James Doty, MD, joins Francesca Maximé for a conversation around compassionate action, building healthy self-esteem, and making the shift from fear mode to love mode.
James Doty, MD, is a clinical professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford University and Director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE), of which the Dalai Lama is the founding benefactor. He is the author of the book Into the Magic Shop. Learn more about James here.
Compassionate Action Amidst Social Distancing
Francesca welcomes James Doty, MD, to the show and asks about getting rerooted to our true, compassionate nature. They discuss the reality of suffering and trauma, and the false narrative of rugged individualism in our culture. James reminds us all about the power of compassionate action, even in this new age of social distancing.
“An important thing is to try to pause and not let fear overtake you, and be more realistic and thoughtful and objective.” – James Doty, MD
Ethan Nichtern explores practicing in the world as it is right now amidst the COVID-19 pandemic on The Road Home Ep. 36
Healthy Self-Esteem and Inner Dialogue (18:11)
Why is it so important to have a healthy inner dialogue? Francesca and James talk about how to build up healthy self-esteem. James discusses some of the evolved beings he has spent time with, including the Dalai Lama, and shares a heart-opening story about judgment and compassion.
“When you get to the point when you see the other as yourself, then you truly have evolved and you see the true nature of reality.” – James Doty, MD
From Fear Mode to Love Mode (31:38)
Francesca and James tackle the concept of superiority and why it’s such a problem in our society, including the spiritual community. They talk about how to not get lost in the head, and instead sit with the heart. James explores how when we practice compassion with intention, we shift from the fear mode of existence to the love mode.
“When I changed how I saw the world, the world changed how it saw me.” – James Doty, MD
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