Episode Description

For episode 225 of the Metta Hour, Sharon welcomes New York Times bestselling author Katherine May. Katherine is an internationally bestselling author and podcaster. Her most recent book, “Enchantment: Awakening Awe in an Anxious Age” was an instant New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller. Her internationally bestselling hybrid memoir “Wintering” was adapted as BBC Radio 4’s Book of the Week. Katherine’s podcast, How We Live Now, ranks in the top 1% worldwide, and she has been a guest presenter for On Being’s The Future of Hope series. Katherine lives with her husband, son, two cats, and a dog. She loves walking, sea-swimming, and pickling slightly unappealing things.

In this conversation, Sharon and Katherine discuss

• Coming into contact with life
• Learning to pay attention again
• The way rushing hinders our attention
• Not spending time in one paradigm at a time
• Sharon’s favorite word
• “Enchantment” following “Wintering” thematically
• Challenging our assumptions
• Human endeavors that inspire awe
• Awe isn’t just about prettiness
• Katherine’s experience learning meditation
• The myth of a perfect mindfulness performance
• The bigger picture balance in life
• Blocks we can feel towards our pleasure and joy
• Holding joy and pain simultaneously
• How Interconnection expands us to the natural world

Additional Resources

Katherine closes the session with a short reading from her book, “Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age,” now available in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats. You can visit her website to learn more about Katherine and hear her podcast.

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