Living What the Heart Knows: Learners' Perspectives on Compassion Cultivation Training Item Type text; Electronic Dissertation Authors Waibel, Alison Kathleen Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 24/09/2021 04:17:31 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/579084 LIVING WHAT THE HEART KNOWS: LEARNERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON COMPASSION CULTIVATION TRAINING by Aly Waibel ___________________________________ A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF TEACHING, LEARNING AND SOCIOCULTURAL STUDIES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY WITH A MAJOR IN LANUAGE, READING AND CULTURE In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2015 1 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Dissertation Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Aly Waibel, titled Living What the Heart Knows: Learner’s Perspectives on Compassion Cultivation Training, and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. ____________________________________________ Date: June 30, 2015 Patricia L. Anders ____________________________________________ Date: June 30, 2015 David Yaden ____________________________________________ Date: June 30, 2015 Renee T. Clift Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate’s submission of the final copies of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. _____________________________________________ Date: June 30, 2015 Dissertation Director: Patricia L. Anders 2 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that an accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. Signed: Aly Waibel 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I am deeply grateful for all of the countless people and circumstances that have supported me on the journey toward completing this research. The participants in this study, who offered their reflections and personal stories of compassion, are the heart and soul of this project. My family has been with me every step of the way; I acknowledge my parents, Bob and Kathleen Waibel and my sisters, Emily and Liz, for your unwavering support throughout my graduate studies. And James, for your love, insight, encouragement and enthusiasm about my pursuits. Many thanks to my dear friends in Tucson for your humor, accountability and perspective that sustained me during my studies. I also wish to acknowledge my friends and colleagues at the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, for carrying out the mission and vision of compassion education. And the community of Compassion Cultivation Training instructors and students, whose dedication to cultivating compassion is deeply inspiring. I thank my committee members for your generous support and encouragement. My Dissertation Chair, Dr. Patricia Anders, has been an incredible advisor, guide and mentor throughout my time at the University of Arizona. I feel humbled and grateful for all the generous contributions you have each made to my life and work. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................. 7 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 8 Research Questions................................................................................................................................. 9 Role of the Researcher ........................................................................................................................... 9 Compassion Cultivation Training ....................................................................................................... 11 CCT Teacher Training Program ........................................................................................................ 12 Educational Researcher ....................................................................................................................... 14 Threats to Interpretation ..................................................................................................................... 15 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 15 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................ 17 Compassion ........................................................................................................................................... 17 Impact on social conditions ............................................................................................................. 19 Goals of CCT .................................................................................................................................... 19 Enactivism ............................................................................................................................................. 20 Somatic Learning ............................................................................................................................. 22 Contemplative Science ......................................................................................................................... 23 Meditation ......................................................................................................................................... 25 Empirical studies of compassion cultivation .................................................................................. 26 CCT Studies ...................................................................................................................................... 29 What is missing in contemplative science....................................................................................... 30 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 31 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................... 32 Overview of the Study .......................................................................................................................... 32 Participants ........................................................................................................................................... 32 Participants overview ....................................................................................................................... 33 Data Sources and Data Collection ....................................................................................................... 36 Data Analysis .................................................................................................................................... 37 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 39 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS ........................................................................................................................ 40 Learning Compassion: Four Cases ..................................................................................................... 40 Dylan: A case of depression relief ................................................................................................... 40 Zoe: A case of increasing the capacity to stay ................................................................................ 45 Andy: A case of dealing with self criticism .................................................................................... 48 Jen: A case of reducing empathy fatigue ........................................................................................ 52 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 56 Attraction to CCT ................................................................................................................................. 56 Table 4 Attraction to CCT ................................................................................................................. 57 Curiosity and Lifelong Learning ...................................................................................................