>>> COMING UP, A LUCKY SEVERSON REPORT ON ORTHODOX JEWS DONATING THEIR KIDNEYS, MOSTLY TO OTHER JEWS.
>>> AND FRED DE SAM LAZARO PROFILES THE DALAI LAMA'S AMERICAN DOCTOR WHO MIXES WESTERN TECHNOLOGY WITH BUDDHIST COMPASSION.
>>> PLUS, A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE CALLED LAUGHTER YOGA.
PROVIDING CUSTOMIZED INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP RETIREMENT PRODUCTS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE YOUR RETIREMENT COMPANY.
>>> WELCOME, I'M BOB ABERNETHY.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US.
THIS YEAR'S NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WAS AWARDED TO THE TUNISIAN NATIONAL DIALOGUE QUARTET, A PRO-DEMOCRACY COALITION IN TUNSIA.
HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, LAWYERS, EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS CREATED THE QUARTET TO PROMOTE PEACEFUL DIALOGUE AMID A POLITICAL CRISIS IN THE NORTH AFRICAN COUNTRY.
THE NOBEL COMMITTEE SAID THE GROUP BRIDGED RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL DIVIDES AND HELPED PREVENT A CIVIL WAR.
>>> PRESIDENT OBAMA APOLOGIZED TO THE HUMANITARIAN GROUP DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS AFTER A U.S. AIRSTRIKE ON ITS HOSPITAL IN AFGHANISTAN KILLED AT LEAST 22 DOCTORS, MEDICAL WORKERS AND PATIENTS.
THE PRESIDENT CALLED IT "A MISTAKE."
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS RELEASED CELL PHONE VIDEO OF THE DAMAGE TO ITS HOSPITAL.
THE GROUP IS DEMANDING AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT IT CONSIDERS A WAR CRIME.
ITS LEADERS SAID THEY ALERTED U.S. MILITARY OFFICIALS THAT THE HOSPITAL WAS UNDER ATTACK, BUT THE BOMBING CONTINUED FOR AT LEAST A HALF-HOUR.
DELIBERATELY TARGETING A MEDICAL FACILITY IS A VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.
>>> U.S.
RELIGIOUS GROUPS ARE CALLING FOR PRAYERS AND PEACE AMID ESCALATING VIOLENCE IN JERUSALEM AND THE WEST BANK.
ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO STOP DEADLY CONFRONTATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN OCCURRING FOR THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS.
RABBI RICK JACOBS, THE LEADER OF REFORM JUDAISM, CALLED THIS A DANGEROUS MOMENT AND URGED BOTH SIDES NOT TO MATCH HATRED WITH HATRED.
>>> AN IMPORTANT THREE-WEEK-LONG MEETING ON THE FAMILY IS UNDERWAY AT THE VATICAN.
NEARLY 300 BISHOPS, INCLUDING NINE AMERICANS, ARE DISCUSSING CHALLENGES TO MODERN FAMILY LIFE.
THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP TO A CONTENTIOUS MEETING LAST YEAR, WHERE SHARP DEBATES ERUPTED OVER SEVERAL QUESTIONS, INCLUDING WHETHER TO CHANGE CHURCH RULES THAT BAN COMMUNION FOR DIVORCED CATHOLICS WHO REMARRY.
POPE FRANCIS URGED AN OPEN DISCUSSION ON ALL ISSUES.
AT THE END OF THE MEETING, THE BISHOPS WILL GIVE HIM THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
>>> FAITH-BASED GROUPS ARE AMONG THOSE MOBILIZING TO ASSIST VICTIMS OF THE CATASTROPHIC FLOODING IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
DISASTER RELIEF TEAMS ARE ON SITE, ASSESSING THE DAMAGE AS FLOODWATERS RECEDE.
SEVERAL RELIGIOUS GROUPS ARE SEEKING DONATIONS FOR RECOVERY EFFORTS.
THERE ARE ALSO REQUESTS FOR CHAINSAWS AND TOOLS TO REMOVE MUD AND DEBRIS.
SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEGUN DELIVERING FOOD AND SUPPLIES.
VOLUNTEERS ARE ALREADY HELPING PEOPLE REPAIR THEIR HOMES.
>>> MOSQUES ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR A SERIES OF ANTI-MUSLIM PROTESTS THIS WEEKEND.
A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN CALLED THE GLOBAL RALLY FOR HUMANITY CALLED FOR PROTESTS AGAINST EVERY MOSQUE BECAUSE IT SAYS "HUMANITY IS ATTACKED DAILY BY RADICAL ISLAM."
U.S. MUSLIM LEADERS HELD MEETINGS WITH FBI AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS HOW TO MAINTAIN SAFETY AND SECURITY.
THE LEADERS URGED MEMBERS OF THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES NOT TO BE PROVOKED BY THE PROTESTERS.
IN SOME CITIES, INTERFAITH GROUPS ARE COMING OUT TO SUPPORT THE MOSQUES.
SEVERAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS HAVE CONDEMNED THE ANTI-MUSLIM PROTESTS.
THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING, "WHEN A SMALL GROUP OF HATERS TARGETS ANY RELIGIOUS GROUP, IT BESMIRCHES ALL AMERICANS."
>>> CALIFORNIA HAS BECOME THE FIFTH STATE IN THE NATION TO APPROVE ASSISTED SUICIDE BY TERMINALLY ILL PATIENTS.
GOVERNOR JERRY BROWN SIGNED THE MEASURE THAT WILL ALLOW DOCTORS TO PRESCRIBE LIFE-ENDING MEDICATION IF TWO PHYSICIANS AGREE THE PATIENT IS MENTALLY COMPETENT AND HAS NO MORE THAN SIX MONTHS TO LIVE.
THE BILL WAS INTRODUCED AFTER THE HIGH-PROFILE CAMPAIGN OF BRITTANY MAYNARD, A 29-YEAR-OLD CANCER PATIENT WHO MOVED FROM CALIFORNIA TO OREGON LAST YEAR TO END HER LIFE.
SOME PEOPLE OF FAITH SUPPORTED THE MEASURE, BUT IT WAS STRONGLY OPPOSED BY SEVERAL RELIGIOUS GROUPS, INCLUDING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
>>> A NEW COUNT BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SUGGESTS THAT SAUDI ARABIA HAS DRAMATICALLY UNDER-REPORTED THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO DIED DURING A STAMPEDE AT THE HAJJ LAST MONTH.
ACCORDING TO A.P., AT LEAST 1,453 PILGRIMS WERE KILLED, WHICH WOULD MAKE IT THE DEADLIEST EVENT EVER AT THE HAJJ.
THE OFFICIAL SAUDI DEATH TOLL REMAINS AT 769.
A.P.
IS BASING ITS NUMBER ON REPORTS FROM MANY OF THE COUNTRIES THAT SENT PILGRIMS TO THIS YEAR'S HAJJ.
SAUDI ARABIA IS COMING UNDER STRONG INTERNATIONAL CRITICISM OVER HOW IT HAS HANDLED THE TRAGEDY.
>>> WE HAVE A STORY TODAY FROM LUCKY SEVERSON ABOUT ORTHODOX JEWS DONATING THEIR KIDNEYS, MOSTLY TO OTHER JEWS.
CAN MEMBERS OF OTHER FAITHS BE ENCOURAGED TO MAKE OR EXPAND ORGAN DONATIONS AS WELL?
>> Reporter: THIS COULD BE THE SINGLE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER OPERATION IN MEDICINE -- TRANSPLANTING A KIDNEY FROM A LIVING DONOR INTO SOMEONE WHO WOULD LIKELY DIE WITHOUT IT.
>> ABOUT 5,000 PEOPLE EVERY YEAR DIE WAITING FOR A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT.
>> THE NEED IS TERRIBLE.
IT'S HEARTBREAKING.
>> WE CALLED CALIFORNIA.
CALIFORNIA SAID DON'T EVEN BOTHER COMING OUT BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT NINE YEARS.
>> Reporter: DR. ANTHONY WATKINS IS A TRANSPLANT SURGEON AT NEW YORK PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL.
>> THERE'S OVER 100,000 PEOPLE ON THE WAITING LIST FOR A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT, AND WE PERFORM ROUGHLY 17,000 KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS A YEAR.
SO YOU SEE THERE'S A LARGE DISCENTENSY IN THE AMOUNT -- IN THE NEED VERSUS THE SUPPLY.
>> Reporter: HE SAYS ONE PROBLEM IS THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE AGREED TO DONATE THEIR ORGANS WHEN THEY'RE DECEASED IS PLATEAUING.
>> THE LIVING DONOR OFFERS SEVERAL ADVANTAGES OVER DECEASED DONORS.
THE KIDNEYS TYPICALLY LAST LONGER FROM LIVING DONORS.
>> THE THING THAT'S MOST INTERESTING ABOUT IT IS THAT EVERYBODY, ALL HEALTHY PEOPLE ARE WALKING AROUND CARRYING TWO OF THESE THINGS, AND THEY ONLY NEED ONE TO SURVIVE.
>> Reporter: PAUL BERGER IS A STAFF WRITER FOR THE NATIONAL JEWISH NEWSPAPER "FORWARD."
HE WROTE A STORY ABOUT AN ULTRA-ORTHODOX ORGANIZATION CALLED RENEWAL THAT HAS SHOWN GREAT SUCCESS IN FINDING LIVE KIDNEY DONORS.
>> THE WAIT TIME FOR A KIDNEY IS, WHAT, ABOUT FIVE YEARS?
AND THAT'S FOR A KIDNEY FROM A DEAD PERSON.
THE WAIT TIME FOR A KIDNEY THROUGH RENEWAL, WHEN I WROTE MY STORY, WAS SIX TO NINE MONTHS.
>> Reporter: RENEWAL'S DONORS ARE ALL ULTRA-ORTHODOX JEWS, WHO MAKE UP ABOUT 0.2 OF 1% OF THE U.S. POPULATION.
YET 17% OF ALL THE INDIVIDUALS WHO DONATED KIDNEYS TO STRANGERS LAST YEAR WERE ULTRA-ORTHODOX.
>> I WAS IN REALLY BAD SHAPE.
I WAS SPENDING MOST OF MY TIME IN BED.
>> Reporter: DAVID SARNA IS ONE OF RENEWAL'S GRATEFUL RECIPIENTS.
HE HAD SUFFERED FROM KIDNEY DISEASE FOR YEARS, WAS ON A WAITING LIST AND DETERIORATING FAST.
>> THERE'S A JEWISH PRAYER THAT YOU SAY WHEN YOU WAKE UP, WHEN YOU THANK GOD FOR GIVING YOU BACK YOUR SOUL, SO TO SPEAK.
AND ME, CERTAINLY, PROBABLY MOST OTHER PEOPLE KIND OF RECITE IT ROTE, BUT AS I STARTED GETTING SICKER AND SICKER AND WHEN I WENT TO SLEEP, I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WAS GOING TO WAKE UP, IT TOOK ON A WHOLE NEW MEANING.
>> Reporter: BLIMI BRULL IS A DONOR.
SHE'S A 32-YEAR-OLD MOTHER OF THREE LIVING IN AN ULTRA-ORTHODOX COMMUNITY NORTH OF NEW YORK CITY.
>> THERE ARE DIFFERENT ILLNESSES THAT PEOPLE HAVE, LIKE CANCER AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THERE'S JUST NOTHING WE CAN DO.
HERE YOU COULD ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING.
>> Reporter: SHE HAD WANTED TO DONATE A KIDNEY FOR YEARS, BUT HER HUSBAND WAS AGAINST IT.
>> HE WAS SCARED, HE WAS NERVOUS.
HE WANTED -- HE WAS, LIKE, "WHO'S GONNA TAKE CARE OF THE KIDS?
WHO'S GONNA TAKE CARE OF THE HOUSE?"
>> Reporter: THEN HER HUSBAND VISITED THE DIALYSIS DEPARTMENT AT A HOSPITAL AND SAW THE MISERY THAT PATIENTS GO THROUGH THREE OR FOUR TIMES A WEEK WHERE THEIR BLOOD IS PURIFIED BY A MACHINE.
DR. HOWARD LEVINE KNOWS, HE WAS ON DIALYSIS FOR SIX MONTHS.
>> I DID KNOW THAT THE LONGER YOU'RE ON DIALYSIS, THE HARDER IT IS FOR EITHER THE KIDNEY TO TAKE OR TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH THE SURGERY.
>> Reporter: AS IT TURNED OUT, DR. LEVINE GOT A NEW KIDNEY IN TIME, FROM BLIMI BRULL.
>> I'M, LIKE -- I'M SAVING A LIFE OF A MAN, I'M SAVING A FAMILY, I'M SAVING A HUSBAND, I'M SAVING A FATHER, A GRANDFATHER, AND HE'S A PEDIATRICIAN, SO ONCE HE RECUPERATES, HE'S GONNA GO BACK TO WORK, AND HE'S GONNA BE SAVING CHILDREN.
SO I FELT LIKE THAT'S ALL ON ME, YOU KNOW?
>> I MEAN, IT TAKES A SPECIAL PERSON TO BE ABLE TO GIVE UP AN ORGAN.
SHE SORT OF RESTORED MY FAITH THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO WOULD JUST DO GOOD THINGS AND NOT ASK FOR ANYTHING IN RETURN.
>> THERE WAS ALWAYS THAT TENSION THERE, WITH THE QUESTION OF WHAT ARE THE ETHICS AND MORALS OF JEWS GIVING KIDNEYS TO ANYBODY, AS LONG AS THAT RECIPIENT IS JEWISH?
>> Reporter: THE RENEWAL CHARITY DOESN'T EXPLICITLY SAY ITS DONATED KIDNEYS ARE MEANT ONLY FOR JEWS, BUT ALL ITS ADVERTISING IS DONE WITHIN JEWISH COMMUNITIES.
>> RENEWAL LAST WEEK COMPLETED OR WAS INVOLVED IN OUR 316th TRANSPLANT.
>> Reporter: RENEWAL'S DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH IS RABBI JOSH STRUM.
>> ALL DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE GIVING TO ALL DIFFERENT WALKS OF OTHER JEWISH LIFE, AND THE COMMON BOND THAT THREADS BETWEEN THEM IS THE FACT THAT A JEW IS A JEW, AND TO US, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS SO SPECIAL THAT WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO BE A PART OF.
>> Reporter: ONLY ONE OR TWO OF RENEWAL'S RECIPIENTS SO FAR HAVE BEEN NON-JEWS.
BUT AVI BASS, A MARKETING SPECIALIST AND WRITER WITH "FORWARD," SAYS IT'S LOGICAL THAT THESE PEOPLE WOULD DONATE TO SOMEONE OR SOME GROUP THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH.
>> IF WE EXPECT PEOPLE TO JUST GIVE THEIR KIDNEYS TO PERFECT STRANGERS THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH, I THINK THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT IS UNREALISTIC ABOUT THAT EXPECTATION, AND I THINK THAT BEARS OUT IN THE STATISTICS.
>> Reporter: HE SAYS ONLY 200 PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES, OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR, GAVE KIDNEYS TO SOMEONE THEY DIDN'T KNOW.
RENEWAL DONORS DON'T KNOW THE RECIPIENTS, ONLY THAT THEY'RE ALMOST CERTAINLY GOING TO BE JEWISH.
>> THEY'RE MAKING NEW OPENINGS IN THE WALL, SO TO SPEAK.
IF THERE'S THIS LINE OF PEOPLE, YOU CAN IMAGINE A LINE OF PEOPLE WAITING TO GET KIDNEYS, THEY'RE OPENING A NEW DOOR.
>> Reporter: DR. WATKINS AGREES AND SAYS OTHER GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONS AND ESPECIALLY CHURCHES COULD LEARN FROM RENEWAL.
>> IF WE CAN MIMIC TO A DEGREE WHAT RENEWAL WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY DO WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY, THAT WOULD HAVE TREMENDOUS, YOU KNOW, SUCCESS, AND TREMENDOUS EFFECT FOR THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY AT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALREADY AT A HUGE DISCREPANCY WITH THE INCIDENCE OF DISEASE AND THE DECREASED DONATION RATE.
>> Reporter: AFRICAN-AMERICANS HAVE THE HIGHEST INCIDENCE OF KIDNEY DISEASE, FOLLOWED BY ASIANS AND OTHER MINORITIES.
BUT, HE SAYS, A BIG PROBLEM WITH HELPING AFRICAN-AMERICANS IS THAT SO MANY OF THEM JUST DON'T TRUST THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
>> HISTORICALLY, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHALLENGES WITH THE HEALTHCARE COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES TO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, SUCH AS THE SYPHILIS EXPERIMENT, TUSKEGEE EXPERIMENTS.
>> Reporter: THE TUSKEGEE SYPHILIS EXPERIMENT IS ONLY ONE EXAMPLE OF WHERE AFRICAN-AMERICANS HAVE BEEN USED AS MEDICAL GUINEA PIGS.
WHAT DR. WATKINS IS TRYING TO DO NOW IS CONVINCE HIS CHURCH, THE ABYSSINIAN BAPTIST CHURCH IN NEW YORK, TO HELP HIM EDUCATE ITS MOSTLY BLACK CONGREGATION.
>> THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THE BLACK CHURCH PLAYS A VERY VITAL ROLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I THINK THAT BY UTILIZING THAT ARENA AS AN INSTRUMENT TO PROVIDE THIS KNOWLEDGE TO THE COMMUNITY IS VERY IMPORTANT.
BECAUSE IT TIES IN SOME OF THE RELIGIOUS DOCTRINES OF CHRISTIANITY, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO HELP OTHERS AND CONTRIBUTE IN MEANINGFUL WAYS.
>> Reporter: IT IS VERY EARLY DAYS YET FOR THE BLACK CHURCH, BUT THE HOPE IS STRONG THAT THEY CAN COPY ORTHODOX JEWS' SUCCESS IN RECRUITING LIVE DONORS.
THERE WAS A CELEBRATION DINNER NOT LONG AGO AT A RESTAURANT IN CEDARHURST, NEW YORK.
DR. LEVINE WAS PLEASED TO BE THERE WITH HIS NEW KIDNEY AND HIS NEW LIFE.
BUT THE SPECIAL GUEST WAS BLIMI BRULL.
>> I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, MY GOAL FOR 13 OR 14 YEARS WAS TO DONATE MY KIDNEY.
THE MINUTE I CAME OUT OF SURGERY, MY GOAL CHANGED FROM WANTING TO DONATE MY KIDNEY TO INSPIRING OTHER PEOPLE TO DONATE THEIR KIDNEY.
>> Reporter: FOR "RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY," I'M LUCKY SEVERSON IN CEDARHURST, NEW YORK.
>>> AND NOW, A FRED DE SAM LAZARO REPORT.
CALIFORNIA DOCTOR BARRY KERZIN WAS INTERESTED IN BUDDHISM AND WENT TO TIBET 27 YEARS AGO TO WORK WITH THE DALAI LAMA.
THE SPIRITUAL LEADER WANTED DR. KERZIN TO HELP TRAIN BUDDHIST DOCTORS IN WESTERN MEDICAL RESEARCH AND PRACTICE.
DR. KERZIN WAS ABLE TO COMBINE TECHNOLOGY AND COMPASSION -- 50-50, AS THE DALAI LAMA RECOMMENDED.
KERZIN TREATS THE DALAI LAMA AND OTHERS IN TIBET AND ALSO SPEAKS TO DOCTORS BACK IN THE U.S., MANY OF WHOM HAVE WELCOMED HIS MARRIAGE OF MODERN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY AND OLD FASHIONED EMPATHY.
>> Reporter: TUCKED INTO INDIA'S SIDE OF THE HIMALAYAS, DHARMSALA IS HOME TO THE DALAI LAMA, TIBET'S EXILED LEADER, WHO SETTLED HERE IN 1959 AFTER CHINA TOOK OVER HIS HOMELAND.
TODAY, THE TOWN IS A MIX OF TOURISTS, FOREIGN AND FROM ELSEWHERE IN INDIA, TIBETAN REFUGEES AND PRACTITIONERS AND SCHOLARS OF BUDDHISM FROM AROUND THE WORLD, LIKE BARRY KERZIN.
HE'S LONG BEEN A FIXTURE HERE KNOWN TO MOST AS DR. BARRY.
THE 68-YEAR-OLD CALIFORNIA NATIVE IS A FAMILY PRACTICE PHYSICIAN.
HE BEGAN HIS CAREER IN ACADEMIC MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, BUT NEVER IMAGINED IT WOULD LEAD TO A PRO-BONO, MOSTLY HOUSE CALLS PRACTICE CONDUCTED IN TIBET'S MAIN DIALECT.
>> I KEEP PINCHING MYSELF, FRED.
I DON'T KNOW.
>> Reporter: HE FIRST CAME HERE AFTER HEARING THAT THE DALAI LAMA HAD WANTED A DOCTOR TRAINED IN WESTERN MEDICINE TO TEACH TRADITIONAL TIBETAN MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS IN MODERN RESEARCH METHODS.
>> WE DID A RESEARCH STUDY, AND WE USED THAT PEDAGOGICALLY TO TRAIN THE LOCAL TIBETAN MEDICINE DOCTORS IN HOW TO DO THE RESEARCH, AND THEN I GOT MORE INVOLVED WITH BUDDHISM.
I'D ALREADY BEEN VERY INTERESTED.
I GOT MORE INVOLVED WITH MEDITATION, WITH STUDY, AND I ENDED UP EXTENDING MY STAY, AND THAT'S HAPPENED AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND HERE I AM, 27 YEARS.
>> Reporter: HE CAME HERE FROM A LIFE PUNCTUATED BY PAIN AND LOSS.
AT 11, A NEAR-FATAL BRAIN ABSCESS THAT LEFT A PERMANENT LUMP ON HIS SKULL.
HIS MOTHER, WITH WHOM HE WAS VERY CLOSE, DIED PREMATURELY, AND A FEW YEARS LATER, SO DID HIS WIFE, IN HER MID-30s, BOTH FROM CANCER.
BUDDHISM BECAME A SANCTUARY, HE SAYS, UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF THE DALAI LAMA, WHO TOLD HIM TO STAY CONNECTED TO THE WORLD.
>> HE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED ME TO KEEP MY CREDENTIALS AND TO CONTINUE PRACTICING MEDICINE.
"DON'T JUST DO THE WISDOM, ALSO DO THE LOVE AND THE COMPASSION.
IN FACT, DO THEM 50-50."
THOSE WERE HIS WORDS -- WISDOM AND COMPASSION, 50-50.
IT WAS LIKE A LIGHTNING BOLT, REALLY ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH MY HEART.
>> Reporter: SCHOLARSHIP IN BUDDHISM LED TO HIS ORDINATION AS A MONK BY THE DALAI LAMA, AND THE EXTENSIVE PRACTICE OF MEDITATION HAS BEEN A PATH TO INNER PEACE AND HAPPINESS, HE SAYS.
AND THAT'S TRANSLATED INTO EMPATHY -- A PARTICULARLY CRITICAL TRAIT FOR A DOCTOR.
>> IT'S MOVED ME ALONG SLOWLY, MOVED ME ALONG TO BE MORE COMPASSIONATE, TO LEARN HOW TO DO THAT, BE LESS SELFISH, TO BE LESS PREOCCUPIED WITH MY OWN NEEDS.
I DON'T GET ANGRY VERY MUCH ANYMORE.
I USED TO BE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE.
I'M STILL SOMEWHAT COMPETITIVE, BUT IT'S MORE NOW PERSONAL COMPETITION TO BETTER MYSELF, NOT PUTTING SOMEBODY ELSE DOWN, NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF SOMEBODY ELSE.
I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF MEDITATION AND ALSO, AS HIS HOLINESS CALLS IT, "EMOTIONAL HYGIENE."
>> Reporter: IN RECENT YEARS, KERZIN, WHO NOW SERVES AS PERSONAL PHYSICIAN TO THE DALAI LAMA, HAS TAKEN THE SPIRITUAL LEADER'S GOSPEL OF EMOTIONAL HYGIENE AND COMPASSION TO MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS AROUND THE WORLD.
>> MY MESSENGER.
GO TO JAPAN, GO TO MONGOLIA.
>> Reporter: AND, FULL CIRCLE, TO AMERICA.
>> GOOD MORNING.
IT'S LOVELY TO BE HERE AT STANFORD.
>> Reporter: UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO, A PRESTIGIOUS GRAND ROUNDS LECTURE AT A TOP U.S. MEDICAL SCHOOL WOULD HAVE BEEN UNLIKELY FOR A MESSAGE LIKE HIS, FROM A MAN WHO LEFT AMERICAN MEDICINE AND MANY STUNNED COLLEAGUES FOR A LIFESTYLE IN WHICH HE DOESN'T OWN A HOUSE, CAR OR REFRIGERATOR.
>> I THINK INITIALLY THEY THOUGHT I WENT OFF THE DEEP END.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING LIVING IN INDIA, COME ON!
YOU KNOW, HOW CAN YOU STAY HEALTHY?
WHY DON'T YOU COME BACK?
YOU COULD HAVE A VERY GOOD LIFE, YOU COULD HAVE A VERY GOOD ACADEMIC LIFE IN MEDICINE.
YOU COULD HAVE A VERY COMFORTABLE ECONOMIC LIFE.
IT'S RIDICULOUS WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
SO LET'S MEDITATE, OKAY?
>> Reporter: BUT ON THIS DAY, THEY WERE LISTENING, EVEN MEDITATING, WITH HIM.
KERZIN SAID MEDITATION HELPS ONE FOCUS ON THE NOW, THE PRESENT.
YOU TUNE OUT THE PAST AND ALL YOUR REGRETS, TUNE OUT PLANNING AND WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE.
IT HAS TAKEN YEARS, HE SAYS, BUT GOTTEN RESULTS.
SCIENTIFICALLY MEASURED RESULTS.
>> THIS IS IN MADISON, THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, AND THEY'RE RESEARCHING MY BRAIN.
>> Reporter: KERZIN WAS PART OF A NOTED STUDY OF THE BRAINS OF PEOPLE WHO MEDITATE.
>> WHAT THEY FOUND WERE CHANGES IN THE PRE-FRONTAL CORTEX.
THIS AREA IS CALLED THE EXECUTIVE FUNCTION AREA, THE PFC, AND IT HELPS WITH THINGS LIKE PLANNING, REASONING, IMAGINATION, EMPATHY, TO FEEL LIKE ANOTHER PERSON IS FEELING.
SO THESE AREAS WERE ENHANCED, BOTH ANATOMICALLY AND FUNCTIONALLY, IN LONG-TERM MEDITATORS.
>> Reporter: KERZIN'S HOST AT STANFORD SAID ONE REASON HIS MESSAGE RESONATES IS WHAT HE CALLS "AN EPIDEMIC OF DISSATISFACTION" AMONG AMERICAN DOCTORS TODAY.
>> 50% OF THEM, THEY SAY IN SOME STUDIES, ARE UNHAPPY.
AND THAT TELLS YOU THIS IS NOT AN INDIVIDUAL PROBLEM.
THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM.
>> Reporter: DR. ABRAHAM VERGHESE, A BEST-SELLING AUTHOR AND PROFESSOR AT STANFORD, SAYS TECHNOLOGY, FOR ALL ITS DIAGNOSTIC BENEFITS, LEAVES DOCTORS LITTLE TIME FOR THE EMPATHY THAT DREW MOST OF THEM TO MEDICINE.
>> THERE WAS A CHILLING PAPER FROM THE JOURNAL "EMERGENCY MEDICINE" TITLED "4,000 CLICKS," SUGGESTING AN EMERGENCY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN DOES 4,000 CLICKS A DAY AND SPENDS THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THEIR TIME ON THE COMPUTER, VERY LITTLE PERCENTAGE OF THE TIME ACTUALLY WITH PATIENTS, AND SIMILAR STUDIES THAT ARE COMING OUT SUGGESTING THE SAME ABOUT RESIDENTS AND MEDICAL STUDENTS AND PHYSICIANS AND OTHER SPECIALTIES.
>> Reporter: KERZIN SAYS HE WANTS TO MAKE COMPASSION AS INTEGRAL TO MEDICINE EDUCATION AS PHYSIOLOGY OR BIO CHEMISTRY.
AND HE SAYS HE WANTS TO BUILD MORE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN SCIENTISTS AND BUDDHIST SCHOLARS, A RECONCILIATION OF VERY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON LIFE THAT HE SAYS HE'S MADE INTERNALLY.
>> I USED TO SAY I WEAR TWO HATS.
SO SOMETIMES, THIS IS THE MEDICAL HAT, THIS IS THE BUDDHIST HAT.
BUT I DON'T SAY THAT ANYMORE.
>> Reporter: FOR "RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY," THIS IS FRED DE SAM LAZARO IN DHARMSALA, INDIA.
>>> NOW, BELIEF AND PRACTICE.
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MANY PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY ARE SPIRITUAL BUT NOT RELIGIOUS ARE EXPLORING NEW PRACTICES.
ONE OF THEM IS CALLED LAUGHTER YOGA.
IT COMBINES THE BREATHING TECHNIQUES OF YOGA WITH LAUGHING, FOR NO REASON.
WE TALKED WITH INSTRUCTOR DIANE COHEN ABOUT LAUGHTER YOGA AT A SESSION SHE WAS LEADING AT WASHINGTON'S NATIONAL CATHEDRAL.
>> LAUGHTER YOGA IS A UNIQUE CONCEPT WHERE YOU LAUGH FOR NO REASON.
THERE ARE NO JOKES, THERE'S NO COMEDY, THERE'S NO HUMOR.
IT'S JUST INTENTIONAL LAUGHTER, AND IT LOOKS LIKE A GROUP OF PEOPLE GETTING TOGETHER LAUGHING HAVING FUN.
THE FOUR ELEMENTS ARE CLAPPING, CHILDLIKE PLAYFULNESS, PRANAYAMA BREATHING, WHICH IS THE YOGA PART, AND THE LAUGHTER EXERCISES.
IT'S THE LAUGHTER PART AND THE BREATHING PART, THE PRANAYAMA BREATHING THAT WE DO IN YOGA AND THERE AREN'T THE POSES AT ALL AND THE BENEFITS ARE FROM THE BREATHING.
IT TAKES YOU SO MUCH OUT OF YOUR HEAD AND YOUR MIND AND MORE INTO YOUR HEART AND BODY AND THE SPIRITUALITY COMES IN BECAUSE WE'RE CONNECTING WITH EACH OTHER, AND WE'RE CONNECTING IN A NONRELIGIOUS WAY, HOWEVER IT'S A JOYFUL WAY.
IT'S CONTAGIOUS, AND I THINK WHEN THEY'RE IN A GROUP AND THEY FEEL SAFE AND THEY SEE ME MAKING A TOTAL FOOL OUT OF MYSELF, THEY MIGHT THINK, WELL, IF SHE CAN DO IT, I CAN DO IT TOO.
YOUR BODY ACTUALLY DOESN'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTENTIONAL LAUGHTER AND REAL LAUGHTER, YOU JUST FEEL GOOD.
IT'S JUST THE INNER ESSENCE OF A PERSON, AND I THINK LAUGHTER YOGA BRINGS OUT THAT INNER ESSENCE THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS LET OUT.
SOME PEOPLE GET JOY, SOME PEOPLE GET THE CONNECTION.
SOME PEOPLE DO IT FOR RELEASE.
WITH MINDFULNESS PRACTICE, WE LEARN TO PAUSE, TAKE A BREATH AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND SOME OF MY CLIENTS INCLUDED WHO HAVE DIFFICULTY GETTING INTO THE MEDITATIVE STATE.
HOWEVER, WITH LAUGHTER YOGA, YOU CAN ARRIVE AT THAT POINT WITHOUT SITTING STILL.
SOME PEOPLE NEED TO BE ACTIVE.
>>> FINALLY, ON OUR CALENDAR -- THIS COMING WEEK, HINDUS BEGIN OBSERVING ONE OF THEIR MOST POPULAR HOLIDAYS, THE NINE-NIGHT FESTIVAL OF NAVRATRI, WHICH IS DEVOTED TO THE GODDESS DURGA AND HER VARIOUS MANIFESTATIONS.
IT'S A TIME OF SPECIAL PRAYERS, FASTING AND PARTIES.
>>> THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR NOW.
I'M BOB ABERNETHY.
YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK AND WATCH US ANYTIME ON THE PBS APP FOR iPHONES AND iPADS.
THERE IS ALSO MUCH MORE ON OUR WEBSITE, WHERE YOU CAN LISTEN TO OR WATCH EVERY PROGRAM.
JOIN US AT PBS.ORG.
AS WE LEAVE YOU, MORE SCENES FROM LAST YEAR'S NAVRATRI CELEBRATIONS.
♪♪ PROVIDED BY MUTUAL OF AMERICA, DESIGNING CUSTOMIZED AND INDIVIDUAL GROUP
