A study of 12 childcare teachers in J City who reported job-related stress tested whether group art therapy combined with loving-kindness meditation improved self-compassion and reduced job stress. Six teachers received the intervention and six served as controls. The program ran once a week for eight 80-minute sessions from July to August 2022. After the program, the experimental group showed improved overall self-compassion, self-kindness, universal humanity, and mindfulness, and reported decreased job stress overall, including stress related to unsupportive work environments, peer teacher relationships, and parent relationships. The authors suggest this combined approach may be useful as a psychological treatment for childcare teachers.
Pilgrimage meditation, as practiced by pilgrims at Buddhist holy sites, encompasses experiences in five areas: the pilgrimage itself, the self, others, the world, and walking. Fourteen categories of meditation experience were identified across these areas. Seven categories of elements that should define pilgrimage meditation were also identified, spanning motivation and purpose, content, method, results, and other considerations. A final definition of pilgrimage meditation was derived through expert verification. These findings provide basic data for the sustainable development of pilgrimage sites by clarifying the meditation experiences of pilgrims.
A comparison of the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) meditation program with the first stage (Jaryangwi) of the Consciousness-Only Buddhist practice reveals similarities and differences. Both help individuals accept and endure pain and grow from it, fostering peace of mind through loving-kindness, compassion, wisdom, and mindfulness. Jaryangwi builds blessings and wisdom, while MSC develops mindfulness, self-compassion, and wisdom. MSC focuses on improving capacities for wisdom and mercy during painful moments, whereas Jaryangwi guides igodeuknak and Yoik Jundsaeng. The study is limited by not examining other stages or meditation programs.