For episode 192, Sharon welcomes Cecilia Loving to the Metta Hour to speak about Diversity, Inclusion, and embodied Lovingkindness.

Cecilia is an award-winning speaker, diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion thought leader, consultant, and author. Her work focuses on restorative justice, storytelling, inclusive leadership, racial inclusion, mindfulness, and well-being. She is the Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at PBS, with over 25 years of experience in DEI. Cecilia has practiced meditation since she was a teen in Detroit, and is the author of several books, including “The Power of Inclusion” and Unbroken Circles: Holding Space, Finding Forgiveness, and Transcending Edges.

Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

In this conversation, Cecilia and Sharon share about:

• Growing up in the Civil rights movement in Detroit • Embodying vs. intellectualizing teachings • The impetus for Cecilia’s book “The Power of Inclusion” • The necessity of a diverse community for resilience • Surviving compared to flourishing • The ancient tradition of Circles • Being heard by others as a path of healing • Restorative Justice circles • The effect George Floyd’s death has had on DEI work • Teaching emotional intelligence to the FDNY • Learning to wear the world as a loose garment • The challenges caregivers face • Lovingkindness as a restorative presence for others • DEI as a “Ministry of Love” • How shame impacts healing and learning

The episode ends with Cecilia leading a guided lovingkindness meditation to close the conversation. To learn more about Cecilia’s work, you can visit mindfulnessgroup.blog or check out her many book offerings.

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For episode 191 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with scholar, researcher, and author, Alexander Gardner.

Content Warning – This interview includes conversation about suicide. If you are having thoughts of suicide – whether or not you are in crisis – you can find free support & resources via the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/

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Alex is the Director and Chief Editor of the Treasury of Lives, a biographical Encyclopedia of Tibet, Inner Asia, and the Himalayas. Alex completed his Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies at the University of Michigan in 2007. His research focuses on the collaborative activities of three great nineteenth-century Tibetan Buddhist masters. In 2019, he released the book “The Life of Jamgon Kongtrul the Great” from Shambhala. In this conversation, Alex and Sharon speak about:

• How Alex was drawn to Eastern studies • The two-month retreat Sharon and Alex sat many years ago • The importance of Lineage • What inspired a book about Jamgon Kongtrul • How the great masters in Buddhism were regular people • The history of Bodh Gaya, India • The inspiration for Treasury of Lives•How technology interfaces with spiritual teachings • Alex’s exploration of sexuality in Buddhist Teachings • A chance meeting with a clown nose •

For more information about Alex’s work, you can visit treasuryoflives.org or get a copy of his book, The Life of Jamgon Kongtrul the Great, available in hardcover and beook formats.

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For episode 190 of the Metta Hour, Sharon welcomes Dr. Barbara Fredrickson.

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Dr. Barbara Fredrickson is a Kenan Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at UNC-Chapel Hill. Barbara is the director of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory. She is an award-winning teacher and also among the most highly-cited scientists worldwide. Her books, Positivity and Love 2.0 have been translated into dozens of languages. Barbara has been President of the International Positive Psychology Association and the Society for Affective Science.

In this episode, Sharon and Barbara discuss:

How Barbara and Sharon first connected • The history of the study of emotions in modern psychology • Experiential states that aren’t recognized as emotions • The peril of glorifying achievement • Evolutionary Psychology • The consilience of contemplative wisdom and science • The process of creating the Broaden & Build Theory • How Lovingkindness meditation (Metta) affected Barbara’s work • Barbara’s definition of “love” • The contagion of emotions • The collective creation of positive states • The application of Lovingkindness (Metta) • The Brahma Viharas (Four Immeasurables) • Barbara’s cat Mudita • The importance of acceptance • Mindful awareness versus savoring • Barbara’s book “Love 2.0” • “Short Moments, Many Times” study • The Research of Lovingkindness (Metta) meditation • What Barbara is working on next

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For episode 189, Sharon welcomes Dr. Simran Jeet Singh to the Metta Hour to speak about the Sikh philosophy of love and service. 

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Simran is the Executive Director of the Inclusive America Project at the Aspen Institute. Recognized among TIME Magazine’s “sixteen people fighting for a more equal America, ” he is an Equality Fellow with the Open Society Foundations. Simran is a regular contributor to The Washington Post, CNN, and TIME Magazine and writes a monthly column for Religion News Service. In July of 2022, Simran released his first book, The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life, from Riverhead books. In this conversation, Simran and Sharon speak about:

• Growing up as an outsider

• Identity as a refuge

• The foremost teaching of Sikh philosophy of interconnection

• The natural expression of love is action

• Inspiration for his book“The Light We Give”

• De-centralizing the Ego

• Understanding our deeper values

• The impact of Lovingkindness on our enemies

• What does it mean to be a warrior of the heart?

• What is lost in hyper-masculinity 

• Building a healthy sense of self when living in the margins

• Honor the dignity of all the feelings that arise in us

• The motivation of anger vs. love

The episode ends with Simran leading a Sikh meditation to close the conversation. To learn more about Simran’s work visit www.simranjeetsingh.org or get a copy of his book, The Light We Give.

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For episode 188 of the Metta Hour podcast, Jason Garner joins Sharon to talk about life, practice, finding meaning, and refuge.

Jason is a spiritual seeker, author, and previously a Fortune 500 company executive. He spent the first 37 years of his life working his way up from flea market parking attendant to CEO of Global Music at Live Nation, the world's largest concert promoter. After several significant losses in his life, Jason turned to yoga, meditation, martial arts, and eastern philosophy to learn a different way of being in the world. In 2014 he wrote the book "And then I Breathed," chronicling his unique journey.

Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/metta

In this conversation, Sharon and Jason speak about:

• Jason's path making his way in the world

• What led to Jason becoming a spiritual seeker

• Bringing spiritual practice of the music business

• Finding meaning in life to help navigate challenging times

• Sharon's experience in isolation during the pandemic

• The inner resource of meditation in COVID

• Jason and Sharon's shared Tibetan teacher Tsoknyi Rinpoche

• Everyone's inherent "inner okay-ness"

• How self-compassion changed the course of Jason's practice and life

• The courage to show up as a human

• Re-writing the myth of winning so "everyone gets to win"

• Collaboration versus competition

• Creating Love4Live to offer meditation resources for the music industry in COVID

To learn more about Jason, you can visit his website jasongarner.com and love4live.org

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Sharon welcomes Dr. Galit Atlas for Episode 187 of the Metta Hour.

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Galit is an author, psychoanalyst, and clinical assistant professor at New York University. She has published numerous articles and book chapters that focus primarily on gender and sexuality. Her New York Times published “A Tale of Two Twins” won a 2016 Gradiva Award, and her latest book “Emotional Inheritance” was released in January of 2022. In this conversation, Galit and Sharon discuss:

• What drew Galit to therapy

• The stigma and shame around mental health

• The definition of trauma

• How generational trauma shows up

• The effect that secrecy has on trauma and healing

• How the secrecy in Sharon’s childhood affects her

• Post Traumatic Growth

• What we must accept versus what we can change

• The role of forgiveness in healing

• The epigenetics of family trauma

• Winnicott’s “good enough” parent

• Vicarious Trauma for Caregivers

To learn more about Galit’s work, you can visit her website at galitatlas.com 

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Stephen Cope and Sharon Salzberg come together in Metta Hour to discuss dharma and the shared struggles of humanity. In this episode Sharon and Stephen talk about:

• How Stephen arrived at Kripalu Center
• Stephen's new book
• The Bhagavad Gita
• Dharma and Sacred Vocation
• Times of Struggle
• Loving Kindness vs. Hatred and Anger
• Yoga and Compassion
• Guided meditation

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Stephen Cope is a best-selling author and scholar who specializes in the relationship between the Eastern contemplative traditions and Western depth psychology. For almost thirty years, Stephen has been Scholar-in-Residence at the renowned Kripalu Center. Stephen is also the founder and former director of the Kripalu Institute for Extraordinary Living—one of the world’s most influential research institutes examining the effects and mechanisms of yoga and meditation, with a team of researchers from top universities. Stephen's new book, The Dharma in Difficult Times, is now available to purchase.

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Sharon welcomes social justice educator, yoga teacher, and author Jacoby Ballard to the Metta Hour for Episode 185.

Jacoby has taught Queer and Trans Yoga since 2006. In 2008, he Co-Founded the Third Root Community Health Center in Brooklyn as a healing and social justice space. His first book, “A Queer Dharma: Yoga and Meditations for Liberation,” was released in 2021 from North Atlantic Books.

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/metta

In this conversation, Jacoby and Sharon discuss:

• How Jacoby began his practice in high school & college

• The release of Jacoby’s new book in the time of Covid

• Applying dharma teachings to explore identity

• The path of liberation for those targeted by systems of oppression 

• Addressing the trauma in the room

• Noble silence versus silencing

• Lovingkindness in Queer communities

• Acceptance and anger 

• Forgiveness is not amnesia

• Jacoby’s self-care practices

• How to find the therapist for you

• Guidance for Queer and Trans meditators

• How to be a better LGBTQ+ ally

The episode closes with Jacoby leading a guided Mudita (joy) meditation practice. To learn more about Jacoby’s work, you can visit his website.

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Author and speaker Agapi Stassinopoulos joins Sharon for a conversation on the Metta Hour Podcast Episode 184.

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Agapi 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 resilience

The 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.

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Performer, author, and storyteller Joél Leon returns to the Metta Hour Podcast for Episode 183.

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Born 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 aging
• Making space for multiple things to be true
• The necessity of communion and community
• Navigating mental health during COVID
• The importance of inner and outer space
• The dissonance of systemic injustice and heartful living
• How context and nuance matter
• Connecting to the awe in everyday life

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