Overcoming biases through compassion

The above recording includes questions only for the weekly contemplations from the Capstone entitled "Overcoming Biases through Compassion"

The recording below has basic meditation instructions along with the weekly contemplation questions.

This third recording includes the baseline questions before starting the practices suggested in the paper.

The recordings above are referenced in my Capstone project, "Overcoming Biases through Compassion" which was done for the Buddhist Chaplaincy Training at Upaya Zen Center.  I have also included a written list of the questions below as well.  If we read them before doing the weekly practice there is another input through the sense doors to help with the investigations. Listening, reading and writing give us three areas for which to experience these contemplations. The idea is to use these to uncover what is hidden. We know our explicit bias, but the implicit biases that we all hold take an extra effort to uncover. 

Baseline Questions Meditation

What has caused me the most suffering in my life?

What is a regular cause of suffering for me emotionally?

What relationship causes me the most difficulty?

Physically or Medically what has been challenging for me?

What do I do to reduce suffering or difficulty in my life?

How do I deal with stress?

What suffering, if any, is sometimes too heavy to bear or feels overwhelming?

Would I say that I have compassion towards myself right now, how about in the past? What does self-compassion mean to me?

What are some examples of how I have offered care to myself or treated myself kindly? What does it feel like to be kind to myself?

Weekly contemplation questions

What suffering or difficulties are present in my mind or life now?

How have I responded? 

How did I treat myself with regards to this difficulty ?

Do I notice care for myself expanding or staying about the same?

How have I noticed suffering in others?

How have I responded? 

If this suffering was in the news or on TV what arose as a result of this suffering? 

Do I notice care for others expanding or staying about the same?

Have I noticed negative bias or strong dislike towards others?

Have I noticed positive bias or strong affection towards others?

How you are meeting suffering out in the world. 

What if any insights or recollections regarding compassion towards yourself have arisen?

If you are interested in reading the paper please send me an email and I will forward you the paper.  

I am working on getting a recorded copy of my presentation talk which I will make available here as well.