Meditation | Compassion

An article in the New York Times last week caught my eye. In “The Morality of Meditation” David DeSteno reported on an experiment which showed a three-fold increase in demonstrated compassion – meaning active response to another in distress - after only eight weeks of meditation.

Indeed, he points out, the “goal” of meditation has long been understood to be the cultivation of compassion – as compared with the current fad of meditation in pursuit of goals such as better test results and job performance.

Erric Solomon addressed this topic a few years ago in a piece called “Is Meditation Ethical?” which you can read on the website What Meditation Really Is.

Take a look, and then please let me know what you think.

You can now “follow” Rabbi Mark Sameth’s blog and receive his weekly blog-posts by e-mail. Just click here and then click the icon "Get e-mail updates." Rabbi Mark Sameth - named one of the 36 most inspiring rabbis in America by The Jewish Daily Forward - is the spiritual leader of Joyful Judaism: Pleasantville Community Synagogue an inclusive, progressive synagogue – with members from twenty towns, villages and cities all across Westchester and “A Hebrew School Your Kids Can Love.” Read the article in The New York Times. Listen to the music on PCTV76. Follow on Twitter. Weekly meditation at the synagogue every Saturday morning at 9 am is open to the public; everyone – without exception - is welcome and warmly invited. See “Top Ten Reasons to Join PCS” - as well as our service times and events - at www.ShalomPCS.com.

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