Episode Description

For Episode 160 of the Metta Hour, Sharon speaks with Gala Narezo. Gala is a mother, artist, educator, and consultant whose work focuses on weaving awareness and reflection into all aspects of life. As a meditator for over 20 years, she believes that time spent reflecting on and integrating our experience helps us understand our context, know who we are, and manifest our purpose. Her work celebrates mindful change-making through the arts and has focused on youth advocacy, plastic bag legislation, immigration, and women’s rights. She has taught students of all ages in an array of venues including the Art Center College of Design, Pratt Institute, The Hotchkiss School, The Shambhala Center, MNDFL, and many more.

The conversation starts with Gala sharing how she came to Meditation, after experiencing mental health challenges as a teen. They speak at length about how creativity can serve as a vessel for mindfulness and how to bring creativity into different aspects of our lives. Sharon discusses the ways many folks feel inherently non-creative due to conditioning and how to overcome those barriers to find greater self-expression. Gala speaks about her perspective as a mother and how to integrate mindfulness practice into parenting, especially during the pandemic. Lastly, the conversation moves toward social action, and Gala’s long history as an activist, and her tips for those looking to become more involved in social change. To close the conversation, Gala leads a guided pranayama breathing meditation.

Additional Resources

To learn more about Gala’s work, you can visit her website.

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