His Holiness Discusses Meditation, Compassion With Emory Scientists[Tuesday, 19 October 2010, 1:33 p.m.]

His Holiness the Dalai Lama and panelists during the conference “Mapping Current Research and Charting Future Directions” held at Emory University on 18 October 2010/Photo by Kay Hinton/Emory

Atlanta:
During the third of his visit to Emory University on 18 October, His
Holiness the Dalai Lama deliberated with scientists and educators on
the state of current research on empathy and compassion, the scientific
study of meditation practices for cultivating compassion, and the
implementation of such meditation programmes in various clinical and
educational settings.The conference, under the theme of
“Mapping Current Research and Charting Future Directions” included
panelists from Emory University, the University of Wisconsin at
Madison, and Stanford University, the three universities that are
conducting on-going scientific research on compassion meditation.The
morning session’s panelists were Dr Frans B M de Waal, C H Candler
Professor of Psychology at Emory University; Dr Richard Davidson,
Director, Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, Director,
Laboratory for Affective Neuroscience at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison; Dr Barbara L Fredrickson, Kenan Distinguished
Professor, Director, Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory
at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; Dr Philippe Goldin,
Research Scientist, Department ofPsychology at Stanford University;
and The Venerable Matthieu Ricard, Buddhist monk, photographer, and
author Dr Daniel Goleman, Psychologist, author and science journalist,
acted as the moderator.The panelists presented some of their
findings. Dr de Waal spoke on “the Evolution of Empathy and Compassion
in Humans and Other Primates.” He talked about the presence of empathy
among animals like apes and elephants through visual display of
activities by these animals. He felt that the entire communication
system of nonhuman primates seems emotionally mediated.Dr
Davidson spoke on “Neuroscientific Studies of Compassion Meditation:
Challenges and Opportunities.” He presented findings from both
long-term practitioners and novices on whether short-term practice can
make a difference on cultivating compassion.  He said that remarkable
changes can be seen.Dr Barbara L Fredrickson spoke on how
loving kindness meditation can increase positive emotions and build
additional cognitive and social resources. She said meditation on
loving kindness increases our Vagal Tone, the nerve that connects the
brain to the heart and by increasing the level of resting Vagal Tone,
we are better able to regulate our emotions, attention, and behavior.Dr
Philippe Goldin spoke on “Psychological Effects of Compassion-
Cultivation Training” and presented a research on a study that examined
the effect of an eight-session  Compassion Cultivation Training that
has been developed in Stanford University on modifying emotional
awareness distinct forms of emotion regulation, empathy and
compassionate intention in healthy adults.  He also spoke about data
that show individuals who habitually suppress emotion were less aware
of their own and others’ emotional state, less empathic, and less
willing to offer their own time for the benefit of others.In
his interventions during the presentations, His Holiness wondered
whether comparative studies have been done on the issue of cultivating
compassion to someone negative and doing the same with one’s
relatives.  In response to a question on how he perceived the issue of
suppression of emotion, His Holiness said that suppression here must be
understood as part of the mechanism that people use to project an image
that they want others to see.In the afternoon, His Holiness
first made brief remarks at a luncheon for supporters of the
Emory-Tibet Science Initiative. Thereafter, he participated in the
afternoon session of the conference.The panelists included the
following. The Venerable Matthieu Ricard, Buddhist monk, photographer,
and author; Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi, Senior Lecturer, Department of
Religion, Emory University; Dr Charles Raison, Clinical Director,
Mind-Body Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences,
Emory University School of Medicine; and  Dr Brendan Ozawa-de Silva,
Doctoral Student and Researcher, Emory University. Dr John Dunne,
Associate Professor, Department of Religion, Emory University,
moderated the session.Venerable Matthieu Ricard spoke on the
topic “Can Altruism and Compassion Be Cultivated?” He talked about the
importance of training of the mind for bringing our potential for
empathy, altruistic love, and compassion to their optimal capacity.Geshe
Lobsang Tenzin Negi spoke on “Essential Elements of Cognitive-Based
Compassion Training.”  He explained that the Cognitive Based Compassion
Training (CBCT) was a secular meditation protocol that he had developed
at Emory University.  The protocol, he said, was based on the Tibetan
Buddhist tradition of Lojong (Mind Training)but rendered in a
secular form. He said CBCT employs both focused and analytical
meditation techniques to transform the practitioner’s perspective on
events and people.  He mentioned a pilot study of CBCT for trauma
victims in Kosovo among some of the ongoing projects.Dr Charles
Raison gave a “Report from the Front Lines: An Update on
Health-Relevant Effects of Compassion meditation from Ongoing Studies
at Emory University.” He presented findings from ongoing studies that
showed that compassion training was doing rather something unique on
how people behave.   Dr Raison also mentioned a psychological stress
test that he had conducted among Tibetan students at the Tibetan
Children’s Village, which showed that students who had come out of
Tibet had higher stress level thanthose who were born in India.Dr
Brendan Ozawa-de Silva spoke on “Educating the Heart and Mind: Teaching
Cognitive-Based Compassion Training for Children.” He spoke of his
experience of undertaking studies among teenage girls under foster care
as well as among young children in the Atlanta area.  He mentioned how
there have been effective results after the training sessions.In
his remarks, His Holiness mentioned that today’s presentations were
clear scientific proof of the positive effect of compassion on the
wholesome development of the individual and for the society as a
whole.  His Holiness said over the years he had been wishing for some
concrete plans that could enable the implementation ofcompassion
training and termed the presentation of such plans during this
conference as wonderful.  He concluded by saying that this is the
dawning of a new day in the incorporation of training in inner values
in the education system.His Holiness’ programmes in Emory
University have been positive received by the students and faculty
alike. Emory University had provided 1,500 free tickets to students to
participate in the different programmes.“I kind of correlate
him with Martin Luther King,” Stephanie Davis, a program administrator
in Emory’s religion department, is quoted as telling The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution, one of the local newspapers.  “I realise that
he’s all about love and compassion and peace,” Davis added.Dr
Gary Hauk, vice-president and deputy to the president at Emory, told
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that ticket sales have underwritten
the cost of His Holiness’ visit adding that His Holiness receives no
stipend.  Emory University will direct funds equivalent to what would
have been his fee to support the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative,
according to Dr Hauk.The newspaper also quoted the impact felt
by another student. It said, “For Christian Harnett, 19, a pre-med
student at Oglethorpe University visiting Monday’s conference, the
Dalai Lama’s personal example was as powerful as any of the scientific
findings presented concerning compassion and altruism in the primate
brain.”The fact that he remains so optimistic and compassionate
toward the Chinese and people that may hate him — he represents a
turn-the-other-cheek philosophy,” said Hartnett, “that many people need
as a role model right now.”(Report filed by Bhuchung K Tsering)