| Loving Kindness Meditation instead of the Hedonic | | | | randomly assigned to practice daily loving kindness |
| Treadmill | | | | meditation and attend workshops, or to be on a wait |
| | | | list control group for a total of 9 weeks. The basis |
| Discover scientifically proven techniques for increasing | | | | for the study was to test the hypothesis that loving |
| your happiness, optimism and life satisfaction. Please | | | | kindness meditation could increase positive emotions, |
| go to: | | | | which would increase durable resources, in turn |
| A tall man stands in front of the room holding up a | | | | increasing life satisfaction. Participants directed loving, |
| half a human cranium (which eerily resembles the | | | | kind feelings towards themselves, then to loved |
| bowl from which I ate my Thai food the night | | | | ones, acquaintances, strangers, and finally, all beings. |
| before). This Tibetan Skull Cup is used in Tantric | | | | The research indicated that practicing loving kindness |
| Buddhist rituals to symbolize impermanence and a | | | | meditation increased positive emotions including love, |
| quest for an empty mind. This symbol sets the tone | | | | joy, gratitude, contentment, hope, pride, amusement |
| for the evening"s lecture. | | | | and awe. Participants also benefited from an increase |
| Dr. Barbara Fredrickson and Sharon Salzberg share | | | | in mindfulness, self-acceptance, positive relationships |
| the stage at the Rubin Museum in New York City as | | | | and good physical health, as well as increased life |
| part of their Brainwave Series exploring the | | | | satisfaction. |
| intersection of mind and matter. Psychologist and | | | | According to Salzberg, "Negative emotions fixate and |
| meditation teacher together discuss the Western | | | | narrow our world view, who we are, what we are |
| science of Eastern practices of meditation. | | | | capable of and where our joy is to be found." The |
| One of Barbara Fredrickson"s contributions to the | | | | Loving Kindness Meditation opens space for people to |
| field of positive psychology is the understanding of | | | | expand their perception of themselves and their |
| the purpose that positive emotions play in the human | | | | connection to others. |
| experience, to broaden behavioral repertoires and | | | | Each meditation experience is unique. According to |
| build durable resources. She describes 3 to 1 as a | | | | Fredrickson this is one of the beauties of meditation |
| tipping point: people who are often above a ratio of | | | | because it counters the hedonic treadmill's tendency |
| three positive emotions to every negative emotion | | | | to adapt and experience lower levels of pleasure out |
| are more likely to flourish. Meditation is a powerful | | | | of activities after doing them often. |
| way to increase the positivity ratio. | | | | According to Fredrickson's research, positive |
| Sharon Salzberg teaches many Eastern approaches | | | | emotions tend to be fleeting, less intense, less |
| to cultivating a flourishing life. | | | | attention grabbing and more spread out than |
| One of the most powerful is the loving kindness | | | | negative emotions. Daily practice of Loving Kindness |
| meditation, also known as Metta Bhavana. This | | | | Meditation can increase the frequency and potency |
| practice involves cultivating and sending out a sense | | | | of positive emotions, over time increasing our life |
| of love and well-being to all sentient beings. (Visit | | | | satisfaction and building resources that support |
| here for a guided loving kindness meditation). | | | | flourishing lives. |
| Fredrickson cited recent field research on 139 adults | | | | |