Episode 192: Oren Jay Sofer - Your Heart Was Made for This: Contemplative Practices to Meet a World In Crisis with Courage, Integrity, and Love

Perhaps upon first glance, when the terror of the world is breathing down our necks, we refuse to see how capable we are of meeting it. Perhaps we think, our hearts were not made to contend with the immensity of what’s happening- the chaos the sensory input, the imminent threat of climate change, or the video footage of the atrocities happening around the world in Israel and beyond. And yet, we are equipped with an incredible potential for compassion and resilience - to grow and learn from challenge, and to biologically, neurologically, and spiritually, adapt and change to meet the times we are living in. My Guest, Oren Jay Sofer, believes that every one of us can transform and grow, even in the midst of the heartbreak. In his new book Your Heart Was Made for This: Contemplative Practices for Meeting a World in Crisis with Courage, Integrity, and Love , Oren reveals how we can tap into our full capacity for peace and goodness by cultivating a practice day by day with tiny steps and many other revelations for living in this time of extreme chaos and change. "I like to think of the human organism as an instrument," he says. "And this whole journey I invite readers on is about how well you know how to play your instrument. Can you hit the notes of compassion and joy and generosity and gratitude and energy and integrity?” In this episode he walks us through where to start exploring the amazing capacities that we have as human beings- not as a blueprint but to develop the resources inside so that we can each play the role we're uniquely called to play. Key points discussed in this episode include: * The importance of keeping our hearts open during painful and uncertain times * The inspiration behind Oren's latest book, Your Heart Was Made for This * An exploration of contemplative practice and its role in reflecting upon meaning and purpose in life * Various forms that contemplative practice can take for diverse individuals * The healing power of letting go, and the practice of renunciation * The interconnection between inner personal transformation and larger societal changes * The critical role of forgiveness in finding inner peace and restoration Oren Jay Sofer teaches meditation and communication internationally. He holds a degree in comparative religion from Columbia University and is a Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication. He's also the author of several books, including the best-seller Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication and his latest book, Your Heart Was Made for This: Contemplative Practices to Meet a World In Crisis with Courage, Integrity, and Love. A husband and a father, Oren lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he enjoys cooking, spending time in nature, and home woodworking projects. Special Guest: Oren Jay Sofer.