Real Change

Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World

By: Sharon Salzberg

Narrated by: Sharon Salzberg

This program is read by the author.

From one of most prominent figures in the field of meditation comes a guidebook for how to use mindfulness to build our inner strength, find balance, and help create a better world.

In today's fractured world, we're constantly flooded with breaking news that causes anger, grief, and pain. People are feeling more stressed out than ever, and in the face of this fear and anxiety, they can feel so burnt out and overwhelmed that they end up frozen in their tracks and unable to do anything.

In Real Change, Sharon Salzberg, a leading expert in loving-kindness meditation, shares sage advice and indispensable techniques to help free ourselves from these negative feelings and actions. She teaches us that meditation is not a replacement for action, but rather a way to practice generosity with ourselves and summon the courage to break through boundaries, reconnect to a movement that's bigger than ourselves, and have the energy to stay active.

Consulting with veteran activists and social-change agents in a variety of fields, Salzberg collects and shares their wisdom and offers the best practical advice to foster transformation in both ourselves and in society. To help tame our inner landscape or chaos, Salzberg offers mindfulness practices that will help listeners cultivate a sense of agency and stay engaged in the long-term struggle for social change.

Whether you’re resolving conflicts with a crotchety neighbor or combating global warming, Real Change will provide the fundamental principles and mindfulness practices to help guide you to the clarity and confidence to lift a foot and take the next step into a better world.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books

"In this age of anxiety, grief, and strife, Sharon Salzberg, a leading authority on lovingkindness meditation, offers exactly the wisdom we need: the mindfulness to take action. This is not the mindfulness of navel-gazing on a mountaintop. Salzberg knows what it's like to grieve and to heal; to fight and to reconcile; to fear and to find courage. She is the guide we've been looking for - and not a moment too soon." (Susan Cain, New York Times best-selling author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking)

©2020 Sharon Salzberg (P)2020 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Inspiring, loving, and empowering. The perfect medicine for these difficult times.” (Jack Kornfield, best-selling author of A Path with Heart)

"Real Change is a real gift to us all at a crucial time in our human evolution helping us cultivate the clarity to bring deeply needed transformation into our personal and public lives. Sharon Salzberg powerfully guides us with practical steps to cultivate resilience as we bring more active compassion and care into the world. Soak in these words of wisdom and your inner life and the world around you will change for the better!" (Dan Siegel, best-selling author of Brainstorm, The Whole-Brain Child, and No-Drama Discipline)

The book we need in 2021

Thank you thank you. I needed this book for my soul so much. I’m so thankful I found it. 2020 was hard and 2021 is similar. This book is everything a new meditation person needs to learn about themselves more.

Excellent

Wonderful thoughts to contemplate and great meditation tools to practice on your own at your own pace.

Critical thinking for these times

Sharon presents clear and relatable concepts and suggestions for how to think about and navigate LIFE, no matter where you are on your spiritual or Life journey, how difficult or how smooth. My only complaint is that as a new section was introduced, it was too quick after the last, not enough pause, almost sounding like a continuation of the last sentence.

Must Read for These Moment

Sharon Salzberg masterfully weaves the complexity of social change, individual action, burn out, realistic expectations, combined with the tools needed for self-care, resilience and deeper understanding of one’s role in the search for greater social justice.
Letting go of “othering” and recognizing our common humanity and genuine desire for greater goodness, and equipping oneself with the tools to have intention, awareness and our North Star to guide us in our social and individual journey.
A must read for bridge builders and for greater wisdom and compassion to arise in our modern polarized society.

Equanimity

Fantastic read. The author opens your mind and heart to what life is, fill of ups and downs, uncertainties while at the same time equanimity and joy.

Transformative and inspiring

This book is a glorious invitation for compassionate action. We want to act from out truest values like those we so admire, but so often lack the courage, confidence or understanding of how to do so without becoming overwhelmed. Do the one small good thing in front of you, Sharon invites. Interviewing people who have found a way to act for all, Sharon offers a brilliant, inspiring and loving path for sustained loving action in the world.

Balanced

This book has given me confidence to move towards difficult conversations. A book that everyone needs in such a polarized world.

yes. just yes

Now listening to it for the second time. Want to get all of this into my spirit. It was really wonderful the first time through

So much to say

When I began meditation I was seeking peace for myself. After exploring Metta (loving-kindness) something in me shifted. In this world we sometimes feel extremely helpless. There are so many hardships, too many sides and avenues for them to enter our lives. I truly believe that just by opening our hearts and offering compassion to EVERYONE...we can skillfully and beautifully alter our environment. This book lets you know that if you feel as if you want to help, or be of service you can do so just by being compassionate towards others and seeing them. Being present with what pain we have as well as the pain or suffering others have can be enough to let them know they are heard and seen. The understanding that change is a step by step process, it doesn’t happen overnight, and sometimes those creating the change don’t even see the end result. Trusting in each moment as an opportunity to bring light instead of fueling negativity is one tiny little event, but may be what steers the direction of ones life towards a better path. Thank you for this book Sharon Salzberg, I do believe that my smile, my practice, and compassion I offer is enough, and when it seems I can do more, I will.

Awesome find when you have a mission 😎

And don't know what to do about it...

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue.

Chemotherapy Land's Oppression is enough to be mad about as in WTF!

WUWT...Whats Up With that?

I am thinking God is leading me somewhere to be of service somehow!

Surviving 4 times being told I have an expiration date is pretty rude in my book.

I am praying for equanimity...my new word for the day...thank you so much...wouldn't it be cool to meet you on a retreat somewhere 😇