Ep. 281 – Engaged Compassion Series: Jerry Colonna

About this episode

Sharon Salzberg engages in a conversation with Jerry Colonna about navigating suffering and compassion in today's world.

The Buddha taught a path of awakened living, but how does that manifest in today’s world of constant connectivity and widespread suffering? How do we keep our hearts open without being defined or hardened by the pain that surrounds us, whether personal, collective, or historical? How do we navigate the paradox of holding both pain and joy, without mistaking suffering for punishment or personal failure? Can we infuse our compassion with wisdom and perspective to find the agency to take meaningful action in our communities? In her new series, Engaged Compassion, Sharon delves into these questions and more, engaging in candid conversations with a diverse group of teachers, activists, and changemakers.  For the inaugural episode, Sharon’s speaks with longtime friend and colleague, Jerry Colonna—a renowned coach, writer, and speaker who specializes in leadership, business, and the practice of radical self-inquiry. Jerry is the Co-founder and CEO of Reboot.io, a company inspired by the belief that work need not destroy us. He is also the author of two books: "Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up" (2019) and "Reunion: Leadership and the Longing to Belong" (2023). For more…

People in this episode

Host: Sharon Salzberg

Guest: Jerry Colonna

Topics covered

• engaged compassion
• suffering
• leadership
• self-inquiry
• community action
• Buddhism

Keywords

• compassion
• suffering
• Buddhism
• leadership
• self-inquiry
• community
• joy
• pain

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Reboot.io

Books & works: Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up, Reunion: Leadership and the Longing to Belong

More episodes of Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg

• Ep. 288 – Engaged Compassion: Reggie Hubbard · June 9, 2026 · 1h 11m
• Ep. 287 – Engaged Compassion: Mirabai Bush · May 26, 2026 · 1h 3m
• Ep. 286 – Engaged Compassion: Parker J. Palmer & Jerry Colonna · May 14, 2026 · 51 min
• Ep. 285 – Engaged Compassion: Anu Gupta · April 28, 2026 · 1h 10m
• Ep. 284 – devon and nico hase · April 14, 2026 · 1h 7m
• Ep. 283 – Engaged Compassion: Valarie Kaur · March 31, 2026 · 1h 2m