Sharon Salzberg

The keynotes by Sharon Salzberg are imbued with an intense spiritual wisdom. After a tumultuous childhood burdened with loss and turmoil, Salzberg soon realized the healing power of meditation. She came into contact with Buddhism in 1969 while studying an Asian philosophy course at the State University of New York, Buffalo. The following year she traveled to India, where she remained for several years, studying under highly respected Buddhist teachers.

In 1976, Salzberg co-established the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, a facility which is considered to be one of the most prominent meditation centers in the western world. She and Joseph Goldstein also co-founded the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, as well as the Forest Refuge, a secluded wooded retreat.

Beyond leading intensive retreats, programs and workshops, Salzberg has been a featured speaker for events all over the world. Not only has she shared a panel with the Dalai Lama, she also has co-ordinated faculty and staff for the Mind and Life Summer Institute, a five-day event dedicated to improving research for how cognitive and behavioral sciences interact with meditation practices.