Cultivating Compassion:  From the Buddha to Modern Psychotherapy

Instructor(s): Chris Germer, Chris Ives

Program Description:

As Buddhist teachings and modern psychotherapy converge at an unprecedented rate, cultivation of compassion is revolutionizing our understanding of the path to emotional freedom. Compassion is a quantifiable skill that enables us to hold seemingly unbearable suffering. How was compassion articulated and embodied in early Buddhism and in later Mahāyāna perspectives? How do these interpretations play out in the practice of psychotherapy? And what are we learning about compassion from modern science, especially brain imaging and clinical research? Participants will also learn practical tools for cultivating the skill of compassion toward oneself and others.

About the Instructor(s):
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  Chris Ives

  Christopher Ives, Ph.D., is a professor of Religious Studies at Stonehill College. In his teaching and writing, he focuses on modern Zen ethics and is currently working on Buddhist approaches to nature and environmental issues. He is the author of Zen on the Trail: Hiking as Pilgrimage, Meditations on the Trail: A Guidebook for Self-Discovery, Zen Awakening and Society, and Imperial-Way Zen: Ichikawa Hakugen’s Critique and Lingering Questions for Buddhist Ethics.