For episode 133 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with Anu Gupta.
Anu Gupta is a scientist, educator and lawyer. He is the Founder of Be More with Anu, a science-backed, compassion-based approach, after conducting decade-long research on the causes of and solutions to racial and gender inequality.
In this episode, Sharon and Anu speak at length about Anu’s personal journey to becoming a meditator, and his work as a facilitator in breaking bias, healing trauma, mending policies, and channeling resources equitably. Anu closes the conversation by leading a guided meditation practice. Learn more about Anu’s offerings at bemorewithanu.com.
Mindfulness and Implicit Bias
Anu Gupta marks a retreat with Sharon as one of the formative periods of his own practice, where he began to see how the collective suffering of racial and gender biases and inequalities were playing out inside his own mind. Since that inspiration, he has come to specialize his work, life, practice and offerings around using mindfulness and meditation to uproot socially conditioned bias and judgment.
“Bringing mindfulness to that critical mind was basically the beginning of my own journey to understanding how bias played out in myself, and once I could see that, I could begin to see its implications more broadly.” – Anu Gupta
For another illuminating talk from the Real Change Series on using mindfulness to uncover unconscious bias, join Sharon and Sabene Selassie on Ep. 129 of the Metta Hour
John Lewis and Interdependence (15:08)
Sharon and Anu remember the recently passed Civil Rights Leader, John Lewis, and what his legacy of love means in the fight for racial justice. Throughout his activism, he was able to maintain love and humanity in nonviolent opposition against oppression. Amidst this praise, Anu elucidates the wisdom of interdependence and how it ties in so perfectly with John Lewis and social action.
“It’s so beautiful around the nature of interdependence because no one really has ownership over the human heart. It just passes from one person to another, but it’s really about us feeling empowered enough to follow that calling, that calling of remaining in our heart, remaining on the side of love.” – Anu Gupta
Interested in learning more about John Lewis? For a conversation remembering the late, great Civil Rights Leader, tune into Ep. 351 of Mindrolling
Journey of Compassion (28:48)
Anu shares about Be More with Anu, a journey of online courses and resources he has created to help fight against racial and gender bias, increase equity, and heal trauma. Through this journey, he helps people uncover and learn about biases, develop the skills to address them, and aids in cultivating and propelling community. While this is all backed by science, Anu shares that the secret ingredient to this journey is compassion.
“Compassion is the container where we acknowledge that we’re gonna make mistakes, but we also acknowledge that when we make mistakes, we will be kindly told of what those mistakes are, so we can grow together and take care of each other.” – Anu Gupta
Explore the nature of compassion and forgiveness in the face of divisiveness, suffering, and difficult emotions on Ep. 52 of Healing at the Edge
