"A new study published in Mindfulness (June 2025) suggests that just two minutes of shared meditation can quickly increase emotional closeness. The research, led by psychologists from the University of Pennsylvania, shows even a brief interaction, like making eye contact or reflecting on shared human emotions, can promote deeper connection, empathy, and feelings of warmth. In the first experiment, 55 people (average age: 24) were paired in quick virtual sessions via Zoom. Most participants didn't know each other or have any meditation experience."
"Individuals in a pair either gazed at each other for two minutes or completed a "Just-Like-Me" (JLM) meditation, which involved silently contemplating simple statements about shared humanity, while looking at their partner. JLM prompts included statements such as, "Just like me, this person has felt sadness, loneliness, and pain," and "Just like me, this person has felt joy, fulfillment, and gratitude." The goal was to help each person recognize their partner's shared emotional experiences and common humanity, to create an immediate emotional bond"
Two minutes of shared meditation can quickly increase emotional closeness between previously unacquainted individuals. Paired participants either gazed at each other or practiced a "Just-Like-Me" (JLM) meditation that prompts silent reflection on shared human emotions while looking at a partner. JLM statements encouraged recognition of common experiences such as sadness, loneliness, joy, and gratitude. Participants rated each other on closeness, warmth, competence, and attractiveness, made decisions about money sharing, and reported feelings and motivation. A virtual experiment (55 participants) and a larger in-person replication (98 participants) found increased empathy, warmth, and physiological synchrony after brief partnered meditation.
Read at Psychology Today
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