NPR’s Lifekit

When the outside world feels upside-down — like it so often does these days — it might seem counterintuitive to look inside yourself for change. But that's exactly what Sharon Salzberg, a bestselling author and world-renowned meditation teacher, says is the answer.

Salzberg's new book, Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World, argues that doing work within ourselves can create ripples of real change in the outer world.

"One of the strangest things I discovered about meditation practice is that while it looks like maybe the most solitary activity imaginable ... what it actually produces is a profound sense of connection, not only to yourself but to others," says Salzberg.