Mindfulness test 2

Influence of compassion meditation on physiological functioning

Physiological functioning of compassion meditation: increases oxytocin and reduces cortisol; linked to physical health, better immune function in response to stress; associated with longer telomeres (which predict life span)

benefits of self compassion

11. Self-compassion is linked to reductions in anxiety, depression, stress, perfectionism, shame, body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, chronic pain; increases in life satisfaction, happiness, self-confidence, body appreciation, immune function; provides a strong buffer against anxiety; predicts more self-clarity; more stable feelings of self-worth, less contingent on performance, appearance, or social approval, less social comparison, less reactive anger; predicts levels of coping with more positive and less negative affect; reduced PTSD symptoms severity, less psychological distress, less alcohol abuse, better day-to-day functioning; linked to motivation, desire to learn and grow, less fear of failure; positive health behaviors; better body image

benefits of compassion

16. More helping behavior, empathy, forgiveness, and giving social support to others; linked to better relationship functioning and more positive regard from others; less anxiety, depression, and chronic distress; more feelings of gratitude and life satisfaction; experience more positive emotions; self-compassion has a stronger link to personal wellbeing that compassion; increased happiness, life satisfaction, optimism; decreased depression, anxiety, stress; compassion for others has a stronger link to interpersonal well-being; greater empathic concern, perspective taking, altruism, forgiveness

how the self causes suffering

6. We spend a lot of our time and energy "selfing"; leads to regretting our past and worrying about our future; engage in self-judgment, belief we should have made different choices; belief that the self is deficient and not good enough; means we take things personally and feel the need to defend our ego; sense of separate self often leads to feelings of isolation; selfing is a natural function of the default mode network, mindfulness helps deactivate the default mode network

aim of loving-kindness meditation

Aimed at making internal changes; if the self experiences loving-kindness, will put us in a happier, more peaceful frame of mind; increases sense of interconnectedness; goodwill vs. good feelings; builds intention to feel loving-kindness and goodwill toward self-others; can be taught to children

loving-kindness vs. compassion

Compassion occurs when loving-kindness meets suffering; loving-kindness broader, compassion focused on suffering only; begins by cultivating loving-kindness for self, then benefactor, neutral person, an enemy, and finally towards all sentient beings; often switched in West so start with loving-kindness towards a benefactor, springboard to self; combines words feelings, images

areas of the brain show higher activation

Expert meditators: highest levels of left-prefrontal activity ever recorded (which is associated with joy); stronger activity in right insula (empathy/maternal love); when confronting suffering, more activity in areas associated with feeling pain; increased activity in regions of brain involved in planned movement (readiness to help); increased activity in reward centers of the brain

sources of self esteem

Global self-worth (feeling overall valued as a person); specific self-worth (perceptions of competences within particular domains); global self-esteem comes form perceived competence in domains considered important; Charles H Cooley Looking-glass self (self-esteem is based on social approval; more emphasis placed on approval from acquaintances than close others); can enhance self-esteem in 2 ways a. Increasing competence (perfectionism) b. Discounting importance (slackers)

impact of self compassion on romantic relationships

In romantic relationships: more caring and supportive relationship behavior; less controlling and verbally aggressive; more likely to compromise in conflicts

Benefits of increasing compassion in the workplace

Increases worker productivity, feelings of connectedness, pride and commitment to the workplace; compassionate leaders seen as wiser, more competent; research in health care setting: employees have higher job satisfaction, superior teamwork, less absenteeism and emotional exhaustion; better patient health outcomes and patient satisfaction

Role of MBSR in increasing self-compassion

MBSR increases self-compassion; self-compassion helps explain the reductions in stress linked with MBSR

General features of the Mindful Self-Compassion program

Mindful self-compassion program: modeled on mindfulness-based stress reduction courses; designed for non-clinical populations; uses meditation, informal practice, and homework exercises as teaching tools

mindfulness vs. self compassion

Mindfulness accepts painful experience without resistance, "being" with things as they are; compassion wishes the experiencer to be free from suffering, active self-soothing; we give ourselves compassion not to feel better, but because we feel bad (we accept our pain but care about the fact that we're in pain); self-compassion gives us the safety needed to mindfully open to our pain

Role of empathetic distress in caregiver burnout

Mirror neurons create empathetic resonance; empathetic resonance can lead to secondary traumatic stress and burnout for caregivers

problems associated with the pursuit of high self esteem

Need to be special and above average to feel okay about oneself; self-enhancement bias (most people feel they're above average on culturally valued traits; social comparison; may derive self-esteem from feelings of superiority (narcissism and self-entitlement; bullying and prejudice driven by quest for high self-esteem); contingent on success in valued domain (social approval, appearance, performance; perceived appearance most important domain affecting self-esteem; appearance is even more important in girls); leads to unstable feelings of self-worth dependent on latest success or failure; often leads to feelings of inadequacy

early influences of self compassion

Parental criticism, conflict in home, secure attachment

Marshall Rosenberg

Person who developed Compassionate (Non-Violent) Communication (NVC)

evolutionary advantage of compassion

Research suggests compassion is a distinct emotion that evolved because it offered a selective advantage; formation of alliances (allows for cooperative action); groups where members had a sense of compassion helped each other and were more likely to survive; compassionate individuals raise healthier offspring; kindness rated most attractive quality in potential mate

Physiological underpinnings of self-criticism and self-compassion

Self-criticism: threat defense system (prepare for fight or flight); self-compassion: mammalian care-giving system (feeling safe and secure)

mindfulness

Self-regulating of attention so it is focusing on the present moment; taking an open, curious, accepting, non-resistant stance towards one's experiences

Two strategies recommended to caregivers to prevent burnout

Setting boundaries and self-care a. Downsides of setting boundaries: disconnects you from the person you care for, may reduce the quality of care b. Downside for self care: can only be done outside of the caregiving setting

Relationship between pain, resistance, and suffering

Suffering = Pain x Resistance; we amplify our pain when we resist the reality of the present moment

empathy fatigue vs. compassion fatigue

a. Compassion allows caregivers to be in the presence of suffering without being overwhelmed; self compassion provides the resources needed to care for others; caregiver's compassionate mind-state will impact other's mind states through emotional resonance b. For empathy, you feel what the other person is feeling so it can be overwhelming

empathy

emotional resonance - feeling what the other is feeling; a type of preverbal attunement; stems from firing of mirror neurons, literally feel emotion other is feeling

essential components of Buddhist view of empty self

The empty-self means not nothing, or that I don't exist; doesn't deny being, but questions "who" is being; suggests that there is no fixed, core individual entity that is distinct and separate from the rest of life

role of thought and personal narratives in constructing sense of self

Thought constructs the notion of separate, individual, permanent things; the mind tries to make sense of the world by encoding ever-changing experience into thoughts and concepts; unquestioning belief in thought is why we believe in the permanent "thing" called me; sense of continuity through time is a result of narratives; develop sense of self in terms of who one was, who one is, and who one expects to be; narratives string together a series of ever-changing moments to create the idea of a stable, cohesive self; narratives change according to what details are remembered, how story is framed by self and others, current mood or goals; is there a "true" self behind the "story" of me

mindfulness vs. thought

Thought does not directly reflect reality because it is encoded in representations which stands for something else; mindfulness is the awareness that we are thinking which prevents us from being caught up and carried away with the story of our thoughts and can only exist in the present moment

inter-being

We are the product of countless causes and conditions that have create and are creating our "self"; inter-being is co-dependent co-arising; it is only thought that reifies this co-dependent process as a separate "self"

NVC principles for listening in conflict situations

When others criticize or disagree with us, we usually get defensive and attack back, which escalates conflict; another way to react is not to take it personally, and try to see what is driving their behavior; identify what the other is feeling and the unmet needs underlying their feelings; start by guessing their feelings and needs, to demonstrate you're trying to understand; helps them switch focus to their own feelings and needs rather than being defensive and aggressive; when people feel understood, they usually stop attacking us and we can find more peaceful solution

why conflicts occur according to NVC

When we communicate with others in conflict situations we often cause misunderstanding and make things worse; need to understand the root of conflict to communicate more compassionately and productively; conflicts emerge when our core needs aren't met; needs are defined as universal needs that all humans share (safety, connection, love, respect, autonomy); our feelings emerge from our unmet needs

sympathy

emotional concern and caring about suffering of others; doesn't necessarily involve emotional matching (your pain, my concern); may involve feelings of pity

core types of practice in mindfulness meditation

a. Concentration: involves keeping a steady focus on a single object; even though concentration is crucial for many tasks, its usually not explicitly taught or practiced; can be developed through meditation; practices use a single focus object, like a sound, breathing, body sensation, a mantra, word, etc.; purpose is to anchor our awareness, calm and focus the mind so that it becomes less agitated; if you keep the mind still, it will eventually quiet down on its own b. Monitoring: allows awareness to rest on whatever object is most salient in the moment (sound, thought, sensation, emotion, etc.); instead of having one focal object, can easily switch form one object to another without losing mindfulness; it is usually practiced once the mind has settled after a period of concentration; insight is usually a key benefit of learning to paying attention to whatever arises in the present moment

Age, gender, cultural differences in self-compassion

a. Gender: women have slightly less self-compassion than men; women are more self-critical and tend to ruminate on negative emotions (more threat focused); interaction with gender orientation (no sex difference for androgynous women) b. Culture: Thailand had highest level of self-compassion, Taiwan had lowest levels, US was in the middle; Americans had highest levels of self-esteem; self-compassion was strongly linked to psychological well-being

assessment of the development of the self

a. Infancy: not born with sense of self; requires representational ability; symbols stand for something (pointing); use language (symbols) to represent self: I, me, mine; sense of self in humans develops around 18 months; other great apes have a rudimentary sense of self; assessed through mirror recognition task b. Childhood i. Early: sense of self is simple and concrete; all or nothing thinking about self ii. Later: can think about self in opposite ways; more accurate self-perceptions c. Early adolescence: self concept is more complex; realize have "multiple selves" - act differently with different people; feel conflict over which selves are true or false; search for consistent and coherent self d. Late adolescence and adulthood: conflict over multiple selves lessens somewhat; realize that different parts of ourselves come out in different contexts; still tend to believe that we have a core "authentic" self

3 components of self compassion

a. Kindness: treating self with understanding rather than harsh judgment i. Actively soothing and comforting self ii. Desire to alleviate suffering b. Common humanity: seeing own experience as part of larger human experience rather than isolating or abnormal i. Recognizing that life is imperfect c. Mindfulness: avoiding extremes of disconnection and over-identification with painful feelings i. Allows us to "be" with suffering as it is

benefits of mindfulness

a. Mindfulness-based stress reduction: improves health outcomes like chronic pain, blood pressure, risk of heart attack, boosts immune system, helps skin conditions, improves sleep; improves mental health outcomes like stress, anxiety, PTSD; associated with positive outcomes like life satisfaction, emotional stability, more empathy, better relationships b. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy: effective in preventing relapse as anti-depressants; reduces anxiety in patients with bipolar, anxiety disorders c. Mindfulness-based relapse prevention: reduces substance use and decreases cravings d. Mindfulness-based eating awareness training: large improvements in binge eating, bulimia, and anorexia e. Mindfulness in the workplace: decreases stress and burnout, improves productivity and creativity, increases physical health and job satisfaction; reduction in stress, improves sleep quality; helps to reduce workplace errors and increase worker safety f. Mindful leadership: less stress, increases creativity and better decision-making capacity; helps in staying organized, managing time, and setting priorities; can also increase compassion g. Mindfulness-based mind fitness training (military): better mental and physical response to stress; improved athletic performance, better sleep, better concentration and working memory; reduced symptoms of PTSD and improved mental health h. Mindfulness in sports: enhanced ability to prepare and perform; improved coach-rated performance; increase flow and self-confidence; reduce injury rate i. Mindfulness in families: improves relationship satisfaction and functioning; mindful parenting improves aggression and social behavior in children with developmental disabilities; reduces parental stress j. Mindfulness in schools: increase well-being, caring, calm, social compliance, interpersonal skills; improves attention, impulse control, reduces test anxiety k. Mindfulness and neurobiology: increases attentional control; linked to structural changes; less reactivity to threatening stimuli; reduces activity in pain centers of the brain

Three main systems targeted by Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)

a. Threat/defense system: associated with feelings of fear; evoked when we sense threat; results in fight, flight, freeze, or submit behavior; underlies self-criticism b. Drive/incentive system: associated with feelings of anticipation and pleasure; evoked when we achieve our goals; results in motivation to succeed; underlies the pursuit of high self-esteem, fosters self-criticism when goals are not met c. Safety/soothing system: associated with feelings of calm and contentment; evoked when we receive kindness, warmth, soothing; results in self-soothing and self-care when suffering; underlies self-compassion

key elements of compassion from the buddhist perspective

applies to those whose suffering is self-inflicted; applies to victims and perpetrators of harm; sees all people as humans worthy of compassion (does not condone or excuse behavior); instead of only seeing perpetrators as "bad", involves wise understanding for why we do wrong (millions of circumstances that are out of our control; family background, genes, mental illness, addiction, race, power; focuses on wrongness of behavior rather than the worth of the person); concern for self and others is interwoven; compassion leads to happiness for the self, blame and hatred leads to unhappiness for the self; means compassion always has some benefit for the self even though it is not driven by self-interest; fierce compassion (compassion can be strong and powerful in the determination to prevent harm; does not see those who cause harm as the enemy, stops injustice with love not hatred)

compassionate workplace

characterized by openly expressed kindness and care for coworker's wellbeing; have systems in place to become aware of hardships; make it easy to donate to co-workers in need; reward and recognize workers who help others

General features of the Compassion Cultivation Training program

developed by Thupten Jinpa at Stanford University; 8 week training program; settling and focusing the mind; loving-kindness and compassion for close others, oneself, and all humanity; uses meditation, interpersonal exercises; taught in many settings including health care; have found useful for reducing stress and burnout

benefits of loving-kindness meditation

increases compassion and self-compassion; enhances mental health; increases positive emotions such as love, joy, gratitude, pride, hope; decreases depression and anxiety; reduces PTSD symptoms; reduces illness symptoms and chronic pain; increases feelings of similarity and positivity toward others; less implicit bias against blacks and homeless

loving-kindness meditation

one of the key ways to develop compassion for self and others in Buddhist Theravadan tradition; Buddha taught to monks as antidote to fear; aimed at the development of loving-kindness (friendliness, benevolence, friendship, good will, sympathy; and active interest in others)

empathetic concern

other-oriented emotion congruent with the perceived welfare of someone in need; caring about the suffering of another and desiring their wellbeing; empathy alone doesn't imply empathetic concern; empathetic distress is self-focused reactions of discomfort caused by resonating with another's pain; ma lead to the avoidance of others who are suffering

3 key elements of compassion (according to western philosophy)

suffering is serious, pain is not self-inflicted, must be able to see self in same predicament

compassion from the western perspective

the humane quality of understanding of suffering of others and wanting to do something about it; compassion means "to suffer with" in Latin, implying a feeling of connectedness in suffering; debate about whether compassion must involve actual helping behavior or just the motivation to help

backdraft

the pain stored inside gets released when you give yourself self-compassion; when you give self-love, you remember all the ways you haven't been loved; this is a part of the healing process; mindfulness practices are useful for backdraft

western view of the self

the self is a fixed entity with independent existence; I-Self: cognitive constructor (thinker, doer, agent); Me-Self: cognitive construction (product, object of thought, representation); allows people to imagine self in future/past, consider alternative behaviors

altruism

voluntary, intentional observable behavior benefiting another; not performed for egoistic or self-interested purposes; not clear if compassion requires altruism; some evidence that altruistic instinct is in-born

default mode network

when the mind is at rest, the brain is highly active; sense of self is generated which projects self into the past and future and looks for problems; the mind has a negativity bias which leads to depression, rumination, worry, and regret which is evolutionarily adaptive for survival; the default mode network is quieter for long-term meditators