For episode 196 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks special guest, Dr. Gabor Maté. 

Gabor is highly sought after for his expertise working with addiction, stress, and childhood development. He has written several bestselling books, including the award-winning In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, When the Body Says No, and Scattered, and co-authored the book Hold On to Your Kids. His works have been published internationally in nearly thirty languages. Gabor?s new book, The Myth of Normal, has just been released in September of 2022.

Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

In this episode, Sharon and Gabor discuss:

How Gabor defines the term ?normal? ? Human?s incredible and sometimes dangerous adaptability ? The percentages of folks on medication ? How our culture engenders illness ? The evolutionary nature ? The essence of interconnection across culture, science & spirituality ? Thích Nh?t H?nh?s inter-being teaching ? The concept of the ?identified person? ? Addiction as the canary in the mine ? Traumatic events versus the dramatic wounds we sustain as a result ? The complex factors that motivate caregivers ? Why caregivers tend toward trauma ? Compassion Fatigue is a lack of self-compassion ? Negative self-talk as an impact of trauma ? The difference between responsibility and blame ? The role of community in healing ? Authenticity versus attachment ? Childhood development ? Is it ever too late to heal? ? Gabor?s practice of Compassionate Inquiry ? The evolution of addiction treatments ? How our culture profits off of addiction

The conversation closes with a twelve-minute guided inquiry exercise by Gabor. To learn more about Gabor?s work, you can visit his website at drgabormate.com or find his latest book, The Myth of Normal, available in hardcover, audio and ebook formats.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Husband and wife, Barbara Graham and Hugh Delehanty join Sharon Salzberg for Episode 195 of the Metta Hour Podcast.

Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

Barbara Graham is a New York Times bestselling author, essayist, and  playwright. She is the author of several books, including her 2022 novel ?What Jonah Knew.? Hugh Delehanty is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, a National Magazine Award-winning editor, and a certified meditation teacher with more than 25 years of practice.

In this episode, Sharon, Hugh and Barbara discuss:

How Barbara & Hugh came to spiritual practice ? How creativity can be informed by meditation ? Finding joy in creative expression ? Cultural assumptions about creativity ? Training capacities we don?t think we have ? Confronting our creative fears ? The seed for Barbara?s recent book ? Writing the thing you?re most afraid of ? How visual art informed Hugh as a writer ? The mystery of reincarnation ? Hugh?s work in sports writing ? Phil Jackson?s coaching ethos ? Compassion in sports ? Leonard Cohen ? Trusting ones creative impulses

The episode closes with a meditation led by Hugh on open awareness. Learn more about Hugh?s work hughdelehanty.com at and get yourself a copy of Barbara?s new book, ?What Jonah Knew? at barbaragrahamauthor.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sharon welcomes friends and colleagues Andrés González and brothers Ali and Atman Smith back to the Metta Hour Podcast for Episode 194 to celebrate the release of their first book, ?Let Your Light Shine.?

Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

Together Ali, Atman, and Andrés are the founders of the Holistic Life Foundation, a non-profit organization bringing yoga, meditation, and breath-work to thousands of at-risk kids in Baltimore schools since 2001. Their work has received wide national attention due to their remarkable results in public schools where suspension rates plummet, and graduation rates skyrocket. Outside of their work with the Holistic Life Foundation, Atman, Andrés and Ali also teach to diverse populations around the world, including drug treatment centers, mental crisis facilities, homeless shelters, as well as Yoga, Wellness, and Mindfulness Festivals. Their work has been featured in NBC Nightly News, CNN, CBS, The Washington Post, Upworthy, and many more.

In this conversation, Andrés, Atman, Ali, and Sharon speak about:

The impact on 9/11 on the formation of the HLF non-profit ? The origins of ?The Light Within? over a decade ago. ? Growing up as black and brown-skinned men ? How institutional racism has affected their lives. ? The influence of their elders? involvement in the civil rights movement. ? Growing up in one of the most violent neighborhoods in America. ? Learning to ?be the check? instead of ?earning the check?. ? Moving from partying in college to spiritual practice. ? Overcoming our cultural and familial conditioning. ? Awareness practices to access inner peace amid outer turmoil. ? The quality of connection that opens up from spiritual practice. ? Mantra Yoga Practice. ? Mantras as cheat codes in life. ? Projecting love to those who are suffering the most in the world. ? Some of Sharon?s personal mantras. ? The guidance of their teacher to create more teachers. ? HLF?s reciprocal teaching model. ? How the love of Bhakti Yoga is intertwined in their teachings. ? It all starts with self-love and self-worth. ? How love can look in different ways. ? Love doesn?t dictate certain behaviors. ? The challenges of love as a spiritual path. ? How their work has become trauma-informed. ? The impact of meeting Bessel van der Kolk. ? Facing their own childhood trauma. ? How life becomes challenging once we embark on the spiritual path. ? How to start and end your day in the light. ? To finish the episode, Ali leads a guided meditation to bring the conversation to a close.

To learn more about Ali, Andrés and Atman?s work, visit www.hlfinc.org and get a copy of their book, Let Your Light Shine, available October 18th, 2022, in hardcover, eBook and audiobook formats.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Diego Perez returns to the Metta Hour for Episode 193 to speak about his new book, Lighter. Diego is a meditator, speaker, and NY Times bestselling author known by his pen name Yung Pueblo.

Diego is a practitioner of Vipassana meditation, as taught by S.N. Goenka. His writing focuses on the power of self-healing, creating healthy relationships, and the wisdom that comes when we truly work on knowing ourselves. Diego is the author of several bestselling books, Inward, Clarity & Connection, and his new release, Lighter, which comes out in October of 2022.

Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

In this conversation, Diego and Sharon discuss:

The writing of Diego?s new book, Lighter ? How this book differs from his previous prose books ? Scaling up compassion from personal to transpersonal ? The balance of self-care versus activism ? Self-love as a doorway to loving others ? How to build Structural Compassion ? Healing is defined as decreasing the reactions we feel ? Authenticity as a flowing state of identity ? Slowing down to be how you choose to show up ? The Ten Paramis as an expansion of practice ? Softening the barrier between formal and non-formal practice  ? Cultivating the qualities we lack ? Learning to let go via acceptance ? The necessity of formal practice of any kind ? Unlocking inner creativity ? Dipa Ma creating accessibility of practice ? Cultivating emotional maturity ? Working with difficult emotions ? Buoyancy of Mind  ? The radiance of S.N. Goenka ? Diego meeting Bhikkhu Analiyo ? Diego?s guiding lights for connection

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 192, Sharon welcomes Cecilia Loving to the Metta Hour to speak about Diversity, Inclusion, and embodied Lovingkindness.

Cecilia is an award-winning speaker, diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion thought leader, consultant, and author. Her work focuses on restorative justice, storytelling, inclusive leadership, racial inclusion, mindfulness, and well-being. She is the Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at PBS, with over 25 years of experience in DEI. Cecilia has practiced meditation since she was a teen in Detroit, and is the author of several books, including ?The Power of Inclusion? and Unbroken Circles: Holding Space, Finding Forgiveness, and Transcending Edges.

Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

In this conversation, Cecilia and Sharon share about:

? Growing up in the Civil rights movement in Detroit ? Embodying vs. intellectualizing teachings ? The impetus for Cecilia?s book ?The Power of Inclusion? ? The necessity of a diverse community for resilience ? Surviving compared to flourishing ? The ancient tradition of Circles ? Being heard by others as a path of healing ? Restorative Justice circles ? The effect George Floyd?s death has had on DEI work ? Teaching emotional intelligence to the FDNY ? Learning to wear the world as a loose garment ? The challenges caregivers face ? Lovingkindness as a restorative presence for others ? DEI as a ?Ministry of Love? ? How shame impacts healing and learning

The episode ends with Cecilia leading a guided lovingkindness meditation to close the conversation. To learn more about Cecilia?s work, you can visit mindfulnessgroup.blog or check out her many book offerings.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 191 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with scholar, researcher, and author, Alexander Gardner.

Content Warning ? This interview includes conversation about suicide. If you are having thoughts of suicide ? whether or not you are in crisis ? you can find free support & resources via the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/

Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

Alex is the Director and Chief Editor of the Treasury of Lives, a biographical Encyclopedia of Tibet, Inner Asia, and the Himalayas. Alex completed his Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies at the University of Michigan in 2007. His research focuses on the collaborative activities of three great nineteenth-century Tibetan Buddhist masters. In 2019, he released the book ?The Life of Jamgon Kongtrul the Great? from Shambhala. In this conversation, Alex and Sharon speak about:

? How Alex was drawn to Eastern studies ? The two-month retreat Sharon and Alex sat many years ago ? The importance of Lineage ? What inspired a book about Jamgon Kongtrul ? How the great masters in Buddhism were regular people ? The history of Bodh Gaya, India ? The inspiration for Treasury of Lives?How technology interfaces with spiritual teachings ? Alex?s exploration of sexuality in Buddhist Teachings ? A chance meeting with a clown nose ?

For more information about Alex?s work, you can visit treasuryoflives.org or get a copy of his book, The Life of Jamgon Kongtrul the Great, available in hardcover and beook formats.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 190 of the Metta Hour, Sharon welcomes Dr. Barbara Fredrickson.

Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

Dr. Barbara Fredrickson is a Kenan Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at UNC-Chapel Hill. Barbara is the director of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory. She is an award-winning teacher and also among the most highly-cited scientists worldwide. Her books, Positivity and Love 2.0 have been translated into dozens of languages. Barbara has been President of the International Positive Psychology Association and the Society for Affective Science.

In this episode, Sharon and Barbara discuss:

How Barbara and Sharon first connected ? The history of the study of emotions in modern psychology ? Experiential states that aren?t recognized as emotions ? The peril of glorifying achievement ? Evolutionary Psychology ? The consilience of contemplative wisdom and science ? The process of creating the Broaden & Build Theory ? How Lovingkindness meditation (Metta) affected Barbara?s work ? Barbara?s definition of ?love? ? The contagion of emotions ? The collective creation of positive states ? The application of Lovingkindness (Metta) ? The Brahma Viharas (Four Immeasurables) ? Barbara?s cat Mudita ? The importance of acceptance ? Mindful awareness versus savoring ? Barbara?s book ?Love 2.0? ? ?Short Moments, Many Times? study ? The Research of Lovingkindness (Metta) meditation ? What Barbara is working on next

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 189, Sharon welcomes Dr. Simran Jeet Singh to the Metta Hour to speak about the Sikh philosophy of love and service. 

Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

Simran is the Executive Director of the Inclusive America Project at the Aspen Institute. Recognized among TIME Magazine?s ?sixteen people fighting for a more equal America, ? he is an Equality Fellow with the Open Society Foundations. Simran is a regular contributor to The Washington Post, CNN, and TIME Magazine and writes a monthly column for Religion News Service. In July of 2022, Simran released his first book, The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life, from Riverhead books. In this conversation, Simran and Sharon speak about:

? Growing up as an outsider

? Identity as a refuge

? The foremost teaching of Sikh philosophy of interconnection

? The natural expression of love is action

? Inspiration for his book?The Light We Give?

? De-centralizing the Ego

? Understanding our deeper values

? The impact of Lovingkindness on our enemies

? What does it mean to be a warrior of the heart?

? What is lost in hyper-masculinity 

? Building a healthy sense of self when living in the margins

? Honor the dignity of all the feelings that arise in us

? The motivation of anger vs. love

The episode ends with Simran leading a Sikh meditation to close the conversation. To learn more about Simran?s work visit www.simranjeetsingh.org or get a copy of his book, The Light We Give.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 188 of the Metta Hour podcast, Jason Garner joins Sharon to talk about life, practice, finding meaning, and refuge.

Jason is a spiritual seeker, author, and previously a Fortune 500 company executive. He spent the first 37 years of his life working his way up from flea market parking attendant to CEO of Global Music at Live Nation, the world's largest concert promoter. After several significant losses in his life, Jason turned to yoga, meditation, martial arts, and eastern philosophy to learn a different way of being in the world. In 2014 he wrote the book "And then I Breathed," chronicling his unique journey.

Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

In this conversation, Sharon and Jason speak about:

? Jason's path making his way in the world

? What led to Jason becoming a spiritual seeker

? Bringing spiritual practice of the music business

? Finding meaning in life to help navigate challenging times

? Sharon's experience in isolation during the pandemic

? The inner resource of meditation in COVID

? Jason and Sharon's shared Tibetan teacher Tsoknyi Rinpoche

? Everyone's inherent "inner okay-ness"

? How self-compassion changed the course of Jason's practice and life

? The courage to show up as a human

? Re-writing the myth of winning so "everyone gets to win"

? Collaboration versus competition

? Creating Love4Live to offer meditation resources for the music industry in COVID

To learn more about Jason, you can visit his website jasongarner.com and love4live.org

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sharon welcomes Dr. Galit Atlas for Episode 187 of the Metta Hour.

Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

Galit is an author, psychoanalyst, and clinical assistant professor at New York University. She has published numerous articles and book chapters that focus primarily on gender and sexuality. Her New York Times published ?A Tale of Two Twins? won a 2016 Gradiva Award, and her latest book ?Emotional Inheritance? was released in January of 2022. In this conversation, Galit and Sharon discuss:

? What drew Galit to therapy

? The stigma and shame around mental health

? The definition of trauma

? How generational trauma shows up

? The effect that secrecy has on trauma and healing

? How the secrecy in Sharon?s childhood affects her

? Post Traumatic Growth

? What we must accept versus what we can change

? The role of forgiveness in healing

? The epigenetics of family trauma

? Winnicott?s ?good enough? parent

? Vicarious Trauma for Caregivers

To learn more about Galit?s work, you can visit her website at galitatlas.com 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Stephen Cope and Sharon Salzberg come together in Metta Hour to discuss dharma and the shared struggles of humanity. In this episode Sharon and Stephen talk about:

Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

Stephen Cope is a best-selling author and scholar who specializes in the relationship between the Eastern contemplative traditions and Western depth psychology. For almost thirty years, Stephen has been Scholar-in-Residence at the renowned Kripalu Center. Stephen is also the founder and former director of the Kripalu Institute for Extraordinary Living?one of the world?s most influential research institutes examining the effects and mechanisms of yoga and meditation, with a team of researchers from top universities. Stephen's new book, The Dharma in Difficult Times, is now available to purchase.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sharon welcomes social justice educator, yoga teacher, and author Jacoby Ballard to the Metta Hour for Episode 185.

Jacoby has taught Queer and Trans Yoga since 2006. In 2008, he Co-Founded the Third Root Community Health Center in Brooklyn as a healing and social justice space. His first book, ?A Queer Dharma: Yoga and Meditations for Liberation,? was released in 2021 from North Atlantic Books.

Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

In this conversation, Jacoby and Sharon discuss:

? How Jacoby began his practice in high school & college

? The release of Jacoby?s new book in the time of Covid

? Applying dharma teachings to explore identity

? The path of liberation for those targeted by systems of oppression 

? Addressing the trauma in the room

? Noble silence versus silencing

? Lovingkindness in Queer communities

? Acceptance and anger 

? Forgiveness is not amnesia

? Jacoby?s self-care practices

? How to find the therapist for you

? Guidance for Queer and Trans meditators

? How to be a better LGBTQ+ ally

The episode closes with Jacoby leading a guided Mudita (joy) meditation practice. To learn more about Jacoby?s work, you can visit his website.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Author and speaker Agapi Stassinopoulos joins Sharon for a conversation on the Metta Hour Podcast Episode 184.

Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

Agapi Stassinopoulos is the author of ?Wake Up to the Joy of You? and ?Unbinding the Heart: A Dose of Greek Wisdom, Generosity and Unconditional Love.? She leads workshops at Thrive Global, a company founded by her sister, Arianna Huffington, to help change how we work and live. Agapi?s newest book, ?Speaking with Spirit: 52 Prayers to Guide, Inspire, and Uplift You,? was released in January of 2022 by Harmony Books. In this conversation, Agapi and Sharon discuss:

? Agapi?s family history in WW2

? The influence of Agapi?s mother on her path

? What happens after spiritual awakening

? The inspiration for Agapi?s new book

? Differences between prayer and meditation

? How to embrace a higher power

? Approaching prayer as a practice

? Cultivating confidence

? Spiritual versus religious

? Non-attachment in prayer

? Communion with the Divine

? Why we lose our sense of connection

? Finding the beloved inside

? Letting go of perfection to find greater joy

? The epidemic of loneliness

? Getting out of the way of our creativity

? Giving your inner critic a vacation

? Agape?s approach to grace and resilience

The episode closes with Agapi reading a passage from her book on coming home. To learn more about Agapi?s work, you can visit her website.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Performer, author, and storyteller Joél Leon returns to the Metta Hour Podcast for Episode 183.

Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

Born and raised in the Bronx, Joél writes and tells stories for Black people. Specializing in moderating and leading conversations surrounding race, masculinity, mental health, creativity, and the performing arts, with love at the center of his work and purpose. He is the author of ?Book About Things I Will Tell My Daughter? and ?God Wears Durags, Too.? His TED talk on healthy co-parenting has been viewed over 1.5M times. In this conversation, Joél and Sharon discuss:

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Author and Psychotherapist Mark Epstein, M.D. returns to the Metta Hour Podcast for Episode 182.

Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

A longtime friend and colleague, Mark and Sharon first met in 1974 at the Naropa Institute in Boulder, CO. Mark is a psychiatrist in private practice in New York City and a longtime Buddhist practitioner. He is the author of several books that explore the interface of Buddhism and psychotherapy, including Going to Pieces without Falling Apart and his 2022 release, The Zen of Therapy: Uncovering a Hidden Kindness in Life. In this conversation, Mark and Sharon discuss:

? Their backstory meeting in 1974 in Boulder, CO

? Mark?s new book, The Zen of Therapy

? The Buddha?s origin story through Mark?s therapeutic lens

? How COVID is impacting Mental Health

? Exploring COVID as a collective trauma

? Mark?s insights while on a meditation retreat

? How to create a healthy holding environment for ourselves

? The importance of kindness in therapy

? The limitations of kindness

? How to find a good therapist

The episode closes with Mark leading a short guided meditation practice. To learn more about Mark?s work, you can visit his website.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sharon welcomes Pastor, author, and theologian Nadia Bolz-Weber to the Metta Hour Podcast for Episode 181.

Nadia is an ordained Lutheran Pastor and the founder of the House for All Sinners & Saints in Denver, Colorado. She is the creator and host of The Confessional Podcast, which invites guests to share stories about times that they were at their worst, and is executive produced by our friends over at The Moth. Nadia is the author of three New York Times bestselling memoirs: ?Pastrix,? which was re-released in May of 2021, ?Accidental Saints? and her 2019 release, ?Shameless: A Sexual Reformation.?

Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

Nadia starts the conversation by sharing more about her history, and what drew her to the path. Sharon asks Nadia about her thoughts on shame, how it hinders us in our personal growth. The two talk about the inspiration for Nadia's book, Shameless, They discuss the distinction between shame, guilt and regret in Buddhist Psychology, and how we can recapture some of the energy from these states. Nadia shares her thoughts on forgiveness, both of ourselves and others, and how she approached forgiveness and a means to find greater freedom. Nadia talks about her podcast, and what her experience has been supporting others who are deeply affected by shame, and the role of a Pastor in life. They also discuss the difference between punishment versus rehabilitation in wrong-doing, and what role mercy has to play in these aspects of life. Nadia shares candidly about a recent family tragedy, and how she is processing the loss by walking the Camino de Santiago. Nadia shares her experience of trying meditation for the first time during the pandemic, and how she finds it to be different than prayer.

Learn more about Nadia: nadiabolzweber.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rhonda V. Magee returns to the Metta Hour Podcast for episode 180.

Rhonda is a Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco and has spent more than twenty years exploring the intersections of anti-racist education, social justice, and contemplative practices. A Fellow of the Mind and Life Institute, Rhonda is a global Keynote Speaker, mindfulness teacher, practice innovator, storyteller, and thought leader on integrating Mindfulness into Higher Education, Law, and Social Justice. Her award-winning book, ?The Inner Work of Racial Justice: Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities Through Mindfulness,? was released in hardcover in 2019, and the paperback edition is now available.

Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

The conversation begins with Sharon and Rhonda discussing some of the ongoing assumptions about mindfulness practice and how they are often used to bypass life?s difficulties. Sharon asks Rhonda to elucidate some of the teachings from her book. Rhonda starts by explaining the concept of Racialized Bodies. Sharon shares her understanding of attribution bias and how that also affects the way that we navigate the world. They discuss how the different modalities of mindfulness and lovingkindness compare as a means to work with bias. Sharon asks Rhona to speak more about how she defines Racial Justice and what that means in daily life. They discuss some of the obstacles to cultivating empathy or emotional understanding when looking at racial issues. Rhonda shares her thoughts on Color Insight versus Color Blindness and then leads a guided meditation to close the conversation.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 179 of the Metta Hour Sharon speaks with Certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Teacher, Margaret Cullen.

Margaret Cullen is a licensed psychotherapist and was one of the first to become a Certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher. For over 25 years, she has pioneered secular contemplative programs for various populations, developing and teaching contemplative interventions for research studies at Stanford, UCSF, Portland State, Penn State, University of Michigan, and the University of Miami. Margaret has contributed to the development of the Compassion Cultivation Training at Standford and become Founding Faculty for the Compassion Institute.

Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

The conversation begins with Margaret sharing more of her history and how she came to meditation practice in her late 20s. They discuss how mindfulness is defined in different traditions and the implicit quality of compassion that exists in it, and how Margaret?s mentor, John Kabat Zinn, folded compassion into the teaching of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. They discuss ?emotional balance? in Margaret?s early work doing research at UCSF. Margaret shares her definition of compassion and the ways her definition has evolved over her time. She also shares some of the common misconceptions about compassion that she had encountered in her work. They also discuss Margaret?s views on compassion fatigue and collapse and the relationship between self-compassion and compassion for others. The conversation closes with Margaret leading a guided Compassionate Image Practice.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 178 of the Metta Hour, Sharon welcomes her friend and colleague, Omid Safi.

In this conversation, Sharon and Omid discuss the nature of Radical Love and the many forms that love can take outside of romantic bonds. Omid also shares some of the factors and practices that support greater access to states of Radical Love. They contemplate what Rumi would do in a pandemic and what it looks like to flow to where the greatest needs and suffering are to be found in life. Sharon asks Omid about the cultivation of curiosity and humility in life and their roles in life. Lastly, they speak about accountability and restorative justice in the collective as a form of love in the public sphere.

This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

Omid is a teacher in the Sufi tradition of Radical Love and the Founder of Illuminated Courses & Tours. He is a professor at Duke University specializing in Islamic spirituality and contemporary thought. The author of several books, his most recent release from 2018 is ?Radical Love: Teachings from the Islamic Mystical Tradition.? Omid is also the host of his own podcast, The Sufi Heart Podcast, on the Be Here Now Network.

Dive into Dr. Omid Safi's illuminating Sufi Heart Podcast exclusively here on the Be Here Now Network

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 177 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with Bonnie Pitman.

In this episode, Bonnie shares about her work in the art world and how she sees art as a doorway to contemplative practice. She and Sharon talk about how differently art is looked at in Eastern culture and what role suffering has to play in the creation of art. They discuss the history of Bonnie?s ?Do Something New? initiative and what that looks like for her today while still facing chronic illness. Lastly, they discuss the role gratitude has played in her well-being and, in particular, her chronic disease. Bonnie closes the conversation with a guided lovingkindness meditation.

This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

Bonnie is a nationally recognized leader in the museum community. Her museum career spans 50 years of service in the museum, education, and university fields. Since 2008, Bonnie has been living with chronic illness. In 2011 began her daily practice to ?Do Something New,? inviting the exploration and celebration of making an ordinary day extraordinary while dealing with chronic illness.

Learn more about Bonnie and try the "Do Something New" practice at dosomethingnew.org 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 176 of the Metta Hour, Sharon is joined by Neal Allen and Anne Lamott.

In this conversation, Neal shares his impetus for writing Shapes of Truth and how the book played a role in his first date with his now-wife, Annie Lamott. The three converse about the different ways they define the term and the experience of God or the divine, and how that interfaces with daily life. The episode ends with Neal leading a short guided reflection to bring the conversation to a close.

This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

Neal Allen is a coach and writer who studies and practices traditional and contemporary spiritual paths. He is the author of the 2021 release Shapes of Truth: Discover God Inside You. Anne Lamott is the New York Times best-selling author of 19 books, including collections of essays, novels, and long-form non-fiction, including the classic writing manual Bird by Bird and childrearing memoir Operating Instructions.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 175 of the Metta Hour, Sharon welcomes Christiane Wolf, MD, Ph.D., for a conversation about chronic pain.

Christiane Wolf is a physician, meditation teacher, and author. She is the author of the May 2021 release, Outsmart Your Pain: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion to Help You Leave Chronic Pain Behind, and is a senior teacher at InsightLA in Los Angeles. She is also the lead consultant and teacher trainer for the US Department of Veteran Affairs National Mindfulness Facilitator Training.

In this conversation, Christiane shares her background in meditation and what inspired her to teach. Sharon and Christiane talk about how working with physical pain can be a template for working with emotional pain and some of the cultural conditioning that can make chronic pain more difficult. Christiane discusses the difference between accepting and acknowledging pain and the role that grief has to play with it. She also shares some of her modes of working with pain through mindfulness and self-compassion. The episode concludes with Christiane leading a short guided meditation.

This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

The paperback edition of Real Change is now available! Order Here

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 174 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D.

Scott is a cognitive scientist and humanistic psychologist exploring the mind, creativity, and the depths of human potential. He is the founder and director of the Center for the Science of Human Potential and the author of several books, including ?Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization.? Scott is also the host of The Psychology Podcast, with over 17 million downloads.

In this conversation, Scott and Sharon speak about Maslow?s Hierarchy of Needs and Scott?s revamp of the model in his recent book, ?Transcend,? which was released in 2020. Scott discusses the metaphor of a sailboat to represent his model of self-actualization. Sharon asks Scott his thoughts about the overarching processes of moving from contraction to expansion in life and his approach to personal growth and transcendence from a modern psychological point of view. They also discuss the popular wellness trend, Toxic Positivity, and Scott?s response to this phenomenon, Tragic Optimism: the ability to find meaning in any form of suffering. The episode ends with Scott leading a short guided growth challenge exercise to bring the conversation to a close.

This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In celebration of the paperback book release of Sharon's latest book, Real Change, in November of 2021, the Metta Hour is releasing an anthology of interviews exploring the themes from the book.

These interviews originally aired in 2019 and 2020, with Sharon speaking to various folks about the intersection of mindfulness and loving kindness practice with social action. For the sixth and final episode of this anthology, we're exploring the theme of Burnout to Balance. This episode features interview clips with Ellen Agler, Joél Leon, Killian Noe, Sensei Joshin Byrnes and Shelly Tygielski. Each guest shares their own unique tools for cultivating balance and equanimity when dealing with the burnout that often accompanies social action work. 

The paperback edition of Real Change is now available! Order Here

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 172 of the Metta Hour, we bring you a special memorial episode in honor of Bell Hooks.

This episode features Sharon in conversation with bell and was originally released in May of 2017 as part of the Real Love Podcast Series. We?re re-releasing it now to honor bell's legacy and teaching after her recent passing in December of 2021. Bell hooks is the pen name of Gloria Jean Watkins - a cultural critic, feminist theorist, and world-acclaimed author. She has been named a leading public intellectual by The Atlantic Monthly, as well as one of Utne Reader's 100 Visionaries Who Could Change Your Life. This conversation was recorded live at the JCC Manhattan in 2017 and moderated by Melvin McLeod, the Editor-in-Chief of Lion's Roar magazine.

Learn more about bell's work at bellhooksinstitute.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In celebration of the paperback book release of Sharon's latest book, Real Change, in November of 2021, the Metta Hour is releasing an anthology of interviews exploring the themes from the book.

The paperback edition of Real Change is now available! Order Here

In celebration of the paperback book release of Sharon's latest book, Real Change, in Novemberof 2021, the Metta Hour is releasing an anthology of interviews exploring the themes from the book. These interviews originally aired on the podcast in 2020, with Sharon speaking to different meditation teachers and activists about the intersection of mindfulness and loving kindness practice with social action. For the fifth episode of this anthology, we're exploring the theme of The Interconnected World. This episode features interview clips from Anu Gupta, Ellen Agler, Sensei Joshin Byrnes, Mallika Dutt, Sebene Selassie, Soren Gordhamer, and Yung Pueblo. Each guest speaks about the nuanced ways in which interconnection informs their work and their own personal healing.

This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In celebration of the paperback book release of Sharon's latest book, Real Change, in November of 2021, the Metta Hour is releasing an anthology of interviews exploring the themes from the book.

These interviews originally aired on the podcast in 2020, with Sharon speaking to different meditation teachers and activists about the intersection of mindfulness and lovingkindness practice with social action. For the fourth episode of this anthology, we're exploring the theme of Anger to Courage. This episode features interview clips from Devon and Craig Hase, Sensei Joshin Byrnes, Marc Solomon, Mallika Dutt, and Shelly Tygielski. Each speak about their transformational journey working with anger: the pitfalls and promises of this powerful emotion and how to harness it for a courageous heart and mind.

The paperback edition of Real Change is now available! Order Here

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In celebration of the paperback book release of Sharon's latest book, Real Change, in November of 2021, the Metta Hour is releasing an anthology of interviews exploring the themes from the book.

The paperback edition of Real Change is now available! Order Here

These interviews originally aired on the podcast in 2019 and 2020, with Sharon speaking to different meditation teachers and activists about the intersection of mindfulness and lovingkindness practice with social action. For Episode Three of the anthology, we're exploring the theme of Art as Activism. This episode features interview clips from Carla Goldstein, Gary Gach, Joél Leon, Sarah Jones, Sarah Ruhl, and Yung Pueblo. Each speak about their respective work as artists, and how they view this creative work as a form of activism and social change.

This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In celebration of the paperback book release of Sharon's latest book, Real Change, in November of 2021, the Metta Hour is releasing an anthology of interviews exploring the themes from the book.

These interviews originally aired on the podcast in 2020, with Sharon speaking to various folks about the intersection of mindfulness and lovingkindness practice with social action. For Episode Two of the Real Change Anthology, the Metta Hour Podcast explores the theme of "Grief to Resilience" with interview clips featuring David DeSteno, Ellen Agler, Jack Kornfield, Jana Kiser, Sensei Joshin Byrnes, Marc Solomon, and Sebene Selassie.

Sharon hosts an 8-Day Real Change Challenge Dec 6-13th, featuring daily lessons, meditations, & calls to action. Register at SharonSalzberg.com

The paperback edition of Real Change is available Nov 30th: Preorder Here

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In celebration of the paperback book release of Sharon's latest book, Real Change, in November of 2021, the Metta Hour is releasing an anthology of interviews exploring the themes from the book.

The paperback edition of Real Change is now available! Order Here

These interviews originally aired on the podcast in 2020, with Sharon speaking to various teachers and activists about the intersection of mindfulness and lovingkindness practice with social action. For Episode One of the Real Change Anthology, the Metta Hour Podcast explores the theme of "Agency in Action" with interview clips featuring Jack Kornfield, Sylvia Boorstein, and Yung Pueblo. They each share their unique experiences as activists and how that work intersects with their spiritual life.

This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 166 of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon speaks with Reverend Cathy Bristow.

Rev. Cathy is an ordained Interfaith Minister and the founder and principal of Bridges, a consulting firm whose mission is to re-language and initiate fresh conversations about race, gender, and diversity. She is deeply involved in social justice work and provides free seminars on Brain Health and the impact of spirituality.

Rev. Cathy and Sharon begin the conversation together, speaking about how New York City is recovering from the effects of COVID-19. Rev. Cathy then shares her history of how she organically found her ongoing prayer life through the practice of ?going quiet.? She talks about the power and purpose of storytelling as a healing vessel in her mentorship work and how she is embarking on the research of storytelling as a contemplative practice as connected to brain science for women who identify as black. They discuss the power of love (and self-love) as a force for change and personal resilience. Rev Cathy shares the importance of leadership training in her mentorship programs for black women and the modeling of vertical and horizontal inclusion. They also dive into a few of the topics of Sharon?s yet to be titled new book: the life cycles of expansion and contraction. The episode closes with Rev. Cathy leading a Gratitude Practice to close out the conversation.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 165 of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon speaks with Dr. Amishi Jha, Ph.D.

Amishi is Director of Contemplative Neuroscience and Professor of Psychology at the University of Miami. She leads research there on the neural bases of attention and the effects of mindfulness-based training programs on cognition, emotion, resilience, and performance in education, corporate, elite sports, first-responder, and military contexts. Her first book, Peak Mind: Find Your Focus, Own Your Attention, Invest 12 Minutes a Day, is coming out in October of 2021 from HarperCollins. Learn more about Amishi and her work at amishi.com. 

In this conversation, Sharon and Amishi speak about three different modes of attention as they are outlined in Peak Mind, Amishi?s new book. Amishi shares what her extensive research is revealing about how mindfulness affects the brain, and in turn, how these practices transform us from the inside out. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 164 of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon talks with her longtime friend and colleague, Bob Thurman.

Known in the academic circles as Professor Robert A.F. Thurman, Bob is a talented popularizer of the Buddha?s teachings and the first Westerner Tibetan Buddhist monk ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He is the author of many books on Tibet, Buddhism, art, politics, and culture and was named by The New York Times the leading American expert on Tibetan Buddhism. Bob is a Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University and the Co-Founder and President of Tibet House US/Menla in service of HH Dalai Lama and the people of Tibet. A close friend of the Dalai Lama?s for over 50 years, he is a leading worldwide lecturer on Tibetan Buddhism and a passionate activist for the plight of the Tibetan people. In August of 2021, he released his most recent book, ?Wisdom is Bliss? from Penguin Random House.

In this episode, Sharon and Bob reflect on when they first met in the early 70s, and Bob shared his story of what drew him to the east, and ultimately Tibetan Buddhism. They discuss Bob?s new book at length, the teachings of the Four Noble Truths, and how they can be helpful, fun, and friendly. The conversation closes with Bob leading a guided meditation practice. 

Learn more about Bob's work and offerings at bobthurman.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 163 of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon speaks with Vlada Bortnik.

Vlada is co-founder and CEO of Marco Polo, the popular video communication app that so many have relied on in this past year and a half of covid! Vlada is an immigrant from the former Soviet Union, and her path to Silicon Valley has been one of determination and steadfast passion for making the world a happier place. Vlada?s approach to life as a busy mom and tech CEO is grounded in mindfulness and meditation.

The conversation starts with Vlada and Sharon discussing Marco Polo and how the app has connected folks, especially during COVID. Vlada shares her observations about how the development of email, text, and social media has changed the way that people connect in the last twenty years and how the evolution of public-facing connections has increased loneliness for so many. They talk about the Marco Polo app and the different features it offers to promote real connection. Vlada shares about her early life and how her family immigrated to the United States from the Soviet Union. Sharon tells some stories about her covertly teaching meditation in the Soviet Union in the late 1980s with Joseph Goldstein. They talk about how Vlada came to meditation practice and how it has affected her life as a mother, her work life as a CEO, and the culture she has built at Marco Polo.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 162 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with Zainab Salbi.

Zainab Salbi is a humanitarian, author, and chief awareness officer of Find Center, a platform for personal development and growth. Oprah Winfrey has named her one of the 25 women changing the world to People Magazine, and President Clinton nominated her as a ?21st Century Heroine.? At the age of twenty-three, Zainab founded and led Women for Women International, a humanitarian organization supporting women survivors of wars. She is the author of several books, including the national bestseller ?Between Two Worlds? and her latest ?Freedom is an Inside Job.?

In this conversation, Zainab and Sharon speak about the next steps of healing in a time of incredible division and hatred in the world. Zainab shares her process of discovering her own biases and shadows as an activist and how her journey to healing these aspects of herself inspired the writing of her latest book, ?Freedom Is an Inside Job.? She shares how she has learned to balance the fire and passion of her activism work with meditation and well-being practices, and gardening. They speak at length about the crisis in Afghanistan as the United States withdraws troops from the region and the resulting aftermath and destabilization, particularly for women who are most at risk.

Warning: Please be aware that this conversation includes mention of sexual abuse and violence.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 161 of the Metta Hour, Sharon is in conversation with Buddhist teacher and author Pamela Weiss.

This episode of Sharon Salzberg?s Metta Hour is brought to you by BetterHelp. We?re honored to partner with a platform that brings confidential and convenient therapy wherever you are. BetterHelp will assess your needs and match you with your own licensed professional therapist. Start living a happier life, explore your inner world with a professional therapist in under 48 hours. 

As a listener, you?ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at BetterHelp.com/metta

Join over 1 million people who have taken charge of their mental health.

About this Episode:

Pamela Weiss is among the few Buddhist teachers authorized to teach in two traditions?Zen and Theravada. She is the only layperson in the Suzuki Roshi Soto Zen lineage to receive full Dharma Transmission. After living as a monastic at Tassajara Zen Mountain Monastery for five years, she completed comprehensive training through Spirit Rock Meditation Center to become an Insight meditation teacher. She is currently a member of the Spirit Rock Teacher Council and a guiding teacher at San Francisco Insight, and in 2020 released her first book, A Bigger Sky: Awakening a Fierce Feminine Buddhism.

This conversation begins with Pamela sharing how she came to the path of Buddhism and meditation. She shares her path as a student of Zen and also Insight Meditation, and how the two lineages balanced each other out in her life. Sharon and Pamela discuss what inspired her to write her book, and the sharing of her own personal story, intertwined with more ?feminine? aspects of the teachings.

They discuss at length the role that women in monastic life in the Theravadin tradition, and the role that cultural context plays in Buddhism. Sharon & Pamela also share how it has been for each of them to write books that are autobiographical in nature, and how it is to share their personal history on the written page. The conversation closes with Pamela leading a short guided meditation.

Learn more at PamelaWeiss.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode of Sharon Salzberg?s Metta Hour is brought to you by BetterHelp. We?re honored to partner with a platform that brings confidential and convenient therapy wherever you are. BetterHelp will assess your needs and match you with your own licensed professional therapist. Start living a happier life, explore your inner world with a professional therapist in under 48 hours. 

As a listener, you?ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at BetterHelp.com/metta

Join over 1 million people who have taken charge of their mental health.

About This Episode's Guest:

Gala Narezo is a mother, artist, educator, and consultant whose work focuses on weaving awareness and reflection into all aspects of life. As a meditator for over 20 years, she believes that time spent reflecting on and integrating our experience helps us understand our context, know who we are, and manifest our purpose. Her work celebrates mindful change-making through the arts and has focused on youth advocacy, plastic bag legislation, immigration, and women?s rights. She has taught students of all ages in various venues, including the Art Center College of Design, Pratt Institute, The Hotchkiss School, The Shambhala Center, MNDFL, and many more.

The conversation starts with Gala sharing how she came to meditation, after experiencing mental health challenges as a teen. They speak at length about how creativity can serve as a vessel for mindfulness and how to bring creativity into different aspects of our lives. Sharon discusses the ways many folks feel inherently non-creative due to conditioning and how to overcome those barriers to find greater self-expression. Gala speaks about her perspective as a mother and how to integrate mindfulness practice into parenting, especially during the pandemic. Lastly, the conversation moves toward social action, Gala?s long history as an activist, and tips for those looking to become more involved in social change. Closing the conversation, Gala leads a guided pranayama breathing meditation.

Learn more about Gala's work at galanarezo.net

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 158 Kristin Neff returns to the Metta Hour to talk about her new book, Fierce Self-Compassion: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power, and Thrive.

Kristin is a pioneer in the field of self-compassion research, conducting the first empirical studies on self-compassion almost twenty years ago. Kristin is the author of the book Self-Compassion and is currently an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. In conjunction with her colleague Dr. Chris Germer, she has developed an empirically supported training program called Mindful Self-Compassion, which is taught by thousands of teachers worldwide. Her newest work focuses on how to balance self-acceptance with the courage to make needed change.

The conversation begins with Kristin defining self-compassion and how that compares to self-pity and self-esteem. They discuss the differences between compassion, shame, and self-criticism as means to grow or face adversity, as well as compassion through the lens of the Buddhist teachings, the Brahma Viharas. Sharon teaches about the near and far enemies of compassion and what states compassion can masquerade as when we are out of balance. Kristin speaks about what inspired her new book to focus on those who are socially conditioned as women and the difficulties women face in claiming their power due to socialization. Kristin closes the conversation with a guided meditation on balancing fierce and tender energies.

Learn more at self-compassion.org

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 158 of the Metta hour, Sharon is joined by Michael Schauch.

Michael is a mountaineer, entrepreneur, and author. With early success as an entrepreneur at age 15 and over 20 years of global financial investment experience, Michael brings his business acumen and altruistic heart to lead and support local and international mentorship, fundraising, and educational initiatives. These include girls' and student mentorship education in Nepal, outdoor youth leadership training, and holistic Indigenous leadership development in British Columbia. In 2020, Michael released his first book, A Story of Karma: Finding Love and Truth in the Lost Valley of the Himalaya.

In this conversation, Michael shares about his 2012 expedition to a remote valley that had been previously closed off to outsiders in the Himalayas of northern Nepal. His journey resulted in the meeting of a little girl named Karma, which was the most profound encounter of Michael's life. Michael shares how this chance encounter changed the trajectory of his life and eventually inspired him to write his book, A Story of Karma. The episode closes with Michael leading a guided visualization and meditation to finish the conversation.

Learn more about Michael's story and his book A Story of Karma at michaelschauch.com

This episode of Sharon Salzberg?s Metta Hour is brought to you by BetterHelp. We?re honored to partner with a platform that brings confidential and convenient therapy wherever you are. BetterHelp will assess your needs and match you with your own licensed professional therapist. Start living a happier life, explore your inner world with a professional therapist in under 48 hours. 

As a listener, you?ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at BetterHelp.com/metta

Join over 1 million people who have taken charge of their mental health.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 157 of the Metta hour, Sharon speaks with meditator, writer, and speaker, Diego Perez.

Widely known by his pen name Yung Pueblo, Diego's practice of Vipassana meditation has given him a deeper understanding of liberation and inspires him to reach hundreds of thousands of people online every month through his writing. He is the author of several books, including Clarity & Connection, which was just released in April 2021, instantly becoming a New York Times bestseller.

This conversation begins with Diego reflecting on the release of his new book, Clarity & Connection, and some insight into his writing process for the book. They speak about the unique moment that much of the world is in now, starting to transition from the pandemic lockdown and the new definition of resilience that is being asked of us. They also share about the role that grief has played in the past year and how to take the wisdom of grief forward into daily life. They go on to discuss how meditation practice can serve as a basis for healthy relating to others, as well as ourselves. Diego shares about the role that trauma can have in our relationships and how that affects the way we shape our lives. They also discuss some of the nuances of relating to those we do not share the same morals with and cultivating a greater capacity for extending our love beyond those who are similar to us. Diego asks Sharon her perspective on the concepts of healing versus liberation in the context of the Buddhist traditions. The conversation closes with Diego leading a reflection on reconnecting to the bigger picture of your path as it unfolds in your life.

Learn more about Yung Pueblo at yungpueblo.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 156 of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon speaks with friend and colleague Tara Brach.

Tara has been practicing and teaching meditation since 1975, as well as leading workshops and meditation retreats at centers throughout North America and Europe. She has a PhD in clinical psychology, is the founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington and is the author of several beloved books: Radical Acceptance, True Refuge, and Radical Compassion. Her most recent book, Trusting the Gold: Uncovering Your Natural Goodness, has just been released by Sounds True in June of 2021.

In the conversation, Sharon and Tara speak about the inspiration for Tara?s new book, Trusting the Gold, and how it came into form as an illustrated project. They discuss the Buddhist concept of Basic Goodness, and how controversial this idea can be in the West. Tara shares about her early years as a practitioner living in an Ashram, and how she struggled to be a perfect student while slowly opening to the truth of her own basic goodness. They discuss many different aspects of Basic Goodness, from the personal level, relational and communal levels, and how it is even more relevant as an antidote for isolation from the pandemic. Tara shares a breakdown of the practice of RAIN as a tool for when we?re triggered, and they both share different tactics for working with the feeling of powerlessness in the pandemic. To close the conversation, Tara leads a seven-minute guided meditation on Basic Goodness.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Alan Watts Organization and Be Here Now Network have come together to bring you a new podcast series that dives deep into the Alan Watts Archive?s 100-hour collection of talks. 

This Monday, June 7th, discover for yourself why Alan Watts has continued to inspire generations of seekers with the Alan Watts Being in the Way podcast. 

This exciting new series is hosted by Mark Watts, Alan's son and archive curator. Mark and his guests share Alan Watts? inspirational work that poetically interprets the wisdom teachings of the East for Western audiences. 

Set a reminder for June 7th and subscribe to the Alan Watts Being in the Way podcast wherever you get podcasts to receive regular wisdom from Alan Watts - brought to you by the Alan Watts Organization and Ram Dass' Be Here Now Network!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 155 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with Mark Nepo. Mark is an author, poet, and spiritual teacher with over 40 years of teaching experience.

Mark Nepo has published twenty-two books, including the New York Times bestseller The Book of Awakening, and his most recent release from 2020, The Book of Soul.

In this episode, Mark shared his personal journey that brought him to the spiritual path and writing. They discuss the coronavirus through stages of grief, and how the different stages of denial, anger, bartering, depression, and acceptance are reflective of different aspects of the collective. They talk about loss and grief as a process of destruction and reconstruction and how to honor each aspect of that process. They also discuss of the importance of meaning in mental health and in life in general. Mark offers some ideas for how to recover meaning for ourselves when we have lost it. He shares how we can individually and collectively determine what needs repair, what needs reimagining, and what needs to be left dismantled now that it?s been broken. Sharon asks Mark how he counsels people who are grappling with feelings of failure and brokenness, and how we can embrace the entirety of our experience. The episode closes with Mark reading a poem and offering a short reflective journaling prompt.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 154 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with Tami Simon.

Tami Simon is the founder of Sounds True, a multimedia company that has produced over 3,000 titles and been nominated twice for the Inc. 500 list of the fastest-growing companies. Tami also hosts the popular Sounds True podcast, Insights at the Edge, with more than 15 million downloads. Tami has been instrumental in the creation of the Inner MBA Program: a nine-month interactive program featuring esteemed CEOs and conscious business and mindfulness leaders created by Sounds True, LinkedIn and Wisdom 2.0.

In this episode, Tami shares how she came to the practice of meditation and her journey integrating those experiences in her life. She discusses the history of Sounds True and her original inspiration that launched the company, and how that has evolved to present day. They also discuss the Inner MBA program and the nuance of bringing mindfulness and compassion practices to the workplace. The conversation closes with Tami leading a guided meditation.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 153 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with mindfulness teacher and author, Scott Shute.

Scott Shute is the Head of Mindfulness and Compassion at LinkedIn and blends his lifelong practice and passion with his practical leadership and operations experience. His mission is to change work from the inside out and he is the author of the new book ?The Full Body Yes,? released in May of 2021. In this episode, Scott shares what brought him to meditation practice in his early life and how that eventually led him to bring that to his work. They discuss the role that compassion plays in the workplace, both in leadership and relationships. Scott shares some research about the primary factors that contribute toward developing a high-performance team, and the importance of psychological safety in the workplace. Sharon and Scott talk about his book, and what constitutes the experience of a ?full-body yes,? especially given the inequities in life and our culture. Scott speaks about the role that optimism can play to harness greater agency and a sense of choice, especially when the circumstances of our lives are limited. They speak about the complexities in navigating agency and compassion when we face difficulty in life, and some common misconceptions about mindfulness in this realm. Sharon asks Scott about how compassion practices are helping companies in the corporate sphere are responding to COVID and the mental health crisis many are facing. The episode closes with Scott leading a guided meditation on self-compassion.

Find online learning resources and offerings from Scott at scottshute.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 152 of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon speaks with Dani Shapiro.

Dani is the author of the New York Times best-selling memoir, Inheritance, published in January 2019 by Knopf. Her other books include the memoirs "Hourglass," "Still Writing," "Devotion," and "Slow Motion," and five novels. She is also the host of her own podcast, Family Secrets. Dani teaches writing workshops worldwide, has taught at Columbia and New York University, and is the co-founder of the Sirenland Writers Conference in Positano, Italy.

The conversation begins with Dani sharing how she came to writing in her early life and how her father's tragic death shaped her path. She shares how she came to formal spiritual practice after becoming a mother and finding the meditation teachings of Sylvia Boorstein in 2007. Dani reflects on how her meditation practice has become intertwined with her writing practice and how she approaches writing as a spiritual path. They discuss how different aspects of formal meditation practice can act as a training ground for writing. Sharon reflects on some of the challenges she faces as a writer and how she has used mindfulness to work with them. Dani speaks about her what led her to start her podcast, Family Secrets, after finishing her most recent book, "Inheritance" which now has 40 episodes to date. The episode closes with Dani reading a short excerpt from her book, Inheritance.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 151 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with Dr. Will Van Derveer MD and Keith Kurlander, MA, LPC.

Will and Keith are Co-Founders of the Integrative Psychiatry Institute, which teaches mental health providers how to recognize and resolve an expanded spectrum of root causes of mental illness, and also the Integrative Psychiatry Centers, which provide integrative psychiatry and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for complex mental health challenges. Together they are also the hosts of the Higher Practice Podcast.

The conversation begins with some background on how Will and Keith came to Integrative Psychiatry. Sharon asks how each of them has dealt with burnout and despair in their lives as care-providers in the field of mental health. They also discuss some of the unique issues that caregivers face right now in the pandemic and how self-compassion can offer support. Keith and Will share some of the changes they are seeing in clients due to the social isolation and offer some tools to help regulate the nervous system and stay connected to our deeper values at this time. They also speak about the importance of reframing and de-stigmatizing mental suffering for a spectrum-based model and close the conversation with a guided reflection.

Links from this episode: Integrative Psychiatry Institute | Integrative Psychiatry Centers

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 150 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with Karen Stewart.

Karen is a Mental Health Psychosocial Support Specialist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over thirty years of working in a wide variety of mental health settings. Ten of those years have been working with Doctors Without Borders throughout Asia and Africa. Learn about Karen's offerings at karenstewart.org.

To start the conversation, Karen shares what brought her to social work after a traumatic childhood. They discuss the meaning of the word ?trauma? and the different forms of trauma: acute, chronic, and complex trauma. They discuss the difference between trauma and PTSD and the concept of Post-Traumatic-Growth. Karen shares some of her experience working with Doctors Without Borders in catastrophic environments and how she provides mental health resources to those communities. They speak at length about resilience and how to bolster our stress response in a more balanced way. Sharon reflects on the epidemic of loneliness that so many experienced before the pandemic and how it has evolved a year into the COVID-19 pandemic. Karen shares some breathing, grounding, and gratitude techniques to counteract pandemic fatigue and loss stressors. The episode closes with a discussion on resilience and a healthy lifestyle for individuals and those in the personal or professional caregiving roles and a Containment Practice led by Karen.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In episode 149 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with Tim Desmond.

Tim is a psychotherapist, author, Distinguished Faculty Scholar at Antioch University New England, and student of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. He is the founder of Peer Collective and co-founder of Morning Sun Mindfulness Center in Alstead, NH. He was also a co-organizer of Occupy Wall Street. Tim's publications include Self-Compassion in Psychotherapy, The Self-Compassion Skills Workbook, and the 2019 release, How to Stay Human in a Fucked Up World.

In this conversation, Tim shares his history and what led him to become an activist and student of meditation, and eventually professional psychology. He shares about the impetus for the Morning Sun Mindfulness Center as well as the Peer Collective. They discuss the role of faith and love in psychotherapy and what the x-factor is in therapeutic healing. Tim reflects on the power of self-compassion and how to cultivate it and its transformational effects. They also discuss the role of suffering in happiness and how to work with suffering in a forward-leading way. Tim shares about his most recent book, How to Stay Human in a Fucked Up World, and the circumstances around the writing of that book. The episode closes with Tim leading a five-minute guided meditation.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 148 of the Metta Hour, Sharon celebrates the 45th anniversary of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts.

Founded by Sharon, Joseph Goldstein, and Jack Kornfield on February 14th, 1975, this year marks 45 years since IMS opened doors to the public. Sharon reflects on this special anniversary and shares one of her earliest archival recordings from IMS from 1983. Since its inception, IMS has proven a wellspring of spiritual wisdom and a refuge of practice for individuals interested in meditation, mindfulness, lovingkindness, and self-inquiry.

Information on IMS and its ongoing offerings can be found at Dharma.org. For a catalog of dharma talks shared at IMS from a wide assortment of spiritual teachers, please visit: DharmaSeed.org. 

?I think about this running river, and I?m a part of it. It?s just this incredible feeling to watch it go on and spread in the way that it has?It?s hard to even believe what has happened, that IMS has become a refuge of practice for so many.? ? Sharon Salzberg

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.