Dr. Carolla opens with a discussion of the power of attention. As he puts it, there is one level of attention that you use when you work or play music, but then there is a second level, or ‘The Next Attention’ which allows us to connect to a deeper, more present self. Jim also stresses the importance of having a magnetic center, or a place we can mentally return to so that we feel like ourselves.
Dr. Carolla asks Ray what being centered and grounded feels like to him. They discuss how it’s a constant struggle, moment by moment, to remain balanced. Ray also mentions a reoccurring dream he had growing up, and admits that he was super scared when he was little.
Dr. Carolla relates to Ray’s fear, saying he also struggled when he was a kid. He was just a mark or a victim to the other kids, and had to work out elaborate ways to get to class without being seen by anyone. Ray says the past haunts him as well, but he would take on a different persona to make up for it.
In this regard, both men dealt with fear differently. Jim was physically scared, whereas Ray took a more aggressive path, seeking confrontation even when it was masked with humor. Dr. Carolla then tells another story of fear from his childhood, involving a fight that took place near a fish market in his old neighborhood.
Be sure to tune in next week for more on the topic of dealing with fear. As a teaser, Dr. Carolla suggests that he was once involved in a prison riot while working as a prison chaplain.
Executive Producer: Donny Misraje
Producer: Brian Meyer
Show Summary: Matt Fondiler
