Episode Description

For episode 186 of the Metta hour, Sharon welcomes her longtime friend and colleague, Stephen Cope. Stephen is a best-selling author and scholar who specializes in the relationship between the Eastern contemplative traditions and Western depth psychology. For almost thirty years, Stephen has been Scholar-in-Residence at the Kripalu Center. He is also the founder and former director of the Kripalu Institute for Extraordinary Living. Stephen’s latest book, The Dharma in Difficult Times, was released in January of 2022 from Hay House.

In this episode, Sharon and Stephen discuss

• What brought Stephen to the spiritual path
• The inspiration for Stephen’s new book
• Stephen’s application of the Bhagavad Gita to our times
• The four pillars of Dharma
• Historical context of the Bhagavad Gita
• How Lovingkindness practice has affected Stephen’s life
• The tennis courts at the Insight Meditation Society
• Sharon’s connection to Harriet Beecher Stowe
• The meeting of Eastern and Western traditions

Additional Resources

The episode closes with Stephen leading a guided meditation practice. To learn more about Stephen’s work, you can visit his website.

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