Born in Lumbini, Nepal, the birthplace of the Buddha, The Venerable Metteyya is a renowned student and teacher of meditation ordained as a Buddhist Monk in 2007. He talks about his lifelong pursuit of enlightenment and shares his observations on the relationship between mind and body.
Elena Brower, one of the most respected Hatha yoga teachers in the United States, talks about how meditation, once a struggle, has become crucial to her well being and shares how meditation can be incorporated into one's life anywhere and everywhere, even in the hustle and bustle of New York City.
A student of Zen Buddhism for more than three decades, the late Peter Matthiessen talked about the calming influence of his spiritual practices at his home where he kept a zendo, a beautiful space dedicated for meditation.
Film and television actor Giancarlo Esposito, known for his roles in films such as Do the Right Thing, The Usual Suspects, and King of New York, and his portrayal of drug kingpin Gustavo "Gus" Fring on the AMC series Breaking Bad, shares how meditation has transformed his personal life and informed his acting technique.
Congressman Tim Ryan, author of 'A Mindful Nation: How a Simple Practice Can Help Us Reduce Stress, Improve Performance, and Recapture the American Spirit', shares how his personal commitment to daily meditation has influenced his efforts to bring mindfulness training into the health care system and the military.
David Lynch, a longtime practitioner of Transcendental Meditation, talks about how meditation has affected both his personal and professional lives in unimaginable ways.David Lynch is also the founder of the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace, which funds implementation of stress-reduction programs for underserved populations and supports medical research on the benefits of meditation.
Named “a next-generation thought leader” by Oprah Winfrey and “a new role model” by The New York Times, Gabrielle Bernstein is the New York Times bestselling author of 'Miracles Now', and 'May Cause Miracles'. She shares her personal journey and struggles with addiction and how her Kundalini Yoga and meditation practice keeps her healthy and happy.
Sharon Salzberg is the author of nine books including Lovingkindness, the New York Times bestseller Real Happiness, and Real Happiness at Work. She is also the co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, and the Forest Refuge. She explores how the practice of Loving-Kindness became a healing force in her life.
Psychiatrist Mark Epstein, who has explored the interface of Buddhism and psychotherapy in several books, including The Trauma of Everyday Life, which was published in April 2013, and artist Arlene Shechet have been married for more than 30 years. This episode of On Meditation Portraits is the first to be created as a double portrait exploring the effects of their practice on their relationship.