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Happy New Year 2026! Compassion & Mindfulness Meditation Workshop

— Cultivating Kindness, Connection, and Inner Balance —

Start the new year with a gentle, grounded heart. We invite you to a special 3-hour workshop co-led by Italian psychotherapist Cristina Ombra and mindfulness teacher Miki Yamada, held in the beautifully preserved Old Murakami House in Kamakura, a space filled with Japanese architectural elegance and quiet atmosphere.

This bilingual session (Japanese & English with interpretation) offers an experiential introduction to compassion, learning how to be kind to ourselves and to those around us, an ideal way to welcome 2026 with clarity and warmth.
Beginners are warmly welcome.

【Workshop Overview】

Important Note on Access: Entering the official address “2-8-22 Nishimikado, Kamakura City” into Google Maps may lead you to the back of the property. We recommend walking from Kamakura Station through Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, enjoying the scenery as you go. To reach the main gate of Old Murakami House, walk straight from the “Wakaremichi” traffic light toward the Nikaido Suisen Park area, then turn left just before “Daizen (curry restaurant).”  Approx. 20min walk from Kamakura Station.

  • Fee: ¥5,000 (tax included)

【Workshop Agenda】 (Subject to minor adjustments as planning continues)

  • Opening Ritual: A quiet arrival meditation to settle the mind and body
  • Introduction: What Is Compassion?
  • Compassion Practice: Body awareness, gentle movement, grounding, paired/triad dialogue, and group reflection (Short break included)
  • Closing: Reflection and group sharing

This 3-hour workshop alternates between guided practice and reflective dialogue. Please wear comfortable clothing and bring your own drink.

This program integrates Eastern and Western meditation practices, scientific psychological approaches, and mindfulness-based methods. It aims to harmonize mind, body, and relationships, supporting a more grounded and fulfilling way of living.

【Recommended For Those Who】

  • Want to begin the new year with a calm, centered mind
  • Wish to cultivate kindness and emotional resilience
  • Want to release stress and reconnect with inner balance
  • Enjoy learning in an international / cross-cultural environment
  • Wish to experience deep personal reflection in a beautiful historical setting in Kamakura

Surrounded by the tranquility of Old Murakami House and guided by two experienced facilitators from Italy and Japan, we invite you to start 2026 as a year of kindness, clarity, and gentle strength.

 
【Facilitators】

Cristina Ombra

  • Psychologist & Psychotherapist from Italy.
  • Specializes in bioenergetic analysis, TRE® (Tension & Trauma Release Exercises), mindfulness, and guided imagery, integrating body-oriented and cognitive approaches.
  • With over 30 years of meditation experience, she combines Buddhist psychological wisdom with Western psychotherapy.
  • Cristina offers individual therapy, couples therapy, group work, workshops, and educational programs across Italy, always creating a warm, non-judgmental space based on respect, acceptance, and compassion.
  • Website: https://cristinaombra.it/en/

 
Miki Yamada

  • Global Leadership Development Leader / Mindfulness Teacher
  • Miki has practiced meditation since childhood and studied philosophy, psychology, anthropology, and contemplative traditions at Sophia University and the University of Oxford (M.Phil.).
  • After roles in global consulting and completing her MBA at London Business School, she led leadership development and well-being initiatives at Johnson & Johnson and Amazon. She currently oversees global leadership development for 30,000 employees in a multinational healthcare company, while teaching mindfulness in companies, schools, and community settings.