Sharon Salzberg – Metta Hour – Ep. 110 – Embodied Mindfulness with Joseph Goldstein

Sharon Salzberg - Metta Hour - Ep. 110 - Embodied Mindfulness with Joseph Goldstein

For Episode 110 of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon speaks with her longtime colleague, friend, and collaborator Joseph Goldstein.

Joseph has been leading insight and lovingkindness meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. He is a co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA where he is one of the organization’s guiding teachers. In 1989, together with several other teachers and students of insight meditation, he helped establish the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. Joseph first became interested in Buddhism as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand in 1965. Since 1967 he has studied and practiced different forms of Buddhist meditation under eminent teachers from India, Burma, and Tibet. Joseph is the author of several books, including “Insight Meditation” and “Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening”. 

This episode was recorded in 2018 at the Garrison Institute at a retreat co-taught by Sharon and Joseph, entitled, “Experiencing Insight & Love”. Includes a guided meditation led by Joseph on Mindfulness of the Body, a guided walking meditation led by Sharon, and a question and answer session with retreat participants. To learn more about Joseph’s work, you can visit dharma.org/teacher/joseph-goldstein.

There is A Body

Sharon looks at the possibilities that unfold when we set aside our judgment in any situation and allow for mindful awareness. What are the narratives that we often add to our experience and how do they extend our suffering? Joseph offers simple instruction from the Buddha on establishing mindfulness in meditation. He instructs on how to integrate this teaching of awareness of the body into our practice and leads us in a 15-minute meditation.

“Be mindful that there is a body.” – Siddhartha Gautama Buddha

Embodied Mindfulness (28:45)

Joseph and Sharon turn to their live audience for discourse on integrating mindfulness into our lives and practice. Offering insight on working with the body in practice.

“In just as we can be aware of each breath as it shows itself, we can be aware of each sensation as it appears – whether pleasant or unpleasant.” – Joseph Goldstein

Walking Meditation (35:30)

Sharon leads a walking meditation with a lesson on bringing mindfulness to the body in any situation. 

Keeping An Eye Out (1:02:10)

Joseph closes with a reflection on focusing our awareness on the smaller thoughts in our minds that tend to elude our lense of mindfulness. How can we cultivate mindfulness that brings equal attention to all that passes through our awareness?

“There are so many light thoughts that come up, pass through and disappear. Mostly, we are not paying attention to them because they are not particularly dramatic.” – Joseph Goldstein

Dive deep into the Buddha’s teachings around embodied mindfulness with Joseph on Ep. 59 of the Insight Hour Podcast

Sharon Salzberg - Metta Hour - Ep. 110 - Embodied Mindfulness with Joseph Goldstein