Paul Gilbert and Tara Brach, moderated by Rick Hanson, examine how the brain's threat system fuels fear, shame, and the reflex to see others as foreign. Drawing on compassion-focused therapy and Buddhist psychology, they trace a path from reactivity into presence, including a guided reflection on contacting the vulnerability beneath anger.
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In this talk, we explore how compassion can arise in the midst of conflict—within our lives and in the larger world. In a conversation with Paul Gilbert, moderated by Rick Hansen, we reflect on how our evolutionary conditioning—especially the brain's threat system—fuels fear, shame, and the reflex to see others as "other." Drawing on Buddhist psychology, we look at how a sense of separation and the stories of blame keep us caught in reactivity—and how we can begin to shift out of reactivity into presence, understanding, and care. This talk includes a guided reflection for working with conflict, helping us contact the vulnerability beneath anger, reopen the heart, and widen the circle of belonging. Our introduction music is from "Opening" by Adrienne Torf, © 2025 ABT Music