Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg

For episode 279, Jack Kornfield returns to the Metta Hour to talk about his new book, “All in This Together: Stories and Teachings for Loving Each Other and Our World.”
Jack trained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, Burma, and India and has taught worldwide since 1974. He is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practices to the West. He is the cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society and of Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. He holds a PhD in clinical psychology and has written more than fifteen books, including The Wise Heart, A Path with Heart, and more.
In this conversation, Sharon and Jack speak about:
The impetus for Jack’s new book
The universe is made of stories
Beginner’s Mind as the goal of practice
Ajahn Chah’s squirrel story
How repetition factors into storytelling
Trusting the gifts of interconnectedness
Ram Dass as the great public neurotic
The glance of mercy
The Bodhisattva Vow
Envisioning generosity to change the world
Working with our expectations
Despair is not the end of the story
Mindful Service as a source of happiness
The Insight Meditation Society's 50th anniversary
The founding of IMS told by Jack
How the Dharma evolves across cultures
This episode closes with a guided meditation from Jack. Learn more about Jack’s many offerings right here and get yourself a copy of his new book All in This Together.
Join the IMS 50th anniversary online celebration on February 14th, 2026! Learn more and register right here.
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For episode 278, Sharon sits down with author and friend, Parvati Markus, the editor of the new Ram Dass book, “There is No Other: The Way to Harmony and Wholeness.”
Parvati is a developmental editor who has been midwifing non-fiction books and memoirs since her first efforts with Ram Dass’s classic Be Here Now. She serves on the Board of Advisors for the Love Serve Remember Foundation and has helped with many other spiritual organizations and events. Parvati is also the author of numerous books, including Whisper in the Heart and Love Everyone. This is Parvati’s first appearance on the Metta Hour.
In this conversation, Parvati and Sharon speak about:
How Parvati found her path
Meeting Neem Karoli Baba
Ram Dass and Parvati’s friendship
Parvati’s contribution to “Be Here Now”
The inspiration for “There is No Other”
Moving past “us” and “them”
Balancing real life & spiritual life
Substituting noticing for judging
Neem Karoli Baba’s directive of service
Ram Dass learning to accept help
Moving from Role to Soul
How to be here now in times of difficulty
Community as the future Buddha
Joseph Goldstein’s fateful meeting with Ram Dass
What is Loving Awareness
Ram Dass’s final public appearance
This episode closes with a guided meditation from Ram Dass that invites us to let go of the heaviness of confusion and our rigid models of who we are and how it is.
Learn more about Parvati’s many book projects right here and get yourself a copy of Ram Dass’s new book “There is No Other” right here in hardcover, ebook and audiobook formats.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 277, we are continuing a new series on the Metta Hour, centered on kids, in honor of Sharon’s first children’s book, Kind Karl, released on December 9th!
Written with Jason Gruhl, this illustrated picture book is for 4-8 year-olds and is a children’s adaptation of Sharon’s beloved book Lovingkindness.
For this podcast series, Sharon speaks with educators, caregivers, and researchers about the ways meditation, mindfulness, and lovingkindness can impact children of all ages and the family systems that support them. For the sixth episode of the series, Sharon speaks with Richie J. Davidson.
Richie is the William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Founder and Director of the Center for Healthy Minds. He is best known for his groundbreaking work studying emotion and the brain. A friend and confidante of the Dalai Lama, he is a highly sought-after expert and speaker, leading conversations on well-being on international stages such as the World Economic Forum, where he serves on the Global Council on Mental Health.
In this conversation, Sharon and Richie speak about:
Richie’s pillars for human flourishing
Free Kindness Curriculum app
How to nurture enduring traits
Lovingkindness as a training
Our whole being is malleable
Flourishing is contagious
Temporary states vs lasting traits
We are born to be kind
The Born to Flourish book, coming in March
Changing our narratives
Affective Neuroscience
Six basic emotional styles
Evolving the K-12 education space
Supporting Healthcare providers
Community as contemplative intervention
What is Contemplative Neuroscience?
The conversation closes with a guided meditation led by Richie. To learn more about Riche’s work or his different books, you can visit his website and access the free Healthy Minds Kindness Curriculum right here in English or Spanish.
You can learn more about Sharon’s brand-new children’s book, Kind Karl, right here.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 276, we are continuing a new series on the Metta Hour, centered on kids, in honor of Sharon’s first children’s book, Kind Karl, released on December 9th!
Written with Jason Gruhl, this illustrated picture book is for 4-8 year-olds and is a children’s adaptation of Sharon’s beloved book Lovingkindness.
In this podcast series, Sharon speaks with educators, caregivers, and researchers about the ways meditation, mindfulness, and lovingkindness can impact children of all ages and the family systems that support them.
For the fifth episode of the series, Sharon speaks with Sumi Loundon Kim. Sumi is the Buddhist chaplain at Yale University. A graduate of Harvard Divinity School, she is the founding teacher of Buddhist Families of Durham (NC). She is the author of Blue Jean Buddha; The Buddha’s Apprentices; Sitting Together and of the children's book Goodnight Love: A Bedtime Meditation Story.
In this conversation, Sumi and Sharon speak about:
Sumi’s early life in Zen community
Sumi’s first visit to IMS at age 16
The value of spiritual practice during adolescence
Teaching meditation to kids through song
Benefits of group practice for parents and kids
Working with the five senses
Implicit learning, leading by example
Nurturing kindness in self-talk
Creating a home as a sanctuary
Designated device-free family time
Meditation for college students
Social connection promoting self-regulation
Psychological fluency
A bedtime meditation for kids: “Goodnight Love”
Get a copy of Sumi’s book “Goodnight Love” right here.
You can learn more about Sharon’s brand-new children’s book, Kind Karl, right here.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 275, we are continuing a new series on the Metta Hour, centered on kids, in honor of Sharon’s first children’s book, Kind Karl, out now!
Co-authored by Jason Gruhl, this illustrated picture book is for 4-8 year-olds and is a new children’s adaptation of Sharon’s beloved book Lovingkindness.
To learn more about Sharon’s children’s book, Kind Karl, and pre-order a copy with a special pre-order gift, you can visit Sharon’s website, right here.
For this podcast series, Sharon speaks with educators, caregivers, and researchers about the ways meditation, mindfulness, and lovingkindness can impact children of all ages and the family systems that support them. For the fourth episode of the series, Sharon speaks with Ali Smith, Andres Gonzales and Atman Smith of the Holistic Life Foundation.
Andy, Ali, and Atman co-founded the Holistic Life Foundation in 2001, a non-profit organization bringing yoga, meditation, and breath-work to thousands of at-risk kids in Baltimore and beyond. Their work has received wide national attention due to their remarkable results in public schools where suspension rates plummet and graduation rates skyrocket. Outside of the Holistic Life Foundation, Ali, Atman, and Andy also teach to diverse populations worldwide, including drug treatment centers, mental crisis facilities, homeless shelters, and Yoga, Wellness, and Mindfulness Festivals.
Their first book, “Let Your Light Shine” was published in 2022 by Penguin Random House.
In this conversation, Sharon, Atman, Andres and Ali speak about:
• The creation of the Holistic Life Foundation
• Experiencing meditation early in life
• Working in underserved communities
• Teaching with trauma awareness
• HLF Retreats and certification programs
• The importance of sharing love
• Benefits of mindfulness for kids
• Partnering with schools and education systems
• Modifying practice for younger minds
• How to champion love
• Encouraging authentic, in-person interaction
• Giving from a place of overflow
• Caring for ourselves to better care for others
The episode closes with a guided practice. You can learn more about the Holistic Life Foundation’s work on their website, right here. And get a copy of the book“Let Your Light Shine” right here.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.