Sam speaks with mindfulness teacher and author Sylvia Boorstein. They discuss Sylvia’s accidental introduction to Buddhism; the illusory divide between formal practice and everyday life; the two sentences that inspired Sylvia to pursue meditation seriously; Sylvia’s most important teachers; the counterintuitive benefits of cultivating goodwill; Mr. Rogers, and his place in Sylvia’s conception of mental freedom; extreme experiences during meditation; the utility of moral outrage; the relationship between emotion and action; wisdom vs. insight; Sylvia’s experience caring for her ailing husband; the Four Noble Truths; integrating ethical codes with the wisdom of emptiness; and other topics.

Sylvia Boorstein, Ph.D., has been teaching Dharma and mindfulness meditation since 1985. She is a founding Spirit Rock teacher, psychologist, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and the author of five books, including the bestsellers It's Easier Than You Think and That's Funny, You Don't Look Buddhist. She is particularly interested in incorporating mindfulness into daily life. Her website is www.sylviaboorstein.com.