Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg

Sharon Salzberg helped bring mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation to mainstream America over 45 years ago. She's a New York Times bestselling author and co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society, and Metta Hour is where she extends that work through conversation. With over six million downloads and 282 episodes, the podcast has built a serious following. The format is primarily interviews. Sharon sits down with fellow meditation teachers, authors, psychologists, and spiritual practitioners for discussions that run 55 minutes to just over an hour. Recent guests include Jack Kornfield, Roshi Joan Halifax, and various figures from the broader mindfulness community. What makes these conversations stand out is Sharon's genuine curiosity. She asks questions that don't have rehearsed answers, and she's comfortable with silence and reflection in the middle of a discussion. Sharon's whole thing is metta, lovingkindness, and it comes through in how she holds space for her guests. She'll gently push back on ideas when needed, but there's never any ego in it. The show occasionally includes guided meditations, which offer a nice change of pace from the interview format. Her 4.6-star rating from 660+ reviews reflects a dedicated listener base. The podcast feels intimate, like sitting in on a private conversation between two people who have spent decades thinking seriously about the mind. If you're interested in lovingkindness practice specifically, or just want to hear thoughtful conversations between experienced practitioners, this delivers consistently.