Compassion meditation is a type of meditative discipline that combines the benefits of activity with ideas about how individuals relate to others. It is believed that compassion can be learned through repetitive tasks that center the individual on compassionate traits, and can benefit overall well-being and the community. This type of meditation involves centering, eliminating distractions, and visualizing a person or group to direct compassionate thinking towards. It has gained popularity among holistic wellness experts and mind/body therapists.
Compassion meditation is a specific type of meditative discipline focused on combining the conventional benefits of activity with ideas about how the individual relates to others. Some proponents of this type of meditation argue that including a compassionate element can enhance the meditation and increase a person’s overall well-being, benefiting their community. This new type of meditation is a general category of meditative activity promoted by a mix of gurus and others familiar with the meditative arts.
One of the ideas behind compassion meditation is the premise that compassion is a “skill” that can be learned by humans. Before new research, most people considered compassion to be an innate personality trait, something influenced by genetics and other factors. Now, scientists say that compassion can be gained through certain activities such as compassion meditation.
MRI studies have shown that areas of the brain that control compassion and other traits respond to repetitive tasks that center the individual on these traits. This forms the basis for many thoughts on compassionate meditation and similar activities. Generally, individuals who practice compassion meditation try to “channel” compassion and, with repeated efforts, may be able to truly change the way they think and live.
Those who want to practice this type of meditation often begin with a common process of “centering,” or eliminating distractions. This involves closing your eyes or otherwise blocking out visual distractions, as well as using controlled breathing. A proper environment is required for centering; experts suggest a quiet space, free from strong odors or temperature extremes, and still sufficient to control the concentration of the mind.
In this type of meditation, people often begin to visualize a person they have a liking for. This sets the stage for what will be a general “output” of compassionate thinking. Over the course of a meditation session, the person will go through the direction of compassion towards various people, groups or areas of the world.
Compassionate meditation has received a lot of attention from holistic wellness experts and mind/body therapists offering services to today’s market. The idea has also been prominently featured on popular daytime television shows and other venues. More and more people are thinking about how this kind of directed emotional activity can change their lives, whether it’s in relation to the physical body, their mindset, or both.
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