Our Mindful Nature: Meditations Inspired by Nature to Soothe the Overwhelmed Mind and Ease Anxiety
About
Available on
Community
563 episodes
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by grief that it seemed to erase every other emotion? In those moments, meditation might feel impossible—but what if it could become a space for tenderness rather than escape? Grief, sadness, and heartache can feel all-consuming, making it difficult to stay present. This episode explores how meditation can help us hold these emotions with care—not to fix or erase them, but to nurture connection to ourselves, others, and the natural world. - Learn how to recognize your personal “window of tolerance” and when meditation can support your healing. - Discover how nature-inspired mindfulness can offer a sense of peace, even in the midst of sorrow. - Experience a guided meditation practice infused with poetry, breathwork, and grounding techniques to hold space for your emotions with kindness. Take a deep breath, find a quiet place, and press play to explore a compassionate approach to meditating with grief.
Just The Meditation ✨ Do you ever feel like you're being tossed about by life's constant changes, unable to find solid ground in the midst of chaos? In our fast-paced world filled with uncertainty, finding stability can seem impossible. But what if you could stand strong like a mountain through life's storms? In this meditation, you'll experience a peaceful meditation practice focused on equanimity—that steady, balanced quality that helps you remain centered when everything around you is changing. Immerse yourself in this guided practice with the soothing sounds of Haleakalā on the island of Maui as your backdrop. Feel the calming energy of nature support your journey toward inner balance. Take a deep breath and press play to discover your unshakable center amidst life's changing winds. Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at: https://www.nickcmcmahan.com https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/ https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/ Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature http://youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.
Feeling overwhelmed by the constant changes in life? Struggling to find stability in the chaos? This meditation explores the power of equanimity—your ability to stay steady like a mountain amidst life’s storms. In a world where personal stress, anxiety and global turmoil seem never-ending, how do we stay grounded? Through meditation, we can develop a sense of inner steadiness that allows us to navigate uncertainty with more ease. This episode provides a reflective practice to help you cultivate resilience and balance.
How can we honor and protect the sacred lands that sustain us? Join this special meditation practice dedicated to the Earth, where we deepen our connection and commitment to its well-being. With national parks and natural spaces under increasing threat from policy rollbacks, climate change, and resource exploitation, it’s easy to feel powerless. But through mindful reflection and meditation, we can cultivate a deeper relationship with the Earth—one that moves beyond gratitude into active reciprocity. ✨ Experience a guided meditation that shifts focus from self-centered practice to offering support and reverence for the Earth. ✨Learn how to integrate reciprocity into your mindfulness routine, acknowledging nature as an equal partner in your well-being. ✨Feel a renewed sense of connection, responsibility, and appreciation for the land, water, and life that surrounds you. Press play now and join this transformative meditation to honor, support, and deepen your relationship with the Earth.
Do you ever find yourself tangled in anxious thoughts at night, struggling to ease into restful sleep? This episode offers a deeply soothing sleep meditation set beside a natural hot spring on a snowy, star-filled night. If stress, anger, or racing thoughts keep you awake, this practice will guide you into a state of relaxation through mindful breathwork and gentle visualization. Experience a full-body release of tension with guided breath counting. Learn how slowing your breath naturally steadies the mind for deep rest. Feel a sense of warmth, safety, and reset, as if cocooned by nature’s healing embrace. Today's nature soundscape blends bubbling water, a trickling creek under the snow, and distant wind through pine trees. Designed to evoke the serene hush of deep winter, it offers a sense of warmth while embracing the quiet stillness of the season's final chapter before the first signs of thaw. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and let this meditation lead you into a peaceful, restorative night’s sleep. Press play now. Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at: https://www.nickcmcmahan.com https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/ https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/ Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature http://youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.
Just The Meditation ✨ Do you ever find yourself lying in bed, unable to turn off your mind—still thinking about the stress of the day or worrying about tomorrow? End-of-day fatigue and mental chatter can make it hard to truly unwind, leaving you restless and disconnected. But what if you could release the tension and reclaim your evenings with a simple, soothing meditation? In this episode, you will consciously release the day's tensions and reconnect with yourself before sleep with a beautiful visualization practice where each moment of your day becomes a bubble, released back to the universe with every exhale. Experience the profound shift that comes from consciously naming and releasing the thoughts vying for your attention. Our meditation music in this episode is the wild, diverse and secluded beaches of Hawaii as recorded by Nick McMahan. The ocean waves help to carry away the stress of the day. Take a deep breath, let it all go, and press play to experience this powerful end-of-day meditation! Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and nature soundscapes each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing. Follow Nick’s audio projects: https://www.nickcmcmahan.com https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/ Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at: https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/ Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature http://youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.
The evening hours often arrive with an unwelcome companion—a mind still buzzing with the day's events, shoulders tight with tension, and thoughts already drifting to tomorrow's challenges. As the sun sets, many of us find ourselves caught in what author Lynne Twist calls "the reverie of lack," that persistent whisper telling us we haven't done enough, aren't enough, don't have enough. But what if you could learn to consciously release the day's tensions and reconnect with yourself before sleep? In this third episode of our meditation series, we explore a gentle yet powerful evening practice designed to help you let go of the day's stress and prepare for restful sleep. Discover how to mindfully guide your thoughts, choosing where to place your attention rather than being carried away by mental chatter. Discover a beautiful visualization practice where each moment of your day becomes a bubble, released back to the universe with every exhale. Experience the profound shift that comes from consciously naming and releasing the thoughts vying for your attention. This evening meditation weaves together practical stress management tools with a sense of empowerment over your thoughts, helping you create a peaceful bedtime routine that sets you up for deep, restorative sleep. The practice builds on our previous episodes about morning gratitude and midday resets, completing your toolkit for maintaining mindfulness throughout your entire day. Our meditation music in this episode is the wild, diverse and secluded beaches of Hawaii as recorded by Nick McMahan. The ocean waves help to carry away the stress of the day. Take these few minutes for yourself to experience this calming meditation—press play and feel yourself gently releasing the day, one breath at a time. Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and nature soundscapes each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing. Follow Nick’s audio projects: https://www.nickcmcmahan.com https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/ Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at: https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/ Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature http://youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.
Just The Meditation ✨ Do you ever find yourself lying in bed, unable to turn off your mind—still thinking about the stress of the day or worrying about tomorrow? End-of-day fatigue and mental chatter can make it hard to truly unwind, leaving you restless and disconnected. But what if you could release the tension and reclaim your evenings with a simple, soothing meditation? In this episode, you will consciously release the day's tensions and reconnect with yourself before sleep with a beautiful visualization practice where each moment of your day becomes a bubble, released back to the universe with every exhale. Experience the profound shift that comes from consciously naming and releasing the thoughts vying for your attention. Our meditation music in this episode is the wild, diverse and secluded beaches of Hawaii as recorded by Nick McMahan. The ocean waves help to carry away the stress of the day. Take a deep breath, let it all go, and press play to experience this powerful end-of-day meditation! Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and nature soundscapes each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing. Follow Nick’s audio projects: https://www.nickcmcmahan.com https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/ Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at: https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/ Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature http://youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.
Overwhelmed? Stressed? Anxious? Try this quick 10-minute, lunch break meditation that is designed to reset the nervous system and quiet the mind. No chatter; no distractions - this episode is JUST THE MEDITATION. Pop-in your headphones, settle into a comfy spot and let's meditate on our lunch break. Today's meditation music comes to us from a bamboo forest on the road to Hana - almost musical, definitely rhythmic, and always soothing. Take a few minutes for yourself and experience this grounding meditation—press play and feel the shift instantly! Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and nature soundscapes each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing. Hear more from this location on Nick's website: https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/dawn-on-haleakala Learn about Quiet Parks International’s conservation work: https://www.quietparks.org https://www.quietparks.org/ Follow Nick’s audio projects: https://www.nickcmcmahan.com https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/ Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at: https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/ Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature http://youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.
Do you ever start your day with the best of intentions—only to find yourself overwhelmed by midday, rushing through lunch, and feeling completely drained? Midday stress can quickly derail even the best-planned day, leaving you exhausted and disconnected from yourself. But what if just 5-10 minutes of mindfulness could reset your nervous system and bring you back to center? In this episode, Meryl Arnett shares a simple yet powerful lunchtime meditation to help you feel grounded, refreshed, and ready to take on the rest of your day. Learn how to create a midday reset—even on your busiest days Discover a breathing technique that calms the mind and body in minutes Experience the power of nature-inspired soundscapes, blended with steady tones like singing bowls and chimes, to bring a sense of grounding and stability to your practice. Today's meditation music comes to us from a bamboo forest on the road to Hana - almost musical and definitely rhythmic. Take a few minutes for yourself and experience this grounding meditation—press play and feel the shift instantly! Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and nature soundscapes each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing. Hear more from this location on Nick's website: https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/dawn-on-haleakala Learn about Quiet Parks International’s conservation work: https://www.quietparks.org https://www.quietparks.org/ Follow Nick’s audio projects: https://www.nickcmcmahan.com https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/ Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at: https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/ Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature http://youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.
What if you could start your day feeling grounded, grateful, and clear-minded—without the noise and distractions? In this peaceful guided meditation, you’ll be immersed in the sounds of a Maui sunrise, setting the tone for a day filled with intention and gratitude. No chatter, no clutter—just a mindful practice designed to help you cultivate calm, connection, and resilience from the moment you wake up. ✅ Awaken with a sense of gratitude and purpose ✅ Feel deeply connected to nature’s rhythm and energy ✅ Begin your day with clarity, focus, and inner peace Press play now to experience a meditation that transforms your morning into a moment of stillness, gratitude, and renewal.
This week, we explore how to weave mindfulness through our entire day, starting with a gentle morning practice that sets our intentions and opens our hearts to daily gifts.
Welcome back to Our Mindful Nature! This week, we explore how the woodpecker's drumming can guide us in releasing emotional armor and deepening our connection with the natural world.
Exploring the Depths of Awareness In this final episode of our heartfulness series, we’re diving below the surface of mindfulness into the rich, uncharted waters of the subconscious. While mindfulness often focuses on our conscious, waking mind, heartfulness invites us to explore the deeper layers of our being — the parts of us that dwell in dreams, intuition, and quiet knowing.
Welcome back to Our Mindful Nature! This week, we’re continuing our heartfulness series by stepping off the meditation cushion and into the great outdoors. Last episode, we explored the softer, heart-led practice of meditation — a way of being curious, embodied, and a co-participant in the experience rather than its manager. But heartfulness isn’t just for meditation; it’s a lens for living. And one of the most powerful ways to nurture heartfulness is by connecting with nature.
Happy New Year and welcome back to Our Mindful Nature, where we explore the intersection of meditation, nature, and mental health. Let’s start the year by diving into a fresh, gentler perspective on mindfulness — or should we say, heartfulness? In this episode, I share a thought that’s been swirling in my mind: what if we reframed our practice? While in the West, meditation is often translated as “mindfulness,” the original Pali word aligns more closely with the concept of “heartfulness.” Imagine how this shift might change the way we experience meditation practice and life.
Today’s episode of Our Mindful Nature - a live recording of my Winter Solstice meditation retreat - is the perfect practice to welcome in the winter season. A mini meditation retreat you can do at home! The Winter Solstice is always a discussion of light and dark. Mythology abounds, as do rituals of celebration and reflection. In this class, you will hear some of the mythology surrounding the Winter Solstice. We will explore what it means to ‘harvest the fire’ in this season; we will talk about caves, bees, fire and honey. At the end, you will experience a longer, guided meditation that takes you through a reflection of the year and an inquiry into what is to come next in 2025. You can use this as a time to set intentions for the season or the new year. So grab your tea, light your fire, and settle in as we welcome Winter. In this episode, you hear: __ __ I hope you enjoy! This is the last episode of 2024. We will back in 2025 with all new episodes, guests and practices to share ❄️
A winter sleep meditation for you today, dear listeners! As we slip into the darker, colder, and yet somehow busier part of the year I thought we would dedicate some class time to the richness of rest. This episode is an invitation to get cozy, to set aside your to-do list for a few moments, and rest. You can utilize this guided meditation for __ __ And listeners, I have to tell you today’s episode has my FAVORITE soundscape of the year. A soothing combination of singing bowls and elemental sounds of the natural world - I highly recommend headphones for the full listening experience. The soundscape and video for this episode are from nature field recordist Nick McMahan. So grab a blanket and a cup of tea, pop-in your headphones, and join me for today’s winter-time sleep meditation. Sign up http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s video, nature field recordings, video and sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at: https://www.nickcmcmahan.com https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/ https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/ Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting http://merylarnett.com/ merylarnett.com http://merylarnett.com/ instagram.com/merylarnett https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/ youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd7MdDhJBzXxvPRdSRH4Oag
There is something magical about the night sky and the winter woods; a place of dreams and possibility; a place of rest and restoration. In today’s episode of Our Mindful Nature, nature field recordist Nick McMahan shares a dreamscape from Glacier National Park. Not quite a guided meditation, not quite a sleep-story, but rather a meditative experience. A connection to both land and self. Perfect for relaxing before bed, taking a mid-day break, or adding some wintery vibes to your day. You will hear cool wind blowing from the north towards the Eastern Rocky Mountains; the first snow dusting its peaks. Nick weaves a story of dream-images and real-life exploration of this landscape: “Silently, I watch the dense night sky as a calm breeze washes over me, cresting like a wave through the nearby aspens. On a clear night in a remote corner of the Rockies, deep in grizzly country, I see a countless sea of stars overhead, shimmering as brightly as I’ve ever seen. Reaching into my pocket, I grab my small pair of backpacking binoculars for a closer look.” Grab your headphones, a cup of something warm, and settle in by the fire. Rest your feet. Rest your mind. Rest your heart. Join us for a night under the stars in Glacier National Park. The nature sounds in this episode were recorded in the Eastern Rocky Mountains near the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The Blackfeet people have lived in the Rocky Mountain region for over 10,000 years and were the first people to hear the sounds of the winter wind blowing in from the north in this region. Sign up http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s episode including narration, nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at: nickmcmahan.com instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting http://merylarnett.com/ merylarnett.com http://merylarnett.com/ instagram.com/merylarnett https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/ youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd7MdDhJBzXxvPRdSRH4Oag
Recently, I had a moment where I just didn’t feel seen. And later, as I was processing those feelings, I picked up James Crews’ newest book of poetry, Unlocking the Heart, and I opened to the poem, ‘The World Loves You Back’ - It was exactly what I needed to hear. That I/You/We are all seen for exactly who we are by the animate earth around us. That we aren’t alone. In today’s meditation class, we explore the significance of belonging and being actively engaged in one’s environment. We delve into the idea of reciprocal relationships with the animate earth and our meditation practices, with an emphasis on the importance of active participation. Join me for a poem, discussion and guided meditation inviting us into reciprocal breathing with the forest around us. Thank you to Acoustic Ecologist Gordon Hempton for the use of today’s soundscape. Learn more about Gordon here: https://soundtracker.com/about-gordon-hempton/ Sign up http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at: instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro http://instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting http://merylarnett.com/ merylarnett.com http://merylarnett.com/ instagram.com/merylarnett https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/ youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd7MdDhJBzXxvPRdSRH4Oag
Friends, grab a cup of tea, your coziest blanket and join me as we welcome back poet James Crews. James has been a guest on Our Mindful Nature multiple times and his thoughtful presence has become something I look forward to each year. James and I sat down to chat about his new book 'Unlocking the Heart: Writings for Mindfulness, Courage, and Self-Compassion’ right before the November election in the U.S. Together, we reflect on life's challenging moments, the role of poetry in providing solace, and the importance of pausing and mindfulness. James shares insights into his daily practices of writing and meditation, the significance of noticing everyday wonders, and offers a poem to encourage listeners to find their own moments of wonder and peace. If you only buy one more book this year, I hope it is this one. I have picked it up daily since the election and it continues to be the balm I most need for comfort, for heartfulness, for grief, and for presence. Learn more about James and his new book here: https://www.jamescrews.net/ Sign up http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at: instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro /instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting http://merylarnett.com/ merylarnett.com http://merylarnett.com/ instagram.com/merylarnett https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/ youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd7MdDhJBzXxvPRdSRH4Oag
Oh y’all. If you are struggling to practice right now; I’m with you. If anxiety and overwhelm are front and center; I’m with you. If you aren’t sure you can even stand to listen to a whole podcast episode right now; I’m with you. It is a lot. All of it. As I thought about what might be helpful in the month of November, what felt the most resonant (at least to me) is to focus on the simplest acts of care. This episode highlights the major teachings I’ve shared in classes and on the podcast through 2024 so far, and it teases out the most important reminders for maintaining mental health. I share a bit about a brand new PTSD treatment I got to test, tips for when meditating for 20-minutes is out of the question, and ways to care for ourselves and our loved ones in the simplest of ways. Lastly, I share a guided meditation that emphasizes simplicity and presence. May it serve all of us well <3 Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ https://merylarnett.substack.com/to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at: instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro http://instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com http://merylarnett.com instagram.com/merylarnett http://instagram.com/merylarnett youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature http://youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature
In this episode of 'Our Mindful Nature,' I am delighted to welcome back Octavia Raheem, acclaimed author, rest coach and dear friend, to discuss her newest book, 'Rest is Sacred.' Together, we explore the significance of rest, what it means to rest, and, more importantly, what it looks like to find rest in the midst of constant “busyness”. Octavia shares insights on the various forms rest can take, from conventional yoga practices to simple mindful pauses in daily life. At the end, Octavia shares a guided exercise and reading from her book, encouraging listeners to seek restorative moments and redefine what rest means to them. Join us! Find Octavia & her new book here: https://www.octaviaraheem.com/rest-is-sacred Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at: instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com instagram.com/merylarnett youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature
“If one sees two women sitting at a crossroads, facing one another, they are engaged in witchcraft.” - Talmud From our witch meditation series, we know that the witch archetype is truly about people who are reclaiming their personal power. And from the quote above, I love the significance of this sense of power being found in the crossroads; the intersections. It reminds me of one of my favorite teachings in Buddhist psychology - known as The Middle Way. In the teachings of The Middle Way, we learn to embrace tension and paradox. Rather than waiting for the resolution, we become skillful at residing in the middle of it all… “Of course we can always imagine more perfect conditions, how it should be ideally, how everyone else should behave. But it’s not our task to create an ideal. It’s our task to see how it is, and to learn from the world as it is. For the awakening of the heart, conditions are always good enough.” - Ajahn Sumedo Join me for today’s discussion and guided meditation centered on the power we find while resting in the middle. Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at: nickmcmahan.com instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro http://instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com instagram.com/merylarnett http://instagram.com/merylarnett youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature http://youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature
A meditation for your daily practice - no chat beforehand, no distractions. Just you, the forest, and your breath. Join me for this Green Witch-inspired meditation. Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at: nickmcmahan.com /nickmcmahan.com instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro http://instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com /merylarnett.com instagram.com/merylarnett http://instagram.com/merylarnett youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature http://youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature
In this episode, we continue our exploration of personal power through the archetypes of the witch. Together, we will journey through the Water Witch and the Swamp Witch archetypes, uncovering their unique connections to water, the moon, and the balance between conformity and wildness. The Water Witch draws rituals from aquatic environments, emphasizing adaptability, while the Swamp Witch thrives in the liminal spaces, representing untamed freedom. Being fluid in change is the superpower of both of these witchy archetypes. At the end, there is a 20-minute guided meditation devoted to the Water Witch, inviting all of us to sync with the rhythm of our breath and metaphorical ocean waves, fostering inner peace and presence.
“You are the sister to the wolf and friend to the hawk. You know in your heart the language of the plants and the songs of the wind. You have an innate connection to the wild edges. You know the beauty of the bee in flight, and hear the call of freedom on the horizon. And yet, as you go through your day today, it may be easy to miss the drum call of the Earth.” – Wild Woman The Green Witch is one who sources her sense of power and nourishment from the Earth itself. She is one who might feel deeply connected to plants and animals and finds balance with time outside. The Green Witch likely spends more time than most contemplating the understanding that we are nature. In our exploration of the earth and forest archetype, we look at reciprocal relationships with the earth as a source of power and grounding. Join me for today’s talk and Green Witch-inspired meditation. Sign up http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s custom-crafted soundscape, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at: nickmcmahan.com http://nickmcmahan.com instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro http://instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting http://merylarnett.com/ merylarnett.com http://merylarnett.com/ instagram.com/merylarnett https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/ youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd7MdDhJBzXxvPRdSRH4Oag
Welcome, Witches. This all new meditation series is devoted to the archetype of the witch. Why, you ask? Well for starters, it is spooky season, but perhaps more importantly, because the witch archetype is especially potent for those of us grappling with reclaiming our personal power. There are so many ‘types’ of witches: the kitchen witch, the green witch, the water witch, etc. And,all of these sub-types refer to the place or activity where we source the majority of our power. Today’s episode is devoted to the Kitchen Witch: In ancient Greece the word for “cook”, “butcher” and “priest” was the same -‘mageiros’- and the word shares an etymological root with the word magic. – Michael Pollan The Kitchen Witch is one who finds her power in the kitchen. __ __ Fire resides in the belly. It is the heat of action, of purpose, intention and passion. It is also the fire that burns the ghosts that haunt us. This fire is directly tied to the heart space, the home of air/breath/spirit, this is where our caring, compassion and love originate. For the kitchen witch, these two domains are intimately linked - our fire transforming our love - making love manifest. Join me for today’s episode devoted to the alchemy of the kitchen witch complete with a 20-minute guided kitchen witch meditation and a custom-made kitchen witch soundscape from Nick McMahan. Enjoy! Sign up http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s custom-crafted soundscape, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at: nickmcmahan.com http://nickmcmahan.com instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro http://instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting http://merylarnett.com/ merylarnett.com http://merylarnett.com/ instagram.com/merylarnett https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/ youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd7MdDhJBzXxvPRdSRH4Oag
More often than I can count, I have conversations with students asking me what’s next in their meditation practice, how to go deeper, or how to feel better in the toughest of times… and today, I am delighted to share a powerful conversation offering a few answers to these tough questions. Andrew Holecek is a returning guest to the podcast, as well as a renowned author and humanitarian who teaches internationally on spirituality, meditation, lucid dreaming, and the art of dying. His many books include Reverse Meditation and Dream Yoga. And now, he has a new book out - I’m Mindful, Now What? Moving Beyond Mindfulness to Meet the Modern World. This book, and our discussion today, reveals how the form of mindfulness many of us know is merely one thread in a much older, greater tapestry of contemplative practice. For anyone who has sensed the potential for something much deeper and more profound - this conversation is for YOU. Andrew and I talk about: __ __ At the end, Andrew shares a guided meditation that he does every morning to start off his day. Join me for this inspiring conversation and practice. And listeners, I need to know - should I have Andrew come back to tell us more about these dream practices?!? There is so much richness in this practice, here is a breakout of some of the key moments: 01:32 The Five-Year Retreat Experience 04:42 Beyond Mindfulness: Deeper Practices 06:54 Shamatha and Vipashyana Explained 12:18 The Importance of Waking Down 15:48 Therapeutic and Somatic Support 18:32 Traps on the Meditative Path 24:16 Waking Up vs. Growing Up 26:48 Nocturnal Meditations 27:16 The Importance of Dreams 27:34 Polyphasic vs. Monophasic Cultures 28:16 Ego and Altered States of Consciousness 29:06 The Three-Dimensional View of Reality 31:00 The Five Nocturnal Practices 32:51 Exploring Liminal Dreaming 34:14 The Science Behind Liminal Dreaming 35:23 Observational Intent and Thought Image Amalgamation 36:37 Deconstructing the Sense of Self 42:56 The Collective Mind and Quantum Entanglement 48:44 Guided Meditation Practice Learn more about Andrew Holecek and find his new book here: https://www.andrewholecek.com/ Sign up http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at: instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro http://instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting http://merylarnett.com/ merylarnett.com http://merylarnett.com/ instagram.com/merylarnett https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/ youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd7MdDhJBzXxvPRdSRH4Oag
Today’s episode is an invitation to settle into the deepest listening and to celebrate what we find when we move beyond the noise of humans. Today, we embark on a meditative listening experience crafted by nature field recordist Nick McMahan. Earlier this year, Nick spent several days seeking out the quietest spot in Oregon. Exploring nature’s whispers and finding serenity in the sagebrush are what inspired today’s guided audio experience - a recording of Nick’s exploration. Together, we will listen to the symphony that arises within Oregon’s quietest ecosystem. What does it mean to listen to such quiet? What can we learn in the absence of human-made noise? Grab your headphones, close your eyes, and join Nick on a journey through the Basque Hills of Oregon: High and dry. There is hardly anything here. No water, no trees, just a small two-track (dirt road where people have driven enough times to form a road, but the ground has never been graded), and a distant horizon. The terrain appears endlessly flat, but after some time walking, I cannot see my car anymore. No towns, people, highways, or aircraft. A strange silence seems to be suspended in the still air. I sit down in the sagebrush and the wind calms. Looking closer I see various small wildflowers growing in clumps, thoughtfully placed near roots and sage. I lay down. It doesn’t feel dirty here. The dusty soil is cool, almost soothing. Eyes close, it is not long before a whir of wings pass not far overhead. Quickly followed by another and a hushed chirp. Something imperceptible has shifted. There is another soft chirp. Another whir, over to the left. Then a trill. Gradually building, a mesmerizing chorus of Brewer’s sparrows and a steady drumbeat of a common poorwill in the distance weave the song of this quiet sage land. These sounds were recorded on the ancestral land of the Northern Paiute people. Today’s episode was written, recorded and edited by Nick McMahan. Nick is a nature sound recordist and photographer, seeking projects to promote a more conscious world. Learn more and check out his sound libraries by visiting: nickmcmahan.com http://nickmcmahan.com Sign up http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production, editing and social media support: instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro http://instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting http://merylarnett.com/ merylarnett.com http://merylarnett.com/ instagram.com/merylarnett https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/ youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd7MdDhJBzXxvPRdSRH4Oag
