For the 98th episode of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon speaks with Dr. Amishi Jha Ph.D.Amishi is a Neuroscientist, an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Miami, and the Director of Contemplative Neuroscience for the Mindfulness Research and Practice Initiative. Amishi studies the neural bases of attention and the effects of mindfulness-based training programs on cognition, emotion and resilience.In this episode, Amishi and Sharon speak about how Amishi came to the path of meditation, and how that has inspired her career as a researcher. They also speak about Amishi’s programs working with mindfulness training in education, corporate, elite sports, and the military.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For the 95th Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon converses with meditation teacher and author Gary Gach. Gary has been meditating and writing for nearly 60 years, and published numerous magazines and anthologies. He is the author of Complete Idiot's Guide to Buddhism and his moment recent release, Pause ... Breathe ... Smile ~ Awakening Mindfulness When Meditation Is Not Enough. He's been hosting a weekly Zen mindfulness practice group for nearly a decade in San Francisco and is lay-ordained in the Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism. In this conversation, Sharon and Gary speak at length about Gary’s latest book, and how he came to the practice of meditation, as well as the intersection of art, consciousness and social change.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For the 94th episode of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon shares the stage with Ram Dass and Mirabai Bush!Live from the 2018 “Open Your Heart in Paradise” retreat, Sharon speaks with Ram Dass and Mirabai about embracing the dying process. How can we be with one another as souls, to live and die consciously? The group of old friends explore these questions and share a reading from Mirabai and Ram Dass’s final book, Walking Each Other Home: Conversations on Loving and Dying.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For the 94th episode of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon sits down with author and teacher Eddie Stern.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sharon and Lynn Nottage discuss art as social action and the way that Lynn’s sees her own writing as a way to cultivate more empathy in the world. They also speak about the correlation between the spiritual path and creative process.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 91 of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon speaks with friend and author, Ellen Agler.Ellen serves as the CEO of the END Fund, a private philanthropic initiative working to see an end of the suffering caused by five neglected tropical diseases affecting 1.5 billion people. The END Fund actively supports programs with dozens of partners in more than 25 countries, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. Ellen’s first book, “Under the Big Tree: Extraordinary Stories from the Movement to End Neglected Tropical Diseases” has just been released from Johns Hopkins University Press with a foreword by Bill Gates. In this episode, Sharon and Ellen speak in depth about Ellen’s work in the public health sector, how to put compassion in action, and maintaining balance in extraordinary circumstances. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For Sharon’s 90th episode of the Metta Hour Podcast, she speaks with longtime friend, Guy Armstrong.Guy Armstrong has practiced Insight Meditation for over 40 years, including training as a Buddhist monk in Thailand with Ajahn Buddhadasa. He began teaching in 1984 and has led retreats worldwide. He is a guiding teacher at the Insight Meditation Society, where he works with three-month retreatants, as well as offering online courses of his teachings. In this conversation, Guy begins by sharing his personal story of what drew him to meditation practice over 40 years ago, and how that path evolved into his long-term study and teaching. Guy and Sharon speak at length about emptiness, the core topic of his 2017 book, “Emptiness: A Practical Guide for Meditators,” by Wisdom Publications. Sharon and Guy also speak at length about the relationship between emptiness and lovingkindness. The conversation closes with Guy leading a brief guided meditation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Episode 88 of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon joins Frank Ostaseski at an event that was recorded live at the JCC Manhattan in September of 2018 in celebration of Joan Halifax’s new book release, “Standing at the Edge.”Due to travel complications, Joan was unable to join this event until the end of the evening, creating the unique experience of Sharon and Frank discussing Joan’s teaching at length, as well as many of the themes of her new book, like the different paths of the warrior, the role of courage on the spiritual path (and daily life), empathy and compassion, integrity and self-respect and the dedicated, lifelong work of working with dying that both Joan and Frank have spearheaded. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Episode 87 of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon speaks with author, teacher and activist, Ruth King.Ruth King is an international teacher in the Insight Meditation tradition, blending mindfulness and meditation principles with an exploration of racial conditioning and its impact. She is the author of several publications including her most recent release, Mindful of Race. In this episode, Ruth shares her personal story of what brought her to meditation practice, and how it has impacted her life and her work. Sharon and Ruth also speak in depth about racial conditioning and racial justice, the nuance of identity, and Ruth’s work rebuilding communities with new understanding and connection.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.