James Doty & Edwin Rutsch: Dialogs on How to Build a Culture of Empathy & Compassion

TEDxGoldenGateED - James Doty 

The Place for Compassion in a Modern Age from Wisdom 2.0 Conference on Vimeo.

Talk: "The Place for Compassion in a Modern Age"
Jim Doty, CCARE, speaks at the 2012 Wisdom 2.0 Conference.

• The west has loneliness, depression

• Scientists - mindfulness

  • non judgment

  • living in the present

• James' Story - alcoholic father/ mother invalid

  • no power

  • despair, hopelessness, self destructive

  • Magic Shop

    • learned mindfulness

    • ability to change your mind and brain

    • no longer saw himself as a victim

• Mindfulness benefits

  • transformation - inward journey

  • has dangers - can be isolating, narcissistic

  • can lead to insight, awareness in the moment  cant' offer what we seek

  • We seek transcendence - connection with the other

• Compassion

  • It is through compassion that transcendence is possible

  • the recognition of another's suffering and desire to alleviate the suffering

  • suffering is part of the human experience

  • instead of sharing our suffering and being vulnerable

    • create a mask

    • no fears, anxiety

    • accumulation of things

  • Compassion is in the heart

    • stress leads to heart attacks

  • Compassion practice creates calmness and empathy

    • creates social connectedness

    • helps your health

    • giving to charity

  • Looking for a mate

    • highest value sought was compassionate and kind

  • Stressed girls talking to mothers.  raised Oxytocin

  • Lot's of data shows that caring for other raises our wellbeing

  • Our pain and wounds

    • need to focus science on the maters of the heart

  • Darwin - didn't mean survival of the fittest

    • survival of the kindest

  • We feel isolated and alone and are suffering

    • failure of science and technology and our society

    • Science can take us up or down

  • Compassion leads to the highest

    • See our common humanity of all people and  with nature

    • now at tipping point -

    • Love and compassion are no long luxuries but necessity

     

Conversations on Compassion with Dr. James Doty and Jon Kabat-Zinn

Symposia Contemplative Studies