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 lovingkindness 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 bestselling author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking

Critic reviews

“Inspiring, loving, and empowering. The perfect medicine for these difficult times.” - Jack Kornfield, bestselling 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, bestselling author of Brainstorm, The Whole-Brain Child, and No-Drama Discipline

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.

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.

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.