Mary Oliver wrote that "empathy is a kind of seeing, and it involves imagination as well as vision."
The word "empathy" has origins in Greek "Empatheia" and the root "pathos," which means "feeling." It was first introduced to the English language in the early 20th century as a translation of the German word "Einfühlung," which means "feeling into." The term was initially used in the context of aesthetics and art appreciation.
Over time, the concept of empathy has evolved to encompass a broader range of psychosocial processes associated with 1) affective empathy (experiencing or sharing the emotions of another) and/or 2) cognitive empathy (understanding the perspective of another). Empathy is a crucial component of emotional intelligence and the development of meaningful relationships.
The opposite of empathy is apathy or the lack of feeling. So as a virtue, empathy can be the foundation for generating compassion and a motivating energy for prosocial behavior. However, it could also be argued that the value of empathy is unstable on its own and may need to be balanced with rationality and discernment in order to navigate between the extremes of excessive empathy and calloused indifference.
Otherwise, the drawbacks involve our susceptibility to emotional exploitation as targets of manipulative marketing or weaponized empathy. There is also the risk of empathy distorting facts as evidenced by proximity bias (preference for those close in distance or likeness) and other modes of selective empathy, short-term focus, and the prioritization of identifiable individuals (stories) over large groups or abstract statistics. These limitations have inspired the effective altruisim movement which aims to update our evolutionary empathy instincts to match the often complex modern social problems.
Additionally, unbound empathy can lead to distress and burnout. Preoccupation with the feelings of others can result in decision paralysis or the hindering of our ability to respond timely and skillfully. When a river floods its own banks, it turns turbulent and loses the balance that sustained its nourishing flow; or like the tides of the sea, we naturally require a cycle of rising and retreating.
Ultimately, empathy's true spiritual power reorients to our recurring theme of kindness and discovering our underlying circulation with totality. Feeling into oneness. It is an elegant common cornerstone among most major religions. At the heart of their moral philosophy, the empathic aphorisms enshrine the same message in colorful ways.
Beyond "The Golden Rule," other verses include "the whole world is a family" in the Rigveda, "all beings are Buddha nature" in the Lotus Sutra, and "be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle," attributed to Philo of Alexandria.
This episode explores the ends of empathy in all its bittersweetness.
(Music “To New Beginnings” by Bing Satellites)
In 1976, German social psychologist Erich Fromm published a book which presented the titular question, "To Have or To Be?"
This philosophical inquiry would resurface throughout his work as two distinct modes of existence. He further claimed that modern society in its materialism prefers having.
On this podcast, we often consider the dialectic of being vs doing. Well, Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa wrote, "to have is to tarry." In a sense, the more you have, the more you have to do - which can weigh you down in terms of freeing your mind.
But does that mean that the goal of spiritual growth would be to eliminate possessions? I don't think it's that simple. It is more about transcending possessiveness.
There is a clear cultural example of this difference when comparing the legacies of human relations with the land or ecology. If you look at a map of Native Land that shows historically Indigenous territories, you will not find the straight lines and rigid markers as is the case with modern states and countries. It's much more fluid like the area of defense on a baseball field, with any location more or less covered by a player. This ties into the notion of stewardship as opposed to ownership of the land, as well as the experience of land as a community rather than a commodity.
Today, what could change with our life, work, responsibilities and relationships if we brought this awareness into our consciousness and mode of existence?
What changes and what matters more in the moment between:
having something and being present?
having friends and being friendly?
having success and being sincere?
having love and being loving?
(intro song “New Apartment” by Coldbrew and “To New Beginnings” and “Clouds in Dark Skies” by Bing Satellites)
Dr. Mark Hatala is a cognitive scientist and professor at Truman State University since 1994. He is a member of the Midwestern Psychological Association, the Artificial Intelligence Foundation, and the American Association of University Professors.
He received a bachelor's in psychology and history from Miami University of Ohio, and earned both his master’s and doctorate in experimental psychology from Ohio University. Dr. Hatala's current research interests include mental time travel (MTT) and cross-cultural differences in attitudes about romantic relationships. He is also the author of “Psychology and Retrocausality.”
Live Free or Dialogue is a video conversation series within Michael Todd Fink's "Kind Mind" podcast (listen on Apple, Spotify and other platforms) and based on the etymology of the word dialogue: two individuals (di) communicating with openness, respect and mutual search for meaning (logos).
You can support the Kind Mind podcast and access bonus content at https://patreon.com/kindmind
This is the introduction only. The full episode is available via Patreon membership: https://www.patreon.com/kindmind Thank you for your support!
Free will is the ability to choose between possible courses of action. Many people feel themselves to be the authors of their thoughts, the agents of action and believe this to be true with respect to their decisions.
There is a sense that one could have behaved differently in the past, even though to rewind the tape of life would also remove the present insight. Or as one pop punk band sang it better: the past is only the future with the lights on.
However, most could readily agree that, at the very least, there is not always free will.
For example, a person with Alzheimer's or other type of dementia that severely impairs the ability to perform actions or utilize memory may not have the freedom to choose to behave politely or recognize their loved one. In addiction, it is widely understood that disruptions in the decision-making faculties of the brain lead to similar limitations of choice. Revelations in the neurobiology of drug use disorders continues to shape the moral implications and shift the legal interventions from punitive to rehabilitative.
To take this further, researchers have recently created choice experiments while observing the brain with magnetic resonance imaging and have been able to predict with statistical significance what subjects will choose up to 11 seconds before they are conscious of their choice!
Some argue that even if free will is an illusion, it is an illusion worth preserving. This episode explores different philosophical perspectives and considers what is worth paying attention to including the overlooked mental health benefits of reframing our understanding of free will.
(Music "Breathe" by Bing Sattelites and episode artwork on the podcast website by Emily Dawn)
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The etymology of the word 'frustration' traces back to 1500's Latin 'frustratio' which meant a deception.
It's Medieval origin is also relevant in these troubling times as the road ahead is not only fraught with uncertainty due to the novel pathogen but also some groups' novel sense of deception... whether from authority or society or history or even themselves.
However, inside the soil of hardship lies the seeds of clarity. With proper attention and understanding, a real breakthrough is possible with the potential for a blossoming of transformation on the other side - personally and collectively.
If life were really but a dream, then what would be the goal?
If the point is to "wake up," then sailing merrily, merrily down life's stream might delay things. That pleasantness is likely to uphold the reverie and bind you to the dreamboat.
Hence, the wisdom of frustration...
(music "Drifting Light" by Bing Satellites and episode artwork on podcast website by Emily Dawn)
You can support this podcast on patreon and access bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/kindmind
Often times, elegance is conflated with extravagance or opulence. There is a relationship insofar as all three involve style, but those other two are meretricious whereas elegance is actually something akin to their inverse.
In elegance, the outward style is simple but behind the appearance lies something powerful and substantive.
In nature, think of the uncomplicated beauty of falling snow. At a glance, it is quite plain in form and color and yet upon closer inspection, one finds countless unique snowflake designs containing exquisite symmetrical patterns. The same can be true of a forest from afar or the ocean or the desert - and the depth of life and meaning within.
Seeking elegance is not synonymous with seeking luxury.
Encounters with elegance can be difficult to put into words. In other disciplines like physics, great scientists have merely suggested "you know it when you see it" like in famous equations E=mc2 or F=MA. A few common letters point to far-reaching theories of special relativity and the laws of motion.
fMRI studies of the brains of mathematicians reveal activation in the same regions associated with the pleasure of viewing a beautiful painting, when their eyes are shown formulas that are simple but powerful and self-reported as elegant.
In life, perhaps "you know it when you feel it."
This episode explores the way of elegance as it relates to the art of choice and leading a life of inner goodness.
Music “Eight Hours” by Bing Satellites; episode artwork on website is by Emily Dawn; podcast logo by Jon Marro.
One of the most important ways we can improve mindfulness in our everyday life is through acceptance. Acceptance is part of the practice of open awareness in the present moment. It means allowing experiences to come and allowing them to go – both pleasant and unpleasant. It also involves assenting to the reality of a situation and letting go of what cannot be controlled or changed.
Music “In the Mysterious Distance” by Ethereal Ephemera. Episode artwork by Dove Dahlia.
There is a studied link between mindfulness and pro-environmental behaviors, but that is not the point here. Mindfulness is the art of directing awareness with openness, curiosity and flexibility. One is guided in this practice to be present with what is by paying attention to different aspects of experience, whether pleasant or unpleasant, and responding wisely. The point, according to most contemplative traditions, is to look deeper into and understand the nature of our suffering - both individually and collectively.
In the wake of wildfires, earthquakes, flooding and other storms - by now, most of us probably know someone who has been significantly impacted, perhaps even displaced, by weather. So, what is the right balance of attention with respect to awareness of the alarming trends and moral responsibility within our sphere of influence and meeting all the other demands of modern life? Especially in a society where more than 75% live paycheck to paycheck and more than half do not have enough savings to manage an unexpected $400 expense, it can be overwhelming and lead us to tune out and become unmindful.
Poverty, mental illness, addiction, and divorce are examples of common real-life challenges that may feel like and actually be more of an existential threat to one's family than global warming and certainly less abstract. But, how might the psychology be different if we could see CO2 gas in the sky or even in our home? Because everywhere, the parts per million has invisibly risen above 400 for the first time in 800,000 years, which has long been thought to be a safety threshold. This increase may begin to have negative effects on human cognition and decision-making in addition to dangerously warming the planet.
It gets more complicated with all the mixed messages, limitations in communicating science, denial, guilt and blame with respect to the multi-dimensional nature of the problem of pollution - from individual and industrial to political and spiritual.
There is one insight that is so fundamental and largely overlooked altogether. Upon knowing, one could hypothesize that global warming due to human activity is not the core problem but a symptom of something much more insidious. Still, I think there is some hope for a solution and a great turning. It is unlikely to begin with individuals extraordinarily repairing their relationship with the Earth but rather with each other.
(Episode design by Dove Dahlia)
Travel to new places, especially abroad, changes you forever and can reshape the mind in many positive ways.
To immerse oneself in a new culture is like turning back the clock and recapturing the child-like magic of wonder where, once again, everything feels like the first time. Words and images along with sensations and experiences can be totally fresh. This can lead to spontaneous mindfulness as abstract thought about the past and future loses its allure when our routine and its spell is totally broken.
A recent study revealed that even the anticipation of such a trip makes a person happier. The moods of subjects waiting in line for an experience were much more elevated than those waiting in line for things.
New environments help the brain to grow and remain sharp. Evidence suggests that creativity and problem-solving skills are enhanced by a whopping 50% by foreign travel, because the brain adapts and forms new connections that lead to cognitive flexibility and integration of thought.
More importantly, cross cultural experiences foster a deeper sense of self. Venturing beyond our social comfort zones and engaging in a meaningful way with people of totally different backgrounds and perspectives allows for the shedding of limiting beliefs about who we really are.
The lotus flower grows in murky ponds which is a metaphor for making life beautiful regardless of the circumstances. And its leaf sits on top of the water but does not get wet. I was amazed when I took a lotus leaf and dunked it in water and watched all the drops roll right off like little balls of mercury. So it grows in that water but is unaffected by it.
This episode explores the deeper meaning of significant symbols from cultures around the world and various spiritual traditions and how to find symbols in daily life to guide our mindfulness practice.
"A symbol is an important thing. That is why we chose an Aztec eagle. It gives pride...When people see it they know it means dignity." -Cesar Chavez
(Image by Dove Dahlia)
Many people may think of stoicism as putting on a strong face during adversity and forcing oneself to endure without complaining.
But stoicism is also a system of philosophy with a set of mindful principles that were carefully studied and practiced by big thinkers of ancient Greece. When a seeker deeply contemplates and scientifically experiments with these precepts, the inner resources to pass life's seemingly harshest tests will manifest even before they are needed and one can experience more mental balance like a calm mountain during a storm.
This episode explores a few of the stoic insights from a 2,000 year old text known as "The Manual" to see how this ancient wisdom can apply to modern living. Excerpts rendered into contemporary English by Sam Torode.
(Episode image by Dove Dahlia)
We use the word "awesome" very loosely in conventional speech - typically to describe someone, something or a situation that's agreeable or favorable in any way. But the genuine feeling or experience of awe is rarer, much deeper and less understood when compared with other emotions. However, emerging research, such as that conducted by psychologists Keltner and Haidt, is helping to unravel this mysterious state of consciousness and it's evolutionary potential.
Awe may best be defined as a blurring of the emotional boundaries between admiration and fear. Therefore, some psychologists hypothesize that it is felt in the autonomic nervous system when both the fight-flight and relaxation responses are turned "on" - to some extent - at the same time.
This feeling can be triggered by encounters with vastness or in the presence of unfathomable qualities in nature, art, technology and people. MRI studies point to a reduction of activity in the parietal lobe of the brain. This region is involved with our sense of self as distinct in space, and inactivity in that part of the cortex may account for or correlate to self-transcendence and a sense of oneness. These brain and perceptual changes have also been observed in studies of meditation, sensory deprivation, and psychedelic drugs.
Awe is not nearly as inaccessible as it sounds. It is uncommon because it is subtle. Thus, mindfulness may be our most practical tool to safely explore this state and derive it's unique benefits.
(Episode artwork by Dove Dahlia)
Beyond the clouds, the sky is always clear. Similarly, most diamonds have flaws known as cloud inclusions, which reduce the clarity of the otherwise precious crystal and limit its brilliance or shine. A diamond is the most concentrated form of pure carbon on Earth, and the flaws are often hard to detect with the naked eye.
The human mind also has subtle clouds that obstruct mental clarity. In psychology, these are known as cognitive biases or heuristics - patterns of flawed shortcuts in the brain.
This episode explores some of the most interesting distortions that block clear thinking. By cutting through these clouds, we can naturally illuminate the mind and let the light of knowledge shine through us.
(Episode artwork by Dove Dahlia)
This episode explores the basic brain science behind attraction, new research into the functions of hormones, and some meditative insight that will hopefully shed a little light on the great mystery of love.
(Music and editing by E. Fink, courtesy of Crooked Creek Records with episode artwork by Dove Dahlia)
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Is silence really silent? Ordinarily, we have minimal access to and even avoid silence until it's time to retire for sleep. This episode explores the deeper significance of silence as evidenced in the work of two legendary musician philosophers of the 20th century - one trained in Western Classical music and the other in Eastern Classical music.
(Music "Through The Prism" courtesy of and written by Chris Russell and episode artwork by Dove Dahlia)
Psychological resilience typically refers to the ability to regain emotional balance and stability after encountering stressful or traumatic events. This talk explores how emotional maturity, positive attitude, and creativity influence this life skill. Also included are recent studies and scientific evidence that expand our conventional understanding of resilience and demonstrate the need for mindful strategies for changing our relationship with problems.
(Music by Christopher Lloyd Clarke, licensed from Enlightened Audio and episode artwork by Dove Dahlia)