People Who Are Optimistic See A Failure

There Are A Host Of Surprises Among Longer-term Meditators, Like A Boost In The Immune System From A Day Of Practice, Which Is Not Seen In Beginners, And A Rapid Recovery From Stress Or Pain. At The "olympic Level" We Find There Is No Anticipatory Anxiety When The Stress Of Pain Is Certain To Come, And No Lingering Aftereffects - Unlike The Stress Reactions In Ordinary Folk.

A Leader Tuned Out Of His Internal World Will Be Rudderless; One Blind To The World Of Others Will Be Clueless; Those Indifferent To The Larger Systems Within Which They Operate Will Be Blindsided.

One Of The Leading Theories Of Why Electroconvulsive Therapy Is Effective For Most Severe Depressions Is That It Causes A Loss Of Short-term Memory - Patients Feel Better Because They Can't Remember Why They Were Sad.

Simply Paying Attention Allows Us To Build An Emotional Connection. Lacking Attention, Empathy Hasn't A Chance.

Self-absorption In All Its Forms Kills Empathy, Let Alone Compassion. When We Focus On Ourselves, Our World Contracts As Our Problems And Preoccupations Loom Large. But When We Focus On Others, Our World Expands. Our Own Problems Drift To The Periphery Of The Mind And So Seem Smaller, And We Increase Our Capacity For Connection - Or Compassionate Action.