Written by Sara Schairer.
The Dalai Lama is now touring through the United States until May 21st, 2013 with the next stop in Portland at Maitripa College on May 7. I personally have a special affinity for his presence, as I’m nearing the end of the inaugural yearlong program through Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE), which received the largest grant he’s ever given to a non-Buddhist organization. When it’s all said and done, I’ll be certified to teach Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT).
What is Compassion Cultivation Training? According to the CCARE website, “CCT is an 8-week educational program designed to help you improve your resilience and feel more connected to others — ultimately providing an overall sense of well-being.”
Science indicates that we are born compassionate. Yet, while we easily have compassion for people whom are similar to us, our brains discriminate in a way that often means we don’t have compassion for EVERYONE. This is why we can stroll past a suffering homeless person without batting an eye, but we’ll stop in our tracks if that person were a family member or a friend.
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