Organisation / Hub: IDG Global Empathy and Compassion Network
Contact Person: Mirjam Luthe
Contact Email: mirjam@walk-in-beauty.org
Description
For an interactive class about individual resilience at the Master of Advanced Studies in Regenerative Systems, ETH Zurich, Systemic Design Labs, the above graphic was composed to show the research of mindful self-compassion practices (Mindful Self-Compassion, Neff & Germer, 2013) underlying and strengthening the currently 23 IDG skills in 5 domains. It fed into the dialog with students of the DRRS program about creating positive impact in complex systems as part of learning communities, see https://systemicdesignlabs.ethz.ch/drrs/#drrs_list
Learnings
Compassion-interventions use specific strategies with the aim to calm and sooth the individual. These include breathing practices, the use of friendly voices, and facial and bodily expressions, that have been found to activate the parasympathetic system which improves heart rate variability and decreases stress. In contrast, the sympathetic system is activated, when we perceive threat or stress, and then, the ability for higher order cognitive capacities such as perspective taking is inhibited. On the other hand, the activation of the parasympathetic system, provides feelings of psychological safety, which in turn, activate the prefrontal cortex and thus enables perspective taking.
Compassion directed towards oneself is referred to as self-compassion. This involves a loving, non-judgmental understanding of one’s own shortcomings so that the perception of one’s own suffering and difficulties is viewed in a larger perspective of what it means to be human (Neff, 2011). Self-compassion includes the three components Self-kindness (vs self-judgment): being kind towards oneself when encountering pain and personal shortcomings, rather than ignoring them or hurting oneself with self-criticism; Common humanity (vs isolation): recognising that suffering and personal failure is part of the shared human experience; Mindfulness (vs identification): taking a balanced approach to one’s negative emotions so that feelings are neither suppressed nor exaggerated.
(Self-)Compassion is trainable. Therefore, the IDG Global Empathy and Compassion Network emphasises and supports the understanding and integration of empathy and compassion exercises into all IDG domains.
In a next step, other compassion-based interventions’ research could be added to this graphic e.g. Compassion-Focused Therapy (Gilbert, 2014), Compassion Cultivation Training (Jazaieri et al., 2013), Cognitively Based Compassion Training (Pace et al., 2009), Cultivating Emotional Balance (Kemeny et al., 2012).
The presentation of the IDG communication framework in combination with mindful self-compassion research and practises was received with much interest with the
Website Visitor
Very interesting and useful for supporting common practices of yoga, Buddhism, SPT, regarding self-compassion, authentic presence, mindfulness and embodiment in group contexts with young people and adults, especially skeptics, in leadership training, resilience and human flourishing.
I would be interested in this study if it is possible to share it, or any other accessible material.