Center hosts Dr. Barry Kerzin

This April, Center welcomed doctor, educator, Buddhist monk and author/speaker Dr. Barry Kerzin to ASU. This marks Kerzin’s second collaboration with Center, having previously delivered the keynote presentation at Center’s inaugural annual conference in 2018. In addition to sitting for interviews with Center staff, Kerzin spoke to an appreciative audience during his talk Hope, Healing and Compassion: A Talk with Dr. Barry Kerzin. 

Alongside Center affiliate and former bureau chief of the Arizona Department of Health Services, Wayne Tormala, Kerzin joined Center staff for a far-ranging and rich conversation around mindfulness, connection, compassion and empathy as solutions for human suffering. 

Kerzin’s own journey to understand and abate human suffering led him from a faculty position at the University of Washington to Dharamsala, India, where he first began Buddhism in 1988. There, he studied with Tibetan monks, ultimately remaining to offer free medical service to the community for over thirty years. Eventually, he acted as personal physician to the Dalai Lama himself.

In 2014, Kerzin founded the Altruism in Medicine Institute, an organization providing training in mindfulness and compassion to medical professionals worldwide. AIMI’s ultimate goal is the transformation of medical education to incorporate curricula of self-compassion, compassion for others, mindfulness, and resilience for both the benefit of medical professionals and their patients.

The lessons of this journey, and of his book No Fear No Death: The Transformative Power of Compassion, were the subjects of Kerzin’s public presentation. With an engaged and enthusiastic audience, Kerzin ranged through an array of topics – from an anecdote about local kids on the streets of Phoenix asking about his ‘ninja costume’ and the value of non-judgment in forging connections across difference to the importance of empathy and compassion in creating a more just world.

He spoke at length about conflict – seemingly endemic to our lives – as coming from a place of pain or inner suffering. Behind every impulse of anger or frustration, he said, there is a story, and by understanding and gently challenging our own stories, we can learn to extend empathy and active compassion to others.

In practicing mindful compassion and empathy, Kerzin noted, we can address some of society’s most vexing challenges, including loneliness, hopelessness, and disconnection. When we are aware of the various emotional undercurrents of our lives – that is, when we are practicing mindfulness – we can better understand and modify the way we relate to others. 

After taking questions from the audience, Kerzin concluded the talk by presenting his audience with a rare opportunity, leading the group in a meditation on mindful awareness.

At the conclusion of the event, Kerzin mingled with guests, answering additional questions and posing for pictures.

“Barry is such a humble, wise, and deeply humorous man,” said Nika Gueci, Center’s executive director. “The audience really connected with his words and lessons, and we look forward to our next opportunity to work with him.”

Center offers its heartfelt thanks to all who helped make this event possible: to Dr. Kerzin for his time and wisdom; to Wayne Tormala for his role in bringing Dr. Kerzin to Phoenix through his role as advisor to AIMI; and to Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation’s Addey Rascon and Brandon Nazari for their assistance in event coordination and videography, respectively.