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Whether you are a man or woman, empathy is a dying art. Life is so loud and distracting it becomes harder to sense what is going on around us. The less we are aware in the moment, the harder it is to tune into other people's feelings and intentions.... To increase your empathy, you have to both control your wandering mind and strengthen your capacity to empathize through practice. Here's how: Be quiet, inside and out...
Fully watch as well as listen...
Ask yourself what you are Publishfeeling...
Test your instinct... by Marcia Reynolds,
A new study suggests empathetic body language and behavior are linked to a genetic variation associated with sociability. People with the “prosocial” gene displayed more caring and trusting nonverbal behaviors, like head nods, smiles, and eye contact, while listening to a loved one describe a time of suffering. They were also rated as more empathetic by strangers who watched them for 20 seconds on silent videotape. It was amazing to see how the viewers were able to so accurately match the people to their genes, researcher Sarina Rodrigues Saturn, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at Oregon State University, says in the release. "It makes sense that a gene crucial for social processing would yield these findings; other studies have shown that people are good at judging people at a distance and first impressions really make an impact." By Jennifer Warner
http://www.ted.com In our louder and louder world, says sound expert Julian Treasure, "We are losing our listening." In this short, fascinating talk, Treasure shares five ways to re-tune your ears for conscious listening -- to other people and the world around you.
Empathy can be facilitated in numerous ways. Parents can teach empathy at a young age by always posing the question or mindset of “how do you think that makes them feel?” When they take a toy from their friend, this tactic helps kids to think critically about their actions and the repercussions it has on others. During the teenage years, teachers and youth-leaders can help facilitate understanding through well-integrated service learning (click to learn more), a learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. This type of teaching, when student-led, can have reverberating effects in the lives of teens not only at the moment, but years down the road. by Saras Chung
Empathy is the moral virtue that helps children “identify with and feel other people’s concerns.” When they do, they are more likely to reach out and respond in more caring, compassionate ways to others. Unlike genetics or appearance or most temperaments, empathy can be cultivated, and research shows that our infants are already hard-wired. The best way to nurture empathy is for children to witness or experience it. So now review the last few days: “What has your child done or seen that would stretch — or shrink — his or her empathy growth?” by Dr. Michele Borba
Embodied listening/ empathy exercise with Mark Walsh of Integration Training and friend Hannah Gower.
When you become more compassionate, who wins?
Your spouse, kids, coworkers? Yes, but science is showing that the biggest winner is you!
Compassion meditation is an ancient and powerful tool whose strength is being tested in many labs around the world. Richard Davidson of the University of Wisconsin recently demonstrated remarkable changes in the brains of people who had meditated on compassion for as little as two weeks. We have based this boot camp on his work. The bootcamp has now been completed. Check out the results here
Students at Glendover Elementary are walking in someone else’s shoes during the school’s Special Needs Awareness Week. “Acceptance begins with knowledge and understanding,” said organizer Kim Grasso, who hopes it’s a starting point for greater acceptance and kindness toward all children. “We really want to hit home with children this age that you want to be empathetic to others and just because you have a disability doesn’t mean you’re disabled,” said Grasso, noting that hurdles sometimes can enhance a child’s other abilities and natural talents. “I think of my son as a little workhorse,” she added. “It’s amazing the obstacles he has to go through.”
Over 14 million Americans are unemployed. Now imagine you’re one of them. Your savings are gone. You’ve lost your house. You’re a single parent. You’re down to your last $1,000. Can you make it through the month?' Spent is a simulation designed to introduce young people to what it means to truly be down on your luck.
Regarded as one of the greatest human virtues by all major religious traditions, compassion is an emotional response and attitude toward others that is deeply empathetic. It enables us to connect to human suffering with care and understanding, acting in ways that brings comfort to those around us. Compassion causes us to remain charitable, even if others behave negatively. Research shows that compassion plays a key role in helping children develop into engaged, caring, and optimistic adults. 3 Ways Families Instill Compassion during Childhood Developing compassion in children involves all adults stepping up to do their parts – families, teachers, clergy, and community leaders. by MARILYN PRICE-MITCHELL PhD
In the world of a toddler, the world revolves around him. Many toddlers end up throwing a temper tantrum because they don't understand that they can't always get what they want. Toddlers do not have a natural sense of empathy toward what others are feeling. However, you can lead your toddler through activities that can help him grasp the concept of empathy. Games Talking Reading Care Responsibility Play dates By Kimberly Turtenwald
What is empathy? It is being able to put yourself in someone else's shoes, look at what is happening to them and try to understand how they might be feeling. Why is this important to teach children empathy? Well if your child is a more empathetic person they will most likely be less inclined to become a bully. So what can you do to teach them empathy? 1) One of the things that you can do as a parent right from the start is to... By AJ Mior
Mind with Heart aims to create the conditions for young people to come to a firm commitment to empathy and compassion based on their own reasoning, experience and initiative. Mind with Heart is offering three-day breaks for teachers to explore the role of empathy and mindfulness in enhancing personal well-being, relationships with students and colleagues, and day-to-day motivation and efficacy. The full details will be available next week.
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Bullying is a major problem in our schools and social networks of children today. Roots of Empathy is a program that takes a preventative approach in helping children to understand the feelings of others. This in turn helps them to develop tolerance and acceptance of difference, thus reducing bullying and aggression. The key to the success of this program is a young infant who comes into their classroom once a month during the school year. The children bond to the baby and experience empathy.
Jennifer’s work on empathy is fantastic and she continues that line of schlolarship w/ the piece. Essentially she says that when addressing value-based problems, empathy is critical. The paper discusses how to teach empathy (yes, it can be done). Jen in conjunction with Larry Susskind have developed roleplays doing this (available at the Harvard PON) and this paper discusses her experience doing this. The commenters enjoyed the piece, a sampling:
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The more you practice the steps to empathy the better you will get at it and the more naturally and easily you will be able to step out of your world and into the world of another person. .. You can practice empathy anywhere anytime. By doing so you will get a vacation and you will get to know more about yourself and another person. You will have also given someone attention, which is a very nice reward for them. And you will benefit by practicing moving your attention on purpose. In our fast paced world attention is something people often don’t get enough of. The simple empathy exercise strengthens your ability to put your attention where you want it. As you practice the empathy you will become the master of your own attention. So not only do you get a vacation but you come back with new skills and strengths that will help you many times a day. by Jerry Stocking
Jason March will talk about How Art Can Heal–the Power of Compassionate Connections At at time when people are becoming more socially isolated, with fewer strong social connections, research is documenting the profound psychological and physical benefits of connecting with other people, ranging from stronger immune systems to greater happiness. But how can we foster this connection? A recent wave of studies is suggesting that art can play an important role. This research suggests that creating art–through writing and other methods–brings many of the same therapeutic benefits as maintaining close relationships. What’s more, studies have found that art can boost important qualities–including greater empathy–among people who consume art, not just those who create it.
When people are asked to list the best qualities of humans, kindness and compassion are always at the top of the list. We're able to be compassionate with others in large part because we can empathize with them. Empathy is key to a healthy, compassionate person (and a healthy, compassionate world), and studies show that we're innately wired to be empathetic, and that even at a very young age we demonstrate (and show a preference for) empathy.
Jinpa was invited to be a visiting research scholar by the recently established Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University, where he has developed a program titled Compassion Cultivation Training.
This eight-week secular program consists of a sequence of exercises that progressively cultivate mental stability through present-focused attention and compassion for friends and family, self, strangers and disliked people. (See sidebar on page 12 to learn more about this program.)
I want my daughter to be someone who shows compassion. I want her to someday be the 'big-girl' on the bus who reaches out to a child in need. But how do I instill that instinct in her? Our kindergarten daughter started riding the bus this year and it was not a smooth transition. Tears, pleas for mom or dad to drive her and sad glances out the bus window were a regular part of our morning routine for several weeks.While chatting about her bus trip the other night, we learned that an older girl on Erin’s bus has taken it upon herself to walk Erin to her classroom each morning after getting to school. We did not ask her to do this and didn’t even know it was happening. Erin took this as normal “big-kid” response, but I saw this as wonderful act of compassion.
Researchers have developed a number of methods to try and increase empathy and understanding about schizophrenia in the wider population. One technique is to simulate the auditory and visual hallucinations sometimes experienced by people with schizophrenia, so that everyone can get an ‘insider’s perspective’ on the condition. A team of researchers have now conducted a systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies that explore the impact that these simulated hallucinations have on people.
Advanced Leadership Training for Professionals in
Education, Religion, Government and Nonprofits
November 14-17
Cascadia Center at Camp Brotherhood
Mount Vernon, WA The mission of the Compassionate Leader Intensive is to offer substantial training in leadership with the goal of encouraging effective action in the community.
The 5 day resident Intensive is a collaborative learning experience, with a high level of commitment needed to complete the course work successfully.
As a graduate of the Compassionate Leadership Intensive, you will have the opportunity to enroll in our online support community. This will include other graduates, instructors, and mentors who will be available to help address any concerns or questions you may have in further developing your compassion work – whatever that work is, and wherever it takes you. You will also be invited to engage in optional continued education through web blogs, compassion lab assignments and by supporting others in their efforts to gain experience.
Each month the NVC Academy “THEME” gives you a fresh highlight of upcoming Live NVC Courses and new or featured NVC Multimedia Library Resources (available to subscribers) on popular NVC topics. This month’s theme is Empathy. In the coming weeks, learn to leverage the power of empathy to build meaningful empathic connections, even in trying circumstances, whether at home, at work or in the community.
Can infants teach older children empathy? Canadian educator Mary Gordon is certain they can. In 1996 she founded a program called Roots of Empathy that brings an infant into an elementary classroom numerous times over the course of a year to help children identify and reflect on their own thoughts and feelings and those of others. Since then, Roots of Empathy has been featured in more 12,000 classrooms across Canada, is now catching on in the United States.. by Ethan Watters
Students at Wayside Elementary School in Potomac learned a valuable life lesson this week: people are more alike than they are different. Wayside Elementary School hosted a week of empathy training:
Care to Connect - Wayside Celebrates PossABILITIES, a special needs awareness week. They started the week with a talk by athlete and motivational speaker Jeremy NC Newman, who spoke to the students from his wheelchair about overcoming difficulties. by Peggy McEwan
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