For Episode 118 of the Metta Hour Podcast, Sharon sits down with professor, clinical psychologist, and author Dr. Shauna Shapiro.
Shauna is an internationally recognized speaker in mindfulness and self-compassion and has spent two decades studying the benefits of mindfulness and compassion, publishing over 150 papers and three critically acclaimed books. In this episode, Sharon and Shauna discuss how Shauna found the practices of mindfulness and lovingkindness, and how that led to her work. They discuss the science behind compassion and meditation practice and how these practices change the brain. They speak at length about Shauna’s newest book, “Good Morning, I Love You,” released in January of 2020 from Soundstrue. The conversation closes with Shauna leading a 5-minute guided meditation. To learn more about Shauna Shapiro’s work, you can visit her website at drshaunashapiro.com.
Rebuilding, When Things Fall Apart
Sharon speaks with Shauna about how mindfulness practice helped Shauna reclaim her life after a debilitating childhood illness. Shauna shares how this event inspired her professional work and ambition to share the treasures of mindfulness practice with everyone.
“I was so locked into the physical pain, the emotional pain and despair that this was going to be the rest of my life. Mindfulness really gave me a path forward.” – Dr. Shauna Shapiro
Rewire Your Brain for Calm, Clarity, and Joy (11:40)
Shauna speaks about the current academic research around mindfulness. She and Sharon discuss how mindfulness and self-compassion practices dramatically affect the brain for the better.
“What recent research has shown is that even though external changes – like winning the lottery – do not change your happiness, internal changes can. These practices of mindfulness and self-compassion have been shown to re-architect the brain.” – Dr. Shauna Shapiro
Just Scratching the Surface (31:40)
What limitations exist in the current model of scientific research around contemplative practice? Shauna and Sharon look at how practitioners and scientists can better work together to understand the full spectrum of what self-compassion and mindfulness practices have to offer.
A Moment of Mindfulness (44:00)
Shauna closes the show with a 5-minute guided mindfulness meditation.
Would you like to be part of the next generation of mindfulness meditation instructors? If so, we invite you to take a unique opportunity to study with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach and become a certified instructor to guide others in their practice – The Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program: A Two-Year Training Program for Teaching Awareness and Compassion-Based Practices
