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Courageous Compassion with Ven. Robina Courtin - 17th, 18th & 19th April 2026
Date: Friday 17th, Saturday 18th, & Sunday 19th April 2026
Time: Arrive Friday evening, closing Sunday after lunch
Format: Residential, Onsite at Lam Rim Wales
Overview
The development of compassion and bodhicitta is the point of the path to enlightenment, the end result: the removal of all separateness from others and the spontaneous capacity to benefit all sentient beings perfectly.
Why “courageous”? Because genuine compassion encompasses all living beings, including the harmers, the negative ones, not just the innocent victims. But as His Holiness the Dalai Lama says, “Compassion is not enough: we need wisdom.” Without the development of renunciation of suffering and its causes (which comes from understanding of the law of karma and the workings of one’s own mind) and of the wisdom that sees reality as it is (which comes from understanding dependent arising and emptiness), one cannot fully develop such radical compassion.
The great bodhisattvas are fierce in their determination to never give up on sentient beings: they “think in terms of eons,” as His Holiness the Dalai Lama says.
Topics include:
Understanding compassion and bodhicitta as the heart of the path.
Why real compassion must include everyone, even those who cause harm.
How wisdom, karma and emptiness support genuine compassion.
How to develop long-term courage, patience and commitment.
About the Teacher
Venerable Robina Courtin has worked full-time for Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s organisation, the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, since her ordination as a Buddhist nun in the late 1970s. Over the years she has served as editorial director of Wisdom Publications, editor of Mandala Magazine, and as a touring teacher of Buddhism. In 2000 she founded the Liberation Prison Project to help transform prisoners’ lives and help them better cope with incarceration. Her life and work with prisoners have been featured in the documentary films Chasing Buddha and Key to Freedom. Known for her straightforward and energetic teaching style, she helps people discover the potential of their own minds with clear explanations about Tibetan Buddhism and how to apply it to their lives. Her no-nonsense, at times confronting, translation of Buddhist psychology has created a world-wide following as she blasts apart all the usual stereotypes pervading religion and the 'spiritual'.
“Being a Buddhist is being your own psychologist, being your own therapist. What that means is really learning to listen to what the hell is going on inside,” Robina says. “The main cause of the misery and the neuroses and the unhappiness in our life is not the outside, but it’s the inside.”
For more information on Ven. Robina visit her website at www.robinacourtin.com
Who Should Join?
Anyone interested in meditation, religious life, and inner development, Buddhist practitioners of all levels.
Lunch & Refreshments
We are pleased to provide complimentary refreshments throughout the day and a two course vegetarian lunch included in your booking. Please advise of any dietary requirements on the booking form.
Tickets & Donation
Everyone is welcome to attend Buddhist teachings freely with no donation. However, the Centre does rely on donations to stay open, which are gratefully received. We offer two main rates to enable as many people as possible to attend our teachings. Please consider paying at the highest rate that you are able. Your generosity is vital in supporting the Centre.
Standard Rate - This includes a donation to help sustain Lam Rim Buddhist Centre, and to cover costs and teacher expenses.
Basic Rate - This covers the very basic costs of running this course.
Support Rate - Contact us via lamrimwalesmanagers@gmail.com if the above rates are too high for you where we can discuss further subsidised options.
Donate Onsite - If you prefer to donate cash or use card onsite, please select this ticket option and complete the booking form register.
Donate via BACS - If you prefer to donate via BACS, please select this ticket option and complete the booking form register. Then follow the instructions for BACS donation >
Important on Booking: Our online system uses PayPal to take donations. If you do not have a PayPal Account you can pay as a Guest. Please click the link ‘Try Another Way’ , then follow instructions for ‘Pay by Debit or Credit Card’.
Date: Friday 17th, Saturday 18th, & Sunday 19th April 2026
Time: Arrive Friday evening, closing Sunday after lunch
Format: Residential, Onsite at Lam Rim Wales
Overview
The development of compassion and bodhicitta is the point of the path to enlightenment, the end result: the removal of all separateness from others and the spontaneous capacity to benefit all sentient beings perfectly.
Why “courageous”? Because genuine compassion encompasses all living beings, including the harmers, the negative ones, not just the innocent victims. But as His Holiness the Dalai Lama says, “Compassion is not enough: we need wisdom.” Without the development of renunciation of suffering and its causes (which comes from understanding of the law of karma and the workings of one’s own mind) and of the wisdom that sees reality as it is (which comes from understanding dependent arising and emptiness), one cannot fully develop such radical compassion.
The great bodhisattvas are fierce in their determination to never give up on sentient beings: they “think in terms of eons,” as His Holiness the Dalai Lama says.
Topics include:
Understanding compassion and bodhicitta as the heart of the path.
Why real compassion must include everyone, even those who cause harm.
How wisdom, karma and emptiness support genuine compassion.
How to develop long-term courage, patience and commitment.
About the Teacher
Venerable Robina Courtin has worked full-time for Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s organisation, the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, since her ordination as a Buddhist nun in the late 1970s. Over the years she has served as editorial director of Wisdom Publications, editor of Mandala Magazine, and as a touring teacher of Buddhism. In 2000 she founded the Liberation Prison Project to help transform prisoners’ lives and help them better cope with incarceration. Her life and work with prisoners have been featured in the documentary films Chasing Buddha and Key to Freedom. Known for her straightforward and energetic teaching style, she helps people discover the potential of their own minds with clear explanations about Tibetan Buddhism and how to apply it to their lives. Her no-nonsense, at times confronting, translation of Buddhist psychology has created a world-wide following as she blasts apart all the usual stereotypes pervading religion and the 'spiritual'.
“Being a Buddhist is being your own psychologist, being your own therapist. What that means is really learning to listen to what the hell is going on inside,” Robina says. “The main cause of the misery and the neuroses and the unhappiness in our life is not the outside, but it’s the inside.”
For more information on Ven. Robina visit her website at www.robinacourtin.com
Who Should Join?
Anyone interested in meditation, religious life, and inner development, Buddhist practitioners of all levels.
Lunch & Refreshments
We are pleased to provide complimentary refreshments throughout the day and a two course vegetarian lunch included in your booking. Please advise of any dietary requirements on the booking form.
Tickets & Donation
Everyone is welcome to attend Buddhist teachings freely with no donation. However, the Centre does rely on donations to stay open, which are gratefully received. We offer two main rates to enable as many people as possible to attend our teachings. Please consider paying at the highest rate that you are able. Your generosity is vital in supporting the Centre.
Standard Rate - This includes a donation to help sustain Lam Rim Buddhist Centre, and to cover costs and teacher expenses.
Basic Rate - This covers the very basic costs of running this course.
Support Rate - Contact us via lamrimwalesmanagers@gmail.com if the above rates are too high for you where we can discuss further subsidised options.
Donate Onsite - If you prefer to donate cash or use card onsite, please select this ticket option and complete the booking form register.
Donate via BACS - If you prefer to donate via BACS, please select this ticket option and complete the booking form register. Then follow the instructions for BACS donation >
Important on Booking: Our online system uses PayPal to take donations. If you do not have a PayPal Account you can pay as a Guest. Please click the link ‘Try Another Way’ , then follow instructions for ‘Pay by Debit or Credit Card’.