643. Shelly Tygielski

Shelly Tygielski is the author of Sit Down to Rise Up and founder of the global grassroots mutual aid organization Pandemic of Love.  Her work has been featured by over 100 media outlets, including CNN Heroes, The Tamron Hall Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, CBS This Morning, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. A trauma-mindfulness teacher and a Garrison Institute Fellow, she has been called one of the “12 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement” By Mindful.org and teaches self-care and resilience at organizations around the world. Visit her online at shellytygielski.com.

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Transcript of this interview

Interview recorded April 16, 2022

Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.



YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
00:03:02 - A Life of Compassion and Service
00:06:37 - Women and Children in Need
00:10:18 - Collaborating with Other Organizations
00:14:33 - Embracing Discomfort in Meditation
00:18:40 - Confronting our Shadow Side
00:21:58 - Healing and Connection between Israelis and Palestinians
00:27:19 - The Connection Between Inner Work and the Outer World
00:31:44 - Loving Kindness Practice and Difficult People
00:35:16 - Sending Metta to World Leaders
00:40:48 - The Freedom to Explore Different Paths
00:44:30 - The Intersection of Faith: Jew and the Lotus, Boojews, and Hin-Jews
00:51:20 - The Power of Agency and a Good Samaritan
1:00:39 - The Power of Simple Gestures
01:08:58 - Embracing the Gift of Life
01:12:29 - Building a Meditation Community on the Beach
01:15:25 - Building Community Through Meditation
01:19:15 - Showing Up and Making a Difference
01:25:42 - Supporting Communities and Creating Change
01:29:39 - Becoming a Community Organizer
01:35:26 - Stories of Compassion and Judgment
01:42:37 - The Practice of RAIN
01:46:57 - The Global Impact of Pandemic of Love
01:49:24 - The Relationship between Financial Abundance and Spiritual Awakening
01:51:55 - The Intention Behind Material Wealth Acquisition and the Role of Self-Awareness in Spiritual Growth
01:54:20 - The Power of Self-Awareness in Meditation and Decision Making
01:56:43 - The Fortunate Access to Technology
01:58:37 - Learning from Traumas
02:00:27 - Optimism and the Power of Technology
02:02:52 - Connecting Inner Work to the Outer World
02:05:00 - Farewell and Closing Remarks