Buddhist Heart Practices: From Trauma to Flourishing (Ghatika Monthly #028)

Through meditation, introspective reflection, and in-depth discussion, this talk explores the four Buddhist heart practices—the cultivation of loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and impartiality. These ancient contemplative skills provide a practical and compassionate way to transform suffering. In this session, Dr. Anita Milicevic shares insights from her therapeutic and research work on trauma, and provides an introduction to the notion of post-traumatic stress and complex trauma and the path to recovery, resilience, and flourishing. The teaching shares ancient wisdom, exploring the ground of courage and boundless love that has often been neglected in clinical treatments.

The overall aim of this session is to benefit those on a personal journey of transformation and growth, as well as to enrich the skills of professionals who work with trauma. Participation during the session will reach beyond mere intellectual knowledge and delve into the heart of experiential learning and knowing. Through this experiential learning, Anita invites us to recognize that, to heal the world, we must first heal ourselves.

Additional Resources

• Guided Meditation Audio: Expanding Love from Self to Other
• Spacious Minds: Trauma and Resilience in Tibetan Buddhism by Sara E. Lewis

About Dr. Anita Milicevic

Anita, a Balkans war refugee, arrived in Australia in 2001. Since that time, she has completed an Honours degree and a PhD in Psychology. Concurrent with the 3.5 years of her PhD study, she held various positions as a Youth Justice Worker, Family Therapist, Lecturer in Psychology, and Senior Academic Leader. Anita has utilized scholarly teaching practices and subjective, first-person introspection that influence, motivate, and inspire students to learn. She has initiated an educational program on emotional literacy and is deeply passionate about researching trauma’s psychological, social, and political facets. Her research focuses on consciousness studies using phenomenology and mixed-method approaches. Since 2017, Anita has been a retreat counsellor with Lama Alan Wallace, enriching her understanding, devotion, and compassion. Her diverse background allows her to bridge psychology with other disciplines, effectively communicating to a broad audience. Acknowledged by the Victorian Refugee Recognition Record, Anita is a Member of the Australian Psychological Society (MAPS), the Australian Community Worker Association (ACWA), and a Certified Member of Spiritual Care Australia. Anita works as the Research and Education Director for the CCR, serves on the Board of Directors of CCR Europe, and conducts research at the CCR North America. She aspires to support CCR centers globally.

What is Ghatika Monthly?

Ghatika Monthly is an in-person and virtual gathering held on the 2nd Saturday of every month, in which CCR expert teachers offer accessible guidance in foundational yet transformative contemplative practices. Ghatika is the Sanskrit term for one 24-minute meditation session, which is a recommended length for beginning meditators. While most of the CCR’s expert teachers come from a Buddhist background, these sessions are designed to be secular, informative, and welcoming to beginning and advanced practitioners alike. At Ghatika Monthly, we hope to offer a taste of the contemplative technology that our full-time contemplatives cultivate for 8–12 hours per day at Miyo Samten Ling Hermitage in Crestone. Subscribe to never miss a session!