tamhonkhoe.comCourses · Convergence · Course GT1 · Open
Convergence 1: An open heart
Loving-kindness, forgiveness, letting go of self, accepting change, silence, giving.
Lessons with a link are published. Lessons without a link are still a planned outline; their titles and passages may change during writing and review.
| For | Adults learning on their own; each lesson has a short kids’ corner |
|---|---|
| Length | 6 weeks · 10–18 min/day |
| Level | 1–2 |
| Status | Open – All 6 weeks published |
| Publishing | Published once the project owner approves |
| Expected | Nov 2026 |
Plan: 6 weeks
| Week | Lesson | Passages | Measurable goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loving-kindness | Snp 1.8 · Tao Te Ching 67 · Gita 12:13 | Loving-kindness practice 10 minutes on 5 of 7 days |
| 2 | Forgiveness | Dhp 5 · Matthew 18:21–22 · Qur'an 24:22 | Write one unsent letter of forgiveness; rate resentment 0–10 at the start and end of the week |
| 3 | Letting go of self | Tao Te Ching 8 · Gita 2:47 · The Imitation of Christ I.2 | Once a day, give way or admit a mistake, on 5 of 7 days |
| 4 | Accepting change | Enchiridion 1 · Dhp 277 · Qur'an 2:286 | Sort three worries a day into ‘can change / cannot’, on 5 of 7 days |
| 5 | Silence | Brother Lawrence · 1 Kings 19:11–12 · Katha Upanishad | Sit in silence 15 minutes on 5 of 7 days (building up from 5) |
| 6 | Giving and review | Dhp 223–224 · Qur'an 2:261 · Pirkei Avot 5:10 | Give once a week; re-rate all 12 habits |
What science finds
- 21 trials: lower burnout and stress, higher self-compassion; results vary a lot between studies. (Wang et al. 2024, Stress and Health 40(1) · source)
- Review of 83 studies: about 8% of meditators reported an adverse experience (about 4% in experimental studies), most often anxiety or depression; it can happen to people with no history of mental illness. (Farias et al. 2020, Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 142(5) · source)
- 53 studies, 2,323 people: guided forgiveness programmes clearly increase forgiveness compared with no treatment, and reduce depression and anxiety; longer programmes work better. (Wade et al. 2014, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 82(1) · source)
- 65 studies: humility goes with slightly better mental health (small associations). This is a correlation. There is no meta-analysis of humility training yet. (Lee et al. 2025, The Counseling Psychologist 53(6) · source)
- Review of 20 meta-analyses: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) works for anxiety, depression and chronic pain, about as well as CBT. This is guided therapy. (Gloster et al. 2020, Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science 18 · source)
- 39 randomised trials, 1,821 people: ACT did better than control conditions (g = 0.57), with no clear difference from CBT. (A-Tjak et al. 2015, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 84(1) · source)
- 47 randomised trials, 3,515 people: mindfulness meditation programmes reduce anxiety and depression by a small-to-moderate amount; not better than other active treatments. (Goyal et al. 2014, JAMA Internal Medicine 174(3) · source)
- Meta-analysis of randomised trials: religious/spiritual interventions reduce anxiety; programmes vary widely and study quality is limited. (Gonçalves et al. 2015, Psychological Medicine 45(14) · source)
- 27 experiments, 4,045 people: acts of kindness raise well-being by a small-to-moderate amount; the studies are often small. (Curry et al. 2018, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 76 · source)
- A survey, a follow-up and a randomised experiment: spending money on others went with, and in the experiment raised, happiness. The survey part is a correlation; one research group. (Dunn, Aknin & Norton 2008, Science 319(5870) · source)
Limits, honestly
The forgiveness lesson is only for mild to moderate hurts. No tradition asks someone who was harmed to reconcile with a person who is still causing harm.
Stop practising if
Stop or shorten practice and talk to a professional if you notice: rising anxiety or panic; low mood that lingers; feeling that you or the world is ‘not real’; flooding memories of trauma; several nights of poor sleep; hearing or seeing things others do not; thoughts of harming yourself. People with a history of psychosis, bipolar disorder or severe PTSD should ask a doctor before practising more than 20 minutes a day.