Psychology, the brain, and Compassion

Books Relating Psychology, or the Brain,

to the Understanding of Compassion

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Title: The Lost Art of Compassion - Discovering the practice of happiness in the meeting of Buddhism and psychology
Author: Lorne Kadner
Publisher/Date: Harper SanFrancisco, 2004

Book Summary: This book claims to be the first to "focus on bringing Western psychology into dialog with Tibetan Buddhist traditions for cultivating compassion", also mentioning that Western society has neglegted the study of compassion (also see Aura Glasserm 2005 who restates the same). The author state that cultivating compassion is the "single most effective way to make oneself psychologically healthy happy and joyful." Points discussed are as follows: living deliberately in the moment, mindfulness, understanding how we defin compassion (including for self), compulsive desire (craving), letting go, impermanence, problems with projection, loving communication and gratitude, preparing for and practicing "taking and giving" (tonglen".

Comments: This book is well written and a nice beginners book for anyone seeking to build a bridge between basics Buddhist ideas and psychology. It does help to have some background in psychology to understand the limits set by using certain psychological ideas and not others. The discussion of knowing the nature of your own definition of compassion is rare to find, and a gem in this book. It would be nice if the author did some personal reflection on the same. There is some discussion of empathy and a little on levels of compassion development but the focus of the book is on the mind in the moment. There is little dicussion of "passing it on" and moving toward a culture of compassion.

Title: A Call to Compassion - Bringing Buddhist practices of the heart into the soul of psychology.
Author: Aura Glasser
Publisher/Date: Nicolas -Hays, 2005

Book Summary: The author states "although much of psychology circles the vale of compassion, nowhere does it make compassion central" and states that we need to give compassion a voice in our society. The author makes a strong case for this voice to be developed and proposes some suggestions based on Tibetan practices (lojong). These include: development of the qualities of equanimity, kindness, love, comassion, tolerance, inner strength, and wisdom. It also includes tonglen - taking in and giving back.

Comments: The major psychological orientation is from Freud and Jung, and so it leaves out other viewpoints (like Humanistic) which might expand the discussion of our culture's struggle to find a voice for compassion. But it is still a well presetned argument for the need to include compassion as a core value in the field of psychology. The book has a "thinking approach" and would be a good read for those who like a logical presentation. Developmental levels of compassion, and passing it on are not discussed in any detail.

Title: Calming Your Anxious Mind - How mindfulness and compassion can free you from anxiety, fear, and panic.
Author: Jeffery Brantley
Publisher/Date: New Harbinger Pub, 2003

Book Summary: The bulk of this book is about mindfulness and how to use it for the issues in the title. There are stories and exercises and this aspect of the title is well done.

Comments: This book could have gone under the category of self help if it were not for the wealth of scientific information on the topics in its title (except compassion). It is easy to read and a good handbook for those suffering from that given in the title. The book just lacks any in depth dicussion of compassion.

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Comments below address the basic
assumptions of compassion -> -> -> ->