Don't you think our world is lacking in mercy? If we all acquired a little bit of patience, kindness and mercy, it would become much easier for us, wouldn't it?
Yes, but how can one not forget about the most important thing in everyday tense contradictions of life? It turns out there is a good remedy. According to scientists, meditation can help us become more compassionate.
Meditation is not limited to physical and psychological well-being, according to new research from Northeastern University. Meditation can actually make us kinder.
As reported in the journal Psychological Science, the scientists gathered volunteers and tested them for compassion. The model used was the desire to help someone in physical pain when other people in the immediate vicinity remained indifferent. At the start of the study, only 15% of the participants were willing to help.
The researchers then used different meditation techniques in different groups of participants and cross-checked the results. It turned out that after the courses, about 50% of the participants wanted to help a person with severe physical pain. However, there was no difference in what meditation methods people used during the study.
“Indeed, the surprising conclusion is that meditation made people ready to act in the most humane way and help the suffering in the conditions when others passed by. Typically, using the aloof bystander effect reduces the desire to help. Therefore, the effect of meditation is all the more striking,”said study author David DeStino.
Previous research has already confirmed that meditation literally changes our brains at the physical level. A brain study (EEG) has shown that during meditation, the brain produces very high intensity gamma waves that are associated with consciousness, attention, learning and memory. There is also over-activity in the left prefrontal cortex, which creates "unprecedented potential for happiness" and a reduced tendency towards negativity.
If you notice that you lack tolerance or want to radiate compassion towards all people, turn to meditation. Having passed through the millennia, this ancient method has not accidentally gained such popularity and spread throughout the world. Meditation can make us healthier, happier, and more compassionate.
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