A 4-week randomized controlled trial tested whether a centering-prayer-based spiritual meditation increases resilience. The treatment group practiced the meditation twice daily. Growth-curve modeling showed that the treatment group had a statistically significant increase in resilience compared with the waitlist control group. Spiritual transcendence significantly strengthened the effect of the meditation on resilience over time. The authors discuss limitations and implications for research and practice.
A 4-week centering meditation practice significantly and sustainably increased empathy among counseling graduate students across the United States. The increase was statistically significant and sustained over time. Nondual bliss, a dimension of nonduality, moderated the changes in empathy, with the effect varying over time. Centering meditation is presented as a practical tool for grounding counselors before and after sessions, with implications for counselor training.