Episode 190

Secret Sangha: Compassion

Published on: 14th March, 2026

Do you shut down, look away, or push yourself harder when you’re faced with suffering—your own or someone else’s? In this Secret Sangha episode of The Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill continues the month-long series on the “four immeasurables” by exploring compassion as both sensitivity to suffering and a commitment to alleviate it. Using examples from neuroscience, the Milgram experiments, and personal stories, she unpacks common blocks to compassionate action—like overwhelm, avoidance of difficult feelings, the “just world” bias, deferring to outer authority, and diffusion of responsibility. Diana offers a grounding-based compassion practice to help you stay present, connect with your values and inner authority, take responsibility with care, and build wise action from small moments to bigger conversations, including civil discourse with people you don’t understand.

Listen and learn:

  1. How compassion includes both sensitivity to suffering and committed action
  2. What the Milgram experiments reveal about authority, responsibility, and harm
  3. How grounding helps you stay present and act from values and inner authority

Share this episode with someone who wants to meet suffering with steadiness and courage.

Listen to the Meditation: Compassion.

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Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

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    The Wise Effort Show
    The Science and Practice of Putting Your Energy Where It Matters Most
    The Wise Effort Show with Dr. Diana Hill is a show about how to live wisely.

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    Diana Hill

    Diana Hill, PhD is a clinical psychologist, international trainer and sought-out speaker on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and compassion. Host of the podcast Wise Effort with Dr. Diana Hill and author of The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, The ACT Daily Journal, and the upcoming book Wise Effort, Diana works with organizations and individuals to develop psychological flexibility so that they can grow fulfilling and impactful lives.

    Integrating her over 20 years of meditation experience with yoga and psychological training, Diana guest teaches at InsightLA, Blue Spirit Costa Rica, PESI, Praxis Continuing Education, Yoga Soup and Insight Timer Meditation. She is on the board for the Institute for Better Health, and blogs for Psychology Today and Mindful.org. Diana practices what she preaches in her daily life as a mom of two boys and bee guardian. Go to drdianahill.com or her channels on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (@drdianahill) to learn more.