Episode 82: The Four Immeasurables

The four measurables are attitudes, which are thoughts and feelings, and behaviors or virtuous behaviors directed to both the self and others.

They include compassion, which is willing to see suffering, and loving kindness, which is friendliness.

along with appreciative joy, which is feeling happy for others, and equanimity, which is a sort of calm based on wisdom.

As a meditative practice, practitioners repeat blessing phrases directed towards the self, such as, may I be free from suffering, and others, may she experience happiness.

Within the psychology literature, The four immeasurables meditation has been researched for symptoms of depression.

A recent meta-analysis of 21 four immeasurables meditation studies revealed a medium effect size in reducing depressive symptoms.

More narrowly, loving-kindness meditation is a Buddhist-derived practice that has been adapted for use in clinical settings.

This intervention involves silently repeating brief phrases of kindness that express wishes for safety, happiness, and relief from suffering.

For example, may I be at peace, may I be free from suffering.

The practice typically begins by directing these short phrases towards oneself and gradually extending them to others.

In terms of research, a recent meta-analysis of almost two dozen studies revealed a pattern of small to medium effect sizes for loving-kindness meditation interventions in increasing compassion and decreasing psychological symptoms.

So the four measurables meditation more broadly and loving kindness meditation more narrowly are Buddhist derived practices in clinical psychology that involve repeating short mantras that are directed towards the self, then others to cultivate mental health and ameliorate suffering.

However, the purpose or telos of these Buddhist derived practices may be very different from Christian practices, given they come from the Buddhist religious tradition.

Arguably, they're meant to promote quote-unquote right intention, which is goodwill and compassion, not harm towards others, along the Noble Eightfold Path.

This Eightfold Path consists of eight practices, and it comes from the four noble truths in Buddhism, which are all life is suffering or unsatisfactory, the cause of suffering is desire or clinging, And this suffering can be ended, and it can be ended via the practices that come from the Noble Eightfold Path.

Yet these practices do come from Buddhism, which means that we as Christians may prefer to turn to our own heritage.

Therefore, a year ago I started to research with colleagues a Christian alternative to Buddhism.

the four measurables meditation, which is the fruit of the spirit meditation.

So let's now turn to Christianity to better understand a Christian perspective on the fruit of the spirit for mental and spiritual health.