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The Self-Acceptance Project… wrap-up with Tami Simon

    —
June 6, 2013

I loved hosting The Self-Acceptance Project, a free 23-part online video series in which I interview leading spiritual teachers, psychologists, writers and researchers about how to be kind and compassionate towards ourselves in any and every situation. I learned so much from hosting this series that I even created a final wrap-up video in which I share the seven key insights that were true “take-aways” for me. If you are interested, you can watch the video here. 

One of the most important lessons that I learned from the series was how important it is to TURN TOWARDS difficult emotional experiences instead of our habitual response of turning away (turning to distraction or food or our iphone or other ways we self-medicate and try to numb ourselves). This is a teaching that I hear so often in Sounds True recordings and books (and as an aside, there are a number of self-acceptance themed titles and programs on sale this week – visit our self-acceptance tools and teachings page).

What I find so interesting is how I continually need to be reminded to turn towards difficult feelings. It is such a natural tendency to try escape feeling terrible! Sounds True author Bruce Tift (who along with 22 other Sounds True authors is featured as part of the Self-Acceptance series) said that the reason for this is that it is actually COUNTER-INSTINCTUAL to turn towards what is difficult. Our natural animal instinct is to avoid pain, which of course makes a lot of sense. But if we are to be intimate with our emotions and therefore intimate with ourselves and intimate with the flow of life, we need to make the counter-instinctual move and turn towards what we are feeling, even if it is difficult and painful.

Okay, so let’s say we accept this basic premise. How do we do it? Many of the authors in the self-acceptance series offered the same advice, first become aware of what’s happening (for example, I am mindlessly surfing on the web but what is really going on inside me is that I feel a terrible ache in my stomach). The next step is to stay with the experience of the uncomfortable sensations. This can sometimes feel like staying with a fire that is burning on the inside. I love the phrase Bruce Tift uses for this – embodied vulnerability. We actually stay with the uncomfortable sensations and soften to the experience. When we do this, we are beginning to accept every emotional experience as part of the flow of life.

In the final episode of the self-acceptance series, I asked Sounds True listeners to write to me at acceptance@soundstrue.com about the main lessons they learned from the series. To date, I have received dozens and dozens of letters about how life-changing the program has been for people. One of the main themes I have heard is how NORMALIZING it has been to hear renowned spiritual teachers and esteemed psychologists talk about their own struggles with self-acceptance (of course, I got personal in the interviews because that’s where so much of the action and learning comes from). Seeing the universality of the challenge helped people to be kinder to themselves. Yes, we can release ourselves from being hard on ourselves about being hard on ourselves!

As I said, I loved hosting this free series, and I encourage you to check it out.

SAP

Posted June 6, 2013
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Tami Simon

Tami Simon started Sounds True at the age of 22 with a dream and a tape recorder. Though she had no experience running a business and only a vague idea of what she wanted the company to be, Tami had her guiding principle strongly in place: to disseminate spiritual wisdom. Over its 36-year history, Sounds True has grown into a multimedia publisher that has produced over 6,000 titles, has been included twice in the Inc. 500 list of the fastest-growing companies, and is North America’s leading publisher of spoken-word spiritual teachings.

One of the world’s very first organizations to focus on multiple bottom lines as part of its founding mandate, Sounds True has expanded steadily over the years while staying true to its original mission. Partnering with the leading spiritual teachers of our time, Sounds True now has a successful book publishing program (distributed by Macmillan) and has grown to produce events, certification programs, and transformational online learning experiences.

Tami hosts the popular Sounds True podcast, Insights at the Edge, which has now been downloaded more than 20 million times. She is also the founder of the Sounds True Foundation, which is dedicated to bringing spiritual education to people who would otherwise not have access. She lives in Boulder, Colorado, and in British Columbia with her wife, Julie Kramer, and their two spoodles, Raspberry and Bula.

Author photo © Jason Elias

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Mindfulness Spirituality

Once More: Reflections on Reincarnation and the Gap Be...

Tami Simon — September 26, 2025

In this special reflection episode of Insights at the Edge host Tami Simon looks back on her seven-part series exploring reincarnation and the gap between lives. Drawing from personal experience and deep spiritual inquiry, Tami shares the motivations behind the series, the key questions that guided her journey, and the profound insights that emerged. Listeners are invited to consider new perspectives on identity, the continuity of consciousness, and the intersection of science and spirituality, while reflecting on their own most meaningful questions about life, death, and what may lie beyond. 

Note: This interview originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

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Conscious Business Meditation

Bringing Your Soul Force to Work: Why Being Yourself C...

Tami Simon — March 20, 2025

Each of us has a somewhat mysterious inner power that could be called a “soul force.” In my experience, our soul force feels unstoppable, and it carries with it our uniqueness and what we care the most about. You could say it is the most essential part of us, that which we cannot be “talked out of,” that which demands expression.

Many people believe that this soul force, if it even exists, is not necessarily related to our work in the world. I am proposing just the opposite: that if we are to find our deepest fulfillment at work and achieve the highest potential in our career, in whatever field that might be, we need to engage and unleash this power.

What does it feel like to “work from our soul”? In my experience, there is a sense of drawing on a source of pure potential that is self-renewing and feels electrically charged. I don’t feel like I am working from a thin and limited layer of thoughts or strategy, but instead, there is a sense of being tapped into a charged energetic system of support and creativity.

Your Belly, Heart, and Head

For many years, I practiced somatic meditation, a type of meditation where we practice (among other things) inhabiting the inner space of the body and developing what’s known as interoception (being aware of internal bodily sensations). One of the things I discovered was the felt experience of three energy centers—the belly, heart, and head—that are referenced in many different systems of spiritual practice, and how these three centers can help us in engaging our soul force at work.

This might sound esoteric, but I actually think these three inner energy centers (called the “three brains” or “tan tiens” in Chinese medicine or “elixir fields” in certain types of qigong) are very discoverable and accessible to people who start to turn their attention inward.

To say more, when our belly center is open and energy is flowing through it in an unimpeded way, we can feel a sense of grounded power. We feel anchored and sense that we can weather the storms of life like a strong tree that is rooted deeply in the earth.

When our heart center is open, we can feel a sense of love streaming from us in every direction. This stream carries with it our care and concern for others. You could even say that we sense a stream of well wishes pouring out from our heart. Our work becomes imbued with a motivation to be of service to others and our world.

And when the center of our head is open, energy and information flow in through the top of our head in a way that often feels, at least in my experience, quite mysterious. New ideas come to us that can feel sparkly, such that even we are surprised by what is occurring to us. We become endlessly innovative in our work.

The Power of Letting Go

What does it take to awaken the intelligence of these three “inner brains” and allow the full power of our soul force to stream through these three energy centers? In my experience, what is required is not what you might expect. We don’t need to add anything to us. What is needed is a whole lot of letting go.

What are we letting go of? All of the ways we block ourselves, all of the ways we hold back. We are letting go of all of the ways we seek approval and are twisted up trying to appeal to others to be liked by them, the many ways we try to find acceptance and success via the unspoken and sometimes spoken rules of the status quo. We let go of twisting ourselves to fit a norm that doesn’t fit the truth of who we are. We let go of the mental construct of who we are so we can be the unique expression of the truth of who we are.

One year at Sounds True, we decided to give T-shirts out to the staff as part of our holiday gifting. Not a particularly original idea, but something we thought people would like. And our creative director put this slogan on the T-shirt: “Sounds True: Here for the Weird.” And I loved it.

Now, not everyone likes the word “weird”… but I do. A chapter was once written about me for a book on bringing your whole self to work, and the authors called it “Tami Simon: Flying Her Freak Flag.” I didn’t mind the use of the word “freak” either. The reason is that these are just words in popular culture that mean someone is willing to be themselves in all of their uniqueness and eccentricities. And that courage to step forward and be a brave truth-teller is something that I value.

Recently, I was in a discussion with a spiritual teacher about how interesting it is that we don’t become a blob of paste-like oneness when we drop deeply into what some people refer to as the “field of being,” the boundless, awake awareness that we share. Instead, we often become more uniquely expressive and can even appear a bit quirky. He shared his observation that it is our ego-construct, the veneer of “I’ve got it together,” that keeps us looking like copycats of others. When we allow that ego construct to lose its presentational grip, and perhaps even drop away, we make room for the emergence of our soul force, the innermost part of ourselves, to shine forth. We liberate our own “weird.”

As a leader of an organization, one of the things I have noticed is that when I present and speak from this innermost place without a lot of self-censorship, it naturally invites others to do the same. It is as if a “permission field” has been established. The company founder is telling it like it is—talking about what she learned in therapy this week, or something that occurred when talking with her wife (of the same sex), or a discovery that came through a sleepless night—and this sets up a new norm. This organization is actually a place where I don’t need to wear a mask at work; my truth-telling and uniqueness are welcome here. And this liberates a tremendous amount of energy and, dare I say, “soul power.”

What’s Your Genius Zone?

Several years ago, as the CEO at Sounds True, I found myself having difficulty figuring out how to best structure our organization (as our direct-to-consumer digital business began to grow rapidly with a different set of infrastructure needs from our traditional publishing business). I decided to hire an organizational consultant, Lex Sisney, the founder of Organizational Physics, whose expertise is helping midsize companies design to scale.

To my surprise, Lex started his assessment of Sounds True’s structural needs by having me do a deep-dive review of whether or not I was working in what he calls one’s “genius zone.” As I have come to understand Lex’s approach, part of what he believes contributes to organizational flourishing (and the ability to scale) is when people are in job functions that make the best use of their natural capacities and passions.

In a way, this seems utterly obvious. Like any good sporting team, you want people in the positions where they have the most natural affinity and talent. And when you have a whole team of people working in their genius zones, you have a much greater likelihood of having a winning team.

And yet as a founder, I have always had the attitude of “I will do whatever it takes. This isn’t about being in a ‘genius zone’; this is about getting done what needs to be done. All work is not enjoyable anyway, and just buck up and do the next thing needed.” This sounds very dutiful, and it is, but it is not the stance that creates the most high-functioning team, nor the most joy, nor the most soul engagement at work.

About a year and a half ago, I did an exercise where I went through my calendar for several weeks in a row and numbered every scheduled meeting on a 1-to-10 scale in terms of how excited I was for the meeting to take place. A very obvious pattern emerged: about half of the meetings in my calendar received the number 2 or 3, and about half of the meetings were an 8 or a 9 or even a 10.

The events in the calendar that received a high score related to interviews I was hosting, new partnerships that were being formed, and working directly with authors on new projects. The meetings that received a low score had to do with the business’s strategic execution in terms of finance, operations, and the coordination of various departments. This simple exercise presented a clear picture: I needed to shift my role and pass on a whole set of responsibilities so I could be free to focus on and expand the parts of my work that were exciting to me.

We have this notion that we need to trade what we really care about in order to make money. In a conversation with Rha Goddess, author of the book The Calling, I asked her about this. She said something to the effect of, “Why wouldn’t you earn the most money in your career doing what you are uniquely good at, what you excel at, what you uniquely have the ability to contribute?”

Her words landed. What if our greatest career achievement can only come from working in our area of natural genius, from letting go of all the ways we hold ourselves back and bringing our full soul force to work?

I believe that when we do, we find fulfillment at work. And also in life. And then, when our days come to an end, we find ourselves at peace, hands open and empty. We gave away all that we were given.

In support of your journey,

Tami Simon

Tami Simon

Tami Simon is the founder of Sounds True and the Sounds True Foundation, and cofounder of the Inner MBA online immersion learning program and conscious business community created in partnership with LinkedIn and Wisdom 2.0.

The Inner MBA program connects a global community from more than 90 countries. It includes teachings from conscious business leaders, influential CEOs, spiritual luminaries, and faculty from leading universities. Together, we engage in the inner work of growth and transformation, empowering ourselves and our organizations to contribute powerfully to our collective good.

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Mindfulness Self-Compassion

A Message of Gratitude

Tami Simon — November 28, 2024

Dear Sounds True friend,

At this time of thanks-giving, I want to thank you, a beloved member of our extended Sounds True community of listeners, readers, authors, and learners worldwide.

Thank you for your interest and willingness to be an explorer of your inner world.

Thank you for your perseverance, your willingness to be here, with all of life’s great joys and terrible griefs and sorrows. Thank you for being ”on the journey,” with all of the ways life breaks open our hearts and asks us to expand and hold a larger space of love.

Thank you for your courage to be you, beloved and singular, the you that carries a unique gift, some special look, a cry and a laugh never heard before, a contribution we need. Thank you for being yourself and extending yourself to others, even in small ways, which often turn out to be huge.

My own prayer this Thanksgiving is to remain steadfast and true. Please know that here at Sounds True we remain so—and we love doing so in connection with you. We are here because you are here. This thanks-giving, I bow to the strength and goodness of our human hearts.

With you on the journey,

Tami

P.S. Here is a thanks-giving offering, a classic poem from Mary Oliver:

Praying

It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be 
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few 
small stones; just 
pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t 
a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence, in which 
another voice may speak.

Mary Oliver, Thirst

Tami Simon

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Feeding Your Demons: Lama Tsultrim Allione on Turning ...

Amy Burtaine
Michelle Cassandra Johnson — August 3, 2026

Fear, self-doubt, and emotional pain have a way of showing up uninvited, and most of us spend enormous energy trying to push them away. What would shift for you if turning toward those experiences, with curiosity and care, became the most healing thing you could do? 

At Sounds True, we have spent four decades connecting people with teachers who ask exactly that kind of question. Our library of transformational teachings, digital courses, and programs exists to help you move through life’s harder moments with greater awareness and inner strength.

We will cover the feeding your demons practice, Lama Tsultrim Allione’s approach to turning towards difficulty, the ancient roots of Machig Labdron Chod and Tibetan shadow work, and how relating to demons as teachers can open a path toward lasting inner growth.

Key Takeaways:

  • Meet Fear with Compassion: The feeding your demons practice invites us to turn toward emotional pain with openness, creating a path toward genuine self-awareness and healing.
  • Ancient Roots, Modern Healing: Rooted in the Tibetan Buddhist lineage of Machig Labdrön, this practice draws from centuries of contemplative wisdom to help transform fear into freedom.
  • Demons Become Your Greatest Teachers: Lama Tsultrim Allione’s teachings reveal that our most difficult inner struggles often hold the most important lessons about where genuine growth is possible.

Discover how your mind really works

Lama Tsultrim Allione: Turning Towards Difficulty 

Lama Tsultrim Allione is a recognized Buddhist teacher, author, and the founder of Tara Mandala, a mountain retreat center dedicated to contemplative practice and spiritual study. She has spent decades teaching within the lineage of Machig Labdrön, the 11th-century Tibetan yogini who founded the Chöd tradition, and has brought her work on Dzogchen teachings to students around the world.

When we treat challenging emotions as teachers, space opens for greater awareness, resilience, and emotional freedom. Her teachings show that turning towards difficulty is one of the most courageous acts of self-care we can practice. Her work sits alongside that of many respected voices we are proud to carry, all of whom you can find on our All Teachers & Authors page.

What Is Feeding Your Demons and Why Do We Avoid What We Fear?

Most of us instinctively turn away from difficult emotions, painful memories, or persistent inner struggles. The practice of feeding your demons offers a different path. Meeting fear, anger, or shame with curiosity and compassion, and asking what those feelings truly need, can begin to shift even the most entrenched patterns.

Lama Tsultrim Allione developed a five-step process for working with disowned emotions without becoming pulled into spirals of negativity. Rooted in both shamanic and Buddhist traditions, this approach weaves ancient practices into a form that feels accessible to modern practitioners. 

Our Spirituality & Awakening collection brings together teachings like these, spanning presence, healing, and inner exploration for those ready to go deeper. Now, let’s see what makes this practice possible.

Map Your Inner Landscape

The practice teaches you to map your demons and recognize how they interconnect. A fear of failure, for example, often links to a deeper sense of unworthiness that surfaces across professional and personal life, creating patterns that repeat until they are met with awareness and care.

Tend, Don’t Fight

One of the practice’s most compelling insights is that tending to your demons can yield real physical results. Chronic tension, restless sleep, and emotional exhaustion often ease when we begin to meet what is present with openness. Practitioners describe a quality of release that resistance alone never creates.

A Gateway to Awakening 

Working with your demons can become a potent gateway to spiritual awakening. When we stop avoiding what frightens us, those very struggles often reveal where we are clinging, where healing is needed, and what genuine growth looks like in practice. These skills help subdue fear and embrace openness, laying the groundwork for deeper spiritual engagement.

Tibetan Shadow Work and Inner Growth 

Tibetan shadow work offers a compassionate framework for working with the parts of ourselves we often reject or ignore. When we meet uncomfortable thoughts with openness, we begin to recognize them as invitations for insight and transformation. The more willing we become to face these hidden aspects, the more inner balance we can cultivate.

The feeding your demons practice is rooted in the ancient tradition of Machig Labdron Chod, a Tibetan Buddhist lineage that teaches transformation through generosity and openness. Machig Labdrön’s teachings hold that we can learn to relate to suffering in a new way, meeting it with care. Symbolically offering nourishment to our fears softens habitual avoidance and creates conditions for lasting healing.

Alongside Chöd, other exercises within this tradition draw from both shamanic and Buddhist practice, including visualization techniques, body-centered awareness, and practices that help us move toward what we would avoid. 

Addressing our demons directly is one of the most powerful commitments we can make to personal growth and transformation. Our Subtle Energy collection supports this kind of inner work, bringing together teachings on energetic awareness for those ready to go deeper.

Discover the Power of Daily Meditation and Inner Stillness

Bringing the Feeding Your Demons Practice into Everyday Life

The principles behind this practice are available in ordinary moments, during daily challenges and quiet pauses alike. When stress surfaces in a difficult conversation, when anxiety arises before something uncertain, or when a familiar pattern pulls at you, meeting what is present with kindness and curiosity can create a real shift.

Start with Simple Awareness 

Begin by noticing when a difficult emotion arises, without immediately trying to resolve it. Naming what you are experiencing, whether fear, grief, or frustration, loosens its hold and creates just enough space to respond with care. This small pause can become one of the most transformative habits.

Work with a Structured Process

Returning to Lama Tsultrim Allione’s five-step approach during moments of emotional intensity gives the practice a clear container. Working with it consistently, even briefly, builds an inner capacity that makes responding to difficulty with compassion feel more natural. Pairing this with regular meditation can deepen the effects.

Engage with Teaching and Community

Connecting with teachers who share this path makes the practice feel less solitary. Many of our teachers share this kind of practical wisdom on the Insights at the Edge Podcast, where leading spiritual voices discuss awareness, compassion, and how to bring transformation into daily life.

Demons as teachers become most vivid when we commit to meeting them consistently, with the same warmth and curiosity we bring to any other form of inner work.

Awaken Your Inner Healing Power: Your Wellness Journey Starts Now

Final Thoughts

The practice of feeding your demons reminds us that lasting transformation often begins by turning toward the parts of ourselves we would rather avoid. Through Lama Tsultrim Allione’s teachings, the wisdom of Machig Labdron Chod, and the tools of Tibetan shadow work, we can learn to meet fear with compassion and recognize demons as teachers. 

As that relationship shifts, more space opens for healing, self-awareness, and inner peace. We are here to walk alongside you in that journey, with teachings, digital courses, and a community that meets you wherever you are on the path. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Feeding Your Demons

What is the purpose of practicing how to feed your demons?

The purpose of feeding your demons is to change your relationship with fear, emotional pain, and inner conflict. Instead of trying to eliminate these experiences, the practice encourages understanding and compassion as a path toward healing.

Do I need to be Buddhist to practice “befriending my demons?”

No. Many people practice feeding their demons regardless of their religious or spiritual background. The method focuses on self-awareness and emotional healing, making it accessible to anyone interested in personal growth.

Can facing your fears head-on help with anxiety?

Many practitioners find the practice helpful for understanding anxious thoughts and emotional patterns. It is intended to complement personal growth and is not a substitute for professional mental health care.

Why are demons described as teachers?

The term “demons as teachers” reflects the idea that our greatest challenges often reveal important lessons about our fears, habits, and unmet emotional needs.

Is feeding your demons the same as shadow work?

They share similar intentions but differ in approach. Tibetan shadow work draws from Buddhist teachings and guided visualization, while other forms of shadow work may use psychological or therapeutic methods.

Can beginners learn how to face their demons through practice?

Yes. Beginners can start by learning the core principles through books, guided audio practices, workshops, or teachings from qualified instructors before developing a regular practice.

How often should I practice Lama Tsultrim Allione’s spiritual exercises?

There is no fixed schedule. Some people use the practice during periods of emotional difficulty, while others include it as part of their ongoing spiritual or mindfulness routine.

Michelle Cassandra Johnson is an author, activist, spiritual teacher, racial equity consultant, and intuitive healer. She is the author of six books, including Skill in Action and Finding Refuge. Amy Burtaine is a leadership coach and racial equity trainer. With Robin DiAngelo, she is the coauthor of The Facilitator's Guide for White Affinity Groups. For more, visit https://www.michellecjohnson.com/wisdom-of-the-hive.

blog Matthew Fox teaching original blessing through creation spirituality
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Personal Growth Self-Compassion Spirituality

Matthew Fox on Original Blessing: Why You Were Born Go...

Amy Burtaine
Michelle Cassandra Johnson — August 3, 2026

What if the first step on your spiritual path wasn’t about fixing something broken in you, but about recognizing how whole you already are? Matthew Fox has spent decades asking this question, and his answer, rooted in the teaching of original blessing, invites us to begin our spiritual lives with wonder rather than with shame.

At Sounds True, we are dedicated to sharing the living wisdom of trusted spiritual teachers through immersive podcasts, digital courses, and transformational programs that support personal growth and awakening.

Here, we’ll walk through Matthew Fox’s teachings on original blessing, creation spirituality, the influence of Meister Eckhart, and how these ideas offer a grounded, compassionate path forward for anyone who longs for a more reverent relationship with life.

Key Takeaways:

  • Learn Why You Were Born Good: Original blessing reframes the spiritual journey by centering humanity’s inherent goodness, offering a life-affirming path rooted in wonder rather than shame.
  • Creation as Sacred Ground: Creation spirituality teaches that the divine is woven into nature, community, and everyday life, inviting us to meet the sacred right where we are.
  • The Mystic Who Shaped Fox: Meister Eckhart’s vision of a God present in all things continues to shape Matthew Fox’s teachings on creativity, compassion, and sacred connection.

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Matthew Fox and the Meaning of Original Blessing

Many spiritual traditions begin with the idea that humanity arrived in this world already broken, separated from the divine through original sin. Matthew Fox gently but firmly challenges this starting point. His teaching of original blessing asks us to return to the very beginning, to the opening pages of Genesis, where something far warmer is waiting.

In the first chapter of the Bible, God’s spirit hovers over the waters like a brood hen watching over her eggs, nurturing and alive with creative energy. Fox sees this image as living, not static. God here is a verb, a dynamic creator who calls all of life good. This reading opens with vitality, growth, and a love that precedes any misstep. When we begin from goodness, the spiritual journey takes on a different quality.

Readers who feel called to go deeper into this kind of spiritually grounded inquiry will find our Spirituality & Awakening collection brings together teachings that help cultivate that sense of sacred connection in daily life.

Original Blessing as an Original Sin Alternative

The original sin alternative that Fox offers is a reorientation, not a rejection of accountability or depth. Original blessing invites us to arrive in this life carrying a gift to live, and to let that gift be the foundation. This shifts the entire atmosphere of the spiritual journey.

When we start from goodness, compassion flows more naturally. Responsibility becomes something we can embrace openly. Care for the Earth, for one another, and for ourselves becomes an act of reverence. Fox honors the full complexity of being human. His invitation is simply to stop making the hard parts the foundation.

What Is Creation Spirituality?

Creation spirituality teaches that the sacred is woven into creation itself, present in a forest, in a conversation, in a piece of music that stops you mid-step. The divine isn’t something we reach only by turning away from the physical world. This path invites us to encounter God within it.

Fox describes creation spirituality as a recovery project, a return to the awe that the earliest humans felt standing inside a world too vast and beautiful to explain. That sense of wonder is still available to us. Readers drawn to practices that cultivate this kind of felt presence may find resonance in the teachings within our Subtle Energy collection, which opens pathways into the deeper dimensions of human experience.

Fall Redemption vs Creation Spirituality

The conversation around fall redemption vs creation spirituality highlights two distinct starting points. The fall/redemption framework begins with human failure, emphasizing original sin and the need for rescue. Creation spirituality begins with God’s creative energy already alive and generous in the world. While one starts in the wound, the other starts with the gift.

In fall redemption theology, faith centers on trust in an external authority to restore what was lost. Creation spirituality offers something complementary: faith as trust in the aliveness already present within you and around you. Compared to the fall redemption theory, creation spirituality is feminist and gender-balanced. To hear this conversation in Fox’s own voice, visit our Insights at the Edge Podcast, where he and other teachers speak openly about these ideas in conversation with host Tami Simon.

Uncover Hw Your Mind Really Works With Sounds True

How Meister Eckhart Shaped Matthew Fox’s Teachings

Few thinkers have shaped Matthew Fox’s work as deeply as Meister Eckhart, the 14th-century German Dominican mystic whose writings continue to stir spiritual imagination centuries after his death. Eckhart taught that the divine is not remote or indifferent but present at the very ground of every soul, a living God who dwells within all things.

Fox engaged with Eckhart as a living guide. He saw in Eckhart’s teachings a confirmation of what creation spirituality already sensed: that the sacred pervades the world, that creativity is a form of prayer, and that every person carries a spark of the divine. Fox’s deep engagement with Eckhart helped bring these 700-year-old ideas to contemporary seekers in language they could feel and act on.

Those who want to learn more about Matthew Fox and the many teachers whose work touches these themes can visit our All Teachers & Authors page for a full look at the voices in our community.

Living Original Blessing Through Creation Spirituality

Receiving original blessing isn’t a single moment of insight. Living it is an ongoing practice, a way of meeting each day with a different set of assumptions. Fox’s vision of creation spirituality gives us language for that practice and a few grounded ways to begin.

  • Start the Day with Gratitude: Pause before the mental inventory of what needs fixing. Acknowledge what is already here: your breath, the light, the life moving through you. This is a choice to place goodness at the center of the day before anything else takes over.
  • Let Nature Be a Teacher: Creation spirituality invites us to treat the natural world as a living text. A walk outside, a moment watching clouds shift, or tending a small garden becomes an act of communion. Fox’s work reminds us that the Earth participates in the sacred, and that paying attention to it is itself a form of prayer.
  • Create Without an Agenda: Fox views creativity as one of the most direct expressions of divine energy available to us. Cooking, drawing, writing, singing, building — any act of making can become a form of spiritual practice when approached with presence and care.

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Final Thoughts

Matthew Fox’s teachings ask us to do something both simple and radical: begin with ourselves as good. From that foundation, creation spirituality opens into a way of living that honors the sacred in everything, in other people, in the natural world, in the creativity and care we bring to ordinary days. The influence of Meister Eckhart runs through all of this as a reminder that this longing to find the divine close has deep roots.

Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew Fox on Original Blessing

What is Matthew Fox best known for?

Matthew Fox is a spiritual teacher, theologian, and author known for developing creation spirituality, a path that emphasizes the sacredness of creation and humanity’s inherent goodness.

Why did Matthew Fox write about original blessing?

Matthew Fox introduced the concept of original blessing to encourage a more life-affirming view of spirituality. His teachings invite people to begin with gratitude and sacred connection instead of focusing on human faults.

Is original blessing a religious belief?

Original blessing is a spiritual perspective that can resonate with people from many faith traditions. It emphasizes the goodness of creation and encourages a deeper relationship with the divine through everyday life.

How does creation spirituality relate to environmental care?

Creation spirituality teaches that the natural world is sacred. This perspective encourages respect for the Earth and inspires people to care for the environment as an expression of their spiritual values.

Who was Meister Eckhart, and why is he important?

Meister Eckhart was a Christian mystic whose teachings emphasized experiencing the divine within. His writings continue to influence spiritual thinkers, including Matthew Fox.

What can readers gain from Matthew Fox’s teachings?

Readers often find a renewed sense of purpose, compassion, and connection with the world. His teachings encourage a spiritual practice rooted in gratitude, creativity, and reverence for life.

Why does Matthew Fox emphasize creativity?

Matthew Fox views creativity as a reflection of the divine. Artistic expression, problem-solving, and innovation can all become meaningful spiritual practices that celebrate the gift of creation.

Michelle Cassandra Johnson is an author, activist, spiritual teacher, racial equity consultant, and intuitive healer. She is the author of six books, including Skill in Action and Finding Refuge. Amy Burtaine is a leadership coach and racial equity trainer. With Robin DiAngelo, she is the coauthor of The Facilitator's Guide for White Affinity Groups. For more, visit https://www.michellecjohnson.com/wisdom-of-the-hive.

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Sharon Salzberg on Real Happiness: The Myth of Permane...

Amy Burtaine
Michelle Cassandra Johnson — August 3, 2026

Happiness is often seen as a destination, but Sharon Salzberg reminds us that it is a practice we cultivate each day. Rather than seeking a life free from challenges, she encourages us to meet every experience with mindfulness, compassion, and an open heart. Her teachings offer a practical path toward greater peace and emotional resilience.

At Sounds True, we have been sharing the wisdom of trusted spiritual teachers for more than four decades, making transformational teachings accessible through audio recordings, digital courses, and programs that nurture personal growth and mindful living. 

In this piece, we’ll discuss Sharon Salzberg’s perspective on real happiness, the myth of permanent happiness, and how loving kindness meditation and metta meditation can help cultivate lasting well-being.

Key Takeaways:

  • Happiness Is a Daily Practice: Sharon Salzberg describes real happiness not as a fixed emotional state but as a living practice grown through awareness, presence, and an open heart.
  • Metta Opens Your Heart: Loving-kindness meditation and metta meditation build a foundation for compassion, soften self-judgment, and deepen your connection with those around you.
  • Consistency Builds Resilience: A regular loving kindness practice, even just a few quiet minutes each day, can reshape how you move through difficulty and strengthen the relationships that matter most.

Awaken Your Inner Healing Power: Your Wellness Journey Starts Now

Sharon Salzberg on Real Happiness and the Myth of Permanent Happiness

Sharon Salzberg has been a student of Buddhism since 1971 and began leading meditation retreats worldwide in 1974. Drawing on more than twenty-five years of deep study with Burmese, Indian, and Tibetan teachers, her work centers on two foundational traditions: vipassana, also known as insight meditation, and the cultivation of lovingkindness and compassion, called the Brahma Viharas. 

As one of the most respected insight meditation teachers, she brings ancient wisdom into language that is warm, accessible, and deeply practical for the rhythms of modern life.

The Foundations of Insight Meditation

Insight meditation is a practice rooted in direct observation of experience. Instead of trying to control or silence the mind, practitioners learn to witness thoughts, sensations, and emotions with steady, non-reactive awareness. That quality of clear seeing allows us to recognize that all experience, including the uncomfortable kind, is impermanent. 

Sharon Salzberg says that expecting permanent happiness often creates unnecessary suffering. Joy and sorrow naturally come and go, and trying to hold onto pleasant experiences only leads to frustration. Rather than measuring life by how often we feel happy, she encourages developing the inner stability to face every experience with openness and care.

Real happiness, in Sharon’s view, grows from acceptance rather than control. As we grow more aware of our thoughts and emotions, we come to see that difficult moments do not define us. Sharon’s teachings on this topic are part of an ongoing conversation we host through the Insights at the Edge Podcast, where leading spiritual teachers share practical wisdom for navigating everyday life with greater awareness and heart.

Loving Kindness Meditation and the Path to Inner Peace

One of Sharon’s most influential teachings is loving kindness meditation. This practice invites us to cultivate goodwill toward ourselves before extending that same warmth outward to others. Rather than forcing positive emotions, loving kindness meditation strengthens our capacity to respond with patience and compassion, even when life makes that difficult.

Sharon’s Loving-kindness program gets at something essential about why this practice matters. Metta meditation is a way to dissolve the mental barriers that quietly separate us from the people around us, and from ourselves. Through consistent practice, we can release feelings of isolation and awaken real compassion. We free ourselves from cycles of needless suffering while learning to trust the loving, wise heart that lives within each of us. 

Loving kindness meditation also helps soften self-criticism while opening the door to more connected, authentic relationships. The shift may be gradual, but it is real and lasting.

Discover the Power of Daily Meditation and Inner Stillness

How Metta Meditation Supports Compassion and Connection

Metta meditation is a structured practice of silently repeating phrases of well-being directed first toward yourself, then extending outward to a close friend, a neutral person, someone with whom you feel friction, and eventually to all beings. The phrases themselves are simple, something like “May you be safe. May you be at peace.” 

Sharon explains that these intentions may seem small at first, yet they reshape how we respond to ourselves and those around us. Rather than waiting for compassion to arise naturally, metta meditation gives us a way to practice it every day. With patience, kindness becomes less of an idea and more of a natural response to life’s changing circumstances.

To see how this works in real life, consider someone navigating tension with a family member after a disagreement. Compassion can feel out of reach in the middle of that kind of friction. A metta practice offers a place to begin, not by pretending the conflict does not exist, but by silently extending well-being first to yourself, acknowledging your own hurt, and then, when ready, to the other person. 

Resources in our Meditation & Mindfulness collection bring together teachings from Sharon and other respected guides, exploring both the depth and the daily application of these traditions to help you build a sustainable practice.

Building a Loving Kindness Practice for Everyday Life

A loving kindness practice does not require long formal sessions. Even a few quiet moments offering kind wishes can create real shifts in daily life. Sharon encourages beginning where we are, knowing consistency matters far more than perfection:

  • Start With Yourself Each Morning. Kindness toward yourself is often the most challenging part of a metta practice. Sharon teaches self-compassion is the ground from which all other compassion grows. Try sitting quietly for five minutes, silently offering words of care: “May I be at peace. May I be well.”
  • Extend Kindness Into Your Relationships. Once the practice becomes familiar, extending it outward grows more natural. A few silent phrases during a commute or before a difficult conversation can shift the texture of an ordinary moment. Compassion is not demanded on a timeline. The practice simply sets the conditions for it to arise.
  • Build Consistency With Short, Daily Sessions. Five to ten minutes of metta practice each morning, paired with brief moments of conscious kindness throughout the day, creates more lasting change than occasional longer sessions. 

Those looking to develop greater gentleness and emotional balance alongside their meditation journey will find resources in our Self-Compassion collection, which brings together teachings from some of the most respected voices in this space.

Discover how your mind really works

Final Thoughts

As Sharon Salzberg shares, real happiness grows through presence, compassion, and a willingness to meet each experience with an open heart. By embracing practices like loving kindness meditation and metta meditation, we can develop greater resilience, deepen our connection with others, and cultivate a more peaceful way of living.

If you would like to continue learning from Sharon and many other respected teachers, visit our All Teachers & Authors page to find teachings that support your own path toward greater presence and compassion.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sharon Salzberg on Real Happiness

What inspired Sharon Salzberg to begin teaching meditation?

Sharon Salzberg’s interest in meditation began during her studies in India, where she encountered Buddhist teachings that shaped her lifelong commitment to mindfulness and compassion.

Why has Sharon Salzberg’s work remained influential for so many years?

Her teachings combine timeless Buddhist wisdom with practical guidance that is accessible, compassionate, and relevant to everyday life, making them meaningful for both new and experienced meditators.

Is loving kindness meditation connected to Buddhism?

Yes. Loving kindness meditation originates from the Buddhist tradition and is based on cultivating unconditional goodwill. Today, it is practiced by people of many backgrounds, regardless of religious belief.

How long should I practice metta meditation each day?

Even five to ten minutes a day can be beneficial. Building a regular habit is generally more effective than practicing for long periods only occasionally.

Can beginners practice loving kindness meditation?

Absolutely. Loving kindness meditation is one of the most approachable meditation practices because it focuses on simple intentions of kindness instead of trying to quiet every thought.

Why do some people find it difficult to offer kindness to themselves?

Many people are accustomed to self-criticism and may initially feel uncomfortable directing compassion inward. Like any skill, self-kindness becomes more natural with consistent practice.

What is the difference between mindfulness meditation and metta meditation?

Mindfulness meditation focuses on observing present-moment experience with awareness, while metta meditation intentionally cultivates feelings of kindness, compassion, and goodwill.

Michelle Cassandra Johnson is an author, activist, spiritual teacher, racial equity consultant, and intuitive healer. She is the author of six books, including Skill in Action and Finding Refuge. Amy Burtaine is a leadership coach and racial equity trainer. With Robin DiAngelo, she is the coauthor of The Facilitator's Guide for White Affinity Groups. For more, visit https://www.michellecjohnson.com/wisdom-of-the-hive.

6 comments on The Self-Acceptance Project… wrap-up with Tami Simon

  1. flo says:
    June 13, 2013 at 12:18 pm

    snarling can be the face of enlightenment. see Reggie’s “Practioner’s Notebook” –Custodians of Our Karmic Package….

    Reply
  2. flo says:
    June 13, 2013 at 3:29 pm

    thinking about my student whom says “You stink!” when we least expect it. It’s soooo refreshing, especially when I’m laughing inside and my face says, ” That is not appropriate behavior…..”

    Reply
  3. Sunnie N C Ezeanya says:
    June 19, 2013 at 4:49 am

    Tami,
    You and your out-fit have been a huge source of blessing to me. Please continue the good work you’re doing.

    Sunnie

    Reply
  4. Erny says:
    June 25, 2013 at 2:39 pm

    Thanks so much for starting this program. It is as you said in the video with Kristin Neff, I had and gave therapy for 25 years, and 10 years of meditation, but the habit of strong judging myself in a deep level seems hopeless to Change and causes a lot a suffering. So thanks for this program, How can I join in…

    Reply
    1. Matt Licata says:
      June 25, 2013 at 3:27 pm

      Hi Ernie, thank you for sharing your experience with us here and we’re so happy you enjoyed the video with Dr. Neff. As for joining in, have you had a chance to watch all of the videos? We’ll be offering a new series early next year where we’ll continue our dialogue, this time focusing on intimacy and intimate relationship. Thank you again for sharing with us.

      Reply
  5. Lisa says:
    September 6, 2013 at 12:37 am

    Tammy,

    I just discovered your podcast series and have been listening to many of them. Thank you so much for making them available for free. I can’t wait to discover and listen to this new series. Sometimes I feel so guilty about things that I’ve done in the past, or things that I still struggle with daily to be the kindler, gentler person that I want to be in the world. People tell me that I’m very hard on myself. So, this topic is very timely for me, and I will report back to you once I’ve listened to it all. I have felt much better and I feel my life transforming in so many subtle ways just from listening to the sounds true podcasts and taking a quiet week just for myself to get back into being in touch with my own inner wisdom. Thank you again for sharing so much with the world. I love the sounds true music, too!

    This all started when I was mesmerized by some music and books in a local store, by the way.

    With gratitude and love,
    Lisa

    Reply

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