Ep. 285 – Engaged Compassion: Anu Gupta

Ep. 285 – Engaged Compassion: Anu Gupta

From Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg by Be Here Now Network

April 28, 2026 · 1h 10m · Episode 285

About this episode

Sharon Salzberg engages Anu Gupta in a discussion about navigating compassion and suffering 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 third episode in the series, Sharon speaks with Anu Gupta , marking his fourth appearance on the Metta Hour. Anu Gupta is an educator, lawyer, scientist, and the founder and CEO of Be More with Anu . His work has reached 300+ organizations, trained more than 80,000 professionals, and impacted over 30 million lives. As a gay immigrant of color, Anu came to the work of breaking bias due to lifelong experiences with racism, homophobia, and Islamophobia. He is a trained…

People in this episode

Host: Sharon Salzberg

Guest: Anu Gupta

Topics covered

  • engaged compassion
  • mindfulness
  • social justice
  • personal growth
  • community action
  • navigating pain and joy

Keywords

  • compassion
  • suffering
  • mindfulness
  • social change
  • activism
  • Buddhism
  • community
  • pain
  • joy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Be More with Anu, NYU Law, TED, Oprah Conversation, Fast Company, News

More episodes of Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg podcast page.