Today while looking at cnn.com, I came across interesting new alternative technique for the prevention of depression called “Compassion Meditation”. The method was inspired by Tibetan Buddhists, specifically the Dalai Lama, who is now an associate professor at Emory University in Atlanta where the new meditation process is being studied.
Dr. Charles Raison, of Emory University, says the idea behind compassion meditation is that “our perceptions of other people are flawed” and that “we tend naturally to see some people as friends and other people as enemies and a whole bunch of people in the middle who are sort of non-entities”. The theory is that those people in the middle become important later on. Raison uses the example; “if you aren’t married yet, a stranger is your wife; a stranger is your next boss”. The meditation processes is a way of changing our minds about how we think about those people in the middle. Dr. Raison believes that through the process of meditation it is hoped that people can become more equitable toward everyone, which will in turn reduce our chances of having depression.
Raison says results from studies being done are “very promising”.
(11 votes, average: 4.09 out of 5)
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14 Responses to “Dalai Lama inspires depression prevention technique” (Pingbacks/trackbacks not shown below)
Sue Luffman at 6:26 pm on
January 26th, 2008
The Dalai Llama has long since inspired me. I am not a buddhist, but I have found that the most easiest way to cope with my depression and chronic fatigue is to meditate daily for a few minutes. For me, it helps to strengthen the inner belief in myself, helps me leave all pressing problems large, small and imagined far behind in my meditation place. It also helps to quell the chaoes in my mind. A few minutes of silence and emptiness, compassion for myself, my inner self and my body.Ready to fight- gently and methodically the next day.
Loden Jinpa at 5:10 pm on
January 27th, 2008
This comes as no surprise really. Because if you remove all the culture trimmings of Buddhism whatever culture it comes from, in this case Tibet, the Buddhist tradition is about delineating dysfunctional states of mind and replacing them with functional ones. A basis tenet of Buddhism is that all happiness, suffering and so forth comes from the mind. and that our fundamental nature is pure - not pure in the religious moralistic sense but, pure in that our minds are not stained by dysfunctional states of consciousness. Buddhism puts a great deal of emphasis of consciousness, it is the primary object of investigation practicing Buddhists, and meditation is seen as both a diagnostic and therapeutic tool in this endeavour.
GregRogers at 10:53 am on
January 28th, 2008
Not to mention Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, which has shown phenomenal results in preventing depression relapse. MBCT is a program based on Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program (MBSR) which has shown everything from faster healing of psoriasis to actual changes in activity in areas of the brain.
ko at 12:48 pm on
January 28th, 2008
“The method was inspired by Tibetan Buddhists, specifically the Dalai Lama, who is now an associate professor at Emory University in Atlanta where the new meditation process is being studied.”
The Dalai Lama is now an associate professor at Emory?
;)
GregRogers at 1:29 pm on
January 28th, 2008
Actually, according to Emory’s website, “His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama has been named Presidential Distinguished Professor at Emory University, the first university appointment accepted by the 1989 Nobel Peace Laureate and leader of the Tibetan exile community.”
dakinismile at 12:14 pm on
January 29th, 2008
i manage my depression via the combinee eastern practices of yoga and sitting. i have heard both hhdl and raison reference the benefits of compassion meditations. can anyone please suggest one or two in particular?
rebecca at 10:25 pm on
January 31st, 2008
This method sounds very promising, however, what about those we perceive as enemies? Isn’t it also important to place an emphasis on looking for the positive attributes, and making those people important as well? Or, will the method eventually accomplish this in the long run?
Sarah at 11:07 pm on
January 31st, 2008
I also do not share buddhist belifs but I think that this method of meditation to fight depression is very interesting. Many times people are depressed becasue they are lonely and do not feel in sync with the rest of the world. If we are able to change the way we see each other through meditation I think that this might help.
ZP at 11:15 pm on
October 1st, 2008
The Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy website says that the program teaches “how to sidestep mental habits such as rumination and self-blame.” Although the stated purpose of MBCT is preventing cases of depression, it seems reasonable to assume that, because it teaches people to deal with negative thinking, it will at least serve as a treatment for mild to moderate depression when used in combination with other treatment(s), especially for people who have experience with meditation. For example, the University of Kansas program Therapeutic Lifestyle Change, which is described by the researchers as a treatment for depression, includes “anti-ruminative behaviors” as one of its six “elements.”
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The Dalai Llama has long since inspired me. I am not a buddhist, but I have found that the most easiest way to cope with my depression and chronic fatigue is to meditate daily for a few minutes. For me, it helps to strengthen the inner belief in myself, helps me leave all pressing problems large, small and imagined far behind in my meditation place. It also helps to quell the chaoes in my mind. A few minutes of silence and emptiness, compassion for myself, my inner self and my body.Ready to fight- gently and methodically the next day.
This comes as no surprise really. Because if you remove all the culture trimmings of Buddhism whatever culture it comes from, in this case Tibet, the Buddhist tradition is about delineating dysfunctional states of mind and replacing them with functional ones. A basis tenet of Buddhism is that all happiness, suffering and so forth comes from the mind. and that our fundamental nature is pure - not pure in the religious moralistic sense but, pure in that our minds are not stained by dysfunctional states of consciousness. Buddhism puts a great deal of emphasis of consciousness, it is the primary object of investigation practicing Buddhists, and meditation is seen as both a diagnostic and therapeutic tool in this endeavour.
Not to mention Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, which has shown phenomenal results in preventing depression relapse. MBCT is a program based on Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program (MBSR) which has shown everything from faster healing of psoriasis to actual changes in activity in areas of the brain.
“The method was inspired by Tibetan Buddhists, specifically the Dalai Lama, who is now an associate professor at Emory University in Atlanta where the new meditation process is being studied.”
The Dalai Lama is now an associate professor at Emory?
;)
Actually, according to Emory’s website, “His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama has been named Presidential Distinguished Professor at Emory University, the first university appointment accepted by the 1989 Nobel Peace Laureate and leader of the Tibetan exile community.”
i manage my depression via the combinee eastern practices of yoga and sitting. i have heard both hhdl and raison reference the benefits of compassion meditations. can anyone please suggest one or two in particular?
This method sounds very promising, however, what about those we perceive as enemies? Isn’t it also important to place an emphasis on looking for the positive attributes, and making those people important as well? Or, will the method eventually accomplish this in the long run?
I also do not share buddhist belifs but I think that this method of meditation to fight depression is very interesting. Many times people are depressed becasue they are lonely and do not feel in sync with the rest of the world. If we are able to change the way we see each other through meditation I think that this might help.
The Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy website says that the program teaches “how to sidestep mental habits such as rumination and self-blame.” Although the stated purpose of MBCT is preventing cases of depression, it seems reasonable to assume that, because it teaches people to deal with negative thinking, it will at least serve as a treatment for mild to moderate depression when used in combination with other treatment(s), especially for people who have experience with meditation. For example, the University of Kansas program Therapeutic Lifestyle Change, which is described by the researchers as a treatment for depression, includes “anti-ruminative behaviors” as one of its six “elements.”
