Author and speaker Agapi Stassinopoulos joins Sharon for a conversation on the Metta Hour Podcast Episode 184.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/mettaAgapi Stassinopoulos is the author of “Wake Up to the Joy of You” and “Unbinding the Heart: A Dose of Greek Wisdom, Generosity and Unconditional Love.” She leads workshops at Thrive Global, a company founded by her sister, Arianna Huffington, to help change how we work and live. Agapi’s newest book, “Speaking with Spirit: 52 Prayers to Guide, Inspire, and Uplift You,” was released in January of 2022 by Harmony Books. In this conversation, Agapi and Sharon discuss:• Agapi’s family history in WW2• The influence of Agapi’s mother on her path• What happens after spiritual awakening• The inspiration for Agapi’s new book• Differences between prayer and meditation• How to embrace a higher power• Approaching prayer as a practice• Cultivating confidence• Spiritual versus religious• Non-attachment in prayer• Communion with the Divine• Why we lose our sense of connection• Finding the beloved inside• Letting go of perfection to find greater joy• The epidemic of loneliness• Getting out of the way of our creativity• Giving your inner critic a vacation• Agape’s approach to grace and resilienceThe episode closes with Agapi reading a passage from her book on coming home. To learn more about Agapi’s work, you can visit her website.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Performer, author, and storyteller Joél Leon returns to the Metta Hour Podcast for Episode 183.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/mettaBorn and raised in the Bronx, Joél writes and tells stories for Black people. Specializing in moderating and leading conversations surrounding race, masculinity, mental health, creativity, and the performing arts, with love at the center of his work and purpose. He is the author of “Book About Things I Will Tell My Daughter” and “God Wears Durags, Too.” His TED talk on healthy co-parenting has been viewed over 1.5M times. In this conversation, Joél and Sharon discuss:Joél’s new spoken word album, “Soundtrack To a Riot”Contemplations on death and agingMaking space for multiple things to be trueThe necessity of communion and communityNavigating mental health during COVIDThe importance of inner and outer spaceThe dissonance of systemic injustice and heartful livingHow context and nuance matterConnecting to the awe in everyday lifeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Author and Psychotherapist Mark Epstein, M.D. returns to the Metta Hour Podcast for Episode 182.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/mettaA longtime friend and colleague, Mark and Sharon first met in 1974 at the Naropa Institute in Boulder, CO. Mark is a psychiatrist in private practice in New York City and a longtime Buddhist practitioner. He is the author of several books that explore the interface of Buddhism and psychotherapy, including Going to Pieces without Falling Apart and his 2022 release, The Zen of Therapy: Uncovering a Hidden Kindness in Life. In this conversation, Mark and Sharon discuss:• Their backstory meeting in 1974 in Boulder, CO• Mark’s new book, The Zen of Therapy• The Buddha’s origin story through Mark’s therapeutic lens• How COVID is impacting Mental Health• Exploring COVID as a collective trauma• Mark’s insights while on a meditation retreat• How to create a healthy holding environment for ourselves• The importance of kindness in therapy• The limitations of kindness• How to find a good therapist The episode closes with Mark leading a short guided meditation practice. To learn more about Mark’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.

Sharon welcomes Pastor, author, and theologian Nadia Bolz-Weber to the Metta Hour Podcast for Episode 181.Nadia is an ordained Lutheran Pastor and the founder of the House for All Sinners & Saints in Denver, Colorado. She is the creator and host of The Confessional Podcast, which invites guests to share stories about times that they were at their worst, and is executive produced by our friends over at The Moth. Nadia is the author of three New York Times bestselling memoirs: “Pastrix,” which was re-released in May of 2021, “Accidental Saints” and her 2019 release, “Shameless: A Sexual Reformation.”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/mettaNadia starts the conversation by sharing more about her history, and what drew her to the path. Sharon asks Nadia about her thoughts on shame, how it hinders us in our personal growth. The two talk about the inspiration for Nadia's book, Shameless, They discuss the distinction between shame, guilt and regret in Buddhist Psychology, and how we can recapture some of the energy from these states. Nadia shares her thoughts on forgiveness, both of ourselves and others, and how she approached forgiveness and a means to find greater freedom. Nadia talks about her podcast, and what her experience has been supporting others who are deeply affected by shame, and the role of a Pastor in life. They also discuss the difference between punishment versus rehabilitation in wrong-doing, and what role mercy has to play in these aspects of life. Nadia shares candidly about a recent family tragedy, and how she is processing the loss by walking the Camino de Santiago. Nadia shares her experience of trying meditation for the first time during the pandemic, and how she finds it to be different than prayer.Learn more about Nadia: nadiabolzweber.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rhonda V. Magee returns to the Metta Hour Podcast for episode 180.Rhonda is a Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco and has spent more than twenty years exploring the intersections of anti-racist education, social justice, and contemplative practices. A Fellow of the Mind and Life Institute, Rhonda is a global Keynote Speaker, mindfulness teacher, practice innovator, storyteller, and thought leader on integrating Mindfulness into Higher Education, Law, and Social Justice. Her award-winning book, “The Inner Work of Racial Justice: Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities Through Mindfulness,” was released in hardcover in 2019, and the paperback edition is now available.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/mettaThe conversation begins with Sharon and Rhonda discussing some of the ongoing assumptions about mindfulness practice and how they are often used to bypass life’s difficulties. Sharon asks Rhonda to elucidate some of the teachings from her book. Rhonda starts by explaining the concept of Racialized Bodies. Sharon shares her understanding of attribution bias and how that also affects the way that we navigate the world. They discuss how the different modalities of mindfulness and lovingkindness compare as a means to work with bias. Sharon asks Rhona to speak more about how she defines Racial Justice and what that means in daily life. They discuss some of the obstacles to cultivating empathy or emotional understanding when looking at racial issues. Rhonda shares her thoughts on Color Insight versus Color Blindness and then leads a guided meditation to close the conversation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 179 of the Metta Hour Sharon speaks with Certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Teacher, Margaret Cullen.Margaret Cullen is a licensed psychotherapist and was one of the first to become a Certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher. For over 25 years, she has pioneered secular contemplative programs for various populations, developing and teaching contemplative interventions for research studies at Stanford, UCSF, Portland State, Penn State, University of Michigan, and the University of Miami. Margaret has contributed to the development of the Compassion Cultivation Training at Standford and become Founding Faculty for the Compassion Institute.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/mettaThe conversation begins with Margaret sharing more of her history and how she came to meditation practice in her late 20s. They discuss how mindfulness is defined in different traditions and the implicit quality of compassion that exists in it, and how Margaret’s mentor, John Kabat Zinn, folded compassion into the teaching of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. They discuss “emotional balance” in Margaret’s early work doing research at UCSF. Margaret shares her definition of compassion and the ways her definition has evolved over her time. She also shares some of the common misconceptions about compassion that she had encountered in her work. They also discuss Margaret’s views on compassion fatigue and collapse and the relationship between self-compassion and compassion for others. The conversation closes with Margaret leading a guided Compassionate Image Practice.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 178 of the Metta Hour, Sharon welcomes her friend and colleague, Omid Safi.In this conversation, Sharon and Omid discuss the nature of Radical Love and the many forms that love can take outside of romantic bonds. Omid also shares some of the factors and practices that support greater access to states of Radical Love. They contemplate what Rumi would do in a pandemic and what it looks like to flow to where the greatest needs and suffering are to be found in life. Sharon asks Omid about the cultivation of curiosity and humility in life and their roles in life. Lastly, they speak about accountability and restorative justice in the collective as a form of love in the public sphere. This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/mettaOmid is a teacher in the Sufi tradition of Radical Love and the Founder of Illuminated Courses & Tours. He is a professor at Duke University specializing in Islamic spirituality and contemporary thought. The author of several books, his most recent release from 2018 is “Radical Love: Teachings from the Islamic Mystical Tradition.” Omid is also the host of his own podcast, The Sufi Heart Podcast, on the Be Here Now Network.Dive into Dr. Omid Safi's illuminating Sufi Heart Podcast exclusively here on the Be Here Now NetworkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 177 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with Bonnie Pitman.In this episode, Bonnie shares about her work in the art world and how she sees art as a doorway to contemplative practice. She and Sharon talk about how differently art is looked at in Eastern culture and what role suffering has to play in the creation of art. They discuss the history of Bonnie’s “Do Something New” initiative and what that looks like for her today while still facing chronic illness. Lastly, they discuss the role gratitude has played in her well-being and, in particular, her chronic disease. Bonnie closes the conversation with a guided lovingkindness meditation.This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/mettaBonnie is a nationally recognized leader in the museum community. Her museum career spans 50 years of service in the museum, education, and university fields. Since 2008, Bonnie has been living with chronic illness. In 2011 began her daily practice to “Do Something New,” inviting the exploration and celebration of making an ordinary day extraordinary while dealing with chronic illness.Learn more about Bonnie and try the "Do Something New" practice at dosomethingnew.org See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 176 of the Metta Hour, Sharon is joined by Neal Allen and Anne Lamott.In this conversation, Neal shares his impetus for writing Shapes of Truth and how the book played a role in his first date with his now-wife, Annie Lamott. The three converse about the different ways they define the term and the experience of God or the divine, and how that interfaces with daily life. The episode ends with Neal leading a short guided reflection to bring the conversation to a close.This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/mettaNeal Allen is a coach and writer who studies and practices traditional and contemporary spiritual paths. He is the author of the 2021 release Shapes of Truth: Discover God Inside You. Anne Lamott is the New York Times best-selling author of 19 books, including collections of essays, novels, and long-form non-fiction, including the classic writing manual Bird by Bird and childrearing memoir Operating Instructions.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 175 of the Metta Hour, Sharon welcomes Christiane Wolf, MD, Ph.D., for a conversation about chronic pain.Christiane Wolf is a physician, meditation teacher, and author. She is the author of the May 2021 release, Outsmart Your Pain: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion to Help You Leave Chronic Pain Behind, and is a senior teacher at InsightLA in Los Angeles. She is also the lead consultant and teacher trainer for the US Department of Veteran Affairs National Mindfulness Facilitator Training.In this conversation, Christiane shares her background in meditation and what inspired her to teach. Sharon and Christiane talk about how working with physical pain can be a template for working with emotional pain and some of the cultural conditioning that can make chronic pain more difficult. Christiane discusses the difference between accepting and acknowledging pain and the role that grief has to play with it. She also shares some of her modes of working with pain through mindfulness and self-compassion. The episode concludes with Christiane leading a short guided meditation.This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/mettaThe paperback edition of Real Change is now available! Order HereSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.