The Power of Compassion

Book excerpt: Compassion is associated with feelings, emotions, expressions of care and comfort, derived from a place of love and relationship. However, as The Power of Compassion demonstrates, compassion is indeed based out of a position of power; a personal resource and strength to sustain people in complex and difficult times in their lives but also a concept which is meaningful at an organisational level and to society at large. Compassion has a growing scientific basis, notably within psychology and neuroscience but its application is increasingly evident across a range of health and social care systems. This book brings together the wisdom of compassionate science through the exposition of work by international experts on the development of evidence in the field of compassion research and training. Divided into four sections, readers will find a comprehensive and contemporary review of current measures, opportunities for training into compassion and self-compassion and its application to different contexts (such as mental illness and end-of-life), as well as an understanding of compassion at a more global level. As a whole, it provides a comprehensive text for academics, researchers and scholars as well as students interested in this new and dynamic field of study. This new textbook, edited by Laura Galiana and Noemí Sansó, offers different facets of a complex concept and will no doubt lead to further debate and a better discourse on how compassion can be transformative. And that, is something truly powerful.