In these times of increasing authoritarianism, polarization, and violence, we are committed to engaging and offering practices that help us collectively maneuver with strength, suppleness, and clarity—without reproducing patterns of violence. Learning to navigate conflict, de-escalate stressful situations, and defend and protect ourselves and others when needed is a compassionate, transformative healing stance that sits at the root of many contemplative, spiritual, and martial traditions.

Drawing on the Tibetan Buddhist archetype of the spiritual warrior, this workshop will help participants deepen their capacity for unwavering compassion; access and embody their relational power; understand their habitual patterns or “shape” under threat; and navigate interpersonal conflict with more clarity and care. This is a highly embodied and experiential workshop that will also include training in specific self-defense techniques.

REGISTER TODAY!                                                     VIEW MORE SU COURSES

Dates & Times:

March 7, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST
March 8, 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM EST
Union Theological Seminary
3041 Broadway, New York, NY 10027

Meet the Instructors:

Brooke D. Lavelle, Ph.D. is Union Theological Seminary’s new Buddhist Studies Program Manager. A long-time student and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, Brooke is the Co-Founder of Courage of Care and Co-Editor of The Arrow Journal, bringing deep experience at the intersection of contemplative practice, justice, and community building. She holds a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies and Embodied Cognition and grounds her practice and facilitation approach in the body and in context. She loves to work with individuals on shifting frameworks in order to open up possibilities for both personal practice and liberatory work. For many years she studied, taught, and researched the diversity of compassion practices and their related frameworks of liberation in K-12 education, and has experience leading national and international political, educational, and climate justice projects. As a former dancer and current student of martial arts (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai), she loves helping people (re)discover their inner sense of power and love and reawaken their commitment to treating others with dignity, care, and compassion.

Paloma Schultz (she/her) is third-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), and has been teaching BJJ and Self-Defense for women for over a decade, creating spaces where safety, confidence, and body awareness can grow. She is a Reiki Master with more than 10 years of experience in energy healing, and a practitioner of restorative practices and conflict resolution—especially within families and communities. As a certified Family and Organizational Constellations Facilitator, she specializes in healing intergenerational trauma and revealing hidden dynamics that influence our lives. Paloma practiced law in Brazil before embracing her true calling in holistic healing. As an immigrant and a mother, Paloma understand the resilience it takes to rebuild, nurture, and grow—both personally and in relationship with others. https://www.palomaschultz.net/