On the same weekend that Karen Armstong came to Washington state to celebrate Seattle as the first United States city to sign the Charter for Compassion, Spiritual Directors International participated in the new commitment by Bastyr University to cultivate compassion in medical students through teaching contemplative practices.

Professors Joel and Michelle Levey, Brad Lichtenstein, and Leanna Standish taught neuroscience, meditation, and contemplative disciplines by sharing their research and experiences with eager and engaged medical students. The course was oversubscribed, demonstrating an awe-inspiring interest in integrating Western medicine, neuroscience, naturopathy, and contemplative practices in the service of health and healing.

Please join me in praying for and blessing the next generation of contemplative healers as they continue to learn meditation, contemplation, and neuroscience.

Below is a picture of Karen Armstrong and Sky (aka David Enron) who participated in the Seattle signing of the Charter for Compassion. The signing coincides with the two year anniversary of the Seeds of Compassion conference which included  visits by the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and many others. Hundreds of Spiritual Directors International volunteers were involved in the Seeds of Compassion programs, and SDI hosted a contemplative listening space during the Seeds of Compassion, in April 2008, providing a multifaith, compassionate, listening presence. Karen Armstrong launched the Charter for Compassion just before attending via videoconferencing, the Parliament of the World's Religions where dozens of spiritual directors taught contemplative practices and provided a compassionate listening presence in Melbourne, Australia, December 2009. 

Add your comments about how you are cultivating compassion through contemplative practices...

Interested in how spiritual direction might be helpful with health care? Follow this link to a Boston Globe article.