Name: Between Joy and Sorrow
Start: 2026-02-21T19:00:00-08:00
End: 2026-02-21T21:00:00-08:00
Location: SF Dharma Collective

Through stillness & sound, we explore how sadness & grief can integrate with joy & connection, rather than be held in isolation.
About this Event

An Evening of Music and Meditations on Compassion

Workshop / Experiential Session with Erika Rosenberg, Ph.D., and Chris Dingman

In-Person at 2929 24th Street & Online via Zoom

Compassion occupies a tender space between joy and sorrow. When we cultivate compassion, we build the capacity to hold the opposites of these emotional spaces, which is needed to embrace life as it is, in all its beauty and pain (and everything in between).

This 2 hour experiential session blends guided meditation and live music as complementary healing modalities. Through stillness, sound, and reflection, we will explore how sadness, grief, and longing can be integrated with joy, connection, and meaning, rather than held in isolation.

Led by compassion educator Erika Rosenberg, Ph.D. and acclaimed vibraphonist Chris Dingman, the evening will offer a gently structured journey involving brief experiential meditation practices, contextual teaching, and extended immersive musical segments that can carry us beyond words into a felt sense of compassion. We will conclude with discussion, Q&A, and a closing communal reflection.

This is a fundraiser and tickets are required! Limited capacity - register to get your spot today.

We are offering tickets with sliding scale tiers to honor different capacities. Please choose the tier that feels aligned with your ability to support this event. If additional scholarship support is needed, please contact us at [email protected]

Erika Rosenberg, Ph.D. is a scientist, author, and teacher dedicated to helping people connect, find joy, and suffer less. A co-developer of Stanford’s Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT™) with Thupten Jinpa, Erika is Founding Faculty at The Compassion Institute and teaches at the Nyingma Institute in Berkeley. A long time practitioner of Tibetan Buddhist meditation, Dr. Rosenberg’s academic work focuses on the study of emotion, facial expression, and meditation. At the Center for Mind and Brain at UC Davis, she is a member of the Saron Lab, which conducts multi-disciplinary, path-breaking research in contemplative science. She is co-author of What the Face Reveals and Psychology: Perspectives & Connections and author of numerous scientific articles.