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Dec 18, 2010
"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." --Dalai Lama
Can Meditation Increase Kindness?
When Richard Davidson told his advisers at Harvard that he planned to study the power of meditation in the 1970s, they winced. But Dr. Davidson would one day find a mentor with a different frame of mind: the Dalai Lama. The Tibetan spiritual leader recently announced plans to donate $50,000 to the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at Madison, a new research lab founded by Davidson that investigates whether meditation can promote compassion and kindness. The center has just started a project to teach meditation skills to fifth graders, focusing on charitable thoughts toward loved ones, strangers, and even enemies.
BE THE CHANGE
Practice simple acts of mindfulness today, like watching your breath for a couple of minutes. Notice if you feel a greater sense of peace after a few days of regular practice.