listening to what nurses need to express around their experience during the COVID crisis and other healthcare and life challenges. Visit www.CompassionCaravan.com for more information and Summer Zoom invites.
Summer 2020 Schedule
Saturdays 12 noon EST (5/30-July 25),
Sundays 8:30 pm EST (5/31-8/30),
Wednesdays 6:30 pm EST (5/27-8/26)

06/04/2020

"When the Power of Love overcomes the love of power; the World will know Peace." Jimi Hendrix

05/14/2020

Walking the Path of Compassion
"We all share an identical need for Love...I try to treat whomever I meet as an old friend. This gives me a genuine feeling of happiness. It is the Practice of Compassion. "
The Dalai Lama

05/04/2020

"Love is the Voice Under All Silences." E.E. Cummings
Join Us for a Compassionate Listening Circle to be Silently and Lovingly Heard.

04/24/2020

Compassion In Action

I saw this post from Ira Byock, a leading palliative care and hospice physician and author of a beautiful book about healing relationships called The Four Things That Matter Most. (spoiler alert: saying these four things will get you far in just about any relationship that needs help: “Please forgive me,” “I forgive you,” “Thank you,” and “I love you”) Byok wrote the following:

Years ago, anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about fishhooks or clay pots or grinding stones.
But no. Mead said that the first sign of civilization in an ancient culture was a femur (thighbone) that had been broken and then healed. Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, get to the river for a drink or hunt for food. You are meat for prowling beasts. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal.
A broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has taken time to stay with the one who fell, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended the person through recovery. Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts, Mead said.
We are at our best when we serve others. Be civilized.

I chose an image of Florence Nightingale for this post because I have always wondered why she isn't celebrated more as a world wide hero. Maybe now after the pandemic, we will elevate nurses to their rightful place in society.

04/22/2020

Compassion in Action