Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg

For episode 140 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with friend and colleague Mallika Dutt.Mallika is a leading innovator in storytelling and culture change, bringing together the power of ancient wisdom and spiritual practices with contemporary technologies and tools for creative connection and transformation. She combines her creative advocacy for a thriving world with a coaching, speaking and strategy practice that connects planet, people, and purpose.This is the thirteenth episode of the Real Change Podcast series. In this conversation, Mallika shares what brought her to the path of activism and human rights, and how contemplative practices have informed her life. She and Sharon discuss some of the themes from “Real Change,” that have been relevant to Mallika’s journey: how identity plays a role in our engagement, working with anger and rage, and how Mallika cultivates resilience in an ongoing way. The episode closes with Mallika leading a guided Metta meditation practice.Get your copy of Sharon's newest book, Real Change, at sharonsalzberg.com or your favorite place to get books or audiobooks!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 139 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with Jana Kiser.Jana Kiser is a social entrepreneur and Harvard-trained educator. She has more than twenty years of experience partnering with youth, adults, and communities in their pursuit of equity, justice, and peace. Jana founded Global Learning, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to education for peace and justice, and served as Global Learning’s Executive Director for thirteen years. She has also served for six years as the Executive Director of Redwood City 2020. This collective impact organization addresses inequity and the effects of poverty through health and wellness programming.This is episode twelve of the Real Change Podcast series. In this conversation, Jana and Sharon speak about Jana’s work in Puerto Rico to support community healing in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. They talk about Jana’s history and what brought her to the path of meditation and activism. They speak about some of the themes from “Real Change,” particularly how Jana has cultivated resilience throughout her activism career and what tools she uses to remain balanced and grounded. The episode closes with Jana leading a thirteen-minute body scan meditation practice. Learn more about Jana's offerings at janakiser.comGet your copy of Sharon's newest book, Real Change, at sharonsalzberg.com or your favorite place to get books or audiobooks!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 138 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with David DeSteno.David is a Psychologist who studies the ways in which emotions guide decisions and behaviors fundamental to social living. David is a professor of psychology at Northeastern University, where he directs the Social Emotions Group. At the broadest level, his work examines the mechanisms of the mind that shape vice and virtue. Studying hypocrisy and compassion, pride and punishment, cheating and trust, his work continually reveals that human moral behavior is much more variable than most would predict. The National Science Foundation has repeatedly funded his work and he is the author of several book, “Emotional Success,” “The Truth About Trust,” and co-author of The Wall Street Journal bestseller “Out of Character.”This recording is the eleventh episode of the Real Change Podcast series. In this conversation, David and Sharon speak about how David became interested in his career as a researcher exploring how emotions shapes our lives. They discuss several studies that explore the ways meditation can affect how we respond to others with greater compassion and inclusivity, and how that does or does not translate to the systemic injustices around us. They also discuss resilience through the lens of David’s work, and what leads different people to have greater resilience and joy, regardless of their life circumstances. Get your copy of Sharon's newest book, Real Change, at sharonsalzberg.com or your favorite place to get books or audiobooks!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 137 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with Killian Noe.Killian is the Founding Director of Recovery Café, providing a beautiful, safe, warm, drug and alcohol-free space and loving community to anchor Members in the sustained recovery needed to gain and maintain access to housing, social and health services, healthy relationships, education and employment. Before starting Recovery Café in 2004, Killian co-founded Samaritan Inns, a non-profit in Washington DC, which provides transitional and longer-term drug and alcohol-free, community-oriented housing for individuals recovering from homelessness, addiction and other mental health challenges.This is the tenth episode of the Real Change Podcast series. In this conversation, Killian and Sharon speak about Killian’s longtime work as a change-maker and what role compassion has played in her work. They discuss the role that contemplative practice and service have played in Killian’s personal life and how it has informed her career as an activist. They also speak about how to maintain balance and joy when helping others through practice and leaning into community. The episode closes with Killian leading a guided practice from the contemplative tradition: the “Welcoming Practice.”Get your copy of Sharon's newest book, Real Change, at sharonsalzberg.com or your favorite place to get books or audiobooks!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 136 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with friend and colleague, Soren Gordhamer.Soren is the founder and host of Wisdom 2.0, and the author of the book by the same name. He has spoken on and taught mindfulness to people around the world–from youth in New York City’s juvenile halls, to trauma workers in Rwanda, to the staff at Google’s corporate headquarters.This is the ninth episode of the Real Change Podcast series. In this conversation, Soren and Sharon discuss the role that meditation has played in Soren’s life and how it has informed his work as a change-maker. They discuss the importance of voting and the role meditation plays in citizenship. Soren also shares about his #VoteKindness initiative for the upcoming US election of 2020. The episode closes with Soren leading a 10-minute guided meditation practice.Get your copy of Sharon's newest book, Real Change, at sharonsalzberg.com or your favorite place to get books or audiobooks!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 135 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with one of her oldest friends and colleagues, Jack Kornfield.Jack Kornfield is a beloved author and meditation teacher who trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974, and his books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.A longtime activist, Jack discusses with Sharon the role of an engaged life in the spiritual path, as taught in the Buddhist tradition. They share an intimate conversation with stories since meeting and becoming friends in 1974, and how activism has shaped their teaching and lives. They also discuss voting as a spiritual act and the organization that Jack is supporting to help get out the vote for the 2020 U.S. Presidential election: Buddhists & Yogins United. The conversation closes with Jack leading a guided meditation on Loving Awareness. Learn more about Jack's offerings at jackkornfield.comGet your copy of Sharon's newest book, Real Change, at sharonsalzberg.com or your favorite place to get books or audiobooks!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 134 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with social change agent, Marc Solomon.Marc is a nationally recognized political strategist and campaign leader with 25 years of experience in strategy, campaign management, policy development and execution, messaging and communications leadership, and field mobilization. Marc was one of the key architects of the marriage equality movement and has applied lessons from the marriage equality movement to help secure impactful criminal justice reforms, pass laws enacting automatic voter registration, advance pro-immigrant policies, and build bipartisan support for ending partisan gerrymandering. Learn more about Marc’s public affair’s work at civitaspublicaffairs.comIn this episode, Sharon and Marc discuss his work as an activist, in particular, cultivating resilience working on long-term civil rights movements, and the role that meditation has played in his own life. Marc closes the conversation by leading a guided lovingkindness meditation practice.Get your copy of Sharon's newest book, Real Change, at sharonsalzberg.com or your favorite place to get books or audiobooks!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 133 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with Anu Gupta.Anu Gupta is a scientist, educator and lawyer. He is the Founder of Be More with Anu, a science-backed, compassion-based approach, after conducting decade-long research on the causes of and solutions to racial and gender inequality.In this episode, Sharon and Anu speak at length about Anu’s personal journey to becoming a meditator, and his work as a facilitator in breaking bias, healing trauma, mending policies, and channeling resources equitably. Anu closes the conversation by leading a guided meditation practice.Get your copy of Sharon's newest book, Real Change, at sharonsalzberg.com or your favorite place to get books or audiobooks!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 132 of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon speaks Diego Perez, known more commonly as Yung Pueblo, for the Real Change Podcast Series.Diego is a meditator, writer, and speaker who is widely known on Instagram and various social media networks through his pen name Yung Pueblo. Online he reaches hundreds of thousands of people every month through his written works that focus on the reality of self-healing, the movement from self-love to unconditional love, and the wisdom that comes when we truly work on knowing ourselves.This is the fifth episode of the Real Change Podcast series. In this conversation, Diego shares his journey of coming to Vipassana meditation. They share stories about the influence that S.N. Goenka has had on both their lives, as well as the role Dipa Ma has okayed for them both. Diego shares about his life as a community organizer and activist before becoming a writer, and they discuss at length the relationship between inner transformation and outer transformation. The conversation closes with Diego leading a reflection on practice and transformation.Get your copy of Sharon's newest book, Real Change, at sharonsalzberg.com or your favorite place to get books or audiobooks!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 131 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with her close friend, Sylvia Boorstein for the Real Change Podcast Series.Sylvia Boorstein has been teaching Dharma and mindfulness meditation since 1985, and is the author of five books. She is a founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center, a psychotherapist, wife, mother and grandmother.vIn this conversation Sharon and Sylvia talk about their initial meeting in the1980s through lovingkindness practice, and how that practice has shaped Sylvia’s practice and teaching. They discuss their experiences in the pandemic, and what is still true: the three characteristics of existence from the Buddhist framework. Sylvia shares about her experiences working with worry or other unstable mind energies through the five hindrances.This is the fourth episode of the Real Change Podcast Series, and Sylvia shares her experiences as a longtime activist, and why she considered her spiritual practice in her 20s and 30s to be activism. She also speaks about her arrest in 2003 with Jack Kornfield for the peaceful protest of the invasion of Afganistan. They also discuss Sylvia’s involvement with the Peace Alliance. The conversation closes with Sylvia leading an eight-minute guided meditation practice on lovingkindness.Get your copy of Sharon's newest book, Real Change, at sharonsalzberg.com or your favorite place to get books or audiobooks!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.