A conference to be held at the end of this month will show how developing compassion can promote better physical and mental health.

The Sanctuary's fourth annual conference, based on the theme 'Mindfulness and Compassion', will take place in Dublin Castle on Wednesday October 30.

Featuring UK clinical psychologist Professor Paul Gilbert, this conference will demonstrate how developing compassion can promote better physical and mental health.

Professor Gilbert has developed ways to use compassion to develop happiness, self-acceptance and well-being and has long been regarded as a leading world expert on depression and compassion.

His recent book 'The Compassionate Mind' explains the evolutionary and social reasons why our brains react so readily to threats - and reveals how our brains are also hardwired to respond to kindness and compassion.

"Far from fostering emotional weakness, practical exercises focusing on developing compassion have been found to subdue our anger and increase our courage and resilience to depression and anxiety," he points out.

The conference will also be addressed by Br. Richard Hendrickon 'The Roots of Mindful Compassion - Strengthening compassion through the wisdom and practices of the sacred traditions.'

The meeting will demonstrate how developing compassion can benefit the mind, body and soul and promote better physical and mental health. All are welcome.

More information is available from kathleenfahy@sanctuary.ie or at 01-6705419.

See also www.sanctuary.ie