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I have been doing compassion meditation for a bit (about 13h of sitting meditation). I think perhaps I haven't meditated enough to see benefits, but I wonder:

When beginning, is it possible to have benefits, but not see them? In other words, that one's behaviour or attitude changes despite no conscious awareness of this?

Is sitting practice at the beginning less fruitful but still establishes the basis for (in this case) compassionate attitude?

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  • Don't forget the Sila part (observance of precepts/virtues), which is fundamental to any type of meditation cultivation. The stronger and more solid the Sila, the more effective and possibly even quicker results in one's meditation practice.
    – santa100
    Aug 6, 2019 at 18:24
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    @Eggman Measuring behavior is done all the time in applied behavior analysis. However, it would be offtopic to go into details here... Regardless of whether you practice ABA or metta bhavana, you need to have a clear idea of the desired goal behavior in order to assess change.
    – user11699
    Aug 8, 2019 at 16:14

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Meditation is like a knife. Every use it wares out but you only notice it one fine day.

So you are making progress which you do not notice until some later date.

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this is a very complex question. And the effects are immediate! Right now, your efforts to be more compassionate are admiramable but what sticks out to me here is the opportunity for patience. I don't mean waiting till next week to see results, I mean forbearance, feeling the reality as it is and enduring the complex mental and emotional challenges that might be present, and don't just try to make sensations with a mind based in apathy, but based in compassion and understanding. Let's take a look at our left thumb... It's movement, it's fragility, it's impermenance. Have compassion for ourselves, not how we want us to be happy, immortal, whatever, but as we are, no matter how we are, the absolute truth. I am ignorant, my mind is foggy, I am anxious and can't sit still, as soon as I become aware of the reality of it I can have compassion for myself, without condemning myself or the reality of the world... Also try the Dr. Emoto water experiment with cooked rice. Look on You tube. You will see results and your question will be answered from your experience. Do the expirament. I did peace, love and thank you. To the rice, and don't do a hate rice just do an ignored rice. I am glad you are here on Earth during this unique time.

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