Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg – Details, episodes & analysis

For episode 247, we are continuing the Fireside Chat Series on the Metta Hour with guest Joseph Goldstein.

This series features intimate conversations with longtime dharma teachers about the early days of their practice and the most impactful moments with their own teachers. Hosted by IMS Online, the fifth episode in this series. Joseph Goldstein has been leading insight and lovingkindness meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. He is a co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, where he is on the guiding teachers’ Founders Council. In 1989, he helped establish the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. Joseph first became interested in Buddhism as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand in 1965. Since 1967 he has studied and practiced different forms of Buddhist meditation under eminent teachers from India, Burma and Tibet. He is the author of many books, including Mindfulness and Insight Meditation.

In this conversation, Sharon and Joseph discuss:

• The origin story of founding IMS
• Sharon and Joseph’s first meeting in India
• Joseph’s apartment in Boulder, CO
• How Joseph found Munindra, his first serious teacher
• What Joseph loves mosts about teaching
• Joseph’s first lovingkindness intensive
• Dipa Ma’s meditative life
• What inspired Joseph most about Dipa Ma
• Unifying confidence and humility in ourselves
• Working with the inner critic when teaching
• Learning how to say “I don’t know”
• Dudjom Rinpoche and re-incarnation
• Understanding the basis for our opinions
• Early challenges in Joseph’s teaching
• The popularization of meditation
• What inspired Joseph to pursue Buddhism
• Taking delight in being awake
• Approaches for self-acceptance
• Advice for new retreatants

You can learn more about Joseph’s work and many books right here and listen to his Insight Hour Podcast right here. Learn more about IMS Online right here.

Listen to Lily Cushman interview both Sharon and Joseph in Episode 199 of the Metta Hour right here or check-out some older conversations with Jospeh in Episode 110 and Episode 47.

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For episode 246, Susan Cain makes her first appearance on the Metta Hour!

Susan is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Quiet, and Bittersweet, which was also an Oprah Book Club selection. She has spent the last twenty years exploring a particular realm of human nature: the quiet, the sensitive, the thoughtful, the bittersweet. Susan’s record-smashing TED talks have been viewed over 50 million times and she the host of the Quiet Life online community.

In this conversation, Susan and Sharon discuss:

• How Susan approaches writing
• VIA character strength test
• Does great art have to come from great pain
• How suffering brings us together
• Susan embracing her “differences”
• The Quiet Life Community
• Why sadness is a bridge to connection
• The Dalai Lama the Darwinist
• Moral elevation
• Dipa Ma telling Sharon she would teach
• Leonard Coen as Susan’s patron saint
• Beauty in the broken world
• Never be ashamed of your suffering
• The history of the word “loser”
• Susan learning Lovingkindness meditation
• Lovingkindness and boundaries
• Chocolate and Brussels sprouts

Susan closes the conversation with a guided reflection. You can join Susan’s Quiet Life Community right here.

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For episode 237, we are launching the Fireside Chat Series on the Metta Hour.

This series features intimate conversations with longtime dharma teachers about the early days of their practice and the most impactful moments with their own teachers. Hosted by IMS Online, the launch of this monthly series is a conversation between Sharon and Jack Kornfield. Jack trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India and Burma. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. The conversation begins with a 10-minute guided meditation from Jack.

In this episode, Sharon and Jack discuss:

• Jack’s experience with Thai Buddhist monk Ajahn Chah
• The Buddha statue debate from the early days on IMS
• Jack’s first book “Living Dharma”
• Ajahn Chah’s teaching about the original mind
• Realizing innate qualities versus developing them
• The sign above the door at IMS
• What languages Sharon and Jack learned in Asia
• Sharon’s relationship with teacher Tsoknyi Rinpoche
• The role of study in one’s spiritual life
• Dualistic versus non-dualistic teachings
• The necessity of lovingkindness in their early teachings
• Learning to accept help and support
• Sharon’s experiences with Dipa Ma
• Different teachers that Jack has pissed off

The conversation closes with a short sitting. You can learn more about Jack’s work right here and check out his new online course on the eight-fold path available right here.

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For episode 148 of the Metta Hour, Sharon celebrates the 45th anniversary of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts.

Founded by Sharon, Joseph Goldstein, and Jack Kornfield on February 14th, 1975, this year marks 45 years since IMS opened doors to the public. Sharon reflects on this special anniversary and shares one of her earliest archival recordings from IMS from 1983. Since its inception, IMS has proven a wellspring of spiritual wisdom and a refuge of practice for individuals interested in meditation, mindfulness, lovingkindness, and self-inquiry.

Information on IMS and its ongoing offerings can be found at Dharma.org. For a catalog of dharma talks shared at IMS from a wide assortment of spiritual teachers, please visit: DharmaSeed.org. 

“I think about this running river, and I’m a part of it. It’s just this incredible feeling to watch it go on and spread in the way that it has…It’s hard to even believe what has happened, that IMS has become a refuge of practice for so many.” – Sharon Salzberg

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For episode 147 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with her longtime friends and colleagues Rameshwar Das and Roshi Joan Halifax Ph.D. about the new book, “Being Ram Dass.”

This intimate conversation begins with Rameshwar Das and Roshi reflect on the first time they met Ram Dass and their early friendships in the 60s. They discuss the role that Ram Dass played in their community, as well as his formative inspiration in some of their first teaching experiences. Roshi shares about Ram Dass’s pioneering work in the prison systems and end-of-life care. Rameshwar Dass speaks at length about the process of working with Ram Dass to create “Being Ram Dass” and closes the episode by leading a loving awareness meditation. Learn more about the new book at beingramdass.com

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For episode 146 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with colleague and friend Trudy Goodman, PhD.

Trudy is a Vipassana teacher in the Theravada lineage and the Founding Teacher of InsightLA. For 25 years, in Cambridge, MA, Trudy practiced mindfulness-based psychotherapy with children, teenagers, couples and individuals. Trudy conducts retreats and workshops worldwide.

In this episode, Trudy shares her personal journey with meditation and psychotherapy and how the two have informed her healing, and her professional path as a teacher and therapist. She and Sharon discuss loneliness, depression and mental health issues that have affected people differently in the pandemic quarantine. They also speak at length about the cultural stigma that many feel around mental health that prevents them from seeking out support or treatment. As well, they talk about domestic violence, and how the pandemic has increased instances of abusive relationships, and some resources for those facing it. The episode closes with Trudy leading a nine-minute guided meditation that is a form of lovingkindness practice. Learn more about Trudy’s work at www.trudygoodman.com

Links from this episode: Tips for SAFELY reaching out for support | Futures Without Violence |Resources for Partner Violence and Child Abuse During COVID-19

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For the 145th episode of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with teacher, author, and facilitator Thomas Hübl.

Thomas has been facilitating large-scale events and courses that focus on the healing and integration of trauma. Over the last decade, he has facilitated dialogue with thousands of people around healing the collective traumas of racism, oppression, colonialism, genocides in the U.S., Israel, Germany, Spain, and Argentina. In November of 2020. In the Fall of 2020, Thomas authored his first English book, "Healing Collective Trauma,” published by SoundsTrue.

In this conversation, Thomas shares his perspective on what constitutes trauma, whether it be acute, complex, or chronic forms and how trauma causes simultaneous over-activation and freezing within us, leading to internal fragmentation. They discuss the difference between personal trauma and collective trauma, as well as the genealogical trauma that is now being verified by the study fo epigenetics. Thomas also shares some wisdom about the trauma that many are currently facing due to COVID and closes the conversation with a 7-minute guided meditation practice. Learn more about Thomas’ work at thomashuebl.com.

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For episode 144 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with Zindel Segal, Ph.D.

Zindel is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology in Mood Disorders at the University of Toronto Scarborough. He has written over ten books, and 180 scientific publications, including The Mindful Way Through Depression, and recently co-founded MindfulNoggin.com, a website for mindfulness-based clinical care for managing depression and anxiety. In this conversation, Sharon and Zindel discuss the nuanced relationship between mindfulness practice and mental health. Zindel shares some of his research about when and how Mindfulness practice can aid recovery from clinical depression, and anxiety, as well as some of the new challenge folks are facing now from the pandemic. The episode closes with Zindel leads a 3-minute guided meditation practice on the breath. Learn more about Zindel’s work, visit mindfulnoggin.com

Get your copy of Sharon's newest book, Real Change, at sharonsalzberg.com or your favorite place to get books or audiobooks!

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For episode 143 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with Sarah Jones.

Sarah is a Tony® Award-winning performer, writer, comedian and activist. Called “a master of the genre” by ​The New York Times​, Sarah is known for her multi-character, one-person shows, including Broadway hit ​Bridge & Tunnel​, and the critically-acclaimed show ​Sell/Buy/Date​. She has given multiple main-stage TED Talks garnering millions of views and performed for President and First Lady Obama at the White House. Sarah recently launched Foment Productions, a social justice-focused entertainment company aligned with her progressive, intersectional activism. She has appeared in film and TV projects ranging from Sesame Street to ​ Marriage Story,​ and she will next be seen in an upcoming Netflix dramedy series, ​On the Verge.

This is the sixteenth episode of the Real Change Podcast series. In this conversation, Sarah and Sharon speak about Sarah’s path and how contemplative practices have informed her work as a writer, director and actor. They discuss the idea of creativity as an act of social action, as well as some of the themes from “Real Change.” Sarah shares about her journey with self-love, and how she find resilience and joy.

Learn more about Sarah’s work at sarahjonesonline.com

Get your copy of Sharon's newest book, Real Change, at sharonsalzberg.com or your favorite place to get books and audiobooks!

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Devon has been committed to meditation since 2000, spending years in retreat in the Insight and Vajrayana traditions, and has been mentored by Joseph Goldstein, Tara Brach, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Craig began intensive meditation training in 1994, living in a Zen monastery for six years before getting his Ph.D. in counseling psychology. Together they are teachers and mentors in the spiritual community, and they just released their new book, How Not To Be A Hot Mess. You can find about more their offerings at DevonandCraigHase.com

This is episode fifteen of the Real Change Podcast series. In this episode, Devon and Craig examine the ways that the practices of mindfulness can make it through the difficulties we face day-to-day. They speak with Sharon about some of the themes from “Real Change” and how we can embody our best selves through the practices of mindfulness and meditation. The episode finishes with three-minute breath meditation guided by Sharon to close the conversation.

Get your copy of Sharon's newest book, Real Change, at sharonsalzberg.com or your favorite place to get books and audiobooks!

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