Buddhist Geeks 233: Where Science and Compassion Meet w/ Kelly McGonigal

Excellent - science and compassion, two great tastes that taste great together (oh wait, that phrase is probably copyrighted). Seriously, this is the future of a lot of psychological models, so many of which are trying to add a compassion and/or mindfulness component.

BG 233: Where Science and Compassion Meet

by Kelly McGonigal

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We’re joined this week by Dr. Kelly McGonigal, to discuss her work at Stanford University, where she is teaching compassion-based practices from the Buddhist tradition, taught in a way that pulls from scientific research and appeals to a secular sensibility.

As part of her work with CCARE she shares some of her background with Stanford as well as her long-standing Buddhist practice, which pulls from both the Zen and Tibetan traditions. We close the discussion by exploring some of the difficulties with teaching meditation in a secular context, as well as some of the benefits that come through framing the teachings in scientific and psychological terms.

Episode Links:

• Kelly McGonigal, PhD : Where Science and Compassion Meet
• The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It
• The Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education
• Cheri Huber

Transcript