Compassionate presence means to meet ourselves, others and the world with courage, freshness, and an awakened mind. It invites us to engage our relationships, learning, and work with authenticity, honesty, and open-heartedness, attuned to the particular needs of a given situation and drawing on the rich possibilities of insight and action we uniquely have to offer. In contemplative education, compassionate presence is regarded as the ground on which teacher and student meet; it serves as a guiding principle on the path of learning; and it marks the fruition of a student’s journey. But what is “presence,” and what is meant by “compassion”? And how might these contemplative hallmarks allow us to better navigate our complex world of technology, uncertainty, and rapid change? We will examine the role of mindful attention, open awareness, embodiment, not-knowing; and unpack notions of compassion that include not only kindness and gentleness, but also uncompromising strength and even fierceness. Drawing on the contemplative pedagogies of Naropa University and Naropa’s Mindful Compassion Training, this keynote highlights key elements of compassionate presence, and discusses ways it might be cultivated and applied in professional and personal life to meet the complexities of our modern world.

This lecture is part of a three-part series taught by Charlotte Rotterdam during the Contemplation by Design Summit. You are welcome to attend one or all three sessions. The other sessions include a guided practice titled A Compassion Practice: Tonglen and an interactive workshop titled Transforming Obstacles into Wisdom: A Compassion Practice on October 22nd. 

Charlotte Rotterdam, MTS, is a contemplative educator, meditation instructor, and Buddhist teacher. She directs Naropa University’s Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education (CACE) and has been faculty in the Core College, World Wisdom Traditions, and Graduate School of Psychology since 2002. Charlotte co-developed and teaches Naropa’s Mindful Compassion Training, a secular program to cultivate compassion in personal and professional contexts. The Mindful Compassion Training has been offered widely online and in-person; to teachers in the Great Falls, Montana School District during Covid; and most recently to employees of the City of Boulder. Charlotte served as a compassion consultant and meditation instructor for the University of Colorado-Boulder Institute of Behavioral Sciences and the Crown Wellness Institute’s Compassion and Dignity Training for educators. A Senior Teacher (Dorje Lopön) and lineage holder at Tara Mandala Buddhist Retreat Center, founded by Lama Tsultrim Allione, Charlotte teaches meditation and other Buddhist practices worldwide. She received a Masters in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. Charlotte is mother of two boys. She has published essays in Mandala, Lion’s Roar, Buddhadharma and Fearless Nest, an anthology. Co-authored with her husband, her book, Skymind: The Radical Path of Open Awareness, reflects on Buddhist nature of mind teachings from the great 11^th century Tibetan yogini Machig Labdrön and their application in modern life (forthcoming from Shambhala Publications, 2026). www.naropa.edu/cace   www.skymind.us

This session is part of the FREE Contemplation by Design Summit, Oct. 15-27, 2025.

The full summit schedule is posted at: https://med.stanford.edu/contemplation/summit.html.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stanford-contemplation-by-design-summit-2025-online-oct-15-27-registration-1520413249959