Paul Condon – Relational Meditation

Mind & Life

In this episode, Wendy speaks with social psychologist and contemplative researcher Paul Condon. Paul's work integrates psychological theory with the Buddhist contemplative tradition, looking at meditation through the lens of attachment theory. This conversation covers many topics, including:

• his long interest in the intersection between Buddhism and psychology;
• measuring compassion in the real world;
• meditation's effects on prosocial behavior and relating to suffering;
• barriers to compassion;
• the relevance of vulnerability and safety to compassion;
• understanding secure and insecure attachment;
• shifting our attachment style:
• how contemplative practice can help develop our secure base;
• security as adaptability;
• limitations of viewing meditation as self-help and individual effort;
• the relational starting point of meditation;
• open vs. closed secular contexts;
• identifying a caring moment or benefactor;
• the power of mental simulation;
• changes he's noticed from practice;
• and what these practices can offer in our current moment as a society.

Full show notes and resources