Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg Be Here Now Network

For episode 214 of the Metta Hour, we continue our Mental Health Series with teacher and author George T. Mumford.

In this series, Sharon is speaking with teachers, experts, and health advocates to explore and destigmatize mental health, applying the tools of Buddhist wisdom and spiritual practice. This multi-part series aires every other week in the coming months. In this episode, Sharon is joined by author and teacher George T. Mumford, a.k.a. The Mindfulness Performance Whisperer.

George Mumford is a highly acclaimed and leading expert in sports psychology & performance. Phil Jackson’s ‘Secret Weapon’ to winning eight NBA Championships. George is the author of “The Mindful Athlete” and his 2023 book, “Unlocked: Embrace Your Greatness, Find the Flow, Discover Success.” In this conversation, George and Sharon discuss:

• George’s mental health journey

• Looking at mental health as a spectrum

• The myth that mental illness is rare

• Transforming roadblocks into stepping stones

• The public stigma for athletes

• Learning how to relate to ourselves 

• Every experience is valuable

• The inspiration for George’s new book

• Growth mindset versus fixed mindset

• Cultivating agency and empowerment

• Finding your flow state

• Working with failure

• George’s translation of Buddhist teachings

• Abiding in love in our growth

• George’s three cornerstones

The conversation closes with a guided meditation on awareness led by George. To learn more about George’s work, and to get a copy of his new book, Unlocked, you can visit his website at https://georgemumford.com/




Mental Health Resources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline call 988 or (800) 273-8255

Psychology Today Find a Mindfulness-Trained Therapist 

Active Peace Yoga with Reggie Hubbard

The Psychology Podcast with Scott Barry Kaufman

Mark Epstein Psychiatrist & Author with a Buddhist Lens

Nalanda Institute Contemplative Psychotherapy Program

Express Yourself Black Man Healing Community for Black Men

Black Boys Om Black Boys & Men Healing & Wellness Education

Cloud Sangha Community For Meditation & Wellness

The Trevor Project Support for LGBTQ Mental Health 

Therapy for Black Girls Mental Wellness for Black Women and Girls 

The Friendship Bench Creating Safe Spaces & Community

Hope for Bereaved Grief Support Groups

Option B Grief, Trauma and Loss Support




Sharon's newest book, Real Life, is now available from Flatiron Books in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats. To learn more about the book or get a copy, you can visit Sharon’s website here.




If you would like to suggest a topic for this series, you can email admin@sharonsalzberg.com with your questions and suggestions.




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For episode 213 of the Metta Hour Podcast, we are continuing a special series celebrating Sharon’s new book, “Real Life.” This interview features a conversation between Sharon and Anu Gupta, pulled from the Living An Authentic Life Summit.

Anu Gupta is a human rights lawyer, social scientist, educator, and the Founder of BE MORE with Anu. He has dedicated himself to finding solutions to bias through two decades of original research, fieldwork with diverse communities globally, and 10,000 hours of meditation practice. Anu has written and spoken extensively, including on the TED stage, the Oprah Conversation, Fast Company, and Newsweek. In this conversation, Sharon and Anu discuss the theme of contraction from Sharon’s new book, Real Life.

To learn more about Anu’s work, you can visit his website at bemorewithanu.com.




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For episode 212 of the Metta Hour, we continue our Mental Health Series with meditation teacher and author Kimberly Brown.

In this series, Sharon is speaking with teachers, experts, and health advocates to explore and destigmatize mental health, applying the tools of Buddhist wisdom and spiritual practice. This multi-part series aires every other week in the coming months. In this episode, Sharon is joined by author and meditation teacher Kimberly Brown. Kim is a guide to the transformative power of compassion and love, interpreting traditional Buddhist techniques into accessible and relevant practices for modern life.

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

Kimberly Brown is a meditation teacher and the author Steady, “Calm, and Brave” and “Navigating Grief And Loss,” both published by Prometheus Books. In this conversation, Kim and Sharon discuss:

• Kim’s first education about Mental Health

• Today’s Mental Health statistics

• Kim’s childhood belief something was wrong with her

• The year of being human

• The harmfulness of normative culture

• Taking apart stigma

• Kim’s training in Psychotherapy

• The healing connection of community

• Who’s your alley on this journey?

• Developing emotional intelligence

• How compassion affects mental health

• The inspiration for Kim’s new books

• Kim’s teachings on grief

• The necessity of courage to face ourselves

• Rituals that support grieving

The conversation closes with a guided meditation on awareness led by Kim. To learn more about Kim’s work, and to get a copy of her books you can visit her website at meditationwithheart.com

Mental Health Resources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline call 988 or (800) 273-8255

Psychology Today Find a Mindfulness-Trained Therapist 

Active Peace Yoga with Reggie Hubbard

The Psychology Podcast with Scott Barry Kaufman

Mark Epstein Psychiatrist & Author with a Buddhist Lens

Nalanda Institute Contemplative Psychotherapy Program

Express Yourself Black Man Healing Community for Black Men

Black Boys Om Black Boys & Men Healing & Wellness Education

Cloud Sangha Community For Meditation & Wellness

The Trevor Project Support for LGBTQ Mental Health 

Therapy for Black Girls Mental Wellness for Black Women and Girls 

The Friendship Bench Creating Safe Spaces & Community

Hope for Bereaved Grief Support Groups

Option B Grief, Trauma and Loss Support




If you would like to suggest a topic for this series, you can email admin@sharonsalzberg.com with your questions and suggestions.







See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 211 of the Metta Hour Podcast, we are continuing a special series celebrating Sharon’s new book, “Real Life.” In this episode pulled, from the Living An Authentic Life Summit, Sharon and Sarah Ruhl speak about creativity as a spiritual practice and how it naturally emerges from our path. 

Sarah Ruhl is an award-winning American playwright, author, essayist, and professor. Her plays have been produced on Broadway, nationwide, and internationally. Among her most popular are

 Eurydice (2003), The Clean House (2004), and In the Next Room (2009). Sarah is a 13P and New Dramatists member and won the MacArthur Fellowship in 2006. She teaches at Yale School of Drama and lives in Brooklyn with her family. 

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




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For episode 210 of the Metta Hour, we are beginning a special Mental Health Series!

In this series, Sharon sits down with different teachers, experts, and health advocates to explore and destigmatize mental health. Applying the tools of Buddhist wisdom and spiritual practice, this multi-part series airs every other week for the coming months. For the inaugural episode of the series, Sharon speaks with teacher and activist, Reggie Hubbard.

Mental Health Resources

Psychology Today Website to fine a therapist with Mindfulness Training

The Psychology Podcast with Scott Barry Kaufman Colleague of Sharon’s 

Mark Epstein Psychiatrist & Author with a Buddhist lens

Nalanda Institute Contemplative Psychotherapy Program

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

Reggie Hubbard is a certified yoga and meditation teacher and the founder/chief serving officer of Active Peace Yoga. He has taught Members of Congress, Congressional Staff, major labor unions, leading progressive organizations, and individuals from all walks of life the simple tools for managing stress and bringing peace to mind, body, and spirit. Outside of his teaching, Reggie has held many senior strategic and logistical roles across various fields, ranging from global marketing, digital and community organizing, government relations, international education to Presidential campaigning. Reggie’s life work sits at the intersection of bringing more peace and balance to activists; guiding the wellness community toward being more engaged, concerned citizens; and enhancing the well-being of all walks of life.

In this conversation, Sharon and Reggie discuss:

• Reggie’s path in mental health as a political activist

• The 1 in 5 statistics of mental illness

• Mental Illness isn’t a weakness

• How stoicism affects mental health

• The role of Toxic Masculinity in mental health

• The challenges that black men face

• Reggie’s childhood story

• Not being able to control our thoughts

• What tools we can learn from marginalized communities

• The judgments we add to mental health

• Confronting our shame

• Finding joy even when things go wrong

• Adopting a both/and attitude

• Reggie’s tools for grief

• The role of community in our healing

The conversation closes with a guided sound meditation led by Reggie.

If you would like to suggest a topic for this series, you can email admin@sharonsalzberg.com with your questions and suggestions.

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For episode 209 of the Metta Hour Podcast, we have the seventh episode in a special series celebrating Sharon’s new book, “Real Life.” This interview features a conversation between Sharon and Parker Palmer, pulled from the Living An Authentic Life Summit.

Real Life is now available from Flatiron Books in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats. To learn more about the book or get a copy, you can visit Sharon’s website here.

Parker is a writer, speaker, and activist who focuses on education, community, leadership, spirituality, and social change issues. He is the founder and Senior Partner Emeritus of the Center for Courage & Renewal. He is the author of ten books—including several award-winning titles—that have sold nearly two million copies and been translated into ten languages. His work has touched the lives of millions of people worldwide, seeking to live more courageously and authentically while serving the human possibility. In this episode, Parker and Sharon speak about:

• Parker’s life path

• Having faith in wholeness

• Embracing our brokenness

• The emergence of the true self

• Keeping death before your eyes

• Solitude versus community

• Welcome to the human race

• Tapping into our authentic self

• Authenticity as an act of discernment

• How to impact the world around us

• Life as a Möbius Strip

• The opportunity of silence

• What draws Parker to certain poems

• Letting your heart speak

• Parker’s experience with depression

• Self-care doesn’t mean self-indulgence 

• Community as a practice

The conversation closes with Parker sharing one of his poems, 

“Harrowing.” To learn more about Parker’s work, you can visit his website. This is his first appearance on the Metta Hour Podcast.




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