Associate Director for Communication and Operations with Center of Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at Emory University Carol Beck is in the studio for today’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the center’s 21-Day Compassion Challenge designed to help individuals explore the power of compassion and learn how to practice it on a daily basis.
With a Masters of Fine Arts in Filmmaking, Carol Beck started her career in the film industry as a college filmmaking professor before spending 20 years as a self-employed line producer and media professional. Her experience as a long-term contemplative practitioner and her strong producer skillset impressed Emory University who recruited her for her current position in January 2014.
The Center of Contemplative Science and Compassion is a mini-unit within Emory University, but not an academic department. While it does offer programs for students and faculty, most of its work is done externally through three main programs. SEE Learning offers a K-12 curriculum that helps kids learn to be more compassionate, improve attention, gauge thinking and skills that aren’t typically addressed in the everyday curriculum. The center also offers a very unique program called the Emory Tibet Science Initiative which teaches a robust science curriculum to Tibetan monks and nuns in refugee settlements in order to train future contemplative collaborators. Of course, the center also offers its popular Cognitive-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) which is aimed to help people expand their compassion to be more inclusive.
Not only should compassion be inclusive, but it should also be sustainable. The best way to get acquainted with compassion and build upon your skills is to participate in the center’s 21-Day Compassion Challenge! This three-week challenge is designed to help people recognize their capacity for compassion and learn how to practice it every day. Throughout the challenge, participants explore several topics covering the power of compassion.
The Compassion Challenge kicks off on March 6 at 10:30 a.m. with a Facebook Live celebration. Following the kick-off, participants enjoy experience guided meditation in multiple languages with facilitators from around the world, panel discussions, entertainment and inspirational messages from The Dalia Lama, Richard Gere and others. The challenge serves as a great introduction to the science and practical aspects of compassion while also helping to create a happier, kinder and more inclusive society.
When registering at www.compassionshift.emory.edu, participants will have access to bite-sized structured exercises along with reminders and inspiration, as well as mini-instructional videos and guided meditation. A convenient online journal is also provided for self-reflection. Lessons are easy to incorporate into daily life and even easier thanks to fun active challenges that get participants to practice compassion in the real world.
According to Beck, there are three components to compassion: affective (feeling empathy), cognitive (realizing other’s feelings) and action (having a want to help). On an individual level, research shows many great physical benefits for showing compassion. Not only does it reduce inflammation, but it also helps with depression and anxiety. Compassion also helps to improve our sleep, makes us resonate with feelings, allows us to shift perspectives and makes us more likely to act. Socially, compassion has a powerful ripple effect that occurs unconsciously. Saying please, thank you, hello or simply smiling at someone are all simple ways to show compassion to others and shift the culture.
To learn more about Communication and Operations with the Center of Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at Emory University and its 21-Day Compassion Challenge, listen to the full podcast above. You can also visit www.