Metta Hour With Sharon Salzberg

Experiences come and go with a dreamlike flow that often leaves us wondering how we ever got so lost in the moment. The miracle of mindfulness comes through its ability to bring greater perspective to the full spectrum of emotions that will undoubtedly arise throughout our lives. Awareness has the power to provide refuge in every moment and we need only to remember this ever-present potential. Sharon reminds us that mindfulness can go anywhere and isn’t dependent upon circumstance

Delusion clouds our judgment and prevents us from seeing things as they truly are. It often carries with it a sense of apprehension or uncertainty, which strips us of the energy required to look deeply at our lives. One of the greatest dangers is its ability to block empathy, which can be viewed as the root of caring. If we can’t open to our own suffering, then we become incapable of opening to the suffering of others. Sharon discusses the ways that we can both recognize and dismantle delusion in an effort to gain clarity and confidence in where we chose to put our faith.

What is it that happens within certain individuals that allows an emergence from a place of suffering into a space of greater faith and trust in the world in which they navigate? This alchemical process seems to be born of an understanding and appreciation of the larger universe in which we exist. Perhaps this expansion of our very being provides a larger space in which to hold the suffering. We can’t always prevent painful experiences from occurring, but we can learn to be present with them, to merge with our suffering in a way that encourages balance and equanimity.

‘The mind is naturally radiant and pure. The mind is shining. It is because of visiting forces that we suffer’ - The Buddha Sharon identifies and thoroughly deconstructs some of the more common obstacles encountered in practice, emphasizing the non-local aspect of these intruding forces. The implications of this discovery, and continued remembrance through practice, help us to better understand the importance of knowing who we truly are. When we are at one with our true nature we no longer feel the pull toward identification with these frequent visitors. We can learn to skillfully acknowledge their presence and even invite them in, knowing and trusting that they are not to become permanent residents

Sharon outlines a few of the more powerful conditioned forces that can often motivate and form the basis for our intentions. Thankfully, she also provides some methodology for the purification of these mental states, and offers practical advice for integrating these fresh perspectives into our everyday lives. Not surprisingly, the power of practice is highlighted as a means for overcoming our more self-centered relationships to the world around us.

An exploration of the potential role of balance in bringing liberation from the tyranny of the form of practice, by looking beyond the various methods employed into the essence of our purpose in doing the work. All of our ‘skillful means’ are, in truth, toward some end, the discovery of which is the very balance we seek. The path itself is an unfolding of balance, where we create the conditions that allow us to be with absolutely anything.

Doubt is essentially a form of indecision, a crossroads at which we are hesitant to move in any specific direction. It can be truly seductive in its ability to habituate the mind, rendering us paralyzed to act in its presence. Sharon provides a revealing and inspiring dissection of this stagnant state, and explains the different ways that we can interpret and respond to the feelings that often accompany it. In putting our humility and patience into practice, we may find it preferable to discover the consequences for ourselves, rather than staying frozen in the fear of commitment.

There are so many events that occur completely unbeknownst to us throughout our day-to-day lives. Our understanding changes when we discover that the possibility exists to shift our perspective in a way that illuminates or clarifies our awareness. How and where we place our attention determines the nature of our own equanimity, and in retaining this sense of possibility, we have the power to choose an attitude of openness toward the overwhelming structure of our lives.

“I teach one thing and one thing only, that is suffering and the end of suffering’- Buddha. Sharon analyzes a few of the great sage’s profound statements in an effort to illuminate the practical truth therein. Whether interpreted through text, or experienced in our actual lives, an accurate translation naturally leads to an appropriate response.

Sharon is joined by MPN'ers Raghu Markus and Noah Lampert. Topics of discussion include anger, buddhist personality types and the wisdom of trust.

What does real happiness actually feel like, and how can we embody the essence with clarity and compassion?  Sharon provides a detailed exploration of this perceived problem and offers insight into the creation of a deeper and more sustainable sense of happiness.

We often experience ourselves as a fragmented and scattered assimilation of thoughts and emotions. How can we gather this fractured energy and return to our natural state of mindful awareness? In this lecture Sharon provides a thorough breakdown of the parallels and often-subtle distinctions between concentration and mindfulness. We learn to practice mindfulness as a platform for insight into the heart of experience.

Sharon responds to a variety of questions at the 2010 Open Your Heart in Paradise retreat. Topics discussed include the necessity and desire for a spiritual teacher, merging loving kindness with forgiveness, and the struggles that can accompany even long-term meditation practice

Sharon Salzberg and Jared Levy join Raghu Markus for a discussion about the current spiritual landscape, and some of the more encouraging contrasts from their earlier days in practice. The group also comments on the power of purpose in creating our intentions, and the different approaches we can take in aligning our aspirations with our actions. The episode concludes with a fantastic meditation led by Sharon.

Sharon details her origin story in relation to mindfulness practice and describes the different approaches we can take in integrating meditation into our lives. The core teaching begins with the recognition that we have the potential to change our relationships with ourselves, and the world around us. Questions from the audience revolve around the confusion and difficulty that often arise in experimenting with mindfulness techniques.

‘Develop a mind so filled with love that it resembles space’. Sharon uses this quote, from the Buddha, to emphasize the value in creating a vast and loving space from which we can operate. This cultivation can come in the form of expanded awareness, or from the clearing and cleansing of the present environment. When we unclutter the heart, we are reminded to stay true to our deepest intentions

What is it that we are really looking for from our lives, and do we have the ability to approach these aspirations with genuine confidence? In meditation, we get to redefine happiness, and look critically at our perceived fears and short comings. We use our sharpened awareness to cut through the layers of constriction that often surround our perception, and uncover a profoundly different sense of who we truly are. We have the power in changing our relationship to ourselves and our environment

Through Loving Kindness we sense our deep connection to the world around us. From that awareness arises compassion, which recognizes suffering, on all levels, and responds accordingly. Loving kindness doesn't seek to label or define the qualities or emotions that it addresses. It simply comes as an offering, in the form of forgiveness.

Sharon is joined by her longtime friend, and fellow MindPod patron, Raghu Markus, for a thoughtful and thorough discussion of the principles involved in the Buddhist teaching of the Eightfold Path, as well as how we can apply its core sentiments to our modern landscape. The Path begins with the basic recognition of our seamless connection to the world around us, and an evolving determination to avoid actions that we know will result in suffering. We discover our affinity toward intuitive action, and learn to incorporate that connection in all aspects of our lives.   Episode Outline: - Right Understanding - The cause/effect relationship - Right Thought (Right Intention) - Right Speech - What are we saying, and how are we saying it? - Right Livelihood - Kindness is key - Right Action - Actively promoting harmony - Right Concentration - Stabilizing our intentions - Right Effort - Doing the necessary work (without strain or judgment) - Right Mindfulness - Unbiased perception

In this talk, from the 2010 Open Your Heart in Paradise retreat, Sharon discusses the four virtues, known within the Buddhist tradition as the Brahma Viharas, as well as the meditation practices designed to cultivate them. These qualities, of loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity, are said to form our, ‘best home’, and serve as a simple but powerful guideline with which we can practice. The qualities are outlined in detail, with a particular emphasis on loving-kindness. Sharon leads a guided meditation to close the talk.