“Do the good that’s in front of you, even if it feels very small.”
– Sharon Salzberg

Sharon Salzberg (@SharonSalzberg) is a central figure in the field of meditation, a world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author of Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation: A 28-Day Program.

Sharon has played a crucial role in bringing meditation and mindfulness practices to the West and into mainstream culture since 1974, when she first began teaching. She is the co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and she has written ten books — from her seminal Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness to her latest, Real Love: The Art of Mindful Connection.

Sharon offers a secular and modern approach to Buddhist teachings, making them more accessible. She is a regular columnist for On Being, a contributor to Huffington Post, and the host of her own podcast: The Metta Hour.

Please enjoy!

Want to hear another podcast about meditation? In this episode, we hear from Chase Jarvis as he explains his top priorities for feeling fulfilled. I talk transcendental meditation with Arnold Schwarzenegger. And I cover a wide spectrum with Sam Harris, and ask him about everything from hallucinogens to meditation techniques (stream below or right-click here to download):

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QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

• Connect with Sharon Salzberg:

Website | Podcast | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Show Notes

• Sharon tells us about the string of experiences early in her life that helped chart her course. [07:02]
• How did Buddhism enter Sharon’s life? What impact did it have on the suffering she had known since such an early age? [10:31]
• What priceless guidance did Sharon receive from Buddhist meditation master Chˆgyam Trungpa before traveling to India? [13:09]
• Sharon explains how this guidance played out during her travels. [14:44]
• How Emotional Intelligence author Daniel Goleman helped Sharon find her way. [15:57]
• What happened when Sharon went to Bodh Gaya. [17:07]
• Sharon’s advice for anyone going into an intensive ten-day silent retreat. [18:46]
• How would Sharon guide a room full of type A personalities who are convinced meditation won’t “work” for them? [21:50]
• Mental frameworks helpful for beginners to keep in mind as they’re trying to establish meditation as a regular practice. [24:58]
• Self-compassion as a secret ingredient. [27:11]
• Does Sharon believe there’s a “minimum effective dose” when it comes to meditation? [28:55]
• For a beginner, what would the format of twenty minutes of daily meditation look like? [32:22]
• Have I been practicing what Sharon considers loving kindness? [35:25]
• Reframing the lens through which we look at our daily experiences. [39:47]
• How does Sharon suggest we think about the word “love” at a time when it’s almost lost its meaning through overuse? [42:04]
• How can someone defuse or divert a drift toward anger? [45:15]
• Why you may want to avoid email if you’re trying a fast for the first time. [48:10]
• On self-assessment after meditation (or medication) has become part of one’s routine. [48:37]
• Some love is 50/50. Here’s a story where it’s 100/100. [54:17]
• How does Sharon define success? [56:51]
• What are Sharon’s biggest challenges at the moment? [58:53]
• How does Sharon make progress with her own desired behavior changes? [1:01:20]
• Overcoming a time of despair and reestablishing connection. [1:01:49]
• Do the good that’s in front of you. [1:06:01]

People Mentioned

Posted on: November 3, 2017.

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Who was interviewed? Here's a very partial list: tech icons (founders of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Craigslist, Pinterest, Spotify, Salesforce, Dropbox, and more), Jimmy Fallon, Arianna Huffington, Brandon Stanton (Humans of New York), Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Ben Stiller, Maurice Ashley (first African-American Grandmaster of chess), Brené Brown (researcher and bestselling author), Rick Rubin (legendary music producer), Temple Grandin (animal behavior expert and autism activist), Franklin Leonard (The Black List), Dara Torres (12-time Olympic medalist in swimming), David Lynch (director), Kelly Slater (surfing legend), Bozoma Saint John (Beats/Apple/Uber), Lewis Cantley (famed cancer researcher), Maria Sharapova, Chris Anderson (curator of TED), Terry Crews, Greg Norman (golf icon), Vitalik Buterin (creator of Ethereum), and nearly 100 more. Check it all out by clicking here.