The Impact of Meditation on Empathy

People frequently associate meditation with religious rituals and practices: Hinduism, Dao, and Buddhism. That’s why the opinion about meditation being more of a ritual and faith session is prevalent among Western societies. They don’t think meditation has practical use and real effect on one’s body and mind.

The first wave of Eastern meditation practices’ popularity arose in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was the time when Western specialists started translating and researching the ancient texts written in Sanskrit. But the real boom was only upcoming.

And it happened in the 20th century: Indian philosophers and influencers started visiting other countries to make cultural exchange much more intense. Later, meditation appeared in books by psychiatrists and psychologists, including Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud.

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Since the 1950s, Eastern religions made their final step to become parts of everyday life in the West. It was the time for their popularity among young people in the United States of America and also all over Europe.

Nowadays, meditation is at another peak of popularity due to the obvious factor of the major force: the COVID-19 pandemic. Over a year of isolation, lockdowns, and many other reasons made people switch to remote jobs all over the planet. The forced life tempo reduction allowed them to think more than they used to do previously.

They just got more time. And if you are a student, you can get more time for yourself, too. Just read this edubirdie review, and then order some academic help from real professionals. Use your time however you want and need. But don’t forget to meditate at least a little.

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Why? Actually, it’s because meditation is a suitable instrument to adjust your mind to multiple situations. Life challenges, private troubles, and even health issues can be solved and cured easier with meditation. How is that possible? Check the

Meditation Increases Empathy Level

People living in modern Western societies frequently have problems with understanding other people’s emotions. If you are one of those – meditation is your perfect tool to change the situation. Yes, sitting in one place calmly and consciously with your eyes closed and following your breathing can be very effective.

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Meditation causes an almost instant positive effect on multiple body zones. Among them, there is the part of your brain responsible for empathy and processing other people’s emotions. Scientists from Emory University conducted an experiment and concluded that meditation increases one’s empathy.

They published their research description and results in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience journal. It showed the Cognitively-Based Compassion training meditation program actually helped participants to analyze the facial expressions of others more effectively and to understand their emotions better as a result. So, the meditation with the techniques of mindfulness and conscious analysis of your relationships with other people involved can actually boost your empathy.

So, if you feel it difficult to be empathic enough with your friends, family, or sweetheart, try devoting at least fifteen minutes daily to calm meditation sessions. Most probably, the effect won’t make you wait for too long.  

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Bonus: How Meditation Affects Your Body and Mind

Now when you know about the effect of meditation on empathy for sure, it is time to pay attention to its other benefits. Meditation is a tool to let your mind and body relax and even heal. See the details below.

Meditation Can Reduce Anxiety and Stress

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According to some experiments, it will take you about three months of regular meditation to start feeling worried and stressed much less than you used to do before practicing. Additionally, a person who meditates regularly can feel it easier to adjust their mind to awkward and stressful situations and emergencies.

Meditation Can Support Depression Treatment Effectively

Again, people all over the world tend to think that meditating is about sitting still and doing nothing. However, that opinion is wrong. Meditation would better be called an active mind exercising session aiming to develop one’s consciousness. Different meditation techniques and programs use their various approaches to teach a person how to feel the present moment and analyze their thoughts, emotions, and feelings in it.

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Of course, meditation is not the ultimate magic pill to cure depression. No treatment is. However, the described Eastern practice is one of the helpful tools to work with its symptoms.   

Regular Meditation Improves Creativity

The following feature of meditation will be especially cool for students and everyone else who needs to be creative on purpose. After your meditative practice becomes regular, you’ll be able to find unobvious solutions for usual problems.

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It’s because meditation gives you enough time and energy to analyze the issue reviewing the point you wouldn’t notice with your “regular” mind settings. Additionally, scientists agree that people choosing meditation as a part of their lifestyle feel it easier to find creative solutions and analyze the information they know differently as well. 

Meditation Shows How to Focus

It’s usual for students, for example, to distract from writing their assignments a lot. If you feel it difficult to keep up with your schedule or to concentrate on one task for long, try to start meditating. Begin with 5 minutes daily. That’s how you boost your cognitive abilities and concentration. 

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