{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Letting Go as an Act of Self-Compassion\u2014with Sharon Salzberg","description":"When Sharon Salzberg was teaching at a meditation retreat, a student asked her: Has anyone ever died of restlessness in meditation? Sharon said: Not from one moment at a time of it.  \u201cWe have physical pain, disappointment, restlessness, and anxiety,\u201d Sharon shared. \u201cWhatever it is, we tend to compound it, not only: This is what I'm feeling right now. But, this is what I'm going to feel like next year. Everything congeals and feels permanent and heavy.  But, when we realize that it's one moment at a time of it. Then, we can explore. What we see is that even though something may last over time, within itself it\u2019s moving. It\u2019s changing and flowing. It\u2019s in the live system. As a friend with a severe chronic pain condition said: "I found the space within the pain.\u201d  How do you discover the space within the pain?  As a renowned author, teacher, and meditation pioneer, Sharon has made a transformative difference in my internal dialogue; Most significantly, in helping me avoid being overcome by my emotions. (My most repeated Sharon phrase is: The point isn\u2019t not to have the emotion. It\u2019s not to be overcome by it.) In our conversation, we explore how to discern the add-ons to our internal narrative, let go of those that don\u2019t serve us, and cultivate compassion towards ourselves and others.  Sharon describes mindfulness as skills training. With sustained practice, these tools become ingrained; Surfacing to help you question your thoughts and redirect your energy in the moment. \u201cSituations are complex,\u201d she added. \u201cBut, if we\u2019ve practiced that skill, we remember to go back into the body and feel what we're feeling. We cultivate a certain sense of balance\u2014That's the skill.\u201d If you feel inspired to listen to our past conversations, you can tune in here: The Cultivation of Freedom and Happiness and The Journey from Contraction to Expansiveness ","author_name":"33voices","author_url":"https:\/\/33voices.com","html":"