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The Extraordinary Health Benefits of Compassion
Many people believe that when one is compassionate that this implies weakness and allows individuals to take advantage of you. In this interview, James R. Doty, MD, will discuss the reality that being compassionate is actually a sign of strength. Additionally, that many people are not compassionate to themselves, and as a result, suffer. When one practices self-compassion, this allows one to see the true nature of reality and allows for one to be nonjudgemental and inclusive of others. Practicing compassion creates an environment of psychological safety allowing yourselves and others to be more creative and productive. Additionally, practicing compassion has a significant positive mental and physical health benefit.
About James Doty
James R. Doty, MD, is the founder and director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University of which His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the founding benefactor. He works with a variety of scientists from a number of disciplines examining the neural bases for compassion and altruism. He is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Doty is an inventor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, having given support to a number of charitable organizations supporting peace initiatives and providing healthcare throughout the world.
He has supported research, provided scholarships, and endowed chairs at multiple universities. Dr. Doty is on the Board of a number of nonprofits and is the former chairman of the Dalai Lama Foundation and the former vice-chair of the Charter for Compassion. He is also the Senior Editor of the Oxford Handbook of Compassion Science and is the author of the award-winning New York Times bestseller, Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart that has now been translated into 40 languages.
His work has been cited in numerous media including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC, ABC, and many others. Dr. Doty will be launching a podcast, Into the Magic Shop, in early 2021 focused on compassion, empathy, and how to be our best selves.