Investigating the Psychophysiological Effects of Tonglen Compassion Meditation in Healthcare Workers
Catherine I. Andreu, Joana Vidal, Ylenia D’elia, Óscar Lecuona, Rosa M Baños, Gonzalo Brito-Pons, Philippe R. Goldin, A. Cebolla
Mindfulness June 3, 2025 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-025-02601-z (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA 15-minute guided Tonglen meditation, a Tibetan Buddhist practice of taking in others' suffering and sending them well-being, increased heart rate variability, compassion state, and positive affective responses to suffering in healthcare workers compared to listening to a story. This is the first evidence of the acute effectiveness of Tonglen in this population, suggesting it may help those experiencing empathic distress and burnout.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Preregistered Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 60 |
| Population | Healthcare workers |
| Intervention | Tonglen meditation |
| Duration | 15-minute intervention |
| Keywords | Psychology Medicine |
| Key finding | Tonglen meditation significantly increased heart rate variability, compassion state, and affective responses to suffering compared to a control condition. |
Abstract
Compassion is a valuable, trainable skill which can bring significant benefits to oneself and others. One method for developing compassion towards others is Tonglen, a Tibetan Buddhist meditation which involves taking in suffering from others and sending them well-being. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychophysiological outcomes of Tonglen meditation in healthcare workers, a population who have frequent contact with the suffering of others. Sixty participants were randomly assigned to listen to a 15-min audio of either guided Tonglen meditation, or a story in the control condition, and completed assessments before and after. The results showed that, compared to the control condition, Tonglen significantly increased heart rate variability, compassion state, and affective responses to suffering. This is the first study to show the acute effectiveness of Tonglen in healthcare workers. Results suggest a potential general applicability of this active compassion meditation to populations experiencing empathic distress and burnout. This study was preregistered in Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/x7yh4).