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James R. Doty MD’S Into the Magic Shop A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart | Summary
This is a Summary of James R. Doty MD’S Into the Magic Shop A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart
Extraordinary things happen when we harness the power of both the brain and the heart
Growing up in the high desert of California, Jim Doty was poor, with an alcoholic father and a mother chronically depressed and paralyzed by a stroke. Today he is the director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University, of which the Dalai Lama is a founding benefactor. But back then his life was at a dead end until at twelve he wandered into a magic shop looking for a plastic thumb. Instead he met Ruth, a woman who taught him a series of exercises to ease his own suffering and manifest his greatest desires. Her final mandate was that he keep his heart open and teach these techniques to others. She gave him his first glimpse of the unique relationship between the brain and the heart.
Doty would go on to put Ruth’s practices to work with extraordinary results—power and wealth that he could only imagine as a twelve-year-old, riding his orange Sting-Ray bike. But he neglects Ruth’s most important lesson, to keep his heart open, with disastrous results—until he has the opportunity to make a spectacular charitable contribution that will virtually ruin him. Part memoir, part science, part inspiration, and part practical instruction, Into the Magic Shop shows us how we can fundamentally change our lives by first changing our brains and our hearts.
Available in a variety of formats, this summary is aimed for those who want to capture the gist of the book but don't have the current time to devour all 288 pages. You get the main summary along with all of the benefits and lessons the actual book has to offer. This summary is not intended to be used without reference to the original book.
Extraordinary things happen when we harness the power of both the brain and the heart
Growing up in the high desert of California, Jim Doty was poor, with an alcoholic father and a mother chronically depressed and paralyzed by a stroke. Today he is the director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University, of which the Dalai Lama is a founding benefactor. But back then his life was at a dead end until at twelve he wandered into a magic shop looking for a plastic thumb. Instead he met Ruth, a woman who taught him a series of exercises to ease his own suffering and manifest his greatest desires. Her final mandate was that he keep his heart open and teach these techniques to others. She gave him his first glimpse of the unique relationship between the brain and the heart.
Doty would go on to put Ruth’s practices to work with extraordinary results—power and wealth that he could only imagine as a twelve-year-old, riding his orange Sting-Ray bike. But he neglects Ruth’s most important lesson, to keep his heart open, with disastrous results—until he has the opportunity to make a spectacular charitable contribution that will virtually ruin him. Part memoir, part science, part inspiration, and part practical instruction, Into the Magic Shop shows us how we can fundamentally change our lives by first changing our brains and our hearts.
Available in a variety of formats, this summary is aimed for those who want to capture the gist of the book but don't have the current time to devour all 288 pages. You get the main summary along with all of the benefits and lessons the actual book has to offer. This summary is not intended to be used without reference to the original book.
- GenresNonfiction
ebook
Published June 8, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 10, 2023
This is a memoir about Dr James Doty who describes his early childhood home and the experience and knowledge he gains from Ruth on meditation. He comes from humble beginnings including an alcoholic father and a mother with depression and suicidal attempts. He described being in a home with nights of going to bed hungry because money was scarce. In the six weeks he goes to this Magic Shop owned by Ruth who is stranger to him but ultimately teaches him how to relax his body, meditate and visualize his goals. He ends meeting a Pediatrician at school and is inspired to become a doctor. He doesn’t have the grades to apply to medical school but his power of intention allows him to secure a scheduled meeting with the premedical committee at his college and get a strong letter of recommendation. He applies to neurosurgery residency and somehow bypasses the three year wait with military duty and states that it is unacceptable for him to delay his training. In the early chapters we see a young man with a dysfunctional family, impoverished upbringing and his good fortune to meet Ruth who teaches him how to meditate and the power to see his intentions come to fruition. Initially, he is arrogant and his intentions are of success and building financial wealth. During this neurosurgery training he is involved in a car accident that places him on a near death experience requiring abdominal surgeries to control his bleeding. He survived this life altering experience and redirects his intentions. He is philanthropist and gives the majority of his wealth as he promised the charities. While he is a successful neurosurgeon, entrepreneur, millionaire he also admits to failing as a husband and father since he divorced his first wife. With his second wife he has a long distance relationship. I do wonder whether his upbringing with two parents who were unwell left Dr James Doty with poor role models for parenting and being present for his family. His intention of this book appears to be teach others on the secrets of the magic shop and leaves a huge portion of his family untold and unaccounted for in this memoir. We don’t know what happens with the mother while we do learn that his father passed away. Since I do practice meditation I do appreciate this book in that regard. His life is very unique and his personal journey that leads him to value the heart and build a compassionate center and do research on this subject is inspiring. He recognizes that there is a place for the technical side of neurosurgery during the operating room and a place for emotions and heart when interacting with the patients. I do wonder how much or white privilege is present during all the interactions he had to persuade people in education to see him beyond his grades. I wonder if a person of color like myself or a woman would have been afforded the similar opportunities. This book is memorable and worth reading to learn the power of meditation in building our intentions and focus.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2020
“Maslow's theory on the scale and order of man's needs. Basically, it proposes that a person can only aspire to loftier things if his basic needs are met.”
”But the greatest learning Ruth transfers to Jim is teaching him how to transform his personal ordeals into a constructive force to become a better person instead of them becoming a destructive element in his life.”
“But the greatest learning Ruth transfers to Jim is teaching him how to transform his personal ordeals into a constructive force to become a better person instead of them becoming a destructive element in his life.”
Excerpt from: "James R. Doty MD’S Into the Magic Shop A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart | Summary" by Ant Hive Media. Scribd.
This material may be protected by copyright.
Read this book on Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/book/315249186
”But the greatest learning Ruth transfers to Jim is teaching him how to transform his personal ordeals into a constructive force to become a better person instead of them becoming a destructive element in his life.”
“But the greatest learning Ruth transfers to Jim is teaching him how to transform his personal ordeals into a constructive force to become a better person instead of them becoming a destructive element in his life.”
Excerpt from: "James R. Doty MD’S Into the Magic Shop A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart | Summary" by Ant Hive Media. Scribd.
This material may be protected by copyright.
Read this book on Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/book/315249186
July 22, 2018
The complete title pretty much says it all. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but found parts of it inconceivable. The Dali Lama turns up just at the right time. Dr. Doty magically gets into medical school by non-acceptance of his rejection?? Hunh! I read the full hard-bound Library version, FYI.
At any rate, as a believer in some holistic medicine, I do think the brain and heart have a great deal to do with your health and ability to heal.
A good read.
At any rate, as a believer in some holistic medicine, I do think the brain and heart have a great deal to do with your health and ability to heal.
A good read.
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September 5, 2016good book to read
November 4, 2016
I really enjoyed Dr. Dory's book. I've met him before, but didn't know much about his life. I'm glad he shared his experiences.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews