Author and teacher Oneika Mays joins Sharon for episode 291 of the Metta Hour podcast.

For over a decade, Oneika has brought yoga and mindfulness practices to people who have felt left out, judged, and alone— from correctional facilities to retreat centers, from Columbia Law School to Lincoln Center. She is the author of “Sit With Me: A No-BS Journey to Mindfulness and Meditation,” released by HarperOne in March of 2026, and the co-host of You Good? Podcast with Pamela Stokes Eggleston. This is her first appearance on the Metta Hour Podcast.

In this conversation, Oneika and Sharon speak about:

• How Oneika’s spiritual journey began

• Training with teacher, Kimberly Brown

• Metta’s impact on Oneika’s existing practice

• The challenges of metta for the neutral person

• Working at Riker’s Island Correctional Facility (give this context in intro)

• Oneika’s new book, “Sit With Me”

• The importance of forgiveness

• What inspired Oneika’s new book

• Loving people doesn’t necessarily mean liking them

• Lovingkindness for oneself as a starting point

• Working with the difficult person

• The gift of grieving what’s broken

• Navigating life within harmful systems

• Teaching lovingkindness in prison

• The NY Knicks and Collective Effervescence

Additional Resources

The episode closes with a guided lovingkindness meditation from Oneika with added visualization. You can learn more about Oneika’s work right here and get a copy of her new book, “Sit With Me,” right here.

Related Metta Hour Episodes

Episode 212: Kimberly Brown’s interview as part of our Mental Health Series released in 2023.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 291 – Oneika Mays

Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg

Ep. 291 – Oneika Mays