Throughout history people have sought to cope with a life that is often stressful and hard. We have actually known for some time that developing compassion for oneself and others can help us face up to and win through the hardship and find a sense of inner peace. However, in modern societies we rarely focus on this key process that underpins successful coping and happiness and can be quick to dismiss the impact of modern living on our minds and well-being. Instead, we concentrate on ‘wanting, doing, achieving and having’. Neuroscientists explain that new research shows how we can all learn to develop compassion for ourselves and others and derive the benefits of this age-old wisdom.
Decades of research has shown that practicing compassion for others and yourself can help relieve depression, heal trauma, and reduce anxiety and stress. It helps people to connect more with others, build resilience, and increases happiness and life satisfaction.
In his book ‘The Compassionate Mind’, Professor Paul Gilberts explores how our minds have developed to be highly sensitive and quick to react to perceived threats and how this fast-acting threat-response system can be a source of anxiety, depression and aggression. He describes how studies have also shown that developing kindness and compassion for self and others can help in calming down the threat system: as a mother’s care and love can soothe a baby’s distress, so we can learn how to soothe ourselves.
Not only does compassion help to soothe distressing emotions, it actually increases feelings of contentment and well-being. We can learn about the value of compassion and how it works, how we can train our minds to enhance the capacity for, and use of, compassion.
Compassion and particularly compassion towards oneself can have a significant impact on our wellbeing and mental health. Developing our sense of compassion can affect many areas of our lives, in particular our relationships with other people.
Societies built on compassion are more caring and inclusive and, as a result, more equitable and just. Research is now helping us understand how we can take the science of compassion and apply it to the formation and building of societies which thrive.
“Compassion is the courage to descend into the reality of human experience” – PAUL GILBERT
We have the resources to alleviate suffering and promote human flourishing. What we need to do is spread the will, wisdom, and courage to act. That is why we are coming together to promote, cultivate, and spread compassionate thinking, feeling, and action.
Creating communities of togetherness, empowerment and care!
