Consciousness and Compassion

The Consciousness and Compassion Project explores the possibility that the phenomenon of Compassion may be more than a variable human propensity or personality trait. The Project investigates whether Compassion is a specific kind of Consciousness, by which we impulsively respond empathically to the perceived suffering of others as though their plight and predicament were our own. Consequently, Compassionate Consciousness may be characterized by a scope of attention that encompasses the collective humanity, comprising those known and unknown to us. This scope of attention distinguishes Compassionate Consciousness from the quality of Self Consciousness associated with individualism and the realization of personal desires. Thereby, Compassionate Consciousness is intrinsically interpersonal, dependent upon and arising from the awareness of others and interaction between persons. Yet it is simultaneously a property of each of those engaged in such interactive awareness. Consequently, Compassionate Consciousness may exemplify how the phenomenon called 'mind' is socially situated, and not entirely constrained by the domain of an individual host. By investigating the behavioral and psychophysiological characteristics that correlate with a compassionate mode of consciousness, and identifying the practices that precipitate and sustain them, we can facilitate empathic relationships, with a consequent beneficial outcome for individuals and communities. The Consciousness and Compassion Project seeks to pursue this investigation.