The podcast you are going to hear today is with Sharon Salzberg. She has been a true pioneer in the realms of meditation and mindfulness for more than four decades now. Sharon's influence has been pivotal in bringing these practices to the forefront of Western consciousness as far back as the early 1970s.  As a co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, and a New York Times best-selling author, Sharon's wisdom resonates deeply with audiences worldwide because she makes meditation and mindfulness so much easier to understand and apply in people’s lives.  In today’s conversation we unpack the themes of trauma, mindfulness, loving kindness, compassion and the importance of staying aligned to the core values that drive us in life. Although Sharon has written 12 books, it’s 3 of those 12 that we dive into the most in today’s conversation: Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience which was a deeply meaningful endeavor putting that book together as it was the first time she shared her true life story and the struggles she had to overcome in her life and how meditation and mindfulness allowed her to do so. As well we explore the theme of loving kindness and compassion which she wrote about in her 1995 book Loving Kindness, the Revolutionary Art of HappinessWe finish off today’s podcast talking about her latest book called Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom which she published a year ago in April 2023 and what it is she hopes audiences world wide will takeaway from reading this book. It was a genuine honor to have Sharon join me on the podcast. Her gentle, calm, and compassionate demeanor immediately shines through in our conversation, offering profound insights and life lessons drawn from her journey. As you listen, I hope you'll discover as much value as I did in our discussion. I encourage you to also explore Sharon's books, including her latest release, Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom. Connect with Sharon: Website Insight Meditation Society Twitter Facebook LinkedIn As well, you can find all Sharon's books here Thanks for sharing my Run Your Life podcast with anyone who you feel will benefit from listening.