Ep. 603 – Wise Fear and Aging Mindfully with Sharon Salzberg and Noah Markus

Joined by his son, Noah, Raghu invites Sharon Salzberg onto Mindrolling for an expansive conversation on embracing change, understanding the roots of our fear, and aging mindfully. 

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In this episode, Raghu, Sharon, and Noah explore:

• The illusion of invulnerability in youth and how our relationship to mortality evolves with age
• The dreamlike and fleeting nature of time and memory
• The societal messages that falsely promise permanence and control
• Sharon’s concept of ‘misplaced faith’ and the belief that clinging tightly can stop change
• Offering compassion to ourselves when we notice resistance to impermanence
• Keeping our sense of adventure and curiosity alive, even as it shifts with age
• Letting go of rigid expectations and finding new paths to meaning and fulfillment
• Holding space for the hard work of aging while recognizing what truly sustains us
• Post-stroke wisdom from Ram Dass and the important distinction between pain and suffering
• Giving yourself a break: the value of not layering blame, shame, or permanence on top of already difficult life experiences
• The three jewels of Buddhism and how practice can help us navigate change and aging 
• Asking ourselves what we can count on and what is still true as we grow older 
• Maintaining the Sangha and social connection as one of our life forces
• Understanding a bhikkhu, or monk, as someone who "fears wisely" or "sees danger"
• Being able to look at the roots of our fear 
• Ram Dass’ phrase ‘Walking Each Other Home” and what it means to Sharon

Check out the book Still Here by Ram Dass to look deeper into changing, aging, and dying

About Sharon Salzberg:

Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. She is one of the first to bring mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture over 45 years ago, inspiring generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon is co-founder of The Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and the author of twelve books, including the New York Times bestseller, Real Happiness, now in its second edition, and her seminal work, Lovingkindness. Her podcast, The Metta Hour, has amassed five million downloads and features interviews with thought leaders from the mindfulness movement and beyond. Learn more about Sharon and her books at www.sharonsalzberg.com and check out Insight Meditation Society.

Dive into Vipassana practice with Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein on Sounds True. 

​​“Most of us have a habit of adding on to that original pain. A sense of isolation, a sense of permanence, a sense of the future, a sense of blame. We pile on and consolidate and what was originally a painful experience becomes this mass of condensed suffering and it hurts so much more. That's why the impetus to let go of those add-ons really comes from a sense of compassion for ourselves. Give yourself a break, it already hurts.” – Sharon Salzberg

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