Close-up feather angled across a softly lit surface.

The Art of Compassion

The Art of Compassion is a contemplative practice designed to tap into the transformative power of art to awaken and cultivate compassion. Developed by Laura Banks in 2020, this practice is grounded in the impact the arts have on our ability to navigate the challenges of life with hope, courage, and connection.

The Practice

Each session is a guided journey designed to help participants find personal insight through connection to the human experience as experienced through art.

  • Guided Meditation

    A brief thought on compassion followed by an art-focused meditation.

  • Journaling

    Time to reflect and capture impressions, insights, and invitations.

  • Community Connection

    A space for conversation to share experiences and thoughts with others in a supportive environment.

Why the Arts?

Art is one of our oldest and most enduring resources as humans: an expression of our fundamental need to create meaning and beauty out of the chaos of life, and to inspire, encourage, and take care of ourselves and each other.

Based on the contemplative practice of Lectio Divina, The Art of Compassion is not just a reflection exercise; it mirrors the actual neurobiology of compassion. By engaging with art, we train the same neural pathways that help us become more compassionate human beings.

  • Awareness

    Noticing a word, phrase, or image that catches the attention.

  • Care & Connection

    Noticing the emotional response, memories, or feelings stirred up by the art.

  • Desire

    Identifying the personal “invitation” or insight within the work.

  • Willingness to Act

    Considering how to respond or move forward in this moment of time.

Why It Works

The emerging field of neuroarts confirms what we have long known intuitively: humans are wired for the arts and they contribute to our health and well-being. 1 2

  • Neuroplasticity 3

    Engaging with art stimulates complex neural networks for reward, perception, and emotion in powerful and unique ways.

  • Emotional Regulation 3

    Both active and passive engagement with the arts activates the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the amygdala, the same brain regions responsible for healthy emotional regulation and processing.

  • Empathy & Mirror Neurons 4

    When we experience a work of art, our “mirror neurons” fire, allowing us to “mirror” the emotions and actions of others. This biological shorthand helps us build social bonds and cultivate perspective-taking.

  • Benefits of Ambiguity 5 6

    Scientific studies reveal that reading fiction can measurably improve a person’s capacity for compassion, while poetry helps individuals navigate complex emotional challenges.

Want to Try The Art of Compassion?

Join Laura Banks for The Art of Compassion online on the second Tuesday of each month at 8 p.m. ET. All are welcome.

Check this practice in your local time

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Daylight time reference

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

8:00 PM EDT - 9:00 PM EDT

Standard time reference

Tuesday, January 12, 2027

8:00 PM EST - 9:00 PM EST

Monthly sessions may shift in your time zone when daylight saving changes.

Practice schedule source: second Tuesday of each month at 8 p.m. ET.

Want to Learn More about the Neuroarts?

The following resources are a great place to start the journey:

  • The NeuroArts Blueprint A global initiative co-led by the Aspen Institute and Johns Hopkins University to advance the science of arts, health, and wellbeing.
  • International Arts + Mind Lab (IAM Lab) A multidisciplinary research initiative at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine that accelerates the field of neuroaesthetics.

Research Cited

  1. NeuroArts Blueprint. (n.d.). What is neuroarts? https://neuroartsblueprint.org/what-is-neuroarts/
  2. Preminger, S. (2012). Transformative art: art as means for long-term neurocognitive change. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 6, Article 96. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2012.00096
  3. Barnett, K. S., & Vasiu, F. (2024). How the arts heal: A review of the neural mechanisms behind the therapeutic effects of creative arts on mental and physical health. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 18, Article 1422361. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1422361
  4. Piechowski-Jozwiak, B., Boller, F., & Bogousslavsky, J. (2017). Universal connection through art: Role of mirror neurons in art production and reception. Behavioral Sciences, 7(2), Article 29. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs7020029
  5. Bal, P. M., & Veltkamp, M. (2013). How does fiction reading influence empathy? An experimental investigation on the role of emotional transportation. PLoS ONE, 8(1), Article e55341. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0055341
  6. Pacheco, E. I. H., & Mansur, S. S. (2023). Poetry and brain: Interfaces for empathy development. Archives of Clinical Case Studies, 3(3), Article ACCS.MS.ID.000562. https://doi.org/10.33552/ACCS.2023.03.000562