Posted as FYI.... Edgar
On Apr 2, 2013, at 9:03 AM, Bill! wrote: > Edgar, > > Of course I have no disagreement and I'd like to believe the conclusion of > this article, but do you agree with it that the tests they ran could be > called 'scientific'? > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen <edgarowen@...> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Can meditation make you a more compassionate person? > > > April 1st, 2013 in Psychology & Psychiatry=20 > > > > > > > > > Scientists have mostly focused on the benefits of meditation for the > > > brain = > > > and the body, but a recent study by Northeastern University's David > > > DeSteno= > > > , published in Psychological Science, takes a look at what impacts > > > meditati= > > > on has on interpersonal harmony and compassion. > > > > > > Several religious traditions have suggested that meditation does just > > > that,= > > > but there has been no scientific proof-until now. > > > > > > In this study, a team of researchers from Northeastern University and > > > Harva= > > > rd University examined the effects meditation would have on compassion > > > and = > > > virtuous behavior, and the results were fascinating. > > > > > > The study > > > > > > This study-funded by the Mind and Life Institute-invited participants to > > > co= > > > mplete eight-week trainings in two types of meditation. After the > > > sessions,= > > > they were put to the test. > > > > > > Sitting in a staged waiting room with three chairs were two actors. With > > > on= > > > e empty chair left, the participant sat down and waited to be called. > > > Anoth= > > > er actor using crutches and appearing to be in great physical pain, would > > > t= > > > hen enter the room. As she did, the actors in the chair would ignore her > > > by= > > > fiddling with their phones or opening a book. > > > > > > The question DeSteno and Paul Condon - a graduate student in DeSteno's > > > lab = > > > who led the study - and their team wanted to answer was whether the > > > subject= > > > s who took part in the meditation classes would be more likely to come to > > > t= > > > he aid of the person in pain, even in the face of everyone else ignoring > > > he= > > > r. "We know meditation improves a person's own physical and psychological > > > w= > > > ellbeing," said Condon. "We wanted to know whether it actually increases > > > co= > > > mpassionate behavior." > > > > > > Meditation works > > > > > > Among the non-meditating participants, only about 15 percent of people > > > acte= > > > d to help. But among the participants who were in the meditation sessions > > > "= > > > we were able to boost that up to 50 percent," said DeSteno. This result > > > was= > > > true for both meditation groups thereby showing the effect to be > > > consisten= > > > t across different forms of meditation. "The truly surprising aspect of > > > thi= > > > s finding is that meditation made people willing to act virtuous - to > > > help = > > > another who was suffering - even in the face of a norm not to do so," > > > DeSte= > > > no said, "The fact that the other actors were ignoring the pain creates > > > as = > > > 'bystander-effect' that normally tends to reduce helping. People often > > > wond= > > > er 'Why should I help someone if no one else is?'" > > > > > > These results appear to prove what the Buddhist theologians have long > > > belie= > > > ved-that meditation is supposed to lead you to experience more compassion > > > a= > > > nd love for all sentient beings. But even for non-Buddhists, the findings > > > o= > > > ffer scientific proof for meditation techniques to alter the calculus of > > > th= > > > e moral mind. > > > > > > Provided by Northeastern University > > > > > > > > > "Can meditation make you a more compassionate person?." April 1st, 2013. > > > ht= > > > tp://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-meditation-compassionate-person.html > > > > > > >
