For episode 203 of the Metta Hour Podcast, we have the first in a special series celebrating Sharon’s new book, “Real Life.” This interview features a conversation between Sharon and Jon Kabat-Zinn, pulled from the Living An Authentic Life Summit. Jon is Professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where he founded the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society, and its world-renown Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Clinic. He is the author of 15 books, including the bestseller Full Catastrophe Living. His latest book published in 2023 is Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief: Practices to Reclaim Your Body and Your Life.The conversation begins with Jon leading a guided meditation practice, followed by a dynamic interview in which Jon and Sharon discuss:• Jon’s first exposure to meditation• mindfulness as a love affair• what is authentic living• translating ancient teaching of the Buddha• Jon’s early teaching at UMass• freeing ourselves from delusion• waking up in every moment• the compassion in mindfulness• finding freedom from painTo learn more about Jon’s work, teaching schedule, and latest book, Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief, you can visit his website. To hear this interview in its entirety, you can sign up right here for the Living an Authentic Life Summit which runs online from March 29th – April 2nd and it is free to join.“When you tune into yourself, you’re actually tuning into the entire universe, of which you are an intimate and insanely beautiful and mysterious part.” – Jon Kabat-ZinnSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 203 - Real Life Series with Jon Kabat-Zinn

For Episode 202 of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon is joined by lifelong friend, Jack Kornfield to talk about the power of Community.Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/mettaIn this conversation, Jack and Sharon discuss the many nuances of community, which is one of the three gems in Buddhism. They speak about:• What the three jewels are• The ways that community supported their early life on the path• What community offers the individual• What COVID revealed about interconnection• The epidemic of loneliness• How to cultivate community today• Jack’s new endeavor, Cloud SanghaThe episode closes with Jack leading a guided meditation. Join Sharon, Jack and seven of today's thought leaders in the space of mindfulness and meditation for a free online summit! Take a  journey to inner peace, freedom and joy March 29 – April 2, 2023. Enroll for the Living an Authentic Life Summit for free: Join The Free SummitJack trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India and Burma. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. He co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. Jack’s books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is a father, husband and activist.To learn more about Jack’s work and his many offerings, you can visit jackkornfield.com. To learn about Cloud Sangha, you can visit cloudsangha.co.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 202 - Jack Kornfield

Koshin Paley Ellison joins Sharon for Episode 201 of the Metta Hour speaking about his new book, Untangled: Walking the Eightfold Path to Clarity, Courage, and Compassion.Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/mettaKoshin is an author, Zen teacher, Jungian psychotherapist, and ACPE Certified Chaplaincy Educator. After more than a decade as a chaplain and psychotherapist, Koshin co-founded the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care. Koshin is a renowned thought leader in contemplative care and he is the author of several books. In this conversation, Sharon and Koshin speak about:• What drew Koshin to write on the 8-Fold Path• The importance of the four noble truths outside Buddhism• The definition of suffering in Buddhism• Being with suffering in a loving way• Writing as a form of gratitude• The 8-Fold Path as approach to practice• Shame versus embarrassment• Right Effort and Right Speech• Healing Toxic Masculinity• What does it mean to be a diverse person• The Pandemic of LonelinessThe episode closes with Koshin leading a guided meditation practice “Opening the Cage” from his book. To learn more about Koshin’s work, you can visit zencare.orgAbout Koshin Paley Ellison:Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison, MFA, LMSW, DMIN, is an author, Zen teacher, Jungian psychotherapist, and ACPE Certified Chaplaincy Educator. After more than a decade as a chaplain and psychotherapist, Koshin co-founded the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care. Koshin’s work has been featured in the New York Times, PBS, CBS Sunday Morning and other media outlets. He is the author of Untangled: Walking the Eightfold Path to Clarity, Courage, and Compassion (Balance/Hachette, 2022); Wholehearted: Slow Down, Help Out, Wake Up (Wisdom Publications, 2019); and the co-editor of Awake at the Bedside: Contemplative Teachings on Palliative and End of Life Care (Wisdom Publications, 2016). Keep up with Koshin Paley Ellison on Instagram“Everything is a moment of practice, everything has that potential.” – Koshin Paley EllisonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 201 – Koshin Paley Ellison

For episode 200 of The Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon speaks with Diana Winston and Sue Smalley, Ph.D. about the re-release of their book, Fully Present: The Science, Art and Practice of Mindfulness. In this episode, Sharon, Diana and Sue speak at length about the advances in research over the past decade in the scientific research of meditation, mindfulness and compassion practice.Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/mettaDiana Winston is the Director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center and the author of The Little Book of Being, and Wide Awake: A Buddhist Guide for Teens. She has been teaching mindfulness since 1999 in a variety of settings, and developed the evidence-based Mindful Awareness Practices (MAPS) curriculum and the Training in Mindfulness Facilitation, which trains mindfulness teachers worldwide.Sue Smalley, Ph.D. is a Professor emerita in the Department of Psychiatry at UCLA, who has conducted seminal studies on the genetics of ADHD and Autism Spectrum disorders, publishing over 100 peer reviewed papers in the field of behavioral genetics.In 2004, she founded the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA, and more recently helped co-create the Bedari Kindness Institute at UCLA.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 200 – Diana Winston and Sue Smalley

For Episode 199 of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon and Joseph Goldstein are interviewed by Lily Cushman, recalling their early lives.They each share what drew them to the path of meditation in the late sixties and early seventies and their initial years of practice in the East. This podcast is being released in tandem with the Insight Hour Podcast. Joseph Goldstein has been teaching meditation since 1974. He and Sharon are co-founders of the Insight Meditation Society and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, located in Barre, Massachusetts. Joseph is the author of numerous books, including Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening and Insight Meditation: The Practice of Freedom. Dan Harris calls him “a key architect of the rise of mindfulness in our modern society.”Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/mettaIn this conversation, Joseph shares about:growing up in the Catskills • early encounters with death and loss • Studying philosophy at Columbia University • living in New York City during his college years • joining the Peace Corps and living in Thailand • his first encounters with Buddhist monks • the resonance of finding the spiritual path • the ups and downs of his initial years of practice • finding his teacher, Munindra • meeting Sharon at her first retreat with S.N. Goenka • his experiences as more westerners arrived in India • the community that emerged out of the Goenka retreats • grappling with his “body of steel” for many years • the parallels of the evolution of his and Sharon’s pathSharon shares about:the difficulty of her childhood • her first encounter with Buddhist Philosophy in college • creating a study abroad program to take her to India • receiving Chögyam Trungpa’s advice on where to learn meditation • searching for meditation instruction across India as a young woman • the scene at her first retreat led S.N. Goenka • the difficulty of her first instruction being a ten-day retreat • some themes of her initial meditation experiences • learning how to navigate her inner life • meeting Joseph for the first time • her and Joseph’s different practice needs in their early years • crafting a spiritual path before there was a model for that life in the WestTo learn more about Joseph’s work, you can visit dharma.org/joseph. His teachings can also be found on the Ten Percent Happier App, the Waking Up with Sam Harris App and on the Dharma Seed app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 199 – The Early Life of Sharon Salzberg & Joseph Goldstein

We have something special to share with you!Dan Harris (host of Ten Percent Happier) flies to Dharamsala, India to spend two weeks in the orbit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This is the first installment of a five-part audio documentary series, something we’ve never done before now. Over the course of the episodes, we talk to His Holiness about practical strategies for thorny dilemmas, including: how to get along with difficult people; whether compassion can cut it in an often brutal world; why there is a self-interested case for not being a jerk; and how to create social connection in an era of disconnection. We also get rare insights from the Dalai Lama into everything from the mechanics of reincarnation to His Holiness’s own personal mediation practice. In this first installment, Dan watches as a young activist directly challenges His Holiness: In a world plagued by climate change, terrorism, and other existential threats, is the Dalia Lama’s message of compassion practical — or even relevant? Want more of The Dalai Lama’s Guide to Happiness? Listen to the Ten Percent Happier podcast here.Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/mettaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feed Drop: The Dalai Lama’s Guide to Happiness from Ten Percent Happier

Sharon welcomes Shakil Choudry for Episode 198 of the Metta Hour Podcast.Shakil is an educator, consultant, and author with over 25 years of experience in the field of racial justice, diversity, and inclusion. He coaches executive teams and facilitates dialogue processes to resolve inter-group conflict, having led projects internationally and with organizations locally. He is the author of “Deep Diversity: A Compassionate, Scientific Approach to Achieving Racial Justice.”Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/mettaIn this conversation, Sharon and Shakil discuss:• How Shakil was drawn to racial diversity work • The first representation Shakil was exposed to in media • The impact of Interconnection • Holding tension between Individualism and Community • Developing Equity Literacy around oppressive social structures • Learning the patterns of inequality • 360-hour rule of learning • The tipping point of George Floyd’s death • The emotionality of racial justice • Shame as a learning tool • How do you make people change? • The power of listening • The four pillars of Shakil’s approach to racial healing • Emotional beings first, thinking beings second • The function of Bias • How the groups we belong to form our identity • The dynamics of in-groups and out-groups • The nuance of power dynamicsNEW Meditation Series: Pause, Breathe, Be Here Now with Ram Dass, Sharon Salzberg, Jack Kornfield, Tara Brach, Joseph Goldstein, John Lockley, Ram Dev, Trudy Goodman, Lama Tsultrim Allione—FREE January 16 to 25. Sit in true peace, love, and tranquility. Join thousands of people around the world for this collective meditation experience: onecommune.com/ramdass"The political forces right now in the world are about extremism. They are yanking communities apart and separating them. Filling them with fear and lies and hate. So, truth is needed in that. Discernment is needed and that. Compassion is needed in that. Care is needed in that. Those who have the capacity can, and should step in with those tools. Shaming and blaming, there is a place for it... but we often need a different approach. Not everyone can do it, but those of us who can need to step in to support a different culture and conversation." - Shakil ChoudrySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 198 - Shakil Choudry

Tsoknyi Rinpoche and Daniel Goleman join Sharon for a special episode of the Metta Hour Podcast celebrating the launch of their brand new book, Why We Meditate: The Science and Practice of Clarity and Compassion.Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/mettaTsoknyi Rinpoche is a beloved teacher among the new generation of Tibetan Buddhist meditation masters. Widely recognized as an outstanding meditation teacher for over twenty-five years, he is the author of Open Heart, Open Mind, Fearless Simplicity, and Carefree Dignity. Daniel Goleman is the internationally bestselling author and coauthor of several books, including Emotional Intelligence, Focus, and Altered Traits. He was a science reporter for The New York Times and was twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.In this special episode, Sharon, Daniel, and Rinpoche speak about:• How Rinpoche began teaching • The ways psychology shapes spiritual practice • The first time Rinpoche taught in the States • John Welwood & Spiritual Bypass • How their new book came to be • Finding our natural pace in a speedy culture • The Subtle Body • Balancing Restlessness • Working with our “Beautiful Monsters” • How childhood imprints affect us • When an experience we have is real but not true • Rinpoche’s fear of heights • Handshake practice • Obstacles of love and compassion • Cultivating intrinsic okay-ness • Grounding in the body • The importance of “Wise Hope”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 197 – Tsoknyi Rinpoche & Daniel Goleman

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/mettaIn 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 Nhất Hạnh’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 addictionThe 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.

Ep. 196 – Dr. Gabor Maté

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

Ep. 195 – Barbara Graham and Hugh Delehanty

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/mettaTogether 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

Ep. 194 – Andrés González, Ali and Atman Smith

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

Ep. 193 – Yung Pueblo

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/mettaIn 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 learningThe 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.

Ep. 192 – Cecilia B. Loving

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/mettaAlex 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.

Ep. 191 – Alex Gardner

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

Ep. 190- Barbara Fredrickson

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/mettaSimran 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. loveThe 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.

Ep. 189 - Simran Jeet Singh

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/mettaIn 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 COVIDTo learn more about Jason, you can visit his website jasongarner.com and love4live.orgSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 188 – Jason Garner

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/mettaGalit 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 CaregiversTo 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.

Ep. 187 – Dr. Galit Atlas

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:How Stephen arrived at Kripalu CenterStephen's new bookThe Bhagavad GitaDharma and Sacred VocationTimes of StruggleLoving Kindness vs. Hatred and AngerYoga and CompassionGuided meditationToday's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/mettaStephen 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.

Ep. 186 – Stephen Cope

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/mettaIn 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+ allyThe 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.

Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg

Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg

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