For episode 256, we start off the year in podcasts with a conversation between Sharon and first-time guest Norma Ryuko Kawelokū Wong Roshi.

Norma is a thought partner, a strategist, and a teacher. She is the abbot of Anko-in, an independent branch temple of Daihonzan Chozen-ji and serves practice communities in Hawai‘i, across the continental U.S., and in Toronto, Canada. She is an 86th-generation Zen Master, having trained at Chozen-ji for over 40 years. Norma has decades of experience in organizing, policy, strategy, and politics in Hawaiʻi, particularly in the area of Native Hawaiian issues, serving in the Hawaiʻi State Legislature and beyond. In the Fall of 2024, she released the book, “When No Things Work,” telling stories, weaving poetry, and offering wisdom at the intersections of strategy, politics, and spiritual activism.

In this conversation, Norma and Sharon speak about:

• How Norma became an activist
• Taking the long multi-generational view
• How to face discord by seeing the whole
• When Norms found spiritual teachings
• The inspiration for writing her book
• How Norma approaches faith
• Collective versus individual work
• Sharon getting humid in Maui
• Opening to joy and goodness
• Methods to interrupt habits
• The rebuild of the Lahaina fires on Maui

The episode closes with Norma leading a resonant breathing practice. You can learn more about Norma’s work right here.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 255, Sharon closes out the 2024 year in podcasts with an intimate conversation with Elizabeth Gilbert.

Liz is the New York Times bestselling author of Eat Pray Love, Big Magic, the novels City of Girls and The Signature of All Things, and six other books of fiction and nonfiction — which altogether have sold over 25 million copies worldwide. She travels the globe giving talks and workshops that encourage people to lead brave, authentic, and creative lives, and her TED talk, “Your Elusive Creative Genius,” is among their most viewed talks ever. Liz is also the founder of both the Onward Book Club, and the Letters From Love project on Substack.

In this conversation, Liz and Sharon speak about:

• How Liz came to her spiritual practice
• What love said to Liz twenty years ago
• Sharon’s experience doing Letters from Love
• Cultivating a ministry of presence
• Liz’s twelve-step work with Love and Sex Addiction
• Two-Way Prayer
• The ability to receive
• Love is not a UPS package
• Earth School
• What is my next right action?
• The beginnings of resilience
• Why is not a spiritual question
• Acknowledging the interconnection of things

The episode closes with Liz leading a Letter From Love practice. You can learn more about Liz’s work right here.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For episode 254, we are continuing the Fireside Chat Series on the Metta Hour with guest Ruth King.

This series features intimate conversations with longtime dharma teachers about the early days of their practice and the most impactful moments with their own teachers. Hosted by IMS Online, the sixth episode in this series. Ruth King is the Founder of Mindful of Race Institute, LLC, and is a celebrated author, educator, and meditation teacher. She teaches mindfulness meditation retreats worldwide and develops meditation practitioners at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Insight Meditation Society, and the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program. Ruth is the author of several publications including her most recent, Mindful of Race: Transforming Racism From The Inside Out.

In this conversation, Ruth and Sharon discuss:

• Ruth’s first invitation to meditation
• First hearing Jack Kornfield teach
• The deep calling to teach
• Initial misconceptions about meditation
• Ram Dass giving Joseph Goldstein his first teaching job
• Sharon’s first teaching retreat
• Ruth’s first teaching in the DC area
• Ruth’s life as a writer
• Artistry and mindfulness
• Ruth’s BIPOC teaching & online academy
• The season of eldership
• The process of downsizing and moving
• Letting go versus not holding on
• Nothing is permanent, perfect, or personal
• This episode closes with a guided meditation by Ruth.

You can learn more about Ruth’s work right here and get a copy of Mindful of Race right here. Learn more about IMS Online right here. Listen to Ruth’s first episode on the Metta Hour from 2018, Episode 87, right here.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.