Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg

For episode 266, Amishi Jha returns to the Metta Hour for our ongoing Anxiety Series.In this series, Sharon is speaking with Mental Health experts, providers and different researchers for tools to work with anxiety in increasingly challenging times. This is the sixth episode in the series.Amishi is Director of Contemplative Neuroscience and Professor of Psychology at the University of Miami. She studies the brain’s attention system and the effects of mindfulness training on resilience and performance in high-demand professions, including the military, emergency services, and medicine. Her research has been supported by the Dept. of Defense and featured by TED, NATO, the World Economic Forum, The New York Times, and NPR. She led the first large-scale study of mindfulness training with active-duty service members. She is the author of the national bestseller Peak Mind and creator of the Pushups for the Mind app.In this episode, Amishi and Sharon speak about:• Mindfulness in mental health• Cognitive resilience• Eustress and how it serves us• Mismatch between capacity and challenge • Attention as resilience• Flashlight attention for clarification & focus• Floodlight attention for situation awareness • Executive Functioning• How to begin attention training• Myths about stress and anxiety• The participatory nature of the brain• The attentional decline of burnout• Compassion Fatigue• Cognitive versus emotional empathy• Amishi’s new app, Pushups for the Mind• The minimum effective dose of meditation To learn more about Amishi’s work, you can visit her website right here and download her new app right here. Please note that the Pushups for the Mind app is free for all U.S. active service military members.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 265, Sharon speaks with and activist and author, Shanon Watts about her new book, Fired Up.Shannon is the founder of Moms Demand Action, the largest grassroots group fighting gun violence in the U.S. Known as the ‘summoner of women’s audacity,’ she has been named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People, a Forbes 50 over 50 Changemaker, and a Glamour Woman of the Year. Shannon is also an active board member of Emerge America, one of the nation’s leading organizations for recruiting and training women to run for office. Helping to redefine what’s possible when audacious women unite to drive change, she writes regularly about culture, politics and women’s issues for her Substack, Playing with Fire, and outlets like The Washington Post, Elle, Time, The 19th. Her new book, Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is coming out on June 17th, 2025. To learn more about Shannon’s work, or get a copy of Fired Up you can visit her website here.In this conversation, Shannon and Sharon speak about:The impetus for Shannon’s bookHow to live a life on fireShannon’s personal storyMarrying our abilities, values & desiresBeing burned up by our angerSurvivors of gun violenceWhat holds us backSharon’s fear of public speakingThe firestarter triangleHow we find our desires & aspirationsSharon and Sharon’s top valuesLiving with a sense of what you care aboutHow do we sustain our fire?Community BuildingFirestarter UniversityShannon closes the conversation with a short reading from her book, Fired Up.Join Sharon for her new online course, Intro to Meditation, starting June 21st. With meditation becoming increasingly popular, it can be hard to know where to begin. This four-day introductory course is designed to teach you the fundamentals of meditation. This course is ideal for beginners who want to establish a practice, as well as experienced students seeking a refresher course. Learn more: Intro to Meditation See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this engaging conversation, Soren Gordhamer, founder of Wisdom 2.0 and author, delves into the cultural anxiety amplified by technology and social media. He emphasizes the importance of redefining our self-worth and narratives around beauty and success. Soren discusses the power of vulnerability in leadership and relationships, urging listeners to embrace their authentic selves. The dialogue also touches on the need for community, joy, and a healthier relationship with technology, ultimately advocating for a more compassionate and mindful approach to life.

In a fascinating dialogue, Richie Davidson, a renowned psychologist and founder of the Center for Healthy Minds, shares his journey into the study of emotion and the brain. He discusses the importance of a growth mindset and innate goodness in mental health. Delving into systemic oppression's impact on well-being, he introduces his four pillars of well-being and the concept of personal mental hygiene. The discussion also touches on resilience, compassion, and integrating mindfulness into daily life for a transformative approach to anxiety.

For episode 262, Sharon speaks with Scott Barry Kaufman as part of the Metta Hour Anxiety Series.In this series, Sharon is speaking with Mental Health experts, providers and researchers for tools to work with anxiety in increasingly challenging times. Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D., is a cognitive scientist and humanistic psychologist exploring the depths of human potential. He is founder of the Center for Human Potential and founder of Self-Actualization Coaching. Scott is the author of eleven books, including Rise Above, his forthcoming book set for release in 2025. Scott is also host of The Psychology Podcast— which has received over 30 million downloads. In this conversation, Sharon and Scott speak about:• Having growth motivation• Shifting the narrative of anxiety• Scott’s childhood experiences• Curiosity versus grit• How to shift out of fear• Creating space around anxiety• Welcoming our beautiful monsters• Broadening the Window of Tolerance• Experiencing a sense of bothness• Scott’s new book, Rise Above• Victim versus empowerment mindset• Learned Hopefulness• Finding the light within• Pros and cons of sensitivity• The blessings of gratitude and aweThe episode closes with Scott leading a Tonglen practice.You can learn more about Scott’s work right here and check out his new book, Rise Above, right here.Check out the first two episodes in the Anxiety Podcast Series with Dr. Jud Brewer right here and Dr. Jenny Taitz right 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 261, Dr. Jenny Taitz returns to the Metta Hour for our Anxiety Series. Jenny is a clinical psychologist and an assistant clinical professor in psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles. She completed her fellowship in psychology at Yale University School of Medicine and achieved board certifications in cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy. In addition to treating clients in her private therapy practice, LA CBT DBT, she is the author of How to Be Single and Happy and End Emotional Eating. Her new book, Stress Resets: How to Soothe Your Body and Mind in Minutes, is now available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats. Join Sharon for a free live conversation and interactive Q&A exploring the power of real connection—with ourselves, each other, and the world around us. Throughout the discussion, Sharon, Jackie Dobrinska, and Raghu Markus will weave in the wisdom of Ram Dass, reflecting on how intimacy can be a profound path to awakening. Join this free live call on April 7th: Click Here To Learn MoreIn this episode, Sharon and Jenny discuss:Jenny’s approach to anxietyEmotions are contagiousThe superpower of emotional regulationCultivating an inner lifeThree-point check-inHow to break-up with overthinkingGetting groundingCognitive diffusionNaming your inner criticSitting with uncertaintyBuilding a hope kitBox-breathingLovingkindness Doing good deedsExamining assumptionsSurfing emotional urgesSharon closes with a hypothetical situation about anxiety which Jenny advises on. You can learn more about Jenny’s work and get a copy of her book, Stress Resets, on her website.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Dr. Jud Brewer, a New York Times best-selling author and leading expert in habit change, as he discusses the neuroscience of anxiety. He explains how anxiety differs from fear and how mindfulness can alleviate excessive worrying. The conversation highlights the transformative power of curiosity in understanding our thoughts. Dr. Brewer also addresses the impact of the internet on collective anxiety, particularly among youth. Listeners will gain practical insights to navigate their own anxiety with kindness and awareness.

For episode 259, we bring you the second half of a two-part series on the Force of Kindness.Listen to the first part of this series released earlier in February of 2025 right here.His Holiness the Dalai Lama has stated, “My true religion is kindness.” Although frequently denigrated in our culture as simplistic and weak, the quality of kindness has an inherent power to transform our worldview from one of fear and isolation to one rooted in clarity, courage and compassion in action. Kindness is the fuel that helps us truly “walk our talk” of love. Recording in December or 2024 by the Drepung Gomang Center for Engaging Compassion. In this recording, Sharon teaches on:The aspiration of kindnessBrahma Viharas as a basis for aspirationLovingkindness as ConnectionOur Subway CarReflection on InterconnectionThe definition of CompassionSympathetic JoyGratitude as the energizerEquanimity as the secret ingredientThe eight vicissitudesThe episode closes with Sharon taking some questions from the audienceJoin Sharon’s upcoming ten-day wisdom course exploring Equanimity starting March 5th. Learn more right 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 258, we bring you the first half of a two-part series on the Force of Kindness.His Holiness the Dalai Lama has stated, “My true religion is kindness.” Although frequently denigrated in our culture as simplistic and weak, the quality of kindness has an inherent power to transform our worldview from one of fear and isolation to one rooted in clarity, courage and compassion in action. Kindness is the fuel that helps us truly “walk our talk” of love. Recording in December or 2024 by the Drepung Gomang Center for Engaging Compassion.In this recording, Sharon teaches on:The conditioning we faceHow our culture defines kindnessThe compassionate witnessA ministry of presenceKindness as a motivational stateThe emergent properties of how we pay attentionWho do we pay attention to?Practicing kindness for ourselvesGuided meditation on how we speak to ourselvesPunitive environments cannot sustain growthHow resilience is developed Sayadaw U Pandita’s trick questionStay tuned for the second part of this series coming in February of 2025. Join Sharon’s upcoming ten-day wisdom course exploring Equanimity starting March 5th. Learn more right here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Christina Feldman, a longtime dharma teacher and co-founder of Gaia House, shares her journey from unexpectedly landing in India to becoming a prominent voice in Buddhist mindfulness. She discusses the transformative power of early meditation experiences and the significance of compassion in understanding dukkha, or suffering. Their conversation explores the balance between empathy and self-care, highlighting the role of fear in human suffering. Christina emphasizes practical paths to nurture equanimity and cultivate nirvana in everyday life.