Cory Muscara once spent six months living in silence as a monk, meditating for over 14 hours each day. He now uses all that he learned from the experience in his work as an internationally acclaimed speaker and teacher of mindfulness. For the past few years he has taught mindfulness-based leadership at Columbia University and positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. His new book, Stop Missing Your Life: How to Be Deeply Present in an Un-Present World has just been published. 

In this episode:

(01:23) Cory tells the story of why he chose to spend six months in silence in a Burmese monastery

(03:07) Cory describes what it was like to be there

(03:54) What happens when you spend time in a distraction-free environment?

(04:59) How does the process of 'befriending' oneself work?

(06:30) Finding peace - it's not what we might imagine

(08:54) 'Befriending' over 'transcending'

(11:12) Is the aim to become more childlike?

(12:59) How mindfulness changes our relationship to life

(14:54) What Cory means when he talks about 'softening'

(17:36) If we want to take care of the future, here's where to start...

(19:02) Cory's Little Challenge

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