We now know that learning literally sculpts the brain. Meditative practices are no exception and,
importantly, Buddhism doesn’t end with mindfulness. Insight into interconnectedness,
impermanence and the universal nature of suffering is used to foster a sense of compassion. In
other chapters you can read about meditative techniques that aim to develop compassion.
Remarkably, this state may also reduce the suffering within the compassionate individual! Before
we proceed, several more pieces of the puzzle must be in place.
Research has shown that emo
l and psychological pain activates similar brain regions as
physic
in. Being socially excluded activates ACC and anterior INS in proportion to the
particip
’ reports of distress[30]. Pain-rel
regions are activated when we view other people
in pain[31]. Importantly, we are more likely to
feel
the pain of someone we care about, such as a
partner[32] or a fan of the same sports team[33]; people we empathize with. In situations not as
conducive to empathy, such as watching a rival fan in pain, there is less such brain activity. In a
different
of science it has been proposed that feelings of love, warmth and caring, and the
bonds between individuals that these feelings reflect, result from the release of beta-endorphins in
the brain[34]. These molecules are members of the opioid family, which
rlie and reinforce the
rewarding effects of food and drugs. As such, it has been suggested that beta-endorphins
originally evolved to reinforce social bonds, crucial for survival in animals[35]. A biological
mechanism that
encouraged
individuals to form groups would promote survival and be preserved
through evolution. In modern times these bonds may come in the form of a partner, child or even a
fellow sports fan. These are the people whose pain we
feel
ourselves, the people we care about,
those we’re more likely to empathize with or feel compassion towards. If feelings of warmth and
caring are indeed associated with beta-endorphin release, it seems reasonable to suggest feelings
of compassion, which are described in much the same way, are also related to the natural release
of these opioids. There are some very intriguing implications of this possibility.
264
Compassion: The Saving Grace?
