Investigating the Psychophysiological Effects of Tonglen Compassion Meditation in Healthcare Workers

Abstract Objectives 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. Method 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. Results The results showed that, compared to the control condition, Tonglen significantly increased heart rate variability, compassion state, and affective responses to suffering. Conclusions 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. Preregistration This study was preregistered in Open Science Framework ( https://osf.io/x7yh4 ).