The Goop Podcast

“When we promote, if you will, acting compassionately, there’s a subset of people who look at this as a soft science,” says neurosurgeon James Doty, MD. But his research and that of others has demonstrated on a scientific level “that when you practice compassion with intention, it has a profound effect on your mental and physical health and wellness and even your longevity.” Today, Doty shares his unlikely personal story with us; we’ll call it miraculous, but he’s an atheist (who is best friends with the world’s great spiritual leaders). Doty, who had a challenging childhood, learned a few lessons—in a magic shop—at the age of twelve that changed his life forever. One was how to manifest, which set him on a course to becoming a successful neurosurgeon, Stanford professor, and wealthy entrepreneur. But it wasn’t until he went bankrupt and lost it all that he felt like he had gained everything. He wrote a book about it—Into the Magic Shop—and now runs the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Educatio