Our Mindful Nature: Meditation Inspired by Nature to Soothe the Overwhelmed Mind and Ease Anxiety

The Final Episode: A Heartfelt Farewell from Our Mindful Nature

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 01:00:00 -0400

11 years ago, this podcast began as a simple gift for a handful of meditation students. Today, it comes to a close with a full heart and deep gratitude.

In this final episode of Our Mindful Nature, host and meditation teacher Meryl Arnett shares a personal reflection on the journey that brought this podcast to life, what it has meant to carry a practice through 11 years of real life, and where mindfulness is calling her next.

What began as a simple idea, uploading one- and two-minute meditations to SoundCloud under the name The Mindful Minute, grew into something far beyond what Meryl ever imagined: a community of practitioners finding stillness together through nature-inspired meditations, breathtaking field recordings, and honest conversations about what it means to pay attention in a complicated world.

What To Expect

- The origin story of Our Mindful Nature — from SoundCloud to 11 seasons

- How a simple suggestion from a dear friend changed the entire direction of the podcast

- What Meryl has learned about the difference between meditating peacefully and living mindfully

- Why she feels called to a more embodied, rooted, and community-centered practice now

- Where the podcast will continue to live after this final episode

- How to stay connected with Meryl going forward

- A final invitation to every listener who has shown up, week after week, for this practice

A Note on the Archive

Our Mindful Nature will remain available everywhere you listen to podcasts through the end of 2026. After that, all episodes will continue to live on YouTube indefinitely, so these meditations will always be there when you need them.

Stay Connected with Meryl

The best way to stay connected is through Meryl's newsletter. Sign up at https://www.merylarnett.com to be the first to know what comes next.

Learn more about Meryl's work at https://www.merylarnett.com.

Thank you to Nick McMahan and Gordon Hempton for the nature field recordings that gave this podcast its soul, and to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support throughout this final season.

The final soundscape you hear is Meryl's personal favorite from Gordon Hempton - Primeval Forest recorded in North Carolina's old growth forests.

Nick McMahan: https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/

Gordon Hempton: https://soundtracker.com/

Brianna Nielsen: https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

The Mindful Kitchen: Simple Rituals for Cooking with Intention, Gratitude, and Joy

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 01:00:00 -0400

Can preparing dinner become a mindfulness practice?

In this conversation, Meryl sits down with cookbook author and podcast creator Nicki Sizemore to explore how intention, gratitude, and presence can transform even the most ordinary meal into something deeply nourishing. As Our Mindful Nature enters its final season after 11 incredible years, this series continues its exploration of food as a doorway into everyday mindfulness.

Nicki is the author of Mind, Body, Spirit, Food — a cookbook woven through with grounding meditations, rituals, and intentions designed to help us prepare meals with joy and presence. Her message is clear: mindfulness doesn't require a retreat, a silent room, or extra time. Sometimes, it begins with a single breath before you chop that onion.

What To Expect

- How Nicki discovered mindful cooking out of a moment of real burnout — and how it became a healing practice

- Why we so easily leave our meditation practice on the cushion — and how to carry it into the rest of our day

- The four core practices for cooking with intention: breath, engaging the senses, setting an intention, and gratitude

- How setting a single word as an intention before cooking can shift your nervous system and your entire evening

- How adaptable recipes create space for presence instead of perfectionism

Featured Guest

Nicki Sizemore is a cookbook author, culinary school graduate, and the creator of the Mind, Body, Spirit, Food podcast and Substack. With over 20 years in the food industry, she now lives at the intersection of intentional cooking and mindful living, helping people find freedom, presence, and deep nourishment in their kitchens.

Find Nicki at:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore/

Substack & Podcast (Mind, Body, Spirit, Food): https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/

Mind, Body, Spirit, Food cookbook — available wherever books are sold

After 11 incredible years, this summer series marks the final season of Our Mindful Nature. Stay tuned in the coming episodes as Meryl shares more about what's next.

Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at: https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

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.

Beyond the Cushion: Food, Gathering, and Community as Mindfulness Practice

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 01:00:00 -0400

What if one of the most profound mindfulness practices isn't found on a meditation cushion, but around a table instead?

In this conversation, meditation teacher Meryl Arnett sits down with anthropologist, meditation teacher and author Dr. Ashanté Reese to explore how food nourishes not only our bodies, but our histories, our communities, and our capacity to care for one another. As Our Mindful Nature enters its final series after 11 years, this episode opens a rich exploration of food as a doorway into everyday mindfulness.

Dr. Reese is the author of Gather: Black Food, Nourishment, and the Art of Togetherness, and together she and Meryl examine the gardens, family reunions, repasts, and mutual aid spaces where ancestors are honored, cultural traditions are sustained, and communities practice radical hospitality, all as expressions of mindfulness itself.

What To Expect:

- Why the meditation cushion is just one small entry point into a much larger awakeness

- The meaning of nourishment beyond food: tending to our social bodies, preserving memory, and cultivating belonging

- How gathering around food has historically been communal, and what we lose when we treat it as purely private

- The gap between our stated values and how we actually live, and how mindfulness (and food) can help close it

Featured Guest

Dr. Ashanté Reese is a cultural anthropologist and author of Gather: Black Food, Nourishment, and the Art of Togetherness (W.W. Norton). Her research explores community, belonging, and how people come together around food. She is based in Austin, TX, and has been a dedicated meditation practitioner for years.

Find Dr. Reese at https://www.amreese.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dramreese/ and on Threads at @areese07.

Resources Mentioned

Gather: Black Food, Nourishment, and the Art of Togetherness by Dr. Ashanté Reese — available at indie bookstores, including:

BEM of Brooklyn (first bookstore in the country dedicated to Black food): https://www.bembrooklyn.com/

Yes Please Books (Atlanta area): https://www.yespleasebooks.com/

After 11 incredible years, this summer series marks the final season of Our Mindful Nature. Stay tuned in the coming episodes as Meryl shares more about what's next.

Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at: https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Extended Listening Experience: Spring Rain in the Cascade Mountains for Meditation, Work, or Sleep (No AI!)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 01:00:00 -0400

What if you could experience the complete journey of a spring rainstorm from beginning to end? This extended nature listening episode offers the full, unedited soundscape that formed the backdrop for the three-part "Chasing the Ephemeral" meditation series. Recorded in Washington State's Cascade Mountains, this pure nature experience invites you into deep listening without guidance, narration, or interruption.

Perfect for meditation, work, study, sleep, or any time you need the grounding presence of authentic nature sounds to support your wellbeing.

About the Recording

This soundscape was captured by acoustic ecologist Nick McMahon in the deep western valleys of the Cascade Mountains, on the ancestral land of the Stillaguamish People. The recording location features a saturated valley floor soft with marshes, old-growth groves, rivers, and streams. During early spring months, this pristine wilderness offers profound solitude where the transition from night to day can be heard through nature's own expression. No AI!

Recording credit: Nick McMahon, Acoustic Ecologist

Land acknowledgment: Recorded on ancestral lands of the Stillaguamish People

Learn more: https://www.stillaguamish.com/about-us/

Series Pause and Summer Return

The podcast will take a brief pause before returning with summer meditation series. Subscribe to Meryl's newsletter for bonus reflections, soundscapes, book recommendations, and between-seasons content at merylarnett.com.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

In 2026, Our Mindful Nature will release seasonal series rather than weekly episodes, allowing for richer, more in-depth explorations of meditation and mental health topics.

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Chasing the Ephemeral Part 3: Salamander Meditation & Finding Balance Between Water and Earth

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 01:00:00 -0400

What does tender self-care look like when the world feels overwhelming? In this final episode of the "Chasing the Ephemeral" spring series, meditation teacher Meryl Arnett turns to the salamander, quiet guardian of vernal pools, for wisdom about gentle transformation and emotional balance. Through a deeply personal dream about tending to what's been neglected, this meditation explores how to practice radical self-care during times of moral injury and societal upheaval.

Set against the continuing spring rain soundscape, this salamander-inspired practice teaches us to balance emotional energy (water) with earthly stability (land), finding our way between overwhelmed withdrawal and constant activism.

What You'll Experience

A guided meditation inspired by salamander wisdom that balances emotional energy with grounded stability

Discussion of moral injury - the anguish from witnessing harm that violates our deepest values when we feel powerless to stop it

Practical self-care guidance that goes beyond social media wellness to include simple, tender acts of care

The three pillars of healing: getting present, feeling what you feel in your body, and reconnecting with yourself and others

Salamander symbolism exploring their dual life in water and on land as teachers of balance and transformation

About the Soundscape Conclusion

This meditation completes the spring rain journey recorded by acoustic ecologist Nick McMahon in Washington's Cascade Mountains on Stillaguamish ancestral lands. The full three-part series has followed water from gathering storm to vernal pool creation, mirroring our own cycles of emergence and transformation.

Recording credit: Nick McMahon, Acoustic Ecologist

The photos you see throughout this meditation are also from Nick McMahan.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

In 2026, Our Mindful Nature will release seasonal series rather than weekly episodes, allowing for richer, more in-depth explorations of meditation and mental health topics.

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Chasing the Ephemeral Part 2: Pink Moon Meditation for Meeting Beauty

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:00:00 -0400

How do we meet beauty at the precise moment it appears and practice releasing it just as gently? In this second episode of the three-part "Chasing the Ephemeral" series, meditation teacher Meryl Arnett guides us beneath April's Pink Moon for a practice in experiencing awe without attachment. Just like the creeping phlox that suddenly carpets the ground in pink before fading away, this meditation teaches us to honor what blooms in our lives right now.

Set against the continuing spring rainstorm in Washington's Cascade Mountains, this lunar meditation explores the many names for April's moon and invites you to expand beyond individual self into universal connection.

What You'll Experience

A guided lunar meditation that directs awareness upward to connect with the moon's presence, visible or not

The story of many cultural names for April's moon: Seed Moon, Pink Moon, Awakening Moon, Frog Moon, Fish Moon, Planter's Moon, and many others

Practice in expansion and release - breathing beyond body boundaries to melt into the universal

About the Continuing Soundscape

This meditation continues the spring rain recording from Part 1, captured by acoustic ecologist Nick McMahon in the deep western valleys of the Cascade Mountains on the ancestral land of the Stillaguamish People. The ongoing rainstorm provides continuity as we deepen our exploration of ephemeral beauty and the practice of meeting each moment with awe.

Recording credit: Nick McMahon, Acoustic Ecologist

The photos you see throughout this meditation are also from Nick McMahan.

Your Practice This Week

Become a guardian of your own solitude. Protect a few quiet minutes daily to listen to your breath, the changing season, and the subtle feelings that rise and fall within you. Notice what is blooming in your life right now and honor it before it shifts into something new.

Coming Up in This Series

Part 3 releases next Thursday, continuing to follow the rain as it gathers and transforms, exploring salamander wisdom and completing our journey into ephemeral spring magic.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

In 2026, Our Mindful Nature will release seasonal series rather than weekly episodes, allowing for richer, more in-depth explorations of meditation and mental health topics.

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Chasing the Ephemeral Part 1: A Spring Rain Meditation Practice

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 01:00:00 -0400

What if the most meaningful experiences are the ones we can only meet in the moment? This first episode in a three-part spring series explores the concept of "ephemeral"—those fleeting wildflowers, temporary woodland pools, and brief moments of wonder that can only be caught when we're fully present. Join meditation teacher Meryl Arnett for a journey into spring's hush, where we learn to practice awe and find renewal in life's most transient moments.

Set against the backdrop of a mountain rain shower in Washington's Cascade Mountains (real sounds, no AI), this episode teaches the AWE technique—a simple practice for cultivating wonder in everyday life, even when spring feels chaotic and overwhelming.

What You'll Discover

The meaning of "ephemeral" and why spring offers unique lessons about impermanence, presence, and renewal

The AWE technique - a simple 30-second micro-practice using Attention, Wait, and Exhale to cultivate wonder anywhere

How to find stability in spring's chaos by learning to "linger on the edge of now" rather than rushing toward summer

A 20-minute guided meditation with spring rain sounds to practice cultivating awe and presence

About the Spring Rain Soundscape

This meditation features the authentic sounds of a spring rain shower recorded by acoustic ecologist Nick McMahon in the deep western valleys of the Cascade Mountains, on the ancestral land of the Stillaguamish People. The saturated valley floor, soft and spotted with marshes, old-growth groves, rivers, and streams, provides pristine solitude during early spring months. As the days grow longer, these recordings capture the transition from night to day, allowing us to listen to the movement of time through nature's expression.

This recording also captures Nick's first recording of a Barred Owl, discovered during the editing process, adding an extra layer of ephemeral magic to the soundscape.

Recording credit: Nick McMahon, Acoustic Ecologist

Your Weekly Practice

Choose one ephemeral moment each day and pause for it. Use the AWE technique: pay attention, wait, and exhale. Notice how this practice of reverential wonder softens the boundaries of self and connects you to something larger.

Coming Up in This Series

Part 2 releases Wednesday (one day early) with April's Full Pink Moon, continuing this spring rain meditation and deepening our exploration of the ephemeral

Part 3 completes the series as we follow the full journey of spring's renewal and impermanence

The photos you see throughout this meditation are also from Nick McMahan.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

In 2026, Our Mindful Nature will release seasonal series rather than weekly episodes, allowing for richer, more in-depth explorations of meditation and mental health topics.

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Forest Bathing at Dawn in a Frozen Evergreen Valley | Sensory Meditation with Winter Birds

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 01:00:00 -0500

Before the world wakes, the frozen forest comes alive. This unique 30-minute listening experience invites you into the pristine winter dawn of Washington State's Sinlahekin Valley, where winter birds greet the morning with bold, communal song that cuts through the cold and offers deep reassurance.

Unlike traditional guided meditations, this is pure, unfiltered nature—no narration, no instructions, just you and the authentic sounds of winter's dawn chorus. Perfect for when you need grounding, presence, or a reminder that you're never truly alone.

What You'll Experience

30 minutes of authentic winter birdsong recorded in real-time in Washington's frozen evergreen forest

Pure nature soundscape with no AI enhancements, additions, or artificial sounds—this is a real place, real presence

Unguided listening meditation that allows you to settle at your own pace without instructions to follow

Dawn chorus of winter birds whose clear, insistent calls offer comfort after the long stillness of night

Flexibility to listen for as long or short as works for you—use the full 30 minutes or take snippets throughout your day

About the Recording Location

This soundscape was captured by acoustic ecologist Nick McMahan in the Sinlahekin Valley of Washington State, on the traditional lands of Indigenous peoples now known as the Colville Confederated Tribes. Located deep in the isolated wilderness on the northeast edge of the Cascade Mountain Range, this frozen evergreen valley transforms during winter's dawn as the forest awakens with enthusiastic birdsong. The loud, joyful calls feel especially reassuring after long, chilly nights in this remote valley, where winter's silence gives way to nature's morning symphony.

The photos you see throughout this meditation are also from Nick McMahan.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

In 2026, Our Mindful Nature will release seasonal series rather than weekly episodes, allowing for richer, more in-depth explorations of meditation and mental health topics.

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Winter Meditation: Finding What Lives Beneath the Snow (Nature-Inspired 10 min Guided Meditation)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 01:00:00 -0500

What lives beneath the surface of your winter mind? In this gentle guided meditation, host and meditation teacher Meryl Arnett invites you into the quiet wisdom of winter's stillness. Inspired by the children's book "Over and Under the Snow," this practice explores what rests beneath the metaphorical snow of our busy lives - the feelings, needs, and truths that are warming, waiting to be revealed in their own time.

Perfect for anyone seeking deeper self-awareness during winter months or when something feels "fine" but you sense there's more underneath.

About the soundscape you hear throughout the episode:

The winter sounds in this meditation were recorded by acoustic ecologist Nick McMahan in the Sinlahekin Valley of Washington State, on the lands of Indigenous peoples known today as the Colville Confederated Tribes. Deep in winter, this remote valley feels more wild and isolated than any other time of year. The soundscape captures the stunning quiet beauty of steep snow-covered slopes, small frozen ponds, and the sense of exaggeration each environmental sound holds during winter's cold, dark days.

The photos you see throughout this meditation are also from Nick McMahan.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

In 2026, Our Mindful Nature will release seasonal series rather than weekly episodes, allowing for richer, more in-depth explorations of meditation and mental health topics.

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Personal and Global Grief: How to Process Both Without Overwhelm Through Meditation & Poetry

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 01:00:00 -0500

How do you welcome a new year when your heart is still holding grief?

Host Meryl Arnett sits down with beloved poet James Crews to explore the essential practice of turning toward grief rather than away from it. In this conversation, James shares insights from his latest poetry collection "Turning Toward Grief" and offers gentle guidance on holding both sorrow and beauty as we enter 2026.

What You'll Discover

Why poetry becomes essential during grief and how it helps us process emotions that feel too big for ordinary words

How to comfort someone who is grieving through James' beautiful poem with practical wisdom about presence versus fixing

How to hold personal grief alongside global uncertainty without becoming overwhelmed or shutting down

Perfect For

People processing recent losses or grief who want gentle, practical guidance

Meditation practitioners experiencing difficult emotions during practice

Caregivers and healing professionals dealing with secondary grief and overwhelm

Anyone feeling the weight of global events and personal challenges

Featured Guest

James Crews is a celebrated poet whose work focuses on turning toward life's most difficult emotions with tenderness and wisdom. Author of multiple poetry collections including "Love Is All Is for All of Us" and "Turning Toward Grief," James creates accessible, healing-centered poetry that helps readers navigate loss, love, and the complexities of being human.

Learn more about James at https://www.jamescrews.net/

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

In 2026, Our Mindful Nature will release seasonal series rather than weekly episodes, allowing for richer, more in-depth explorations of meditation and mental health topics.

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Meditation Extract: Heart Messages from the Underland - Guided Nature Practice

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Just the Meditation: This 10-minute guided meditation invites you deep underground to listen for the "message of the heart." Using progressive body softening and breath awareness, you'll descend into your inner underland to discover what wisdom awaits in the shadows.

This meditation is excerpted from our Underland Part 3 episode. Listen to Monday's full episode for context and teachings on journaling your meditation insights and sheltering inner wisdom.

Set against calming nature sounds of the Amazon rainforest, this underground meditation guides you through a unique practice of softening and listening. Rather than rushing through your practice, you'll learn to linger in the depths of consciousness, allowing whatever wants to emerge — whether worries, memories, phrases, images, or daydreams — to surface naturally.

What You'll Experience:

Guided descent into underground consciousness
Progressive body softening from face to belly
Extended silent meditation for deep inner listening
Practice of witnessing thoughts, stories, and heart messages
Gentle return with breath awareness and movement
High-quality nature soundscape from the Amazon Rainforest for immersion

Post-Practice Suggestion: Have a journal nearby to capture any insights, images, or messages that emerged during your practice — even if they seem nonsensical at first.

Podcast Break Notice

Our Mindful Nature will be taking a brief hiatus for the holiday season. We'll return in the new year with fresh nature-inspired practices to support your meditation journey. Thank you for being part of our mindful community — may your practice continue to flourish during this restful pause.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Treasure Keeper: From Shadow Work to Sacred Wisdom - Nature Meditation {Underland Series part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Welcome to Part 3 of our Underland meditation series — the final journey into our inner depths. Over the past two weeks, we've learned to linger in uncomfortable spaces and discover gifts hidden in our shadows. Today, we complete this transformative journey by learning how to protect and preserve the wisdom we've unearthed.

Inspired by ancient traditions of burying treasure for safekeeping, this episode explores how our underground consciousness can serve as both a storage place for pain AND a vault for our most precious insights. Host Meryl Arnett shares why journaling after meditation isn't just helpful — it's essential for integrating the "message of the heart" that emerges from deep practice.

What You'll Learn:

How to capture non-linear meditation insights and daydreams
The ancient wisdom of "sheltering" precious discoveries
The three-step Underland process: descend, mine value, shelter wisdom

Related Episodes: Listen to Parts 1 and 2 of the Underland series for the complete journey of descending into difficult spaces and mining value from shadow work.

Journal Prompts: After your meditation, spend 2-5 minutes writing down what you saw, thought, remembered, felt, or daydreamed — even if it seems nonsensical. This is your inner treasure worth preserving.

Podcast Break Notice

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Alice in Wonderland Meditation: Exploring Your Inner Underland for Deep Self-Discovery through Nature

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Just the Meditation:

This 15-minute guided meditation invites you into a deep practice of softening and surrender. Using progressive body awareness, you'll release tension layer by layer — from skin through fascia, muscle, and bone — allowing yourself to melt into the present moment.

Part of the Underland Series: This meditation is excerpted from our Underland Part 2 episode. Listen to Thursday's full episode for context and teachings on entering the rabbit hole and exploring your inner landscape.

Set in the immersive sounds of the Amazon rainforest, this body scan meditation guides you through a unique approach to relaxation. Rather than just releasing muscle tension, you'll explore softening every layer of your being — imagining your skin, fascia, muscle, bone, organs, breath, and even thoughts becoming more fluid and flexible.

What You'll Experience:

Guided body scan from surface to core
Extended silent meditation for deep integration
High-quality Amazon rainforest nature soundscape
Progressive softening technique for full-body relaxation
Practice of surrender and letting go

Perfect for:

Stress relief and anxiety reduction
Bedtime relaxation
Midday reset and grounding
Anyone feeling physically or emotionally tense
Those seeking deeper meditation practice
People who hold tension in their body

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

The Underland Journey Part 2: A Nature Meditation for Self-Discovery and Inner Wisdom

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Welcome to Part 2 of our Underland meditation series. Last week we explored the underground as a place to dispose of what is harmful — trauma, secrets, and pain. This week, we venture deeper to discover the treasure, wisdom, and insight waiting for us in those shadowed spaces.

Inspired by Robert Macfarlane's book Underland, this meditation uses the metaphor of underground cave exploration to guide you through narrow, uncomfortable passages toward expansive inner caverns of insight. Like Alice's journey down the rabbit hole, this practice invites chaos and uncertainty as pathways to profound self-discovery.

What You'll Experience:

Guided progressive relaxation from skin through fascia, muscle, and bone

Extended silent meditation for deep inner exploration

Amazon rainforest nature soundscape

Practice softening resistance rather than fighting your experience

Tools for working with difficult meditation sessions

Perfect for:

Meditation practitioners ready for deeper shadow work

Anyone struggling with dark or difficult meditation experiences

Those seeking self-discovery and inner wisdom

People working through trauma or emotional healing

Claustrophobic feelings in meditation or life

Related Episodes: Listen to Entering The Underland: Nature Meditation for Processing Fear and Underground Healing {part 1} for the complete exploration of disposing of what is harmful before mining for inner treasure.

Content Warning: This episode discusses trauma, shadow work, and difficult emotions. Practice only when you feel physically and emotionally resourced to do so.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Underland Meditation Practice: 10-Minute Guided Meditation with Amazon Rainforest Sounds

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Sometimes the most powerful meditation practice is simply staying present — even when it's uncomfortable. This 10-minute guided meditation invites you to lie down, soften, and surrender to what is, accompanied by the immersive sounds of the Amazon Rainforest.

Instead of trying to fix, change, or escape difficult feelings, this practice asks you to simply be here. To notice your breath. To feel the sounds of the dark rainforest around you. To acknowledge the thoughts and stories in your mind. And to stay for just one more breath.

What To Expect

Guided body scan to release tension and soften into the present moment
Breath awareness practice with gentle reminders to return when your mind wanders
7 minutes of silent meditation with authentic Amazon Rainforest soundscapes
Permission to simply be — without needing comfort, peace, or enjoyment
An invitation to linger in the underland rather than running from discomfort

Perfect For

Quick meditation practice when you're feeling overwhelmed or anxious
Bedtime or deep rest meditation
Practitioners exploring shadow work or darker contemplative practices
Moments when you need to stop running and simply be present
Nature sound meditation lovers

Meditation Details

Length: 10 minutes

Style: Guided meditation with silent practice period

Position: Lying down (or seated if preferred)

Soundscape: Amazon Rainforest field recordings

Best for: Anxiety relief, insomnia, stress reduction, grounding practice, surrender practice

Practice Tip

You don't need to feel peaceful, comfortable, or calm during this meditation. The invitation is simply to be here with what is — the comfortable and uncomfortable, the peaceful and noisy, the enjoyable and unenjoyable. This is your time to stop running and practice staying.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Entering The Underland: Nature Meditation for Processing Fear and Underground Healing {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Not all meditation asks us to find the light; sometimes we need to explore the darkness. In this first episode of the October Underland series, meditation teacher Meryl Arnett invites you to stop running from your fears and instead turn around to face them. Inspired by Robert Macfarlane's book Underland, this episode and meditation practice explores what happens when we acknowledge the darkness, both within ourselves and in the world around us, rather than trying to escape it.

If you've been feeling overwhelmed by political chaos, buried trauma, or simply the weight of difficult emotions you've pushed underground, this meditation will help you understand why staying present to discomfort is the path to genuine healing and transformation.

What To Expect

Understanding the "underland" as both physical space (caves, burial sites) and metaphorical space (the unconscious, buried trauma)

The wisdom of the Three of Swords tarot card: discovering hope at the very center of grief

A guided meditation practice with immersive Amazon Rainforest soundscapes from field recordist Nick McMahan

An invitation to acknowledge what we've disposed of, buried, or hidden that needs our attention

Perfect For

Anyone feeling overwhelmed by political anxiety or helplessness in the face of global events

Meditation practitioners ready to explore deeper, shadow work through contemplative practice

People processing buried trauma, grief, or difficult emotions

Practitioners interested in nature-based meditation with authentic soundscapes

Meditation Details

Length: 22 minutes

Style: Guided meditation with 7-minute silent practice period

Position: Lying down or seated (your choice)

Soundscape: Amazon Rainforest field recordings by Nature Field Recordist Nick McMahan

Best for: Anxiety relief, processing fear, shadow work, trauma acknowledgment, political overwhelm, deep relaxation

Join Meryl throughout October as we explore the underland: what we've disposed of (harmful thoughts and buried trauma), what we can yield (minerals and metaphors), and what we shelter (precious matter and memories).

Next episode: Discover what happens when we soften enough to yield the value and wisdom hidden in our darkness.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Full Harvest Moon Meditation | Supermoon Guided Practice for Deep Relaxation and Sleep

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Experience the ancient practice of moon bathing with this 10-minute guided meditation under the Full Harvest Supermoon. Join Meryl for a deeply restorative nature-inspired meditation that harnesses the moon's soothing energy to calm anxiety, release stress, and prepare your body and mind for restful sleep.

In this episode, you'll be guided through a gentle moon bathing practice that can be done anywhere you feel safe under the night sky — your back porch, yard, campsite, park bench, or even by a window. Learn to absorb the moon's "life-sustaining nectar" while connecting with the cyclical nature of life and the healing power of nighttime in nature.

What is Moon Bathing?

Moon bathing is the practice of intentionally spending time in moonlight to absorb its cooling, calming energy. Across ancient cultures and continuing today, the moon has been honored as sacred energy — a gentle, balancing force that soothes the nervous system and reminds us of life's natural rhythms.

What You'll Experience

Ancient moon bathing techniques honored across cultures for thousands of years

Multi-sensory awareness practice engaging sight, sound, scent, and touch

Grounding visualization connecting you to both earth and sky

13 minutes of guided relaxation perfect for evening wind-down or bedtime

1 minute of silent moon meditation for personal reflection and curiosity

Perfect For

Evening relaxation and pre-sleep wind-down routines

Anyone feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or mentally exhausted

Those seeking to connect with natural cycles and lunar energy

Meditation practitioners wanting to deepen their nature connection

Anyone interested in gentle, accessible outdoor mindfulness practices

Learn more and sign up for Nature's Reflection: A Meditation and Forest Bathing Retreat happening October 23 - 26 here: https://www.hambidge.org/workshop-schedule/natures-reflection-a-meditation-and-forest-bathing-retreat

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Gordon Hempton for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://soundtracker.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Safe Meditation Practices for Trauma Survivors: Expert Tips from David Treleaven

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Not all meditation experiences are peaceful — and that's something we need to talk about.

In this conversation, meditation teacher Meryl Arnett sits down with mindfulness trainer and trauma expert David Treleaven, PhD, author of The Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness Workbook, to explore how trauma impacts meditation and vice versa.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed, dysregulated, or triggered during meditation practice, this episode will help you understand why — and give you practical tools to work with these challenging experiences.

What To Expect

Why meditation can trigger trauma responses and what to do about it

The spectrum of trauma: understanding the difference between stress, traumatic stress, and PTSD

The Window of Tolerance: a powerful framework for knowing when to lean into meditation and when to back off

Being with vs. working with: two essential approaches to meditation practice

Practical regulation tools beyond traditional seated meditation

Perfect For

Meditation practitioners experiencing difficulty or overwhelm in practice

Yoga and meditation teachers wanting to develop trauma-informed teaching skills

Mental health professionals integrating mindfulness into their work

Anyone with a trauma history exploring meditation

Parents helping children develop emotional regulation skills

Anyone interested in understanding the intersection of meditation and mental health

Featured Guest

David Treleaven, PhD is a writer, educator, and trauma professional specializing in trauma-sensitive mindfulness. His work helps meditation teachers and practitioners understand how to work skillfully with trauma in contemplative practice. He's trained thousands of meditation teachers worldwide and his resources include The Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness Workbook and various online trainings.

Find David at: davidtreleaven.com

Resources Mentioned

The Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness Workbook by David Treleaven

Widening the Window by Elizabeth Stanley

Teachers referenced: Tara Brach, Jack Kornfield, Rick Hanson

Free trauma-informed meditation webinar available at davidtreleaven.com

Join the Conversation

Have you experienced challenges in your meditation practice? What tools help you regulate when practice becomes overwhelming? Share your experiences on social media using #meditatewithmeryl

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. If you're experiencing trauma symptoms or mental health concerns, please consult with a qualified mental health professional.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Advanced Meditation Technique: From Linear Time to Timeless Presence

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Just the Meditation -

Join host Meryl Arnett for a profound 15-minute guided meditation that uses advanced breathing techniques to move you from linear thinking into expansive, timeless awareness. This practice progresses from structured spine breathing to flowing circular breath, ultimately releasing into pure presence.

What You'll Experience:

Complete guided meditation moving through three distinct phases

Linear spine breathing to establish awareness and rhythm

Circular breathing technique that dissolves time boundaries

Extended period of unguided timeless meditation (7-8 minutes)

Gentle integration and return to ordinary consciousness

Perfect For:

Experienced meditators ready for deeper practices

Those curious about advanced breathing techniques

Anyone seeking to transcend time-based thinking

Practitioners wanting to explore non-linear meditation states

People interested in the relationship between breath and consciousness

Ready to explore the depths of circular breathing and timeless awareness? Find your meditation seat and join Meryl for this transformative journey beyond linear time.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Let Go Like Falling Leaves: 10-Minute Fall Meditation with Nature Soundscape

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 01:00:00 -0400

A meditation perfect for fall -

Host Meryl Arnett shares a deeply moving story of witnessing three ancient ginkgo trees releasing all their golden leaves at once—a moment so magical that families stopped their cars to stand beneath the "snow" of falling leaves. This beautiful memory becomes the foundation for a 10-minute guided meditation on the art of letting go.

What You'll Experience:

A gentle 10-minute meditation perfect for beginners and experienced practitioners

Immersive forest soundscape with rustling leaves and peaceful bird songs

Tree imagery for grounding, stability, and knowing when to release

This practice is Perfect For:

Anyone struggling with overthinking or mental loops

People seeking stress relief and anxiety reduction

Those new to meditation looking for accessible, nature-based practices

Experienced meditators wanting seasonal inspiration

Anyone feeling stuck or needing to practice release and surrender

Seasonal Reflection:

This meditation is particularly powerful during autumn when nature demonstrates letting go all around us. However, the practice of releasing thoughts like falling leaves is relevant year-round for anyone seeking mental clarity and emotional freedom.

About the Soundscape:

Features authentic forest sounds from Emmy award-winning acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton including gentle breezes rustling through leaves and peaceful bird chatter, creating an immersive natural environment that supports deep relaxation and mindful awareness.

Ready to learn the art of letting go from nature's wisest teachers?

Find a comfortable seat and join Meryl for this touching meditation inspired by the magic of ginkgo trees and falling leaves.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Gordon Hempton for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://soundtracker.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Fall Equinox Forest Bathing Experience: Guided Nature Meditation Practice

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 01:00:00 -0400

The Fall Equinox is a time of balance, and today's episode is a practice devoted to cultivating this balance for the colder, darker months ahead.

Join guest host Eve Payor from Singing Pines as she guides you through an authentic forest bathing experience rooted in the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku. This isn't about hiking or exercising—it's about mindfully receiving nature's healing gifts through all your senses.

What You'll Experience:

Complete guided forest bathing session you can do anywhere—even indoors
Scientific evidence behind nature therapy's powerful health benefits
Sensory awareness practices connecting you to the "more than human world"
Three focused invitations: observing motion, connecting with water, and greeting trees
Reflection opportunities and journaling prompts throughout

The Science Behind Forest Bathing

Research led by Professor Yoshifumi Miyazaki at Chiba University reveals forest bathing:

Significantly lowers stress hormones, blood pressure, and heart rate
Boosts immune system through phytoncides (tree essential oils)
Increases natural killer (NK) cells that fight infections and tumors
Improves cognitive function, memory, and creativity
Reduces risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease
Enhances mood through negative ions found near water sources

Perfect For:

Those wanting to mark the Fall Equinox in a meaningful way
Anyone seeking natural stress relief and anxiety reduction
People interested in science-backed wellness practices
Those wanting to deepen their connection to nature
Beginners to forest bathing and nature therapy
Anyone needing a mindful break from urban overwhelm

What You'll Need:

Access to any natural space (forest, park, or even potted plants)
Optional: journal for reflection
Optional: cup of tea for the closing ceremony
Willingness to slow down and be present

Practice Highlights:

This episode includes a full 30-minute forest bathing experience with guided sensory awareness, three distinct nature connection invitations, and built-in reflection time. Eve's gentle guidance helps you discover the healing power of simply being present with the natural world.

Ready to experience the profound healing of forest bathing? Find your favorite natural space, grab a journal if you'd like, and join Eve for this transformative journey into mindful nature connection.

About Guest Host Eve Payor:

Eve is a certified guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy and founder of Singing Pines, dedicated to sharing Mother Earth's healing power through guided nature experiences.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

The Unsteadiness of Stones: Understanding Time and Timelessness in Meditation {part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 01:00:00 -0400

In this third installment of the "Steadiness of Stone" series, host Meryl Arnett guides us through a fascinating exploration of time's flexible nature and how meditation reveals timeless awareness beyond our everyday linear experience.

What You'll Discover:

Why Einstein and modern physics prove time is relative - and how meditation shows us this truth
The difference between chronos (chronological time) and kairos (mythic, timeless moments)
How dreams operate outside linear time and what this teaches us about consciousness
Why expecting specific outcomes from meditation leads to disappointment
How to recognize and fall into timeless states during your practice

Featured Meditation Practice:

Experience a unique circular breathing technique designed to help you step out of linear time progression and into expansive, timeless awareness. This 15-minute guided practice uses breath visualization to move from linear spine breathing to circular flow, ultimately releasing into pure presence.

Key Takeaways:

Meditation naturally reveals time's fluid, relative nature
Some insights come as sudden knowing beyond logical progression
Timeless states can't be forced but emerge through consistent, non-expectant practice
Both anxiety-filled and blissful meditations demonstrate time's flexibility
Circular time and loop theory suggest past and future may be illusions

Perfect For:

Meditators curious about the deeper mysteries of consciousness, anyone struggling with time anxiety or meditation expectations, and those interested in how ancient wisdom aligns with modern physics.

Resources Mentioned:

Carlo Rovelli (Italian physicist)

"Divination and Synchronicity: The Psychology of Meaningful Chance" (Jungian psychology)

Poem: "The Three Oddest Words" by Wislawa Szymborska

Ready to explore timeless awareness? Grab your favorite tea, find a comfortable seat, and join Meryl for this mind-expanding journey beyond the ticking clock.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Guided Nature Meditation: Expanding Time by Sitting Riverside

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Just The Meditation

So many of us approach meditation with pressure, rules, and expectations—only to feel more overwhelmed than connected. In today's meditation practice, we explore a fresh, nature-inspired perspective on meditation that expands time, deepens your connection to the present moment, and helps you discover your personal “now.”

Press play now and join me.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Embracing the Expansive Edge of Now: The Steadiness of Stones Nature Meditation {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 01:00:00 -0400

What if your experience of time could actually shift the way you feel your anxiety?

So many of us approach meditation with pressure, rules, and expectations—only to feel more overwhelmed than connected. In this episode, we explore a fresh, nature-inspired perspective on meditation that expands time, deepens your connection to the present moment, and helps you discover your personal “now.”

You’ll learn how shifting your relationship to time can transform your mental health and create more resilience, even when life feels fast and chaotic.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

Why anxiety eases when you stop chasing the “perfect” meditation practice.

How sitting still expands your personal now and builds inner resilience.

A grounded, nature-inspired way to feel more connected and less overwhelmed.

Listen now to step into meditation with freedom instead of pressure—and discover a deeply personal path to mental health and connection.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Harvest Moon Nature Meditation: Moonlight Bathing

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 01:00:00 -0400

For the Full Harvest Moon: A Moonlight Bathing Meditation

In this episode, you’ll be guided through a gentle, nature-inspired meditation practice designed to honor the full Harvest Moon, ease feelings of overwhelm, nurture resilience, and deepen your sense of connection with yourself and the world around you. Using the power of moonlight, breath, and stillness, you’ll discover how simple moments outdoors can profoundly support your mental health.

Take a pause, step outside, and let this moonlit meditation guide you into peace and clarity—listen now and feel the shift.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Gordon Hempton for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://soundtracker.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

The Antidote to "I don't have time" - The Steadiness of Stones Nature Meditation {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 01:00:00 -0400

What if the way you think about time is actually feeding your anxiety?

In this episode, we explore how meditation can shift your relationship with time—freeing you from the pressure of the clock and helping you feel more grounded, connected, and resilient. Instead of rushing through moments or relying on timers, this practice invites you to sit with stillness and discover a timeless space within yourself.

You’ll walk away with:

A nature-inspired perspective on time that reduces feelings of being overwhelmed. Today's nature sounds come from the Eastern Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest.

A meditation approach that creates mental health benefits by slowing down anxiety.

Practical ways to build resilience and deepen your connection through timeless practice.

Take a breath, let go of the ticking clock, and discover how meditation can transform your experience of time—press play to begin.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Melting Into Sleep Meditation: A Nature-Inspired Bubble of Calm to Soothe Anxiety

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Are you lying awake at night, overwhelmed by racing thoughts and rising anxiety?

This episode guides you through a meditation practice designed to ease tension, quiet the mind, and help you melt into deep, restorative sleep.

Instead of battling your body or forcing your breath, you’ll discover how meditation, connection to nature-inspired imagery, and gentle awareness can transform anxiety into calm and resilience—supporting your mental health in a way that feels natural and sustainable.

In this practice, you’ll experience how to:

Release stress and tension from head to toe through mindful breathwork.

Build a circle of calm and safety to soothe anxiety and support sleep.

Strengthen your resilience by connecting to the flow of breath as a grounding anchor.

Drift into peace and connection—tune in now to discover how meditation can help you quiet anxiety and embrace rest.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

5-minute New Moon Nature Meditation: Foster Connection & Build Resilience

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 01:00:00 -0400

A New Moon Meditation

This short guided moon meditation offers you a gentle practice to pause, connect with nature, and find resilience in stillness.

Too often, when anxiety hits, we look for quick fixes or distractions. But what if the answer lies in slowing down, syncing with your breath, and connecting to something bigger than yourself—the rhythm of the natural world?

In this 5-minute moon meditation, you’ll discover:

How to use breath awareness to release anxiety and tension.

The power of connecting with nature to restore mental health and inner balance.

A simple nighttime practice that strengthens resilience when you feel overwhelmed.

Take this moment for yourself. Press play now and let meditation guide you back to calm, connection, and peace.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Snowy Crickets Sleep Meditation: Let Nature Unwind Anxiety and Release Overwhelm

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Is overwhelm or anxiety causing sleep struggles?

It’s frustrating to lie in bed, mind racing, despite your best efforts to relax. But what if your meditation practice is missing the one thing that could truly settle your nervous system—nature-inspired simplicity?

In this nature-inspired guided nighttime session, you’ll be gently led through a calming journey of sound, breath, and progressive muscle relaxation, all set to the soft, slow rhythms of snowy crickets in Eastern Washington. Designed for anyone navigating anxiety, stress, or sleep struggles, this episode brings intentional stillness back into your life.

You’ll discover:

A simple yet powerful method to release tension from every part of your body.

A nature-based sensory experience that promotes deeper mind-body connection.

A meditative sleep ritual that helps ease anxiety and build emotional resilience.

Press play and let your breath—and the crickets—guide you into calm.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Amazon Rainforest Sleep Meditation: Transform Anxiety Into Inner Peace

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Ever felt like meditation isn’t working for your anxiety?

You’re not alone. Many people try to sit in silence only to find their thoughts racing, their bodies tense, and their minds stuck on daily stressors. But what if the secret to easing anxiety was letting nature do the heavy lifting?

In this episode, we guide you through a sensory journey deep into the Amazon rainforest—blending progressive muscle relaxation, mindful body scanning, and the sounds of the wild to create a calm that lasts long after the practice ends.

By the end, you’ll discover:

How to release physical tension step-by-step so your mind naturally follows into calm.

Why connecting with nature-inspired soundscapes can restore mental clarity and resilience.

The simple meditation cues that can anchor you when feeling overwhelmed.

Let this immersive practice help you trade anxious restlessness for deep, grounded stillness—press play and breathe easier tonight.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Full Sturgeon Moon Nature-Inspired Meditation: Ancestral Wisdom from the South Carolina Wetlands

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 01:00:00 -0400

This August, under the glow of the Full Sturgeon Moon, you’re invited to slow down and listen deeply—just like the ancient sturgeon who’ve glided through waters since the Jurassic era.

In this moonlit meditation, we connect to the energy of these “living fossils” and tap into the quiet power of ancestral wisdom. Set against the soundscape of a South Carolina wetland, you will hear the call of a Barred owl, the hush of insects, and the splash of feeding fish. This practice is a gentle invitation to rest in the flow of time.

Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or simply seeking more mental clarity, this practice offers a quiet but powerful path to mental health resilience.

In this episode, you’ll experience:

A calming, immersive full moon meditation that uses a wetlands nature soundscape, recorded by accoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton, to soothe anxiety

A guided visualization rooted in ancient wisdom to deepen your connection and resilience

Subtle breathing techniques to release tension and anchor you in the present moment

Press play now for a moment of stillness and to see what ancient knowing rises to meet you.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Gordon Hempton for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://soundtracker.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Ocean Waves Sleep Meditation: Nature-Inspired Stress Relief at Rialto Beach

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Do you struggle with anxiety and racing thoughts at night—just when you need rest most?

This soothing, nature-inspired meditation guides you into deep stillness using techniques that gently calm the body and mind—no pressure to perform, no spiritual overwhelm. Whether you’re new to meditation or returning after a stressful day, this practice helps you reconnect with your breath, your body, and the world around you.

You’ll walk away with:

A simple body-scan method to relieve physical tension and emotional stress

A guided eye-focused technique that slows mental chatter and eases anxiety

An ocean-waves nature soundscape recorded at Rialto Beach that promotes sleep and emotional resilience

Let this session be your nightly reset—press play and melt into true relaxation.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Guided Nature Meditation: Soften Anxiety & Reclaim Calm in Overwhelming Times

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Just The Meditation!

In today's guided nature meditation, you’re invited to stop fixing and start feeling. Through a summer rainstorm-inspired meditation, we explore how to make peace with uncertainty and honor the mysterious rhythms within and around you.

If anxiety has you gripping for control, this practice will help you release the need to understand and soften into your own resilient presence.

Press play and practice now!

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

How to Find Calm Without “Figuring It Out”: A Nature-Inspired Rebellion Against Overthinking (guided meditation included)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Do you try to meditate your way out of anxiety—only to feel more overwhelmed when clarity doesn't come?

In this final episode of the Chaos to Calm series, you’re invited to stop fixing and start feeling. Through nature-inspired meditation, we explore how to make peace with uncertainty and honor the mysterious rhythms within and around you.

If anxiety has you gripping for control, this practice will help you release the need to understand and soften into your own resilient presence.

Here’s what you’ll take away:

A new way to relate to anxiety—by listening instead of solving.

How fractal patterns in nature mirror your inner world (and how that builds calm).

A gentle practice to help you reconnect with your breath, your body, and the deep mystery of life.

Let go of control, soften your edges, and rediscover your connection to calm—press play now.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

New Moon Nature Meditation | Like A Clock in a Thunderstorm

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Ever feel like your thoughts are louder than summer thunder?

This short, New Moon nature-inspired meditation is your invitation to step into calm—even if the world around you feels chaotic.

If anxiety has you feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or simply exhausted, this guided 5-minute practice offers a soft place to land.

Rooted in imagery, rhythm, and silence, you’ll explore how breath and awareness can bring you back to steadiness—just like a clock in a thunderstorm.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

- A gentle technique to regulate anxiety in under 5 minutes

- How breath and nature-based imagery can reconnect you to inner calm

- A subtle mindset shift to carry resilience with you throughout your day

Press play now to reclaim your sense of steadiness—no matter the storm around you.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Gordon Hempton for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://soundtracker.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

10 Min Nature Meditation: Summer Storms Inside the Labyrinth (Moving from Chaos to Calm)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Just the Meditation

Using the metaphor of spiral fractals and labyrinths found in nature, we dive deep into what it really means to “spiral inward” when our external world feels out of control.

As you meditate, you will hear the sounds of a summer thunderstorm recorded by Nick McMahan in Eastern Washington at the Ponderay Wildlife Refuge. Sounds of Aspen, thunder and crickets guides you gently inwards.

Whether you're new to meditation or returning to your practice, this episode offers permission to meet yourself exactly where you are. It’s an invitation to pause, listen, and breathe—even in the middle of it all.

Press play now!

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

The Labyrinth of Meditation: Finding Calm in the Spiral of Chaos (Anxiety & Mental Health Resilience)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 01:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we explore how the practice of meditation can gently guide us through moments of anxiety and overwhelm—especially when life feels chaotic and unpredictable. Using the metaphor of spiral fractals and labyrinths found in nature, we dive deep into what it really means to “spiral inward” when our external world feels out of control.

Host Meryl shares personal insights and practical reflections on:

- How meditation builds mental health resilience

- Why patterns of anxiety often repeat—and how noticing them is the first step to healing

- Letting go of the expectation that meditation always leads to calm

- Embracing discomfort and distraction as part of the process

- A powerful mindset shift: from “this too shall pass” to “this too shall last”

- Nature-inspired ways to connect with the present moment and restore inner connection

Join us for a guided 10-minute meditation at the end of the episode.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Oracle Card Ritual: Shadow Work on the Full Moon to Balance Overwhelm and Anxiety

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Do you ever sit down to meditate... only to feel more overwhelmed or disconnected?

If anxiety has made your usual grounding practices feel ineffective, this reflective Thunder Moon episode brings a fresh perspective. Meryl guides you through a nature-inspired Oracle card ritual that invites emotional clarity and self-compassion — perfect for listeners who are feeling mentally scattered or in need of deeper connection.

In this short, powerful episode, you’ll discover:

1. A unique meditation ritual using Oracle cards to support emotional resilience

2. How the archetype of The Lover can reveal hidden blocks in your relationships with others and yourself

3. A calming, breath-led practice to recenter your nervous system and reconnect to your body

Listen now to return to your center — and reimagine your relationship with anxiety.

Referenced in this episode:

The Witch's Shadow Work Oracle

by Clare Gogerty, illustrated by Tijana Lukovic

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-witchs-shadow-work-oracle-clare-gogerty/1144968776?ean=9781786788405

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Thunder Full Moon Meditation: Transform Anxious Energy Into Emotional Clarity

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 01:00:00 -0400

What if your next moment of clarity is already rumbling inside you—just waiting for stillness?

This episode invites you to step into the quiet magic of July’s Thunder Full Moon, a time of year when nature is alive with messages of growth, change, and emotional expansion. If anxiety has been whispering or roaring lately, this moonlit meditation is here to help you realign.

You’ll reconnect with your breath, body, and the natural world using the rhythmic wisdom of thunder, lightning, and stillness as your guide.

In this moonlit episode, you’ll discover:

- How tuning into natural cycles can calm anxious energy and sharpen inner clarity

- A meditative practice to ground yourself in presence using the senses

- A simple question to ask yourself that creates space for emotional breakthroughs

Settle in and press play to hear what your heart - and the moon - are whispering to you tonight.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

15 min Guided Thunderstorm Nature Meditation: From Chaos to Calm

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Just The Meditation

A 15-minute guided Thunderstorm nature meditation moving you from total chaos to total calm.

This episode explores how seemingly small stressors create deep emotional fractals—repeating patterns of response that pull us further into anxiety. Drawing insight from both parenting chaos and nature’s geometry, Meryl guides us to use meditation not just as an escape, but as pattern recognition and real-time course correction.

You’ll discover:

1. How to use simple breath awareness to interrupt overwhelming mental loops

2. What nature’s fractals can teach us about emotional resilience and healing

3. A subtle mindset shift to bring more compassion and calm to chaotic seasons

Tune in now to transform anxiety into insight—and calm your nervous system from the inside out.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

From Total Chaos to Inner Calm: What Nature Meditation Taught Me About Anxiety

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Is your anxiety trying to teach you something, but you’re too overwhelmed to hear it?

You’ll discover:

1. How to use simple breath awareness to interrupt overwhelming mental loops

2. What nature’s fractals can teach us about emotional resilience and healing

3. A subtle mindset shift to bring more compassion and calm to chaotic seasons

Tune in now to transform anxiety into insight—and calm your nervous system from the inside out.

**In this episode, I reference images of fractals. You can view these fractals here: https://fractalfoundation.org/fractivities/WhatIsaFractal-1pager.pdf

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

3 Journal Prompts to Calm Your Anxiety Through Nature-Inspired Meditation

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 01:00:00 -0400

What if your anxiety is trying to lead you somewhere meaningful?

In this final episode of the Wayfinding Meditation Series, we turn inward with three nature-rooted journal prompts designed to bring clarity, calm, and inner steadiness during uncertain times. Whether you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or just in need of stillness, these reflections are here to guide you.

You'll walk away with:

- A simple process to tune into your internal compass using meditation and journaling

- Insight into how nature-based rituals can soothe anxiety and support emotional clarity

- Practices to help you pause, reflect, and realign without forcing answers

Take 10 mindful minutes today and let Nature and Meditation help you move through Anxiety with more grace—press play now.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

How Ritual, Nature and Meditation Help Transform Overwhelm Into Resilience During a Time of Global Anxiety

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Are you using meditation to manage anxiety, but still feel disconnected or overwhelmed?

This conversation with artist and ritualist Day Schildkret explores how meditation alone may not be enough to meet the intensity of our mental health needs — especially during major life transitions. Learn how ritual, connection to nature, and intentional rest can support emotional resilience in ways meditation can’t always reach.

You’ll discover:

- Why ritual is often the missing link in a meditation practice that's failing to soothe anxiety.

- How to create nature-inspired rituals that help you slow down and reconnect with your inner self.

- The real reason we struggle with transitions and how to build meaningful containers for healing.

Listen now to uncover a grounded, nature-connected approach to managing anxiety with more clarity, compassion, and resilience.

Day Schildkret, the artist and author behind the international Morning Altars movement, believes that what we need is ritual. Rituals are our most trusted guide during times of change. They give us a sense of stability in the face of uncertainty and remind us that there's always something we can do, say, or make to conjure awe, courage and gratitude. Rituals offer us a tangible and time tested way to acknowledge that as life changes, we too must change.

Learn more about Day here: https://www.morningaltars.com/

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

15 min Guided Meditation | Summer Solstice Finding Stillness in the Forest

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Just the meditation

The Summer Solstice is a stillpoint - a moment that begs you to pause, to feel your feet on the earth, and restablish where you are going.

When anxiety floods your mind and the pressure to “keep going” feels overwhelming, stillness might feel like the last thing you need—but it’s exactly what this nature-inspired meditation practice offers. In this reflective and grounding episode, Meryl guides you through a mossy metaphor that gently invites you to stop, listen, and reconnect with your body’s inner wisdom.

Take a breath, settle onto a soft patch of moss (real or metaphorical), and listen now to reconnect with your calm center.

The nature soundscape you hear in today's episode invites us to journey from ocean, to jungle, to forest. You will hear:

Chimes and bowl recordings of Opal Hopkins

Ocean Surf: Maui

Jungle Frogs: Borneo Indonesia (Kalimantan) - Iban Territory

Jungle bird at night (common pootoo): Amazon Basin Ecuador - Cofan Territory

Wind and creek: Pacific Northwest

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Summer Solstice: A Still Point for Meditation, Nature, and Anxiety Relief

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Are you constantly searching for clarity in the middle of emotional chaos?

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why pausing—rather than pushing—can be the most resilient choice when you feel lost

How nature offers powerful parallels for managing anxiety and reconnecting with self

A simple but profound meditation technique to ground yourself when overwhelmed

Take a breath, find your moss, and listen now to reconnect with your calm center.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

5 Minute Guided Meditation | Breathe Here: A Meditation for Living in a Broken World

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Feel like the world is unraveling right now?

There are moments when sitting down for a 20-minute meditation might not feel possible... When images from Gaza burn behind our eyes, when cruel immigration policies threaten dignity and humanity, when protest becomes our last resort—and even that feels like it's not enough. When our nervous system is too disregulated to be still.

In this episode, we offer a lifeline.

The SOS Calm meditation is one of the most immediate ways to return to yourself amidst the chaos. It’s not about tuning out the heartbreak, but about remembering how to breathe inside it. How to stay grounded so that we can keep showing up.

This practice is brief, tangible, and here exactly for these kinds of moments.

You’ll learn how to:

- Regulate anxiety with a powerful exhale-focused breath technique.

- Use physical sensation to reconnect with your body and reduce overwhelm.

- Create a resilient, calm space—anywhere, anytime.

May it offer a breath of safety, a thread of calm, and the reminder that you are not alone.

Take five minutes for yourself—your mental health deserves it.

Listen now and feel the shift.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

A Strawberry Full Moon Meditation to Restore Calm & Connection When Anxiety Peaks

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 12:00:00 -0400

What if simply gazing at the moon could help you calm your anxiety?

In this gentle yet grounding meditation aligned with June’s Strawberry Moon, you'll be guided to connect with the natural world around you and slow your breath—helping you release mental overwhelm and foster inner resilience.

Through this full moon practice, you’ll discover:

- How to create a calming ritual that supports your mental health

- Techniques to release anxiety using breath, sound, and scent awareness

- A powerful sense of connection—to yourself, to nature, and to human history

Press play and give yourself space to soften your edges, breathe with intention, and realign with peace.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

Guided Nature Meditation: Wayfinding To Calm Anxiety

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Just The Meditation!

This episode offers a guided meditation inviting you to reconnect with nature’s rhythms — from moss lines to constellations — to ground your nervous system and deepen your meditation practice.

Whether you’ve felt swallowed by the news cycle, emotionally flooded, or just spiritually adrift, you’ll discover how to locate your inner compass through timeless, tangible waypoints.

You’ll learn:

- A meditation technique inspired by ancient wayfinding and seasonal awareness.

- How natural cues (like wind and stars) can quiet anxiety and restore presence.

- Why trusting your inner compass starts with subtle, external observation.

Today's wayfinding soundscape was created by nature field recordist Nick McMahan and includes a variety of locations including:

- Ocean Surf: Maui

- Jungle Frogs: Borneo Indonesia (Kalimantan) - Iban Territory

- Jungle bird at night (common pootoo): Amazon Basin Ecuador - Cofan Territory

- Wind and creek: Pacific Northwest

Listen now to rediscover peace in the overwhelm — and your own power to navigate it.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

The Nature-Based Meditation Practice That Reconnects You When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 01:00:00 -0400

What if the solution to your overwhelm has been outside all along?

When anxiety surges and modern tools fall short, your body and breath might not be the only things guiding you. This episode explores how reconnecting with nature’s rhythms — from moss lines to constellations — can ground your nervous system and deepen your meditation practice.

Whether you’ve felt swallowed by the news cycle, emotionally flooded, or just spiritually adrift, you’ll discover how to locate your inner compass through timeless, tangible waypoints.

You’ll learn:

- A meditation technique inspired by ancient wayfinding and seasonal awareness.

- How natural cues (like wind and stars) can quiet anxiety and restore presence.

- Why trusting your inner compass starts with subtle, external observation.

Today's wayfinding soundscape was created by nature field recordist Nick McMahan and includes a variety of locations including:

- Ocean Surf: Maui

- Jungle Frogs: Borneo Indonesia (Kalimantan) - Iban Territory

- Jungle bird at night (common pootoo): Amazon Basin Ecuador - Cofan Territory

- Wind and creek: Pacific Northwest

Listen now to rediscover peace in the overwhelm — and your own power to navigate it.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

15 Minute Guided Meditation: Connect to Spirit & Wild Earth

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 01:00:00 -0400

✨ Just The Meditation ✨

Today's meditation practice is a call to deepen your relationship with meditation—not by escaping your overwhelmed state, but by connecting with the wild, chaotic earth, by connecting to Spirit as your source of grounding. Using a gentle yet powerful breathing mantra and a perspective rooted in ancient wisdom, this practice helps reframe what it means to feel instead of think your way through inner chaos.

15 minute guided meditation -

Let this episode help you ground your spirit and ease anxiety—press play now to reconnect with yourself and the world around you.

This meditation features a rainy spring dawn in the Pacific Northwest as recorded by Nick McMahan. Snowmelt from the Cascade mountains and frequent cloud cover causes streams and rivulets to pop up along mountainside. This particular valley, like many in the western cascade range, has many small marshy areas surrounded by tall evergreen trees. In spring, the nights are filled with sounds of the Cascades Frog and a persistent white noise from nearby flowing water. A dawn chorus starts early and quiets down as a rain shower approaches.

This region of Washington is the ancestral lands of the Stillaguamish People.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketing

Connect to Spirit - Wild Earth Meditation: Calm Anxiety Without Trying to “Fix” It

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 29 May 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Feeling emotionally fried or frozen by anxiety?

Modern life constantly pulls us between panic and paralysis—but what if your meditation practice could bridge that gap?

This episode is a call to deepen your relationship with meditation—not by escaping your overwhelmed state, but by connecting with the wild, chaotic earth, by connecting to Spirit as your source of grounding. Using a gentle yet powerful breathing mantra and a perspective rooted in ancient wisdom, this practice helps reframe what it means to feel instead of think your way through inner chaos.

Here’s what you’ll discover in this episode:

How to connect to Spirit using nature-based meditation to regulate overwhelm and emotional extremes

Why “So Hum” breathing restores calm when anxiety spikes

A mindset shift to embrace chaos as connection—not something to escape

Let this episode help you ground your spirit and ease anxiety—press play now to reconnect with yourself and the world around you.

This region of Washington is the ancestral lands of the Stillaguamish People.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketing

5 Minute Guided Forest Bathing Meditation with Eve Payor

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 26 May 2025 01:00:00 -0400

✨ Just the Meditation

Join Forest Therapy Guide Eve Payor for a 5 minute Forest Bathing Experience you can do anywhere.

If you are feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or disconnected—despite your meditation practice - this practice is for you!

Ready to ease anxiety and feel less overwhelmed? Grab your headphones and journal, and then press play to discover a healing form of meditation grounded in nature.

Learn more about our upcoming Fall Forest Bathing & Meditation Retreat in North Georgia here: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/X9HPR1qFvQCifO867toVjQ

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

Check out Eve Payor and Singing Pines Forest Bathing here: https://www.singingpines.co/

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s editing and nature soundscape; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen/

Should You Try Forest Bathing If You’re Meditating But Still Feel Overwhelmed By Anxiety?

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 22 May 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Are you feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or disconnected—despite your meditation practice?

This episode explores how forest bathing—a mindful, sensory connection to nature—offers a profound way to release anxiety and return to balance, especially when traditional meditation falls short.

Discover why simply being with nature—not hiking, not exercising—can be a transformative antidote to overwhelm and mental fatigue.

In this calming episode, forest therapy guide Eve Payor will share:

Why your overwhelmed nervous system responds differently to nature than to indoor meditation

How forest aromas and sounds scientifically reduce anxiety and boost immunity

Simple, grounding forest bathing invitations you can try—even if you aren't in the forest!

Ready to ease anxiety and feel less overwhelmed? Press play and discover a healing form of meditation grounded in nature.

Learn more about our upcoming Fall Forest Bathing & Meditation Retreat in North Georgia here: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/X9HPR1qFvQCifO867toVjQ

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

Check out Eve Payor and Singing Pines Forest Bathing here: https://www.singingpines.co/

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s editing and nature soundscapes; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen/

15 minute Guided Meditation: Chakra Meditation for Self-Connection and Energy Restoration

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 19 May 2025 01:00:00 -0400

✨Just the Meditation

Join us for a powerful guided chakra meditation designed to restore your connection to self and refill your cup. Perfect for anyone experiencing burnout, emotional exhaustion, or feeling disconnected despite regular self-care practices.

This episode includes a full guided meditation that walks you through connecting with each energy center in your body.

Today's meditation is paired with the sounds of Spring in the Pacific Northwest. Typically a damp rainy season, this soundscape is filled with flowing water, Cascades frog calls, and a dawn chorus quieted by the rain.

Get comfy and press play now!

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com

https://www.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketing

Overcoming Anxiety & Burnout: Mindful Chakra Meditation for Self-Connection

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 15 May 2025 01:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we explore why we often feel disconnected from ourselves despite regular self-care routines, and how mindfulness meditation can help us truly refill our energy cups. Join us for a powerful guided chakra meditation designed to restore your connection to self.

What You'll Hear:

The Self-Care Paradox

Discover why traditional self-care activities sometimes fail to replenish your energy, and how even dedicated meditators experience moments of complete emotional exhaustion and depletion.

The Multitasking Trap

Learn how our habit of splitting awareness—checking notifications during coffee with friends, mentally making to-do lists while watching TV—transforms potentially restorative activities into energy drains.

Energy Centers Meditation

Experience a complete guided chakra meditation that moves through the body's energy centers—from earth element at your root to universal connection beyond your crown—to reestablish deep self-connection.

Nature Soundscape

This episode includes a full guided meditation that walks you through connecting with each energy center in your body. Perfect for anyone experiencing burnout, emotional exhaustion, or feeling disconnected despite regular self-care practices.

Press play now!

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com

https://www.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketing

10 Minute Guided Meditation: May's Full Flower Moon

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 12 May 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Experience the energy of May's Full Flower Moon in this peaceful guided meditation. When flowers are in full bloom, it's time for the Flower Moon - a reminder not to hold back but to let your full energy shine.

This gentle meditation helps you connect with the natural world, inviting you to find a comfortable spot near a window or outside where you can sense the world around you. Through breath awareness and sensory observation, you'll tap into the energy of the Flower Moon while finding stillness and presence.

The nature sounds in this episode come from Antilon Lake in central Washington. On the edge of a vast wilderness, the small lake and wetland are a watering hole for many local wildlife species. It's an early spring night in the eastern Cascade foothills. Hear the high-toned call of a Northern Saw-whet Owl, the low hoot of the Great Horned Owl, and the faint and less consistent call of a mountain lion. The combination of these unique animal vocalizations makes a fascinating and eerie recording done on a cool spring night under a full moon. The Chelan people were the first to hear the sounds of this landscape.

Press play now to immerse yourself in a calming meditation journey that connects you with the rhythms of nature and the timeless experience of gazing at the same moon that has been witnessed by humans across the arc of time.

This meditation guides you to:

- Find a comfortable position that feels steady and supported

- Establish a natural breathing rhythm

- Notice the sensations around you - temperature, scent, and sound

- Gradually open your eyes to take in the moonlight and night sky

- Connect with the universal human experience of moon-gazing

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketing

4 Simple Ways to Foster Connection and Improve Mental Health

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 08 May 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Want to improve your mental health? One of the easiest and most effective steps you can take is to foster to CONNECTION

But to what?

And how?

In this episode, Dr. Adam Dorsay, author and host of the podcast Super Psyched, joins us for conversation about the intricacies of connection.

What You'll Hear:

Understanding Connection

Dr. Dorsay defines connection as "an internal emotional response that makes you feel alive" and reveals how disconnection appears in nearly every mental health diagnosis in the DSM. His framework identifies four essential types of connection: to Self, Others, the World, and Something Greater.

Everyday Disconnectors

Discover how our brain's preference for efficiency, constant device use, planning ahead, social comparison, and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) prevent us from experiencing true connection and presence in our daily lives.

The Nature Connection

Learn about the restorative power of "forest bathing," how birdsong signals safety to our brains, and why time in nature visibly changes our appearance and emotional state.

About Dr. Adam Dorsay:

Dr. Adam Dorsay is a licensed psychologist, speaker, and author of "Super Psyched: Unleash the Power of the Four Types of Connection and Live the Life You Love." With over 20,000 hours of psychotherapy experience, Dr. Dorsay has developed a unique framework for understanding how connection impacts mental health and overall wellbeing. His approach combines clinical experience with practical wisdom to help people live more fully and authentically.

Resources:

Book: "Super Psyched: Unleash the Power of the Four Types of Connection and Live the Life You Love"

Podcast: Super Psyched with Dr. Adam Dorsay

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com

https://www.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketing

Guided Meditation: Connection & Resilience for the Overwhelmed, Anxious Mind

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 05 May 2025 01:00:00 -0400

✨Just the meditation

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, our May meditation series is going to dive into CONNECTION - to Self, to others, to the natural world and to Spirit - as a response to the mental health crisis of our time: disconnection.

Experience a guided meditation that helps awaken your senses, quiet the overwhelmed and anxious mind, and build a resilient, connected spirit.

Press play now to immerse yourself in a heartfelt meditation journey that strengthens your connection to yourself, your community, and the living world around you.

This meditation features a rainy spring dawn in the Pacific Northwest as recorded by Nick McMahan. Snowmelt from the Cascade mountains and frequent cloud cover causes streams and rivulets to pop up along mountainside. This particular valley, like many in the western cascade range, has many small marshy areas surrounded by tall evergreen trees. By April the nights are filled with sounds of the Cascades Frog and a persistent white noise from nearby flowing water. A dawn chorus starts early and quiets down as a rain shower approaches.

This region of Washington is the ancestral lands of the Stillaguamish People.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketing

How Meditation Builds Connection and Resilience in a Disconnected World {Mental Health Awareness Month}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 01 May 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Disconnection is THE mental health crisis of our time.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, our May meditation series is going to dive into CONNECTION - to Self, to others, to the natural world and to Spirit.

In a time marked by political chaos, rising loneliness, and emotional exhaustion, many are searching for ways to restore a deep sense of belonging. This episode explores how meditation can be a powerful tool to reconnect — not only to ourselves and to each other, but also to the natural world that sustains us.

Discover why connection and resilience are the two most vital gifts meditation offers during times of crisis - and how to build these qualities.

Learn how our innate bond with the earth calms the overwhelmed, anxious and exhausted mind.

Experience a guided meditation that helps awaken your senses, quiet the mind and build a resilient, connected spirit.

Press play now to immerse yourself in a heartfelt meditation journey that strengthens your connection to yourself, your community, and the living world around you.

This meditation features a rainy spring dawn in the Pacific Northwest as recorded by Nick McMahan. Snowmelt from the Cascade mountains and frequent cloud cover causes streams and rivulets to pop up along mountainside. This particular valley, like many in the western cascade range, has many small marshy areas surrounded by tall evergreen trees. By April the nights are filled with sounds of the Cascades Frog and a persistent white noise from nearby flowing water. A dawn chorus starts early and quiets down as a rain shower approaches.

This region of Washington is the ancestral lands of the Stillaguamish People.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketing

Guided Meditation: Why Tuning Into the Earth Element Can Instantly Soothe Burnout & the Overwhelmed Mind

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Just the Meditation ✨

In times of burnout, uncertainty, or overwhelming responsibility, it’s easy to feel unmoored. This episode offers a grounding antidote: reconnecting with the Earth not just as a planet, but as a living, supportive force beneath you. Whether you're navigating stress, healing from disconnection, or simply craving calm, this meditation practice will anchor you.

Press play to journey into the heart of Earth energy and walk away feeling more supported, connected, and calm than when you arrived.

Today's soundscape is from Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest on the east coast of the United Sates as recorded by Gordon Hempton. The Cherokee people are indignenous to this area and were the first people to hear the sounds of this forest.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Gordon Hempton for today’s nature field recordings, and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://soundtracker.com/

https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

From Burned Out to Resilient: How Earth Meditation Rebuilt My Inner Foundation

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Have you ever truly felt held by the Earth—not just standing on it, but supported in a deep, ancestral way?

Experience how ancient trails, rock outcroppings, and rooted trees can reflect and hold our modern-day worries.

Learn the power of staying still long enough to feel genuinely supported by the Earth.

Discover how meditation and elemental practice can help restore your sense of belonging and inner stability.

Press play to journey into the heart of Earth energy and walk away feeling more supported, connected, and calm than when you arrived.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Gordon Hempton for today’s nature field recordings, and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://soundtracker.com/

https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

Earth Day Meditation & Nature Reflection {Retreat Recording}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Honoring Earth Day ✨

In a fast-paced world where we often feel disconnected from ourselves and the earth, this episode offers a gentle yet powerful reminder that simple acts—like arranging flowers or walking in nature—can become profound spiritual practices that reduce anxiety and quiet the overwhelmed mind. Any yet, these elemental experiences aren't just calming—they reconnect us to something timeless and essential.

Discover how three ancient texts across different traditions honor the Earth element as both cosmic and deeply personal.

Learn how practices like flower arranging or stone stacking can become meditative rituals that nourish your soul, reduce anxiety and soothe the overwhelmed mind.

Feel inspired to infuse your daily routine with majesty, grounding, and a sense of belonging to a larger spiritual lineage.

Tune in now to honor Earth Day and explore how the Earth element can transform your everyday actions into sacred practices of connection, resilience and mindfulness.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Guided Water Meditation: Let Go and Trust the Journey

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 01:00:00 -0400

✨Just the Meditation✨

In this episode, we explore the powerful lessons of the water element in meditation. Water moves with ease, follows the path of least resistance, and embraces the journey rather than the destination. If you’ve ever struggled with fear of the unknown or feeling stuck in life, this episode is for you.

Press play now and discover how embracing the lessons of water can help you find peace, trust your journey, and move forward with ease.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

From Resistance to Flow: The Water-Inspired Path to Mindfulness

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Are you holding on too tightly to control, fear, or the familiar? What if the secret to peace was learning to let go—just like water?

Learn how water’s natural flow mirrors the path of mindfulness and personal growth.

Discover why resistance creates stagnation—and how to overcome it.

Explore meditation techniques inspired by wind, fire, water, and earth for deeper self-awareness.

Press play now and discover how embracing the lessons of water can help you find peace, trust your journey, and move forward with ease.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

{Mini Meditation} Fire Meditation to Avoid Emotional Burnout and Reignite Passion

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 01:00:00 -0400

✨ Just the Meditation ✨

Fire is perhaps the most often referenced element within sacred practices from around the world. In cultures near and far, the belly is seen as the home of our life force, our passion, our drive, our digestion {of food, thought and feeling}.

When we work with the element of fire in our meditation practice, it is useful to reflect on the element of fire in the external world as well -

In reading about controlled burns of forest, two of the most often cited benefits are

Fire reduces the risk of destructive wildfires.

In the same way, when we intentionally work with the fire element in meditation, we are preventing the wild flare-ups that are all too common in moments of high-stress.

Fire can be rejuvenating.

It returns nutrients to the soil in the ashes of vegetation that could otherwise take years to decompose. Likewise, when we burn away the stories that haunt us, we are left rich and fertile for deep healing and new growth.

At first glance, fire can seem like a fearsome, raging torrent, but in actuality, it is lighting our path home and nurturing our rejuvenation.

So let’s burn.

Press play now to unlock the hidden power of fire and start transforming your stress into strength!

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

Why Meditating On Your Inner Fire Can Transform Stress Into Strength

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by stress or weighed down by old stories that no longer serve you? What if fire—the element of transformation—held the key to clearing out the past and reigniting your passion for life?

In this episode, we dive deep into the ancient wisdom of fire energy, exploring how intentional "burning" can help us release limiting beliefs, manage emotions, and create space for new growth. Just like controlled burns in nature prevent destructive wildfires, learning to work with our inner fire can prevent emotional outbursts and bring balance to our lives.

Learn how fire energy helps you process emotions and let go of old stories.

Discover the difference between controlled fire and transformative fire and how they impact your personal growth.

Experience a guided meditation to connect with the fire element and harness its power for renewal.

Press play now to unlock the hidden power of fire and start transforming your stress into strength!

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

From Mental Clutter to Inner Calm: The Power of Wind Meditation {Mini Meditation}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 01:00:00 -0400

✨ Just the Meditation ✨

When an ecosystem is healthy and thriving, we see the elements {Earth, Air, Fire & Water} working in tandem to promote the most prosperity and diversity possible.

The same holds true within the inner landscape. We can use the elements both as an anchor for our meditation practice as well as tools for balancing anxiety, depression and overwhelm.

In today’s mini meditation:

Discover how the ancient wisdom of the elements can help you create inner harmony.

Experience a guided elemental purification practice to release what no longer serves you.

Learn how connecting with nature-based mindfulness practices can reduce your anxiety now and support personal transformation for the future.

Press play now to experience the grounding and cleansing power of wind meditation, and step into a more balanced and mindful state.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

3 Signs Your Inner Ecosystem Is Out of Balance & How to Fix It with Nature Meditation {Wind Edition}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Have you ever felt stuck, weighed down by stress, or unsure how to move forward? What if the key to clarity and transformation was as simple as connecting with the elements?

This episode explores the power of elemental meditation, focusing on the wind element as a tool for clearing, movement, and renewal. Through guided practices, you’ll learn how to tap into the natural forces within and around you to cultivate balance and mindfulness.

Discover how the ancient wisdom of the elements can help you create inner harmony.

Experience a guided elemental purification practice to release what no longer serves you.

Learn how connecting with nature-based mindfulness practices can reduce your anxiety now and support personal transformation for the future.

Press play now to experience the grounding and cleansing power of wind meditation, and step into a more balanced and mindful state.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

Nurtured by Nature: Meditation for Emotional Exhaustion

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 01:00:00 -0400

✨ Just the meditation

Emotionally exhausted? This meditation is for you.

Crafted from the latest in PTSD treatment techniques this meditation offers a unique visualization practice that you can use on and off the cushion.

Take a deep breath, settle in, and press play to immerse yourself in a meditation practice that will help you release exhaustion and regain a sense of calm and renewal.

Today's meditation music is a nature soundscape from Olympic National Park as recorded by Nick McMahan. A cathedral of trees, soft mossy and clean rain invite the opportunity to refresh and replenish.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

The Unexpected Link Between PTSD Treatment & Nature Meditation for Emotional Exhaustion

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Feeling emotionally drained and completely exhausted? Ever wondered if there's a way to restore your energy and reset your nervous system through meditation?

Compassion fatigue and emotional burnout are all too common, especially when juggling the demands of caregiving, work, and personal life. This episode explores how meditation can not only help you acknowledge exhaustion but also actively restore your energy using a powerful visualization technique rooted in PTSD treatment research.

☑️ Learn how emotional exhaustion zaps the nervous system and why your body responds as if it is being attacked.

☑️ Discover a guided meditation that uses sensory memory to downregulate stress and restore balance.

☑️ Experience a practical, accessible technique to refill your emotional cup and reconnect with a sense of safety and joy.

Take a deep breath, settle in, and press play to immerse yourself in a meditation practice that will help you release exhaustion and regain a sense of calm and renewal.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

Spring Equinox Nature Meditation {Live Retreat Recording}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Just The Meditation: Spring Equinox ✨

A Journey of Renewal & Healing Awaits -

As light and dark come into perfect harmony, the spring equinox offers a powerful moment to pause, reflect, and realign with your true essence. Honored across cultures as a time of renewal and rebirth, this sacred season invites you to shed the old and embrace new possibilities.

In this **special live-recorded meditation** from our retreat, you’ll be guided through the ancient symbolism of the golden egg—representing protection, potential, and prophecy—to awaken your inner wisdom and set powerful intentions for the months ahead.

Connect to the spring equinox as it has been celebrated for centuries.

Immerse yourself in a guided meditation designed to bring clarity, transformation, and balance.
Release stress and reconnect with your higher self, planting the seeds for your personal evolution.

Take a deep breath, step into this sacred space, and allow yourself to align with the natural rhythms of renewal. Press play to experience a meditation that will leave you feeling grounded, inspired, and deeply at peace.

The nature sounds in this episode capture the gentle lapping of Lake Chelan’s shoreline in Washington state as recorded by Nick McMahan. The Chelan People are the indigenious people who first heard the sounds of this lake.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

Harness The Hidden Power of the Spring Equinox with a Nature Meditation for Renewal and Growth {live retreat recording}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 01:00:00 -0400

A Special Spring Equinox Meditation Retreat ✨

Are you overlooking the power of the equinox in your meditation practice?

As day and night find perfect balance, this season invites us to reflect, reset, and realign with our truest selves. Ancient traditions recognized this time as one of possibility, creativity, and rebirth. In this meditation, we explore the profound symbolism of the egg—protection, potential, and prophecy—helping you connect with your inner wisdom and set intentions for the months ahead.

Discover the power of the equinox and what happens when you connect with thousands of years of seasonal tradition.

Experience a guided meditation that gives you the space to clear away distraction, reset, and connect with intention.
Cultivate stillness, allowing yourself to release anxiety and overwhelm and nurture the seeds of your future self.

Step into this moment of renewal—press play and immerse yourself in a meditation that will leave you feeling balanced, inspired, and deeply connected to your own nature-inspired energy.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

How to Sit with Grief: A Meditation Practice for When Sadness Feels Too Big

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 01:00:00 -0400

✨Just the Meditation

Grief, sadness, and heartache can feel all-consuming, making it difficult to stay present. Today's meditation practice is an invitation to hold these emotions with care—not to fix or erase them, but to nurture connection to ourselves, others, and the natural world.

Experience a guided meditation practice infused with poetry, breathwork, grounding techniques, and the sounds of Glacier National Park 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.

Today's soundscape is in honor of Glacier National Park

Kintla Lake stretches for miles into the steep peaks and evergreen forest of Glacier National Park, providing a perfect location to record the soft sounds of lapping water. Cool nights tell of the change that will come as the season turns. Quiet between gusts, cool wind blowing from the north. A change of season is in the air. Warm days, cool nights. The vastness of the land is something from classic American western stories. Near the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, the Eastern Rocky Mountains of Montana reach into the clouds. The first dusting of snow coating the peaks.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

3 Ways to Meditate Through Heartache Without Feeling Overwhelmed

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 01:00:00 -0400

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.

Today's soundscape is in honor of Glacier National Park

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

Nurtured by Nature: Meditation for Anxiety

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 01:00:00 -0400

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.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

How to Use Nature Meditation as a Tool for Navigating Anxiety and Stress

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 01:00:00 -0500

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.

Discover how equanimity can help you remain centered in stressful moments.
Learn a simple yet powerful meditation practice to embrace life’s ever-changing nature.
Experience the calming energy of nature-inspired mindfulness, recorded with the soothing sounds of Haleakalā on the island of Maui.

Take a deep breath and press play—immerse yourself in this guided meditation to find your steady 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.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

Honoring Our National Parks: A Nature Meditation for Connection and Gratitude

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 01:00:00 -0500

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.

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:

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

Nature-Inspired Sleep Meditation: Let Go of Stress & Drift Off Naturally (Overwhelmed by Anxiety? Try This Meditation)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 01:00:00 -0500

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.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

Feeling Overwhelmed at Night? This Meditation Will Ease Anxiety & Help You Unwind

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 01:00:00 -0500

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

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

Evening Meditation: A Mindful Practice for Letting Go of Daily Stress (Ease Anxiety & Find Peace Through Meditation)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 01:00:00 -0500

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

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

Guided Evening Meditation: Release the Day's Tension (For the Overwhelmed Mind)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 13:36:00 -0500

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?

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

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

Overwhelmed by Noon? Try This Quick Lunch Break Meditation for Stress Relief

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 01:00:00 -0500

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

Follow Nick’s audio projects: 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

Midday Reset: A 10-Minute Lunch Break Meditation for Anxiety Relief

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 01:00:00 -0500

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

Follow Nick’s audio projects: 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

Wake Up with Gratitude: Morning Nature Meditation from Maui (Start Your Day Calm & Free from Anxiety)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 01:00:00 -0500

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.

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.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

Morning Meditation: From Cushion to Daily Life | Guided Practice & Tips

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 01:00:00 -0500

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.

What We'll Share Together:

A gentle morning practice that helps us set our day's intention
Some thoughts about consistency (spoiler: it matters more than duration!)
A beautiful concept called the cycle of reciprocity that might just change how you see your day
Real, practical ways to stay connected to our practice, even when life gets busy

Our Practice Today:

A 20-minute guided meditation (but remember, even 3 minutes counts!)
Time to settle in and get comfortable
Space to notice the gifts already present in your day
A chance to set an intention that really means something to you
Plenty of room for whatever arises

Meditation Music:

The natural soundscape comes from a recording high on the slopes of Haleakalā, Maui. Many of the bird calls belong to local and endangered species, which Nick McMahan had the opportunity to capture while studying the region's sound ecology for Quiet Parks International.

Ideas We'll Explore:

Robin Wall Kimmerer's lovely cycle of reciprocity: attention, gifts, gratitude, and reciprocity

Why morning practice can be special (but it's totally okay if you're not a morning person!)

How to name specific intentions (because "good" isn't quite enough)

Ways to notice the gifts already present in our lives

A Story That Inspired Today's Practice:

I'll share a beautiful story about a climate journalist who found her way back to joy through really seeing the plants around her. It's from "The Light Eaters" and connects so beautifully with Robin Wall Kimmerer's ideas in "Braiding Sweetgrass."

This Practice Might Be Just Right If:

You're looking for ways to carry your practice beyond the cushion

You want to start your day with intention (at whatever time feels right)

You're curious about building a practice that really fits your life

You're ready to explore what consistency might look like for you

What's Coming Next:

We'll continue exploring how to weave mindfulness through our days together, looking at moments like lunch and dinner. I'm excited to share this journey with you!

The Call of the Woodpecker: A Nature-Inspired Meditation to Soften Anxiety and Find Connection

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 01:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to Our Mindful Nature! This week, we explore how the woodpecker's drumming can guide us in releasing emotional armor, including anxiety and overwhelm, and deepening our connection with the natural world.

What You'll Experience:

- A guided meditation synced with the woodpecker's natural drumming pattern

- Gentle body scanning and breath awareness practice

- An invitation to let nature's rhythms soften our emotional armor

Meditation Music Details:

- Morning bird chorus recorded in a California coniferous forest

- Featured sounds include woodpecker drums, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Warbling Vireo, Douglas' Squirrel, and Mountain Chickadee

- All nature sounds recorded and edited by Gordon Hempton

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:

https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

Thank you to Gordon Hempton for the use of his nature recordings. You can find him at: https://soundtracker.com/

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

Ocean Meditation: Exploring Dreams, Oracle Cards & the Subconscious (Overwhelmed? Try This Calming Practice)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 01:00:00 -0500

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.

What We Discuss in This Episode:

How mindfulness works with the thinking mind, while heartfulness taps into the subconscious.
Why Albert Einstein’s wisdom—“You cannot solve a problem with the same mind that created it”—is a call to explore beyond conscious thought.
The subconscious as a vast glacier: what lies beneath the surface is so much more expansive than what we can see.
Practical ways to work with dreams to access your subconscious and deepen your self-awareness:
Setting a dream intention before sleep.
Dream work practices like journaling, drawing, or asemic writing.
Dream queries: engaging with symbols or characters from your dreams to uncover their teachings.
Dream associations: noticing and connecting elements of your dreams to waking life.
Oracle collage: using cards or imagery to weave meaning and insights from your subconscious.

What You’ll Experience:

A dreamy, ocean-inspired soundscape featuring dawn on the east side of Maui near the dormant volcano Haleakala as recorded by nature field recordist Nick McMahan.
A grounding ocean-based meditation to “sink beneath the iceberg,” expanding your awareness into the depths of your subconscious.
Tips for welcoming daydreams and staying awake to the dreams that emerge in your meditation practice.

Slip on your headphones, drift into the dreamy soundscape, and let’s explore the heartful depths together.

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.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

Intention & Attention: Nature-based Meditation for Heartfulness

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 01:00:00 -0500

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.

What We Discuss in This Episode:

Did heartfulness shift your meditation practice this past week?
How spending intentional time in nature can open your heart and deepen your awareness.
Overcoming “green blindness” — seeing the familiar world around us with fresh curiosity and care.
Bringing committed intention and attention to every moment, whether it’s in nature, your relationships, or your work.

What You’ll Experience:

A grounding invitation to spend 10 minutes outdoors, truly seeing what’s around you.
Practical tips for practicing heartfulness in your daily life, even beyond nature.

Meditation Music

Today’s meditation is set to a beautiful new soundscape combining earth and elemental sounds and singing bowls, designed to help you connect to the present moment with intimacy and curiosity.

All nature sounds are recorded and edited by nature field recordist Nick McMahan.

Put on your headphones, step outside, and join us as we explore heartfulness in nature. Let’s see what this moment has to offer.

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.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

New Year's Day Guided Nature Meditation: Heartfulness, A Softer Path in 2025

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 01:00:00 -0500

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.

What We Discuss in This Episode:

Why mindfulness in the West focuses so much on the intellect and how this reflects our cultural values.
The richness of practicing from the heart: a softer, more embodied approach.
How heartfulness isn’t just about sitting on a cushion but about cultivating a way of being.
Simple, actionable steps to embrace heart-awareness in your practice.

A Guided Practice:

We’ll close the episode with a short nature-based meditation to explore heartfulness together. Feel the warmth of the season and settle into a sense of connection with your inner landscape.

Tune in to explore a gentler, more heartfelt way to nurture your mental health, connect with nature, and deepen your meditation practice.

Let’s Connect:

Enjoyed the episode? Let us know your thoughts! Share your reflections on social media and tag us at @merylarnett.

Ready to embrace heartfulness? Hit play and let’s journey inward together.

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.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

Winter Solstice Guided Meditation; Live Retreat Recording (Anxiety Relief & Nature-Inspired Reflection)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 01:00:00 -0500

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:

The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper
Wintering by Sylvia Plath
Sounds of the natural world recorded by Nick McMahan

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 ❄️

Winter Sleep Meditation: Held in the Womb of the Earth (Meditation For Anxiety & Mental Health)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 01:00:00 -0500

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

Naptime or a mid-day reset
Gentle guidance into evening sleep
Support for falling back asleep if you wake in the middle of the night

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 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 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.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

Night Under the Stars {Winter Edition}; A Story from Glacier National Park (Nature-Inspired Meditation For Mental Health & Resilience)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 01:00:00 -0500

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 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 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

merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature

A Meditation for Anxiety & Connection: Breathing With Trees

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 01:00:00 -0500

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 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

A Quiet Corner Within Ourselves: Poetry & Meditation for Anxiety and Mental Health With James Crews

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 01:00:00 -0500

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 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

How Small Acts of Meditation & Care Can Calm Anxiety and Build Resilience in Chaotic Times

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 10:53:00 -0500

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/ 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

Rest as a Sacred Practice: Meditation for Anxiety & Mental Health With Octavia Raheem

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 01:00:00 -0500

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

Why Striving for Perfect Calm Can Make Anxiety Worse—And How The Middle Way Offers Relief

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 01:00:00 -0400

“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

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

Just The Meditation: Grounding Techniques From the Forest To Ease Anxiety & Reconnect to Mental Calm {Green Witch}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 01:00:00 -0400

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

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

Moon Cycles and Ocean Waves: How Water Witch Wisdom Helps You Flow Through Anxiety & Reconnect to Your Natural Rhythm

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 01:00:00 -0400

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.

Forest Meditation Practices To Ease Anxiety & Build Mental Resilience the Green Witch Way

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 01:00:00 -0400

“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 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 custom-crafted soundscape, 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

merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature

Brewing Inner Strength: How Kitchen Witch Meditation Uses Fire, Breath & Ritual To Calm Anxiety & Reclaim Inner Power

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 01:00:00 -0400

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.

She is deeply committed to nourishment - with a cauldron bubbling and tea brewing
She is drawn to family recipes connecting her to ancestors
Her ingredients connect her to the earth element
And perhaps most importantly, cooking on stove or hearth-fire, connects her to the alchemical power of fire.

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 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 custom-crafted soundscape, 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

merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature

Why Mindfulness Isn’t Enough—And How To Truly Transform Anxiety Through Advanced Meditation With Andrew Holecek

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 01:00:00 -0400

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:

Brining meditation off the cushion and into our day-to-day experiences
Practices that move beyond simply “calming down”
The near enemies of practice, which include spiritual bypassing, spiritual materialism and the tricky distinction between tranquility and liberation.
Waking up vs. growing up
Five nocturnal meditation practices, the value of the dream state, and the magic of liminality.
Lastly and most importantly, we talk about why these practices matter when the world is on fire.

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 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

Beyond the Noise: Lessons on Anxiety & Inner Stillness From the Quietest Place in Oregon

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 01:00:00 -0400

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

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, editing and social media support: 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

Soundscape Art Can Heal Anxiety & Reconnect Us to Nature’s Rhythms: Unraveling Nature's Voice at Canaveral National Seashore

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Soundscape Alchemy.

Friends, what an episode I have for you today! Months ago, I took an impromptu trip to Canaveral National Seashore to visit acoustic artists Perri Lynch Howard and Gordon Hempton.

Frequent collaborators on the podcast, I was ecstatic to spend a weekend practicing the art of listening with them both. We walked mangroves, explored shorelines, and discussed the interplay of human voice, aerospace traffic, and birdsong.

The creative collaboration of Gordon and Perri resulted in a stunning piece of environmental art titled, “Hear Me Out.”

Join me today for a discussion of what it means to listen with honesty, to weave ourselves into the natural world we inhabit, and to move “in close proximity to lifelong love.”

In this episode, Perri and Gordon delve into their experiences during their artist residency at Canaveral National Seashore through the Soundscape Field Station Artist Residency Program. The conversation highlights their collaborative project 'Hear Me Out', which investigates the changing soundscapes and their artistic interpretations influenced by the environment. They share their journey of recording, the emotional challenges faced, and how Doris Leeper's legacy inspired their work. The discussion also touches on the significance of natural sound preservation and future projects related to soundscapes and environmental art.

At the end, pop in your headphones, close your eyes, and listen to “Hear Me Out.”

Gordon Hempton

Acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton has circled the globe three times in pursuit of the Earth’s rarest sounds. His sound portraits which record quickly vanishing natural soundscapes have been featured in People magazine and a national PBS television documentary, Vanishing Dawn Chorus, which earned him an Emmy. Hempton provides professional audio services to media

producers, including Microsoft, Smithsonian, National Geographic and Discovery Channel. Recipient of awards from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Rolex Awards for Enterprise he is co-author of One Square Inch of Silence: One Man’s Quest to Preserve Quiet (Free Press/Simon & Schuster, 2010) and Founding Partner of Quiet Parks International.

https://soundtracker.com/

Perri Lynch Howard

Perri Lynch Howard is a multi-disciplinary artist working in painting, drawing, installation, and sound. Her visual work and sound installations convey the passage of light, sound, and signal through landscapes on the front lines of climate change - a phenomenology of place. Howard received her BA from The Evergreen State College, BFA from the University of Washington, and MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art. Her art has a global reach through projects completed in Italy, Portugal, Brazil, Canada, the Arctic Circle, and in South India as a Fulbright Senior Research Scholar.

https://www.perrilynchhoward.com/

Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s sound design and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

nickmcmahan.com

instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro

Lastly, thank you to Atlantic Center for the Arts and the ACA Soundscape Field Station for making this collaboration possible.

https://atlanticcenterforthearts.org/home/soundscape-field-station/

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

Hearing the Unheard: How Nature’s Quiet Can Help You Hear What Anxiety Drowns Out

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 01:00:00 -0400

In this Monday night meditation class, we delve into the concept of listening and silence amidst the constant noise of modern life, especially during the election season. Today’s discussion touches on the various sources of human-made noise and their impact on inner peace, the varied definitions of silence, and the key to mindful listening.

David G. Haskell wrote, “listening opens us to what is hidden or unappreciated,” and together we will explore this hidden, unappreciated terrain.

Today’s guided meditation, featuring natural sounds from the quietest place in Oregon as recorded by Nick McMahan, encourages listeners to practice deep listening, find tranquility within themselves, and hear what was previously unheard.

Let’s practice!

The nature sounds you hear in today’s episode are from the ancestral lands of the Northern Paiute people. Now considered the edge of the Great Basin or the Basque Hills area of southeastern Oregon.

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

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

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/@o urmindfulnature

Why Climate Despair Won’t Heal Us—And How Poetry & Meditation Can: U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón's 'You Are Here' Project

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 01:00:00 -0400

U.S. Poet Laureate and fellow meditator Ada Limón joins me today on Our Mindful Nature to chat about her Signature Project, 'You Are Here, Poetry in Parks.'

Y’all this was a dream conversation for me - full of presence, hope and truth. Full of poetry and beauty even as we discuss climate crisis and environmental activism.

Together, we delve into the origins of ‘You Are Here: Poetry in Parks’, its deep connections between nature and poetry, and its aim to foster mindfulness and presence. Ada shares thoughts on the power of small actions amid climate crises, the inclusivity of the project's installations in national parks, and the importance of everyday nature. We also talk about the power of realizing that You. Are. Here.

“'You Are Here: Poetry in the Parks' aims to deepen our connection to nature through poetry,” said Limón. “I believe the way we respond to this crucial moment on our planet could define humanity forever. In conceiving of my signature project, I wanted something that could both praise our sacred and natural wonders and also speak the complex truths of this urgent time. Above all, this project is about rising to this moment with hope, the kind of hope that will echo outwards for years to come.”

At the end, as a mini practice, Ada reads her stunning poem Sanctuary.

Ada Limón is the twenty-fourth US Poet Laureate and the author of The Hurting Kind, as well as five other collections of poems. These include The Carrying, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award and was named a finalist for the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award, and Bright Dead Things, which was named a finalist for the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the Kingsley Tufts Award. Limón is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, and her work has appeared in the New Yorker, the New York Times, and American Poetry Review, among others. Born and raised in California, she now lives in Lexington, Kentucky.

Learn more about You Are Here: Poetry in Parks: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/3-6-24-poetry-in-parks.htm

Find Ada’s book You Are Here; Poetry in the Natural World here: https://milkweed.org/book/you-are-here

The Methow people were the first people to hear the sounds of Methow Valley, Washington that are included in today’s episode.

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

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

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/@o urmindfulnature

Why Mindfulness Alone Isn’t Enough—Try This Elemental Meditation to Truly Reset Anxiety

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 01:00:00 -0400

In this guided meditation, we explore an elemental balancing practice for anxiety management and nervous system regulation. Reflecting on personal experiences with balancing extreme temperatures and anxiety, I share a visualization and sound meditation that has been deeply supportive in my own practice. I hope it will be useful in your own practice as well!

No discussion, no distraction - just the meditation for your daily practice.

Enjoy!

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Thank you to Gordon Hempton for today’s nature field recordings, to Nick McMahan for sound design, and editing, and to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

soundtracker.com

nickmcmahan.com

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

Nervous System Reset: An Elemental Chakra Meditation for Hot Summer Days (Meditation for Anxiety, Overwhelm & Mental Health)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Together, we will guide our energy to move from the root chakra to the third eye, integrated with breath work and visualizations to promote balance and cooling.

The supportive soundscape in today’s episode is a recording of a summer night in Olympic National Park from acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton. You will hear a summer breeze swirl through tall grasses while chattering birds and a distant coyote settle down for the night.

In this episode:

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:46 Balancing in Extreme Temperatures

01:25 Dealing with Anxiety and Imbalance

03:05 Elemental Balancing Practice

04:32 Combining Practices: Elemental Balancing and Still Lake of the Mind

07:58 Guided Meditation: Journey Through the Elements

27:56 Closing and Returning to the Present

The sounds in today’s episode were recorded on the ancestral lands of eight tribes: Hoh, Jamestown S'Klallam, Lower Elwha Klallam, Makah, Port Gamble S'Klallam, Quileute, Quinault and Skokomish.

Thank you to Gordon Hempton for today’s nature field recordings, to Nick McMahan for sound design, and editing, and to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

soundtracker.com

nickmcmahan.com

instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

merylarnett.com

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Wild Geese Getaway: A Nature-Inspired Mindfulness Meditation (Meditation for Mental Health, Resilience & Overwhelm)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 01:00:00 -0400

7 a.m.

It’s a cool, blue morning, and we are seated alongside the Coosa River in Alabama. Our guided meditation practice begins with mindful breathing and sensory awareness. This is an opportunity for cosmic connection and deep relaxation.

It is silent except for the birds’ morning chorus and a whisper of wind through the river grasses.

Gradually, a family of geese make themselves known, and we are instantly reminded of Mary Oliver’s poem Wild Geese, which ends with the line -

{...} the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting — over and over announcing your place in the family of things.

Today’s poetic meditation is inspired by this invitation to remember our place in the family of things, to maintain a mindful awareness of our relationship with nature, to re-weave ourselves into the animate earth around us. Join me for this 6-minute, nature-inspired meditation.

Creek Native Americans were the first people to hear the sounds of the Coosa River that are played in this meditation.

Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:

instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week.

Want to support this podcast? Consider sending this episode to a friend or leaving a review. It is free and it really helps this show to grow!

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Mini Meditation: Midsummer at the Inn (Meditation for Mental Health, Overwhelm & Seasonal Connection)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Today’s episode is the meditation offered at this year's Summer Solstice inspired by the poem An Inn for the Coven by Gabrielle Calvocoressi.

No discussion, no distraction - just the meditation for your daily practice.

Enjoy!

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.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting

merylarnett.com

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Midsummer Meditation: Creating Inner Safety & Resilience for Anxiety Relief

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Today’s meditation is a live recording from this year’s Summer Solstice Meditation Retreat.

Midsummer and the temps are hot… literally and figuratively. As a way to explore the feelings that come with rising temperatures, in today’s class I share two powerful poems:

An Inn for the Coven by Gabrielle Calvocoressi

The Guest House by Rumi

These poems speak of a place where we are safe.

The Inn feels lush, abundant, filled with love and the possibility of beauty.

The Guest House feels sturdy, spacious enough for all our feelings to reside without conflict.

We hear of our loves, our hurts, and our divinity in these poems; all different and all the same and all inside.

And so, this midsummer meditation is an invitation to explore the inn.

To travel the grounds finding all the hidden trails.

To open all the doors.

It is an invitation to create or discover an internal experience of deep, nourishing safety, a place to nurture our love and hope. A place to rest well and to feel fully.

Join me for today’s discussion and guided 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

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

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature

Poetry & Mindfulness for Anxiety, Resilience & Generative Action With Nadia Colburn

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Today, as the final installment in our Edges series, I am joined by writer, poet, memoirist, teacher, yogi, activist, and mother - Nadia Colburn.

Nadia has recently released her newest book of poetry, I Say the Sky - and y’all know how much I love exploring the intersection of poetry and mindfulness.

As a start, I want to share one of the review blurbs about Nadia’s newest book because I feel that it so perfectly sums up her work:

"From the opening poem and on through this glorious book, Nadia Colburn strikes the difficult balance between celebrating the splendor of the world we inhabit and acknowledging the grief and devastation that none of us can escape. As much a book of love songs as a book of elegies, I Say the Sky is a heart opening and mind sharpening collection." ~Camille T. Dungy

I couldn’t agree more.

In our conversation today, Nadia,who feels like an old friend, and I discuss:

Writing from the body
Agency in times of distress
Meeting edge places in a state of opening rather than contraction

We talk of generative, supportive action and of course we explore mindful writing practices to support ourselves in times of change. Grab your journal and join us!

Learn more about Nadia Colburn here: https://nadiacolburn.com/

Check out Nadia's FREE 5-day Meditation & Writing Challenge here: https://nadiacolburn.com/free-mindful-writing-challenge/

Learn more about Project Regeneration here: https://regeneration.org/

Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production support of this episode. https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

Please sign up for my newsletter at merylarnett.substack.com to access these meditations as stand-alone audio files for your daily practice.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

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How Edges Teach Us to Grow: Field Recordings, Meditation & Climate Resilience With Perri Lynch Howard

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 01:00:00 -0400

As you have likely noticed in this month’s episodes, we have moved from the stars to the soil. We will spend the next several episodes exploring edges and ecotones - spaces rife with the very best type of tension. The tension that inspires growth, expansion and action.

Today, I am talking with artist, edge-walker, and dear friend Perri Lynch Howard about her experiences in a variety of ecotonal landscapes.

Perri is an artist dedicated to forging new narratives from the front lines of climate change. Working in the context of extreme environments is an essential aspect of Howard’s practice, driving her curiosity to seek a deeper sense of place, beyond the dichotomy of near and far. Her artwork resides within the emerging genre of New Polar Aesthetics, expressed through painting, drawing, sculpture and sound.

In this episode, Perri shares three of her unique, ecotonal field recordings with us as a way to explore the edges both within and without.

We will hear the sounds of Vashon Island, the Great Basin Desert, and Svalbard and throughout we discuss:

Non-judgement
Listening for the truth of the moment
The relational words we use when discussing the land and ourselves
Reciprocal relationship in the time of climate crisis
The first rule of field recording AND meditating (!!)

At the end, there is a guided meditation experience of the Vashon Island soundscape as an opportunity for you to explore your own relationship with edges.

Thank you to the residencies and agencies that provided the time, space, and resources for Perri to record these incredible landscapes - The Arctic Circle Residency, PLAYA Artist Residency, Vashon Artist Residency, The Puffin Foundation, Artist Trust, and Quiet Parks International.

Finally, deep gratitude to Nick McMahan for editing and the sound design of this episode, and to Brianna Nielsen for production support.

Learn more about:

Perri Lynch Howard: https://www.perrilynchhoward.com/

Nick McMahan: https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/

Brianna Nielsen: https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

Please sign up for my newsletter at merylarnett.substack.com to access these meditations as stand-alone audio files for your daily practice.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

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Edges & Intersections: Meditation for Anxiety, Connection & Community Resilience With Marisela B. Gomez

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Last week, we began a new meditation series devoted to exploring the edges - both in the natural world as well as our internal landscape - and today’s interview and meditation practice do exactly that.

Marisela B. Gomez is a community activist, public health professional, and physician-scientist. She is a co-founder of Village of Love and Resistance in Baltimore Maryland, organizing for power, healing and the reclamation of land. And,she is a meditation and Buddhist teacher, and a student of the late Zen Master Thich Nhat Han.

She recently co-authored a new book, Healing Our Way Home: Black Buddhist Teachings on Ancestors, Joy & Liberation.

In today’s episode, Marisela and I talk about the edges and the intersections of contemplative practices, community care and social justice.

We talk about

the role of love in practice and action
the misconceptions of self-care
how and why spiritual or contemplative practice is vital for the healing of the planet and all beings.

At the end, Marisela guides a beautiful meditation inviting us to explore and soften around our internal edges.

Join me!

Learn more about Marisela and find her new book here: https://www.mariselabgomez.com/

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

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youtube.com/@themindfulminutepodcast

Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

#meditatewithmeryl

Living on the Edge (Ecotones, Meditation & Mental Health for Resilience & Overwhelm)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Have you heard of an ecotone before?

An ecotone is a transition area between two adjacent and different patches of landscape, such as forest and grassland.

Ecotones do not simply represent a boundary or an edge; the concept of an ecotone assumes the existence of active interaction between two or more ecosystems with properties that do not exist in either of the adjacent ecosystems.

An ecotone is a meeting place that creates something entirely distinct from either side of the boundary.

In essence, 1 + 1 = 3.

And this third space is what I want us to explore in this month’s meditation series.

Edges, ecotones and third spaces are places of life, energy & growth; they are places of speciation - of creation and evolution.

Third spaces are invitations into expansion - into knowing ourselves, our lands, and our actions in a way that wouldn’t be possible if we only resided on one side of the edge.

Join me for today’s discussion of ecotones both within ourselves and in the outside world. Thank you to Gordon Hempton for the use of the incredible soundscape in today’s guided meditation. Recorded in North Carolina at Joyce Kilmer National Forest, the Cherokee were some of the first people to hear the sounds of this hardwood forest.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@themindfulminutepodcast

Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

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Wildly, Improbably Successful: Meditation for Anxiety, Resilience & Growth Through Stagnation {part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 23 May 2024 01:00:00 -0400

*Today's episode is a replay of a fan-favorite episode, The Stagnation Layer part 3, from September 2022*

We started this meditation series, Are You Stuck, with the connective idea that the human body is a microcosm of the universe; that we can view the universe as a mirror image of what goes on inside.

And, we looked to the Voyager space expedition, in particular the experience of Voyager 1 in the Stagnation Layer of the cosmos, as a metaphor for how we might engage with moments of ‘stuckness’ or stagnation.

Today, 45 years after its launch and 14.6 billion miles from Earth, Voyager 1 and 2 have now spent 10 years in interstellar space. Interestingly, Voyager 1 went through the Stagnation Layer, and Voyager 2 did not.

Yet, 10 years later, these two spacecraft are in the same place, both doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing, and both wildly, improbably successful. I think there are 3 vital lessons for us within this statement -

- Community is vitally important for our movement through Stagnation.

- It is our engagement that makes these moments magical and rich rather than scary and confusing.

- We don’t need to worry about what anyone else is doing or experiencing within their meditation practice.

Join me for today’s episode of Our Mindful Nature as we explore these three lessons and how they enrich both our meditation practice and our lived experience.

Be sure to sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

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Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

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Anxious & Frozen: Meditation for Anxiety, Overwhelm & Resilience in Stagnation {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 16 May 2024 01:00:00 -0400

*Today's episode is a replay of a fan-favorite episode, The Stagnation Layer {part 2}, from September 2022*

Part 1 of this meditation series introduced The Stagnation Layer of the cosmos and the periods of stagnation we experience both as individuals and as naturally occurring phenomena. Part of the description NASA shares for the Stagnation Layer says -

There is a doubling in the intensity of the magnetic field in the stagnation region. Like cars piling up at a clogged freeway off-ramp, the increased intensity of the magnetic field shows that inward pressure from interstellar space is compacting it.

Higher-energy particles from inside our solar system appear to be leaking out into interstellar space.

As a personal experience, when we stagnate we likely feel an increased pressure to DO something, to figure it out, or to move. And, all our creative mojo feels like it is draining away.

We find ourselves both anxious to move and possibly frozen in place. This is a tricky combination.

Luckily, in these moments, there are ancient and wise teachings that can be so helpful. Even if we know or think we know, it is helpful to hear of the wisdom that has come before.

Of course, what isn’t helpful is buying ALL the books. Or listening to ALL the teachers. This is overwhelming, and very likely frustrating.

Instead, I encourage you to look for what I call ‘Threads of Truth’ - I came up with this term to describe the overarching themes within meditation that continue to appear across time, lineage, and geography.

The words might differ, but the underlying wisdom is clearly the same. And, it is these threads of truth that serve as a compass when we are lost in the Stagnation Layer.

Join me for today’s episode of Our Mindful Nature as we unravel the Threads of Truth and share in a 20-minute guided meditation practice.

Be sure to sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

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Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

#meditatewithmeryl

Are You Stuck? Meditation for Mental Health & Nature-Inspired Support Through Stagnation {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 09 May 2024 01:00:00 -0400

*Today's episode is a replay of a fan-favorite episode, The Stagnation Layer part 1, from September 2022*

When you read poetry of the mystics, when you study ancient tantric & buddhist texts, not to mention so many indigenous cultures across the world, we learn of the universe as a metaphor for the internal experiences of consciousness.

The macrocosm and the microcosm… As goes the outside, so goes the inside…

And the more time I spend connecting my meditation practice with the natural world, the more I experience the wisdom of this truth, perhaps never more so than as I reflect on The Stagnation Layer.

Devoted listeners won’t be surprised to hear me bring up the Voyager space expedition yet again - it is one of my favorite stories and something that continues to capture my fascination -

In 1977 two spacecrafts were launched with the mission of leaving our solar system and exploring interstellar space. In 2012, Voyager 1 achieved this goal, but not before spending a year in the transitional realm of space deemed by scientists as “The Stagnation Layer”.

Scientists write:

“Data obtained from Voyager over the last year reveal this new region to be a kind of cosmic purgatory. In it, the wind of charged particles streaming out from our sun has calmed, our solar system's magnetic field is piled up, and higher-energy particles from inside our solar system appear to be leaking out into interstellar space.”

A cosmic purgatory?

Have you ever felt you were stuck in a cosmic purgatory? Are you in one right now?

Sometimes I think this feels like a dark void, like you are stuck in a doorway and can’t step through, or perhaps like a dense fog that you are lost inside.

Lucky for us, the universe itself is providing the answer for what we do in stagnation, if we only remember to listen.

Join me for today’s episode of Our Mindful Nature as we discover the Stagnation Layer and explore how we might move through. As always, there is a brief talk followed by a 20-minute guided meditation.

Be sure to sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@themindfulminutepodcast

Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: We Are Made of Star Stuff – For Anxiety, Connection & Cosmic Calm

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 02 May 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Last week’s episode (We Are Made of Star Stuff; An Interview with Dr. Kimberly Arcand) is a personal favorite of mine, and this week, I’m highlighting the meditation from that episode to make sure you have a chance to listen.

The sonification of stars, black holes, galaxies and more invite a new way of knowing the cosmos. It is one thing to see a static image of the night sky and an entirely different experience when we hear that same data in an embodied way.

Meditation is exactly the same - we think we know ourselves, but then we get still and quiet and learn to listen, and suddenly a whole new field of insight and awareness is made available to us.

This meditation is an experience of mapping the cosmos of the body alongside 3 sonifications from NASA’s Chandra Xray Observatory - Perseus Black Hole, Milky Way Galactic Center, and Chandra Deep Field South. You will also hear a thread of ocean waves throughout to keep us grounded and centered, even as we journey through the cosmos.

Thank you to NASA for the sounds and images in today’s episode, to Nick McMahan for the ocean wave field recording as well as the sound design and production of today’s episode, and to Brianna Nielsen for production support.

Find them here:

https://nickmcmahan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

Learn more about Dr. Arcand and NASA’s sonification project here:

https://chandra.si.edu/sound/

https://plus.nasa.gov/video/listen-to-the-universe/

https://www.kimarcand.com

Lastly, be sure to Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to access these meditations as stand-alone audio files for your daily practice.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@themindfulminutepodcast

#meditatewithmeryl

We Are Made of Star Stuff: Meditation for Anxiety, Connection & Cosmic Awareness with NASA’s Dr. Kimberly Arcand

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 01:00:00 -0400

In 2020, experts at NASA’s Chandra X-ray Center began the first ongoing, sustained program to “sonify” astronomical data. The sonification project is led by my guest today, Dr. Kimberly Arcand (Chandra Visualization Scientist) along with her colleagues Dr. Matt Russo (astrophysicist/musician) and Andrew Santaguida (musician/sound engineer) at System Sounds.

As we talk about the sonification of the cosmos, you will see that this is really another way of knowing or connecting to something that we think we know. Meditation is exactly the same - we think we know ourselves, but then we get still and quiet and learn to listen, and suddenly a whole new field of insight and awareness is made available to us.

This interview was such a bucket list interview for me. Dr. Arcand - a fellow meditator - helps us to more fully grasp the words of Carl Sagan when he told us we were made of star stuff and the words of Kabir when he wrote that inside the body there are hundreds of millions of stars.

Dr. Kimberly Arcand is the Visualization scientist & Emerging tech lead for NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. Arcand is an award-winning producer and director. She is a leading expert in studying the perception and comprehension of high-energy data visualization across the novice-expert spectrum. As a science data storyteller she combines her background in molecular biology and computer science with her current work in the fields of astronomy and physics.

In this episode, Kim and I chat about:

What a Science Data Storyteller does and how this relates to our work as meditators
The origin of the sonification project at NASA
How data is translated into embodied knowing
Black Holes as cosmic recycling centers
What happens when a star explodes (hint: the same thing happens to us when we ‘explode’!!)
Learning to hear what is unhearable

After our conversation, I guide a really unique meditation that uses 3 sonifications from Kim and her team to help us map the cosmos inside our bodies.

Join me for an exploration of the cosmos - both within and without.

Learn more about Dr. Arcand and NASA’s sonification project here:

https://chandra.si.edu/sound/

https://plus.nasa.gov/video/listen-to-the-universe/

https://www.kimarcand.com

Find them here:

https://nickmcmahan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

Lastly, be sure to Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to access these meditations as stand-alone audio files for your daily practice.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@themindfulminutepodcast

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Astronomical Mindfulness for Anxiety, Overwhelm & Mental Clarity

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Sometimes the simplest practices are the most helpful. When lost, overwhelmed, sad or scared, I often find myself simply walking outside, lying down, and staring up at the sky. There's nothing specific to do, nothing specific to feel. It's simply a moment to watch the movement of the clouds or stars, and to remember that the earth is nothing more than a pale blue dot rotating in a vast galaxy of stars, planets, moons, and more. This practice connects us to something larger than ourselves and this one moment in time. What we experience through the cosmos surrounding us tells us about ourselves.

A little perspective is always a good thing. Join me for today’s 10-minute meditation; it is perfect for a reset, a brain break, or a moment of calm on a hectic day.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@themindfulminutepodcast

Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

#meditatewithmeryl

Astronomical Mindfulness: Meditation for Anxiety, Connection & Cosmic Calm With Sarah Scoles {REPLAY}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 01:00:00 -0400

The Mindful Minute has a NEW NAME and NEW LOOK! After 8 years, I have updated the name to more accurately reflect the content offered here. Welcome to Our Mindful Nature!

“Back when humans lived in communal caves and tribal encampments, we told stories about the stars. When we started sailing, we used these same pinpricks of light to estimate our own location. When we began planting, we relied on the constellations and the Sun to plant and sustain crops. Yet today, most modern humans have lost this deep connection to the cosmos that was once central to our daily lives.” ~Sarah Scoles

Today’s episode is a replay of a 2022 interview that is still one of my favorites and is a perfect fit for our astronomical focus this month. Enjoy it!

I have devoted more episodes to the night sky and the cosmos surrounding us than any other singular topic, and today’s interview with science journalist and author Sarah Scoles perhaps best sums up why the skies above serve as such a powerful connection to our meditation practice and our deepest selves.

Sarah, along with astronomy professor Chris De Pree, wrote a unique guidebook (and a perpetual guest on my nightstand) titled Astronomical Mindfulness.

In today’s episode of Our Mindful Nature, Sarah and I talk about the power of the sun, moon, stars, and planets to offer engaging exercises that deepen your knowledge of the solar system, help you take necessary pauses every day, and foster a renewed sense of presence in the universe. The focus is on short, simple practices that immediately create a sense of connection and provide context for the hectic moments of our day-to-day lives.

Whether you look up at the night sky or not, the skies above us are perhaps the most central, ubiquitous element of human storytelling and identity. Humanity has looked up for as long as we have ever found a record of. The earliest cave drawings and the earliest indentations carved into the earth were made in reference to the sky above.

What we experience through the cosmos surrounding us tells us about ourselves.

Join me for this exploration of the cosmos, mindfulness, and some new practices you can try tonight. At the end, I offer a 10-minute guided meditation inspired by this conversation.

Sarah Scoles is a freelance journalist and contributing editor at WIRED. She is the author of Making Contact: Jill Tarter and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence and They Are Already Here: UFO Culture and Why We See Saucers. Learn more about Sarah at: https://www.sarahscoles.com/

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@themindfulminutepodcast

Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

#meditatewithmeryl

Total Eclipse of the Heart: Eclipse-Inspired Meditation Helps You Pause, Reflect & Move Through Emotional Blocks

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 01:00:00 -0400

The Mindful Minute has a NEW NAME and NEW LOOK! After 8 years, I have updated the name to more accurately reflect the content offered here. Welcome to Our Mindful Nature!

Today, we are kicking off a month of astronomical-inspired meditations and interviews in honor of next week’s total solar eclipse.

A solar eclipse happens when, at just the right moment, the moon passes between the sun and Earth blocking the sun’s light. On April 8, 2024, 13 states will experience a total solar eclipse, for many others we will witness a partial solar eclipse.

In honor of this, I am sharing a meditation I recorded a few years ago titled ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ (hehehe). While this meditation references a total lunar eclipse, the energy behind this meditation remains the same whether it is the sun or the moon having its light blocked.

Do you feel this in your life sometimes? That something comes up creating a block in your energy, your attention or your ability to move forward? I think these might be the moments I am MOST grateful for my meditation practice.

When we meditate, we develop an awareness of our habitual reactions to life and create the space for movement. We learn to pause just long enough to acknowledge what is blocking us, to let it move out of the way, and to once again feel illuminated.

In this meditation, we listen to Rialto Beach at midnight. There are full, dynamic waves, and with each wave we feel the drifting pull of the ocean. The invitation to pause and then allow movement is clear here between the quiet of a wave landing on the beach and the crescendo of the wave retraction.

Big thank you to sound artist and acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton for the use of today’s soundscape. I highly recommend headphones, if you have them available.

The Quileute were some of the first people to hear the sounds of land shared in today’s meditation.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@themindfulminutepodcast

Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

Thank you to Gordon Hempton for the use of today’s soundscape. Learn more about Gordon here: https://soundtracker.com/

#meditatewithmeryl

Birdsong: Meditation for Anxiety, Connection & Somatic Wisdom With Dr. Chanti Tacoronte-Perez

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 01:00:00 -0400

The Mindful Minute has a NEW NAME and NEW LOOK! After 8 years, I have updated the name to more accurately reflect the content offered here. Welcome to Our Mindful Nature!

How many episodes can I devote to birds, you ask? Well, I haven’t found a limit yet…!

Today on Our Mindful Nature, we are talking about two of my favorite things - Oracle cards and Birds!

Dr. Chanti Tacoronte-Perez is joining us to introduce a new somatic oracle deck titled Birdsong.

Dr. Chanti is a Cuban-American artist-author, ritualist, and non-clinical depth psychologist. She believes that images speak a profound language; her life’s work is a translator of the unseen and an advocate for the imaginal. She holds two master's degrees in Engaged Humanities and Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. In 2023 she completed her doctoral dissertation Navegando Liminal: Rituals to Translate the Image of the Wound. Her work and teaching follows and welcomes imagination, creativity, dreaming, and deep rest.

Within our conversation today, we explore:

‣ Divination⁠

‣ Somatic wisdom⁠

‣ What happens when we tune into the body rather than the guide books⁠

‣ Trusting the wisdom of our bodies⁠

‣ Translating the wisdom of the natural world⁠

‣ Dreams & the creative process⁠

‣ Migration, landlessness, and the meaning of home⁠⁠

At the end of today’s interview, Dr. Chanti guides a beautiful bird-meditation. So take a seat outside, make sure you have a bit of room to move, grab your journal, and join us!

You can learn more about Birdsong & Dr. Chanti here: https://www.yantrawisdom.com/birdsong-2024

And, you can listen to the first interview I did with Dr. Chanti on Dreams here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/26Jtx6aGnHoCmWYkLOE87T?si=7ORpTHYiRFeNhihI6oXM3A

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@themindfulminutepodcast

Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support.

#meditatewithmeryl

BONUS EPISODE: The Sounds of Spring - Meditation for Mental Health, Overwhelm & Seasonal Resilience

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 01:00:00 -0400

The Mindful Minute has a NEW NAME and NEW LOOK! After 8 years, I have updated the name to more accurately reflect the content offered here. Welcome to Our Mindful Nature!

This is a special bonus episode of Our Mindful Nature. Last week, we kicked off the spring season with an exploration of migration, and the episode along with the guided meditation were filled with the sounds and images of migration as recorded by nature field recordist Nick McMahan.

Today, I’m joined by Nick to give you a bit of our behind-the-scenes planning and brainstorming about the sounds of spring. Nick shares more about where each sound was recorded, why he selected these particular sounds, and what we hope you experience in this journey.

At the end, we share an unguided listening experience devoted to the sounds of spring.

Enjoy!

Nick is a nature field recordist from Washington State. He has worked closely with acclaimed acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton, Offspring Film, Audible Sleep Sound, and numerous independent collaborations. The Director of Quiet Trails for Quiet Parks International (QPI), Nick’s recording experience ranges internationally from extreme cold, tropical rainforests, mountains to deserts. Specializing in soundscape, ambiance, and unusual sound, leads Nick to become a better listener and observer of the world.

Learn more about Nick here:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com

https://www.instagram.com/nickcmcmahan

https://www.youtube.com/@nickmcmahan

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@themindfulminutepodcast

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Migration: A Spring Meditative Experience for Mental Health, Overwhelm & Nature-Inspired Growth

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 01:00:00 -0400

The Mindful Minute has a NEW NAME and NEW LOOK! After 8 years, I have updated the name to more accurately reflect the content offered here. Welcome to Our Mindful Nature!

One of the markers of spring is the migratory movement of so many species towards their breeding grounds - salmon, Monarch butterflies, and so many different species of birds.

In this special Spring Equinox episode, I want to delve into 3 specific migrations as reflection points for our own contemplative journey this spring.

Within these 3 examples of migration, we will explore:

Time

In daily, seasonal and generational movement

Space

From surface to depth, from under water to the high reaches of sky

Awareness

From inner to outer awareness, from individual to collective, from present moment understanding to ancestral knowing

And what else? What are YOU experiencing in this migratory season? As spring awakens, as seeds are planted in the earth and in the heart, what journey or journeys are you aware of? What is stirring in your blood and calling you forward?

Join me for today’s episode of Our Mindful Nature. You can expect a brief talk followed by a 10 minute guided meditation.

Thank you to Nick McMahan for the incredible soundscapes and sound design in this episode, as well as the photography used in the YouTube version of this podcast. Learn more about Nick and his work at https://www.nickcmcmahan.com.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@themindfulminutepodcast

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BIG NEWS: Welcome to Our Mindful Nature – Meditation for Anxiety, Connection & Nature-Inspired Well-Being

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Friends, you might have noticed something BIG today as you clicked ‘play’ on this episode…

The Mindful Minute has a NEW name!!!

After 8 years of sharing recordings of Monday night meditation class on this podcast; I felt it was time to shift, to level up, to adjust in response to the times we find ourselves in…

As a meditation teacher, when I share what I do, I very often hear 1 of 2 comments:

I want to meditate but I just don’t have enough time
I tried meditation once but I think too much

And so, this podcast was originally built on the premise of responding to those two statements. My goal was (and is) to offer accessible, enjoyable meditation practices with the reminder that you can meditate in 5 or 10 minutes just as effectively as you can in 20 - 30 minutes.

But then, I started noticing a steady uptick in another response when I mention that I am a meditation teacher… This response goes something like -

I DO meditate. I do my 10 minutes, and I am still struggling. I’m still anxious. Overwhelmed. Scared. Despairing.

And, the truth is, my friends, me too. We are in times of massive change and upheaval, and that is going to require more than a 10-minute nervous system reset.

It asks us to wake up. To be less afraid of the dark. To be more tender with ourselves and all beings in this universe.

The work I hope to explore with you on this podcast moving forward is HOW? How do we do this? What makes us feel steady & well? What makes me feel resourced?

I know without a shadow of doubt, from my own meditative experiences as well as through the teachings of many ancient wisdom holders, that embodying our connection to the natural world is perhaps the most important thing we can do for the wellbeing of humans, the planet and the more-than human that live here with us.

Hence the new name of this podcast - Our Mindful Nature.

It is a bit of a double entendre. Our Mindful Nature as in our inner nature, our own mindfulness, but also it references the wisdom of the natural world that surrounds and supports us.

And so, most of our meditation practices moving forward will be nature-based. And, we will be curious about other mindful practices that support this sense of well-being.

In the words of Shefa Gold -

Can I open to trust the wilderness,

the unknown, the Mystery that rises

in response to my loving, curious longing?

Join me for today’s talk and 10-minute guided meditation practice.

Special thank you to Dr. Chanti Tacoronte-Perez for the wisdom and insight regarding the vast spectrum of practices that make up our well-being. You can learn more about Dr. Chanti and her work here:

https://www.yantrawisdom.com/

https://drchanti.substack.com/

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@themindfulminutepodcast

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Mindfulness in the Kitchen: An Interview with Cookbook Author Deborah Johnson

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 01:00:00 -0500

Why is a meditation podcast chatting with a cookbook author, you ask? It’s a great question. I have been paying a lot of attention to the practices in my day that support my well-being the most because I continue to hear from listeners (and experience myself) that we are doing our meditation practices and yet, we are still struggling. We still feel stress, anxiety or fear.

And so, while this podcast will always honor meditation first and foremost, I want to also honor the other pieces that support our well-being. I was reminded recently that every culture:

Eats

Sings

Dances

Creates art

Tells stories about the stars

It is reconnecting with these inherent, innate pieces of us that create a sense of connection, belonging and well-being.

So, we will start in the kitchen.

Deborah Johnson is a home cook and author of the new cookbook, On Rising: Recipes and Rituals for Joyful Mornings. This gorgeous cookbook is an ode to mindful, joyful moments in the kitchen. It is an invitation to turn our daily meals into an opportunity to celebrate the beauty of the everyday and to reconnect with the sacred.

In this conversation, we talk about:

05:02 The Role of Cooking in Mindfulness and Wellbeing

08:19 The Art of Presence in the Kitchen

08:38 Deborah's Journey to Cookbook Authorship

10:42 The Power of Presence and Connection in Cooking

16:06 Reimagining the Kitchen as a Place of Joy

29:51 The Healing Power of Storytelling Through Cooking

54:25 A Mindful Eating Meditation

And at the end, Deborah guides a mindful eating practice - so grab a snack, a cup of tea and join us at the table for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute.

You can learn more about Deborah and check out her cookbook here:

Website: www.deborahesjohnson.com

Instagram: @deborahesjohnson

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgHXyshzEKdTroNShdTwDKw

And, for my Georgia listeners, I promised to share a link to the CSA I reference in today’s episode. You can find it here: https://freshharvest.com/

Thank you to Ashleigh Amoroso for the use of her gorgeous photos from Deborah’s cookbook.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

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Mini Meditation: Melting Snow; Melting Tension

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 01:00:00 -0500

In today’s meditation practice, we listen to the sounds of melting snow.

Now, I don’t know about you, but it never really occurred to me that melting snow makes a sound. It does. It produces a smooth, slow gurgle. No drips, just a near constant murmur that reminds us that change is happening in every moment. The daffodils are pushing up, the hyacinth will bloom soon. The literal and metaphorical arrival of spring is imminent. It is time to think about what will plant during this ripe time.

Huge thank you to Gordon Hempton, sound artist and acoustic ecologist, for the use of this soundscapes. You can learn more about Gordon and his work at https://soundtracker.com/.

This meditation was originally written and recorded for Roots meditation app. While not currently available, we are working to make this app available again in the near future.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

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Bloom in Winter: Meditation & Creativity with Candace Rardon

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 01:00:00 -0500

This month, we have explored the season of winter as a way into our meditation practice. We have looked at winter in our external landscapes, as well as our internal landscapes. We've listened to the sounds of winter, we've talked about wolves and our animal nature, and today, we're going to dive a little bit more into the creativity of winter.

I was deeply inspired by a recent essay written and illustrated by Candace Rardon titled, ‘Like A Garden in Winter’. Candace is an author, illustrator, visual storyteller, and creator of Dandelion Seeds (one of my favorite publications on Substack). She is also the creator of many of the sleep stories you might have listened to on Calm.

Together, Candace and I chat about what it means to bloom in winter, the season of hibernation. We talk about finding inspiration and meditative moments in the world around us; the art of visual storytelling, what makes a good sleep story and so much more.

This conversation was such a joy to record; I hope you find as much inspiration in it as I have.

At the end of today’s interview, Candace offers us a mindful reflection and journaling prompt born of the beauty of Snowdrops. So grab your notebook, a cozy seat, and join us!

In this episode:

01:10 Exploring the Creativity of Winter

03:12 The Art of Visual Storytelling

03:49 The Journey of Moving Continents

05:28 The Power of Collaboration in Creativity

14:44 The Evolution of 'Like a Garden in Winter'

23:42 Finding Strength in Winter: A Metaphor for Life

24:35 Journey into Mindfulness through Travel and Art

27:09 The Role of Creativity in Mindfulness

30:35 The Magic of Sleep Stories

41:05 Lessons from Winter Blooms

44:26 The Joy of Spring: A New Chapter

Learn more about Candace Rardon and her work here:

https://www.candaceroserardon.com/

https://dandelionseeds.substack.com/

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

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Wolves & The Wild Self

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:00:00 -0500

Today’s meditation practice is one that evokes the emotions of winter, wolves, and a deep connection to our wild selves. It is called Call of the Wolf… and it isn’t for the faint of heart.

This practice is an invitation. It is an unearthing of your wild, instinctive nature. Not wild as in exuberant or loud; but wild as in the self that is born of and inextricably connected to the natural world . It is allowing us to fine-tune our inner listening and our relationship to our own wise intuition.

Wolves are known for their keen senses, their playful spirits and their deep devotion and loyalty to their packs and their mates. When our own wildness, our natural state, is healthy, we too are relational creatures with a wise intuition, playful hearts and deep devotion to the health and wellness of our communities.

As we settle into our practice, you will hear a pack of wolves howling at the moon, and in this episode, we talk about the importance of howling, of being in touch with our emotional selves, and freeing up what we so-often lock down.

Huge thank you to Gordon Hempton, sound artist and acoustic ecologist, for the use of these soundscapes. The wolves were recorded at Wolf Haven in Washington. You can learn more about Gordon and his work at https://soundtracker.com/.

This meditation was originally written and recorded for Roots meditation app. While not currently available, we are working to make this app available again in the near future.

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

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Mini Meditation: Walking in the Winter Woods

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 01:00:00 -0500

Today’s episode is a special meditation-only episode, just for your practice!

In this 10-minute meditation, we go on a journey through the winter woods. First, through a snowy pine forest with the wind washing over us, clearing away any lingering tension or worry. Then, we find ourselves atop a frozen lake. Don’t worry - it is steady and safe; so we sit in the middle of this frozen lake and we listen as it expands. Then the scene changes, dream-like, and we find ourselves settled in front of a campfire. The wind is faint; the campfire is warm, and again, we listen to the sounds of transformation and expansion. Perhaps you even ask yourself, “how am I transforming this season?”

These soundscapes and images (if you are watching on YouTube) are from Nick McMahan. Nick is a nature field recordist from Washington State. He has worked closely with acclaimed acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton, Offspring Film, Audible Sleep Sound, and numerous independent collaborations. The Director of Quiet Trails for Quiet Parks International (QPI), Nick’s recording experience ranges internationally from extreme cold, tropical rainforests, mountains to deserts. Specializing in soundscape, ambiance, and unusual sound, leads Nick to become a better listener and observer of the world.

You can find Nick and his work here:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com

https://www.instagram.com/nickcmcmahan

https://www.youtube.com/@nickmcmahan

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@themindfulminutepodcast

#meditatewithmeryl

The Winter Woods with Nick McMahan

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 01:00:00 -0500

Walking through the woods is perhaps my favorite activity of all, and there is no better experience (in my opinion) than walking through the woods in winter.

The space. The silence. The biting cold. All of it crackles with a kind of energy, a nudge towards contemplation and reflection.

Yet, in a recent conversation, I was reminded that winter can be very, very different depending on where you live. So, today, in the first of what I hope is many collaborative episodes, I am sharing a conversation with nature field recordist Nick McMahan about the varied experiences of winter.

Together, we walk through the winter woods discussing

The transformative effects of wind
Lying on a frozen lake at night listening to owls hoot in the background
Cozying up to a campfire under the winter night sky
Expansion, contraction, fracturing, and growing
The power of taking in the whole rather than breaking everything up into pieces

At the end, we listen to a full journey through the woods inviting you to reflect on your own experience of winter and how that is reflected within your internal landscape.

Learn more about Nick and listen to his recordings here:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com

https://www.instagram.com/nickcmcmahan

https://www.youtube.com/@nickmcmahan

Be sure to Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.

instagram.com/merylarnett

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Winter, Creativity & Contemplation with Jacqueline Suskin

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 01:00:00 -0500

While on my winter sabbatical at the end of 2023, I had the profound privilege of reading Jacqueline Suskin’s newest book, A Year in Practice; Seasonal Rituals & Prompts to Awaken Cycles of Creative Expression, and subsequently chatting with her. I’m delighted to share this conversation with you today as a spark of inspiration, a nudge to burrow in, and an invitation to connect fully with the season of winter.

My favorite area of exploration is the intersection of contemplative practices, nature and creativity. Jacqueline explores this intersection in depth as a poet and educator who has been teaching workshops, writing books, hosting retreats, and creating spontaneous poetry around the world since 2009.

In this conversation, we chat about

06:12 The Impact of Seasons on Practice

10:56 The Cycle of Forgetfulness

13:33 The Influence of Seasons on Creative Expression

19:26 The Practice of Rest in Winter

28:20 Creating a Retreat at Home

33:33 The Role of Dreams in Creativity

39:32 The Power of Journal Review

50:32 Winter Reflections and Practices

Listeners, that journal review process was a revelation (imagine a mind blown emoji here!) and I plan on embarking on this process immediately!

At the end of the conversation, Jacqueline shares a winter prompt inspired by the lesson of nature and how it might serve as a mirror for us. Don’t miss it.

You can learn more about Jacqueline and order her new book via her website: jacquelinesuskin.com.

Sign up for my newsletter at merylarnett.substack.com to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.

IG: @merylarnett

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The Power of Awe {part 2}: A Discussion with Jake Eagle

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 01:00:00 -0500

Today’s episode of The Mindful Minute is the second installment of a 2-part series dedicated to the emotion of awe.

In this conversation, Jake Eagle, co-author of 'The Power of Awe', and I discuss the concept of 'awe' and its significance in handling existential anxiety and conquering stress. What I love about listening to these two discussions on awe is that you hear from someone who loves meditation and is ‘good’ at it {Dr. Michael Amster} and you hear from someone who loves meditation but struggles with it {Jake Eagle}. Together, I think we get a well-rounded look at the benefits in incorporating the A.W.E micro-mindfulness practice regardless of whether you also do a full sit-down meditation or not.

Jake details the A.W.E. practice and he also guides a powerful meditation he developed to shift through different levels of consciousness (Safety, Heart, and Spacious consciousness). He explains how making these shifts several times a day can reset our nervous system, creating significant positive impacts.

Jake was a licensed mental health counselor for the past twenty-seven years, and now practices as a meta-therapist, exploring what comes after therapy. Although Jake recognizes the value of therapy, he also recognizes the limitations, and has developed a method that accelerates and simplifies the process of personal growth. Individuals and couples can experience his work in live sessions or via a digital-platform.

Jake is the author of Get Weird, Make the Most of Your Life, and co-founder of liveconscious.com, a community of people practicing skills for living and loving more consciously.

In this episode, you can expect:

00:05 Introduction and Welcome

01:08 The Power of Awe: A Discussion with Jake Eagle

01:55 Understanding the Emotion of Awe and Its Impact

02:50 The Practice of Awe: A Guided Meditation

07:19 The Concept of Micro-Dosing Mindfulness

16:09 Different Types of Awe

29:58 Understanding Consciousness and its Appropriate Use

33:05 The Power of Meditation and Consciousness

35:38 Existential Anxiety and its Connection to Consciousness

42:01 Guided Meditation: the Practice of Shifting Levels of Consciousness

Learn more about Jake Eagle here: https://liveconscious.com/ and https://thepowerofawe.com/

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.

IG: @merylarnett

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The Power of Awe: A Micro-Mindfulness Practice with Dr. Michael Amster

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 01:00:00 -0500

Today, we are beginning a two part series with the co-authors of a powerful new book that I am so excited to share with you guys today.

In this episode of The Mindful Minute, I talk with Dr. Michael Amster about the power of awe and an incredible micro mindfulness practice that you can do in 30 seconds.

I'm not kidding. 30 seconds.

And speaking from my own experience with this practice, it will absolutely invigorate your meditation practice and benefit your days.

Michael is a San Francisco Bay Area-based physician and faculty member at Touro School of Medicine. As a pain management specialist, Michael is keenly aware of the integration of mind, body, and spirit and the effects of physical and psychospiritual pain on health and well-being.

Michael is a student of meditation for over 30 years, as well as a certified yoga teacher and meditation teacher trained at Spirit Rock Meditation Center.

Here is what you can expect in today’s episode:

00:05 Introduction and Welcome

07:59 Interview with Dr. Michael Amster

09:29 The Power of Awe: A New Approach to Mindfulness

13:22 The AWE Method Explained

18:42 The Impact of Awe on Emotional State

21:22 Practical Application of the AWE Method

25:47 Introduction to the Concept of Attention

26:43 Sharing Personal Experiences with the Practice

29:53 The Power of Sharing Awe with Others

30:18 Incorporating Awe into Daily Life

31:09 The Conceptual Aspect of Awe

32:24 Incorporating the Awe Practice into Daily Routine

35:10 The Benefits of the Awe Practice

41:45 The Power of Awe: Book and Other Resources

43:24 Closing Thoughts and Reflections

You can learn more about Dr. Amster and his new book, The Power of Awe here: https://thepowerofawe.com/

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.

IG: @merylarnett

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New Year's Meditation: Harvesting the Fire

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 01:00:00 -0500

Hello Dear Listeners! How I have missed you over the last several weeks; I am so excited to share in another year of meditative exploration with you. There are lots of updates and exciting stories to share with you, but, for today, let us linger in the New Year transition.

In this mini episode of The Mindful Minute, I talk about the shift into the new year and the idea of having expectations in January. Despite my own excitement for the upcoming year and new projects I plan to share on the podcast, I want to encourage us all to embrace winter as a season of rest, nurturance, and reflection. Let’s explore harvesting your internal fire or energy during winter, allowing it to nourish ideas and projects for the months to come.

In this episode, you can expect:

01:03 Introduction and New Year Reflections

02:28 Understanding the Winter Season

04:32 The Concept of Harvesting the Fire

06:13 The Symbolism of Fire in Jewish Lore

08:50 Invitation to Meditate

10:49 Guided Meditation: Connecting with the Internal Flame

18:34 Concluding Remarks and Farewell

This episode is written and recorded without the use of AI content creation. If you catch a mistake, I hope it makes you smile knowing a real person is behind each of these stories, ideas and guided meditations.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.

IG: @merylarnett

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For the Love of Nature {Final Episode of 2023}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0500

**This class will be the last podcast episode of 2023 for The Mindful Minute. I’ll be taking a break over the winter months to rest, to practice, to study, and feel through what 2024 will ask of all of us as meditation practitioners. I’ll be back in early 2024 with a new year of meditation classes tied to the natural world and centered on well-being for the Earth, humans, and the more-than-humans that make up this universe. I look forward to practicing with you again soon.

I have been teaching Monday Night Meditation for 8 years, and airing it on The Mindful Minute podcast for 7 years. It has been my greatest joy to share my own meditative journey and to witness yours as we have practiced together.

My own practice has evolved profoundly in the 13 years I have been sitting on a meditation cushion. I began as a Tantric practitioner, settled into Mindfulness for years, and returned to Tantric traditions as my own awareness continues to awaken. For the last several years, I have been deeply devoted to exploring our connection to the natural world, as taught in Tantric traditions, as a connection to our deepest Selves.

There is something that happens when we fully embrace our connections to the land that we live, walk, and breathe upon - it allows us to tap into our own inner indigeneity. That rootedness that was here before all else.

And, I feel called to further my exploration and deepen my teaching on nature-based meditation - as a response to climate crisis, eco-grief and eco-anxiety certainly. But even more so, as a response to the call to be more ourselves, to be more awake, engaged, and purposeful in how we live and move through the world today.

Ancient wisdom traditions teach us that the body is a universe.

Carl Sagan once told us that we are “made of star-stuff”.

Modern science proves that mindfully connecting to nature has a huge impact on our well-being - boosting immunity, reducing anxiety & enhancing creativity. Yet, weaving together our contemplative practices with the natural world offers us so much more than a quick health fix.

Nature-based meditation anchors us in a larger, more ancient story. It invites us to understand ourselves on a deeper level, and offers a tantalizing invitation into the spiritual side of a meditation practice. Nature serves as mirror, storyteller, and space holder.

This class will be the last podcast episode of 2023 for The Mindful Minute. I’ll be taking a break over the winter months to rest, to practice, to study, and feel through what 2024 will ask of all of us as meditation practitioners. I’ll be back in early 2024 with a new year of meditation classes tied to the natural world and centered on well-being for the Earth, humans, and the more-than-humans that make up this universe. I look forward to practicing with you again soon.

If you have questions or comments, don’t forget you can always reach out via merylarnett.com.

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Witchy Meditation with Jamie Della

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0400

What does witchcraft have to do with meditation? SO much more than you might have originally thought, dear listeners. Which is why I am so excited to share a conversation with Jamie Della today.

Jamie Della is a witch, an ordained Priestess, and the author of ten books, including her newest book, A Box of Magick, as well as The Book of Spells: The Magick of Witchcraft and The Wicca Cookbook. She has a writer’s spirit and a faery soul, and she loves to teach, create, throw pottery, and get out in nature.

Jamie shares that her new book A Box of Magick is an invitation to a magickal life with herbs, rituals, and spells--through the guidance of two priestesses, one here on Earth and one from beyond the veil…

Jamie and I talk about the origin story of this book, and we spend a lot of time unpacking the witch archetype in this episode. We also talk about:

Elemental magic
Divination and synchronicities
Ancestors
Earth-based spirituality

…and so much more. I share a bit about my own resonance with the title witch, and I’ll be curious to hear - do you feel a correspondence between your meditation practice and witchcraft after listening to this episode?

Jamie’s new book A Box of Magick is out now and it is a perfect read for the season! Learn more about Jamie here: https://jamiedella.com/

PS. Listeners, we recorded this interview right in the middle of mercury retrograde and we have some technical difficulties at the end. If it sounds a little glitchy, well it's the universe’s fault ;-)

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Grief & Anxiety {Part 4}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 01:00:00 -0400

To allow an emotion to be simply means to let the feelings come and go without needing to DO anything about them.

Simple to understand; much much more difficult to put into practice.

In today’s episode of The Mindful Minute, we use myth as a pathway to understanding the practice of allowance. Rather than trapping an emotion - giving it a label, a meaning, and box to live in - what if we track the experience?

What happens if we stay open to sensation and story? To image and insight?

In the last installment of our Big Emotions series, we put together the practice of Soften, Soothe, Allow so that we are able to rest into the experience of attending & befriending our emotions.

Join me for a short talk and 20-minute guided meditation.

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Peace & Renewal with James Crews

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 01:00:00 -0400

Oh friends,

I am sure, like mine, your heart is broken over the horrors we are witnessing between Israel and Palestine, as well as the hate crimes we are seeing in response to this crisis.

In a moment of pure serendipity, I had an interview that was scheduled months ago with poet James Crews to chat about his new book, The Wonder of Small Things; Poems of Peace & Renewal. I originally planned to air this conversation as a Winter Solstice offering, but his book feels like the perfect balm for the pain of this moment.

So, I am releasing this episode as quickly as possible in hopes that it offers you a tiny salve for your heart, a spark of okay-ness, as you continue to engage and bear witness to what is happening in the world.

James Crews is the editor of several bestselling anthologies, including The Path to Kindness: Poems of Connection and Joy and How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope, which has over 100,000 copies in print. He is the author of four prize-winning books of poetry—The Book of What Stays, Telling My Father, Bluebird, and Every Waking Moment—and a book of short essays, Kindness Will Save the World: Stories of Compassion and Connection. James also speaks and leads workshops on kindness, mindfulness, and writing for self-compassion. He lives with his husband on forty rocky acres in the woods of Southern Vermont.

You can hear more about James and the connection between poetry and meditation in our first interview which aired in 2022. Listen Here: https://www.merylarnett.com/podcast/path-to-kindness?rq=Crews

You can learn more about James, buy his new book {highly recommend!}, and subscribe to his Weekly Pause newsletter here: https://www.jamescrews.net/

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Grief & Anxiety {Part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 01:00:00 -0400

*While this series was recorded several months ago, it continues to feel incredibly timely as we bear witness to the horrors unfolding in Israel and Palestine, as well as the hate crimes happening in response to this crisis.

May we stay steady, may we stay awake, may we soothe our hearts so that we can continue to engage.

A Lifeboat in Turbulent Times:

When emotion overwhelms our system, it is called 'flooding', and in today’s episode, we are going to learn to build our lifeboat. We will explore soothing techniques to support the overwhelming emotions of the moment.

Last week, we talked about softening the body - this is a form of physical compassion. ⁠

⁠

Today, we explore soothing, an emotional compassion, which allows us to tolerate big emotions and perhaps move towards allowance.

Join me for today’s talk and 20-minute guided meditation practice - an experience of soothing.

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Grief & Anxiety {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0400

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with emotion and empathy expert, Karla McLaren, about her new book, The Language of Emotions. In it, she shares a powerful definition of emotion from sociologist Dr. Arlie Hochschild

“Emotion, I suggest, is a biologically given sense, and our most important one. Like other senses - hearing, touch, and smell - it is a means by which we know our relation to the world, and is therefore crucial to the survival of human beings in group life. Emotion is unique among the senses, however, because it is related not only to an orientation toward action, but also to an orientation toward cognition.”

What changes when you think of your emotions as a ‘sense’ rather than as a problem to be fixed? In the same way that we use our eyes, ears and fingers to take in information, we use our emotions to do the same.

In order to fully access this sense, this tool of cognition, we must learn to soften in the presence of big emotion. For most of us, our innate response is to contract; to pull away from any emotion that feels too big, too loud, painful, messy or ugly - but the wisdom lies in softening.

In this episode of The Mindful Minute, we talk about

Big emotions and the feeling of trying to contain it rather than let it flow
Emotions and the element of water
Softening the edges of the body
Otter dreams and walking through the gift shop with kids ;-)

At the end, we practice softening the edges with a 20-minute guided meditation. Join me!

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Grief & Anxiety {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0400

I have noticed the prevalence of two difficult emotions both in my own life as well as in my conversations with others - grief & anxiety. Difficult emotions to be sure. Over the next four episodes, I want to explore working with difficult emotions in our meditation practice.

It can appear, at least on the surface, that there is no place for big emotion within our meditation practice - as if, somehow, meditation precludes us from experiencing heartbreak, fear or anger. This couldn’t be further from the truth. What meditation offers us isn’t exemption from emotion but rather comfort and trust in the wisdom of our emotions.

Almost always amidst big emotion we are having a dual experience. We are

Experiencing our feelings in the moment.

Experiencing the thoughts, stories and beliefs we are having about our feelings.

One is real; the other is very often untrue. Can you guess which?

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we talk about

What is real and what is untrue

The forethought of grief

Why there is always a place for your emotions, no matter how big, in meditation

At the end, as always, we will share in a 20-minute guided meditation.

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The Luminous Self with Tracee Stanley

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0400

"What if your discomfort was a portal to a rebirth, a remembering, an attunement to your true Self?" - Tracee Stanley

Tracee Stanley is the founder of Empowered Life Circle, a sacred community and portal of practices, rituals, and Tantric teachings inspired by more than 20 years of study in Sri Vidya Tantra and the teachings of the Himalayan Masters. As a post-lineage teacher, Tracee is devoted to sharing the wisdom of yoga nidra, rest, meditation, self-inquiry, nature as a teacher, and ancestor reverence. Tracee is gifted in illuminating the magic and power found in liminal space and weaving devotion and practice into daily life.

Today, Tracee joins The Mindful Minute to talk about her new book, The Luminous Self, and share some of the profound practices included within.

The Luminous Self is a book that answers the questions on how to inquire into our suffering and past conditioning, empowering ourselves to turn towards truth and power. It begins with the essential question : Who am I?

This new book offers practices, rituals, yoga nidra, and self-inquiry to reveal inner wisdom, and inspire us to rest in a place of remembered wholeness and wellness. Tracee shares the practices that have been most potent and transformative in her life, and gives suggestions for how to offer these practices in community.

In this conversation, we talk about so many incredible practices, ideas and insights. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

You can save 30% on all pre-orders of The Luminous Self when you preorder at Shambhala.com with the code LUM30

Learn more about Tracee by visiting traceestanley.com

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Birds, Books & Awe {part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0400

In this series, I named three things that regularly inspire awe for me -

Birds

Books

Meditation

All 3 regularly stop me in my tracks, and they make my jaw drop. They make me smile, wonder, and listen. They weave their way into my conversations and my dreams. In short, they inspire awe within me.

“Awe experiences are what psychologists call self-transcendent: they shift our attention away from ourselves, make us feel like we are part of something greater than ourselves, change our perception of time, and even make us more generous toward others.” - templeton.org

Dacher Keltner - one of the foremost awe researchers - has written about taking ‘awe-walks’. Nature is an easy place to find awe, and he encourages us to go out with the intention of seeking awe. I’ve found that the more I do this, the more easily I experience it.

We can also do this in our meditation practice. We can go on an awe-walk through our minds and our hearts. We sit with the intention of being awed by our own minds, or our own internal knowing.

We sit with the intention of meandering through the caverns of our mind and the lake of our heart. We don’t rush, we don’t brush things off, or ignore them.

We taste. We savor. We experience.

There is a reason that all the Sages spoke of our inner being as a universe - one with mountains and lakes, rivers and valleys - it is because they could see that the awe we experience out in the world is the SAME experience we can have within ourselves.

Now it is our turn.

Join me for today’s talk and guided meditation practice.

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Birds, Books, & Awe {part 2: Books}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0400

I adore a good book, and I’ve noticed that often I feel a sense of energy or connection between what I’m reading and my meditation practice. Sometimes it inspires a question, a curiosity or even just a feeling.

It isn’t something that can easily be named or explained, which is exactly what this series is about… The unknown, the mystery, the awe of an experience.

In meditation, often we want to discuss what happens. We try to explain. But so often it feels incomplete, doesn’t it? You can’t capture the depth, the richness, the aliveness through a word that is in itself limiting.

Our practice, like ourselves, is boundless. Limits are useless here. And often so is language.

Books have their place. They point us to something.

But experience is the only path forward… The only knowing.

In this class, we explore books, language, signs and symbols as a way to relate to our practice and to accept its ambiguity. Join me for a brief discussion and 20-minute guided meditation.

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Birds, Books & Awe {part 1: Birds}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0400

This year, I have fallen in love with birds. I know, I know - it's an odd entry to a meditation class, but stay with me -

We added a few bird feeders and a bird bath to our backyard garden at the start of the year, and the bird population has absolutely exploded. And, since I sit outside to meditate everyday, I have a front row seat to the show.

At first, I found the constant birdsong a distraction to my practice, but I QUICKLY found that it became a soundtrack of upliftment and positive feelings. It is only natural then that I began to ask.. Why?

Here is where it gets interesting - much like with any aspect of nature, while science can show that it DOES have a positive impact on physical and emotional health, it struggles to show WHY…

And so I started to ask myself, could the feeling alone be enough?

Could my own internal experience be enough?

This appreciation of birds - would it change if I could identify every bird I see?

Do I need to know in order to appreciate it?

We are so cultured by technology to pull out a phone and identify, to Google, to search, to name the thing.

When in fact, I believe our meditation practice is inviting us to step away from that pressing need to know and master everything we encounter.

We aren’t here to know nature.

We are nature. We are here to experience it.

Join me for today’s short talk and guided meditation practice dedicated to the unknown, the ambiguous, and the uncertain.

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The Language of Emotions with Karla McLaren

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0400

What if emotions weren't a problem? What if you didn’t need to fix or change your emotions? What if they were actually not only helpful but vital to our survival?

Today, I am delighted to share a conversation with author and researcher Karla McLaren. M.Ed.

Karla is an emotions and empathy expert, and she's recently revised and updated one of her books, The Language of Emotions. In this conversation, Karla and I talk about

Emotions as a sense rather than a problem
Anxiety, panic and how to work with them
Boundaries
The danger of spiritual bypassing in yoga & meditation communities
Why judgment isn’t a bad thing
Children and big emotions
4 keys to emotional genius

This conversation is rich with helpful tools for embodying and embracing our emotional life. Be sure to listen all the way to the end - Karla shares a practice that is simple and powerfully effective for identifying and establishing boundaries and space.

You can learn more about Karla at https://karlamclaren.com/ and https://empathyacademy.org/

And here is the free emotion chart for kids that Karla mentions: https://karlamclaren.com/free-emotions-charts-for-kids/

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Resilience & Reciprocity for Self

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0400

It is an unbelievably beautiful gift to be alive and awake. The world will break our hearts both through its cruelty and its beauty. Our job is not to fix that paradox, but to learn how to live within it with resiliency and reciprocity.

We grieve, we give thanks, and we act in some personal way in response to the gift of being alive.

This last class in the Resilience & Reciprocity series will ask us to shift from an independent to an intra-dependent point of view of ourselves, others, and the natural world. All 3 ask for our grief, our gratitude and our reciprocal action. And, all 3 are uplifted and clarified through our meditation practice.

Emergence Labs writes of intra-dependency -

Intra-dependency on the other hand signifies how something is the outcome of another thing. One thing is “of” another. {...} The ‘whole’ is making us (even as we can identify ourselves as separate).

The whole is making us. We cannot meditate solely for our own betterment. We cannot meditate solely for others. Or for the natural world. Because, as much as we view these as separate realms, they are threads of a whole.

So, our meditation practice isn’t only for sacred halls and silent incense-filled air. It is also for dogs barking and children crying and the many experiences that make up a life. In short, meditation practice is for you.

Join me for today’s discussion on the Self, intra-dependency, and a 20-minute guided meditation.

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Resilience & Reciprocity for Others

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Do you know the refrain in Amazing Grace?

Amazing grace how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost, but now I'm found

Was blind but now I see

This refrain has been running through my head as I created this month’s meditation series - “but now I see.”

Last week, we talked about really ‘seeing’ the earth, and today, we will talk about really ‘seeing’ others, people that are different from ourselves in some way. One of the premises in this series is that comfort equals loneliness.

If everyone around me looks like me and thinks like me, well that might feel pretty easy at first. I don’t have to stretch too hard to make anyone feel included. I don’t have to worry that my needs will be overlooked. I don’t have to risk discomfort in conversation, in activity, in food, in anything… But, the more I close off to anyone different, the scarier it is “out there”; the smaller my world becomes “in here”; and suddenly, I am very, very alone.

So, let’s remove the blinders as a pathway to healing and wholeness. Let’s explore how meditation strengthens our capacity to see others, to see ourselves, and to see a path forward that is rich in connection and reciprocity.

Join me.

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Resilience & Reciprocity for the Earth

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0400

In this mindfulness series, we are exploring resilience & reciprocity as skills we build when we bring mindfulness to our relationships with the earth, with others, and with ourselves. In today’s class, we bring the lens of mindfulness to our fractured relationship with nature.

Diagnosis like plant blindness and nature deficit disorder, not to mention climate crisis, highlight how removed we are from nature. At the same time, there are writers, poets, artists, and scientists all screaming for us to go outside, to remember ourselves in nature. Yet, for the most part, we don’t.

We don’t go outside because we are busy, because we don’t know where to go, or because we don’t like being hot, or cold, or the bugs. We don’t go outside because our culture has taught us to value comfort over all else. We don’t go outside because we might be uncomfortable.

In the Apache language, the root of the word for land is the same root as the word for mind… an interesting parallel, isn’t it?

We don’t like to be uncomfortable - with our thoughts or with the weather.

However, what we see over and over again through lived experience is that discomfort allows us to tap into and appreciate joy so much more than staying sheltered, closed off, and “comfortable”.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we revive our connection to nature through resilience and reciprocity.

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Resilience, Reciprocity & Removing the Blinders

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 03:00:00 -0400

Hello dear ones.

Today, we step into a new series that stems from some of my recent reading. Every spring, I re-read "Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer, and I also just read a new book from the Foxfire organization titled "The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Women".

While these books are about different peoples, different times, and different landscapes, I see so many threads of similarity carried between the narratives -

Threads of hardship, hard work & happiness.

Threads of lack and abundance.

Threads of fear and grief for a changing landscape.

In this new meditation series, I want to follow a few of these threads through our lived experiences, and the ways they show up and can be worked with on the meditation cushion.

If I had to choose one word synopses for these two books, I would choose:

Resilience & Reciprocity

So, we will begin our series here. Join me as we journey through the plant world, the peopled world, and the inner world of the Self. We will talk, we will meditate, and we will connect. Don’t miss it!

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Sacred Female Archetypes: A Conversation with Mara Branscombe

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Are you a Sage? A Huntress? A Lover? A Queen?

The answer is yes to all of the above, and author Mara Branscombe joins us in today’s episode to explain why with her new book: Sage, Huntress, Lover, Queen.

Mara Branscombe is a mother, writer, yogi, artist, teacher, mindfulness leader, ceremonialist and spiritual coach. Mara is passionate about weaving the art of mindfulness, self-care, creativity, mind–body practices, and earth-based rituals into her life and work, and she has been leading community ceremony since 2000.

This is her second visit to The Mindful Minute, and this conversation does not disappoint! Mara and I chat about:

Archetypes: what they are and why they matter
The light and the shadow of our inner experience
The creative process and the wisdom hidden in creative acts
Simple sacred practices to embody each of these archetypes
The archetypes we are resonating with most right now

And, Mara shares a short visioning practice to embody our inner Huntress, embracing authenticity and activating creativity.

You can learn more about Mara and buy her new book here: https://www.femininearchetypesbook.com/

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Meditation As A Band-Aid

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0400

This meditation class was recorded in the aftermath of a mass shooting in my hometown of Atlanta, GA and after a day of supporting a friend through a mental health crisis.

I like to think of meditation as a lifestyle; when we treat this practice as a rich and full aspect of daily lives it quickly begins to offer the benefits that are so lauded when one reads about the practice of meditation. However, there are also times when meditation can serve as a band-aid. It can be an SOS practice that immediately helps to calm your nervous system and to settle you back into your body after a stressful situation.

In this class, we explore three quick and simple practices that you can do when you are feeling high levels of stress, fear and anxiety. Each of these practices can be done on their own in less than 30-seconds, and each practice has measurable, positive impacts on your nervous system.

Join me for today’s talk and 15-minute guided meditation practice on The Mindful Minute podcast.

As always, this class assumes that you are currently safe and have all your basic needs met. If you are experiencing extended periods of duress, please consult a mental health professional to support your wellness.

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Magic, Manifestation & Contradiction with Sara Rae Hoaglund

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Let me tell you a little secret… I dislike the word manifestation so much. It isn’t because I don’t believe that manifestation is possible, but it is because I find far too often it is over simplified and used as an easy excuse to side-step doing deep work.

So, when I met Sara Rae Hoaglund and heard her talk about the contradictions, the work and the mindfulness that is required for manifestation, I knew she was the person to bring this discussion to The Mindful Minute.

In this episode, Sara Rae and I chat about:

What manifestation is and is not
Working with your energetic blueprint
Shadow work
The law of attraction, the law of detachment, and the hidden contradiction therein
How mindfulness and manifestation support each other
The difference between goal-setting and manifestation
What happens when you work with a manifestation coach

At the end, Sara Rae guides a short cleansing ritual that you can use as often as you need while setting your own manifestation intentions.

Learn more about Sara Rae, her work and her podcast by visiting: https://www.spirituallyinspired.co/

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Reverse Meditation with Andrew Holecek

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Whew y’all. Are you ready to go deep today? Like really deep? Because today, we are jumping into the deep end with Buddhist meditation teacher Andrew Holecek.

Andrew is a teacher and author on meditation, lucid dreaming, non-dualism, and preparing

to die from a buddhist perspective. And today we are talking about his new book, Reverse Meditation, how to use your pain and most difficult emotions as the doorway to inner freedom.

This is a rich conversation, particularly for those of you wanting to go deeper in your meditation practice. Andrew talks us through 3 stages of meditation practice and expounds on the how and the why of working with our discomfort, uncertainty, and pain.

Andrew also answers a profound question that comes up so often: Meditation practitioners frequently comment that they feel MORE. They feel their own feelings and the feelings of the world so much more. And the inevitable next question is, “but what do I do with all these feelings?! How do I handle feeling so much more?”

Well, friends, Andrew is about to answer that question for us. So, without further ado, let’s jump into today’s conversation on The Mindful Minute podcast.

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Mindful Style: A Conversation with Lillian Charles

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0400

I have wanted to bring this conversation to The Mindful Minute podcast for a long time now, and today I am delighted to share a conversation with Lillian Charles about our clothes, our bodies, and our mindfulness practice.

Lillian created STYLE THERAPY in 2011 as a way to help women remove mental, emotional and physical barriers to living fully expressed lives. She combines traditional Personal Styling with Energy Healing, Intuitive Consulting and scientifically backed Life Coaching methods such as EFT, TIME techniques and neurolinguistic programming to achieve optimal results with each client.

Lillian has served as a three term lululemon ambassador, has been named one of Atlanta's top wellness influencers and thought leaders by the City of Atlanta, was dubbed one of Atlanta's 2021 Wonder Women by Best Self Magazine and the number one wardrobe specialist by Atlanta Magazine two years in a row. She works virtually with women around the globe and celebrated the ten year anniversary of Style Therapy in 2021. You can find her on 15+ podcast interviews on Spotify.

One of the original teachings of mindful living is in regards to the clothes you wear. It isn’t about the type of clothes, the cost or the level of ‘cool’ - it is about how you FEEL. Lillian, a graduate of my meditation teacher training, talks to us about:

The energetics of style
How she weaves mindfulness into her clothes and her relationship with her clients
Vision boarding
Prepping for date night
Why she choose meditation teacher training even though she didn’t plan to teach meditation

And so much more!

You can learn more about Lillian by visiting lilliancharles.com

instagram: @lilliangraycharles

And, you can learn more about this year’s meditation teacher training at: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-teacher-training

We begin August 16, 2023!

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Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.

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Mindfulness & Therapy: An Interview with Robyn Minefee

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Combining meditation and the work you do with a therapist can significantly improve your mental health. Today, I am sharing a conversation with one of my meditation teacher training graduates, Robyn Minefee, who combines meditation teaching and her work as a licensed counselor.

Robyn Minefee is a licensed professional counselor and yoga instructor in the state of Georgia. In her virtual private practice she considers herself a holistic practitioner meaning she utilizes movement as a big part of therapy - which can include physical movement or moving energy in your body with breath work. She is a registered yoga instructor, certified in EMDR, and Hypnotherapy, as well as a Reiki practitioner. Robyn identifies her greatest achievements as her two adult children, being a grandmother (soon to be of two), and her four legged fur baby named Zen.

Together we talk about:

Meditation and Therapy: How Robyn brings meditation to her private clients
Robyn’s biggest hesitation when signing up for meditation teacher training
Nature! Why we love it, how it impacts our mental health, and how to do a walking meditation
How to stock your mental health cabinet

You can learn more about Robyn’s work as a counselor and a coach by visiting: https://www.mindandbodytherapyga.com

IG: @mindandbodytherapyga

TikTok: @mindandbodytherapyga

And, you can learn more about this year’s meditation teacher training at: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-teacher-training

We begin August 16, 2023!

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Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.

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Behind the Scenes: Meditation Teacher Training with Johanna Olivas

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0400

I have been leading meditation teacher trainings since 2017, and as I launch my 2023 training, I thought it would be fun to share a few conversations with graduates about their experiences in MTT.

Today, I am delighted to share a behind the scenes chat with a former student, Johanna Olivas. Johanna is a registered yoga teacher, Reiki master, sound healing practitioner, and since 2022, a certified meditation teacher.

In this episode, we talk about:

Confidence and connection: teaching that first meditation
Expanding creative skills
Discovering authenticity in voice and in space holding
The secret sauce of journaling

Tune into The Mindful Minute today to hear about Johanna’s experience with meditation teacher training, and how she is using this knowledge in her business today.

To learn more about my 2023 Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training, please visit: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-teacher-training

We begin August 16!

To learn more about Johanna, please visit https://www.lunaserenity.com/

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.

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Meet Meryl {Spiritually Inspired Interview}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0400

I have something a bit different for you today! I was recently interviewed by Sara Rae Hoaglund for her podcast, Spiritually Inspired.

I thought you guys might enjoy hearing a bit about my early experiences with meditation, how I defined meditation, and how to deepen your meditation practice when you are ready for more than just 10-minutes a day!

This conversation was such a blast. Be sure to check out Sara Rae’s other interviews on Spiritually Inspired and be on the lookout for her interview on The Mindful Minute next month when we talk all about… MANIFESTING.

You can find this interview and so much more on Sara Rae’s website: https://www.spirituallyinspired.co/

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.

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Mindful Parenting with Sarah Ezrin

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 03:00:00 -0400

“I have been meditating for nearly thirty years and practicing asana, the physical practice, for over twenty and I can say without a doubt that the most advanced yoga I have ever done is raising children.” - Sarah Ezrin

When I read this quote from author, yoga teacher, and mama Sarah Ezrin, I knew we would be fast friends because this has absolutely been the truth of my experience as well!

In today’s episode of The Mindful Minute, we wrap up our ‘Stress Free Summer’ series with an interview with Sarah Ezrin. Sarah has written a new book, “The Yoga of Parenting” and in it Sarah offers 34 practices to find more presence, patience and acceptance - with your child and with yourself.

Together, we share

our experiences of being yogis and meditators before children and after
What a typical practice looks like during the school year and when the kids are out for summer
Yoga poses that support our parenting
Why patience and presence feature so strongly in what we as parents need for ourselves and our kids.

There is a lot of laughter and joy in this conversation; there is a lot of recognition in each other’s stories, and I hope a lot of good takeaways to help you move through your summer with ease, with patience, and with presence.

You can learn more about Sarah at https://sarahezrinyoga.com/

And if you order Sarah’s new book, “The Yoga of Parenting” at https://www.shambhala.com/the-yoga-of-parenting.html and use code YP30 you can save 30%!

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.

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A Recipe for Greeting & Gratitude

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 25 May 2023 03:00:00 -0400

This meditation is both an expression of greeting and of gratitude, and it is a beautiful way to start your day.

As we share this practice, remember that the universe outside also exists inside. In so many wisdom traditions, we find writings and teachings that connect the natural world inside of us. When we greet and celebrate the components of the cosmos, we greet and celebrate the components of ourselves.

Take a seat outside or near a window if you can. Have one headphone in your ear to hear the recording and one headphone out of your ear so that you can hear the sounds of the natural world surrounding you.

Let’s begin.

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Stress-Free Summer: A Recipe for Timelessness

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 18 May 2023 03:00:00 -0400

Here in Georgia, we are stepping into the summer season. The kids will be out of school shortly, and I’m struck with the oh-so-familiar feeling (for me at least) of partial excitement -

Yay! It’s summer. No schedule. Going to the pool! Going camping! Fun

And -

Ohhhhhh it’s summer. No schedule. No routine or rhythm to anchor our days. Yikes.

I thrive on routine and while I appreciate short breaks, I am also well aware that all too quickly that freedom turns into a source of stress for me.

And so, I thought it would be valuable and fun to share a bit of a creative project I’ve been playing with this year.

As you know, I almost exclusively meditate outside. My connection to nature deepens my connection to self and stimulates my creativity. It provides a larger rhythm to my days based on when the hyacinth blooms, the hummingbirds return, and the bees swarm that one particular bush that I can never remember the name of…

In the next few podcast episodes, I am going to share a few recipes with you - recipes for connecting with nature, with time, and with self. I encourage you to go sit outside if at all possible - on a stoop, porch, park, backyard or even a parking lot staring up at the sky.

Have one headphone in and one headphone out so you can hear the sounds of the world around you. Close your eyes and together let’s tap into the rhythms of the natural world as a way to anchor, especially when our daily rhythms aren’t as steady as we would like it to be.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.

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Mindful Living: Trustful Surrender

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 11 May 2023 03:00:00 -0400

“We are all continually asked to learn how to ask for what we need, only to practice accepting what we’re given.” - Mark Nepo

Oh, surrender, what a complex equation you are.

So many of us understand surrender to be a passive state or an act of giving up. After all, the very definition of surrender is “to stop resisting”.

Yet, with each of these teachings that we have explored in the Mindful Living series comes a deep paradox that we are asked to embrace. Surrender is both strength and softness.

Surrender is fully letting go of the fight we constantly wage with our lives, and it is taking full responsibility for the vision we have for ourselves.

Within today’s class, we will

Tease apart the difference between letting go and giving up
Look at examples of the action of surrender
Engage with the “trustful” aspect of surrender
Discuss how the weaving together of discipline, self-study and surrender elevate the practice of meditation from a simple concentration exercise to an opportunity for spiritual awakening.

I hope you’ll join me for today’s discussion and 20-minute guided meditation.

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Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.

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Mindful Living: Self-Study

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 04 May 2023 03:00:00 -0400

Recently, my four-year-old daughter asked me, “who were you before you were a mom?”

After a little conversation, I realized she was asking me - ‘what was your job before you were a mom’...

At four, she already identifies a job as who you are.

This week’s mindful living tenet is Self-Study, and this teaching also asks us “who are you?”

Who are you without a job?

Without a plan?

Without a diagnosis?

Without a gender?

Without any of your conditioning?

In this week’s episode of The Mindful Minute podcast, we talk through the practice of self-study and engaging our curiosity muscle. We explore both how this tenet was taught originally and several ways we can incorporate it into our daily lives. And, most importantly, we talk about why this is not ‘fixing’ yourself. Join me for today’s talk and guided meditation practice.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.

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Mindful Living: Self-Discipline

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 03:00:00 -0400

Today’s Mindful Living tenet is self-discipline, or more literally, the fire of transformation. This teaching reminds us that meditation and mindful living is not meant to be synonymous with sunshine and rainbows or with joy 100% of the time.

Mindfulness grows from burning away non-supportive habits in order to actualize who we really are.

Self-discipline is the teaching that focuses attention so that attention becomes intention.

We can see a direct example of self-discipline in cultivating a daily meditation practice.

I’m sure you can think of a thousand other things that you could do with this time, but as meditation practitioners, we forsake some momentary pleasurable distraction because we’ve named what we are practicing for - some insight, comfort, transformation or knowing… We show up and we do the work because we know why we are practicing.

How we show up for the work also matters.

We can be half-hearted - calling it meditation but really we are taking a bath with a glass of wine.

We can be ego driven - focused on the fruits of our labor, the outcome, or the goal.

We can be balanced by bringing a sense of faith to the practice.

Faith is actually a primary ingredient in self-discipline. Faith that the work is enough. That the choices you make, the sacrifices you willingly agree to, the flames that might burn a bit as you walk through them, all of it is the path you are meant to be on. The work is enough.

It is in this way that we practice.

So that our stories and the weight of discarded emotions, thoughts and beliefs that have fallen to our forest floors don’t burn uncontrolled.

Fire at first glance can seem like a fearsome, raging inferno, when in actuality, it is lighting our path and nurturing our rejuvenation.

So let’s burn; let’s do the work.

Special thanks to today’s sponsor: Baronfig. Baronfig’s line of “Tools for Thinkers” includes guided journals, notebooks, writing instruments, bags, accessories, and so much more. As an avid journaler, I use and love their guided meditation journal, dream journal and their basic Confidant notebooks! Use code MindfulMinute through 4/27/23 to save 10% on your own order at baronfig.com.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.

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Mindful Living: Contentment

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 03:00:00 -0400

“One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming about some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses blooming under our window.” - Dale Carnegie

The Moment is Complete

There is no where to go and nothing get

The way isn’t difficult for those who are unattached to their preferences

Each of these quotes point towards a fundamental teaching - maybe the most taught about tenet in mindfulness and yet the hardest to grasp - Contentment.

I think of contentment as developing a profound ok-ness with my life, and yet in order to find and experience this sense of well-being, we must be willing to embrace profound paradoxes.

Contentment is not about ignoring or avoiding pain, it isn’t about glossing over or using the dread phrase, “it is what it is”... I would venture to say that contentment isn’t even about happiness.

Recently, I learned that you can almost always find the antidote to a troublesome plant growing near said troublesome plant. For example, you can almost always find jewelweed growing near poison ivy. Poison ivy will make you itch, and jewelweed sap is anti-inflammatory and anti-itch.

Contentment doesn’t mean you will never be uncomfortable; contentment is knowing the antidote is right here, in this very moment. The moment is complete.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we tease apart the paradoxes within contentment and share in a 20-minute guided meditation.

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Mindful Living: Declutter Yourself

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 03:00:00 -0400

In the last five episodes, I’ve shared the ethical teachings of meditation. Traditionally, after learning these ethical teachings, often taught as ‘restraints’, we would then learn five more teachings known as ‘observances’.

These next five teachings, known in Sanskrit as Niyamas, are principles that we observe within ourselves to develop a mindful way of moving through the world. These are in essence the guidance to Mindful Living.

We start with one that feels very tricky to me… it is most often translated as purity.

Personally, I have a very strong aversion to the word purity. I feel like all manner of dangerous judgments, othering, and oppression happens under the guise of purity. I also believe that it is far too easy to become extreme in our quest to become ‘pure’ (especially in the spiritual world) which hinders rather than helps us.

However, when we dive into the teachings of this tenet, what we learn is that this teaching is about connecting to and enlivening our energy levels, and we do this by decluttering our minds, bodies, and physical spaces.

So, let’s tap into our inner Marie Kondo and explore joy, energy and the mindfulness of decluttering. Ready?

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Nature, Culture & The Sacred: An Interview with Nina Simons

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 03:00:00 -0400

When someone says to me, “would you like to have a conversation about nature, culture and the sacred?” - the answer is always YES, which is how this interview came to be.

Today, I get to share a conversation with the dynamic author, leader and organizer, Nina Simons.

Nina is the Co-founder and Chief Relationship Officer at Bioneers. Throughout her career spanning the nonprofit, social entrepreneurship, corporate, and philanthropic sectors, Nina has worked with nearly a thousand diverse women leaders across disciplines, race, class, age and orientation to create conditions for mutual learning, trust and leadership development.

She authored Nature, Culture, and the Sacred: A Woman Listens for Leadership—which was released as a second edition in June 2022 with an accompanying discussion guide and embodied practices. The first edition won Gold Nautilus awards in the categories of women, intersectionality and social justice. Both books are being used to inspire and ignite learning in individuals, circles and classrooms.

In this conversation, we talk about

Meditation as the subtlest form of self-love
Archetypal feminine vs gendered feminine and why this is what is missing from our world
The intertwining of the sacred and activism
Generational trauma
The overlapping crisis of our time - indigenous issues, racial equity, gender balance and the environmental crisis

Nina also references a documentary, The Burning Times, that changed the trajectory of her life. You can watch The Burning Times here: https://youtu.be/34ow_kNnoro

Learn more about Nina and her work here: https://www.ninasimons.com/

Learn more about Bioneers here: https://bioneers.org/

Special thanks to today’s sponsor: Baronfig - Baronfig’s line of “Tools for Thinkers” includes guided journals, notebooks, writing instruments, bags, accessories, and so much more. As an avid journaler, I am obsessed with their guided meditation journal, dream journal and their basic Confidant notebooks! Get one for yourself at baronfig.com and use code MindfulMinute to save 10% on your order by April 27. Trust me, it’s worth it!

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.

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The Ethics of Meditation: Non-Possessiveness

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 03:00:00 -0400

“Behind violence, dishonesty, stealing & indulgence lies one clear objective: gaining greater control over the objects of our desire and eliminating those with the potential to stand in our way. This phenomenon can be described in one word: possessiveness. We want to have enough to fulfill our desires and our desire knows no limit.” - Pandit Rajmani Tigunait

The final teaching in our ethics series is the tenet of non-possessiveness - also referred to as non-attachment or non-clinging in many teachings. This tenet is all about uncovering our desires so that our desires don’t become obsessions and our obsessions don’t possess us.

Desires usually fall into one of 3 categories:

Family
Material wealth
Power & fame

Left unchecked, our desires keep us stuck. We can’t see other options, we can’t try something new, and we can’t enjoy life because we are too busy obsessing over what we can’t have or didn’t get. And these obsessions lead us to violate the previous ethical teachings of violence, truthfulness, non-stealing and non-excess.

Within our meditation practice, we can see our obsessive thoughts and desires, and we learn to cultivate the opposite thoughts. We name what we already have, what we love or enjoy. We say thank you. In short, the antidote to possessiveness is gratitude.

Join me for today’s final installment of the Ethics of Meditation - we will discuss non-possessiveness and share in a 20-minute guided meditation.

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The Ethics of Meditation: Non-Excess

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 03:00:00 -0400

This is a big one, y’all. Non-excess is likely the ethical tenet that I teach most often {even if I don’t specifically say ‘non-excess’}...

Often this teaching gets translated as abstinence or celibacy, and in certain monastic orders, it is indeed practiced in this way. Yet, when we look at the original teachings of this tenet, we discover non-excess is about establishing vitality and balancing the mind, body and energy.

Author Deborah Adele translates the teachings of non-excess as meaning ‘to walk with god’ - to experience the sacred in the everyday. And, we quickly see that we cannot experience sanctity or vitality if we are overwhelmed in excess.

Excess can show up in our food, our work, our entertainment, our possessions, even our spirituality.

We are a people of excess. For many of us, we can get almost anything, usually delivered to our door the next day. And in many countries, we can throw it in a trash can and pay to have it picked up and dumped somewhere we are likely never to see or acknowledge because if we did, we would be horrified.

The teaching of non-excess asks us to move slowly and employ restraint.

Admire the sunrise, the sunset, the stars, the moon, the clouds and the birds.

Take the time to eat food that is beautiful and nourishing, and to stop when you are just full enough.

Put your phone down. Step away from technology. Go to bed early and get up early too.

The deeper we go, the more we begin to understand non-excess as the ultimate pleasure principle. Being alive is not a mistake. We are alive, and we are meant to be awake for it, to enjoy it, and celebrate it.

The key is that it isn't a bacchanalian free for all. Vitality and sanctity are brought forth through restraint, through limiting our excessive ways.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we tease out the nuances of non-excess and share in a 20-minute guided meditation.

Thank you to our sponsor, Bioneers. Be sure to check them out at conference.bioneers.org and use code NCS20 to save 20% on tickets to their upcoming 34th annual conference.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.

Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.

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The Ethics of Meditation: Non-Stealing

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 03:00:00 -0400

The ethical tenet of non-stealing goes so much further than simply avoiding the physical act of theft. It prompts us to move fully into living a life of integrity and reciprocity.

In this episode of The Mindful Minute, we delve into the myriad of ways we have absorbed the habit of stealing. We will reflect on how we steal from

Others
The Earth
The Future
Ourselves

The primary invitation of non-stealing is to shift our focus from others to ourselves. What an odd sentence to write... no, I didn't make a mistake. I really mean this - the invitation is to turn our attention towards ourselves and our actions. I love this focus because it is so counterintuitive to what we are taught to believe at a young age.

We are taught to put others first {but be the best}; stop focusing on yourself {but make sure you fit in}; don’t be selfish {but you can and should have it all}…

As we explore the teachings of non-stealing, we see how these early implicit teachings trap us in a cycle of never enough; always chasing after what others have, and living in fear of what we don’t have and can’t get.

Fear begets violence, and spoiler alert, we find ourselves lost in a world being destroyed by violence - to ourselves, to each other and to the earth.

When we remember to honor ourselves within these ethical teachings, we live full, rich lives with integrity and reciprocity.

Join me for today’s class as we explore the tenet of non-stealing and share in a 20-minute guided meditation.

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The Ethics of Meditation: Truthfulness

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 03:00:00 -0500

Carl Jung once wrote -

“A lie would make no sense unless the truth was felt to be dangerous.”

Within the traditions of meditation, there are five ethical teachings taught to all initiates as they begin their contemplative path. The first teaching {see the previous episode} is the tenet of non-violence, and we learned that violence is always accompanied by fear.

The second tenet is truthfulness, and as Jung reminds us, the truth is often felt to be very scary. So the practice of truthfulness must be accompanied by the practice of non-violence.

In today’s episode, we explore truthfulness by looking at:

The little white lies that feel “nice” rather than real.
How a sense of “should” and “should not” impacts our self-expression
What happens when we grow past the inherent boundaries of our groups

In many ways, I find that meditation is an exercise in learning to tolerate the truth of ourselves.

This is why for many, meditation can be DEEPLY uncomfortable at first. We get still and quiet; we hear our actual thoughts; and we feel the truth of our feelings. Insights we might work quite hard to ignore most of the time are now loud and insistent.

The truth is not easy, and yet, it is wildly and vibrantly good for how you feel and engage with your day-to-day life.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we embark on a discussion of truth and share in a guided, 20-minute meditation.

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The Ethics of Meditation: Non-Violence

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 03:00:00 -0500

With this episode, we begin a new journey together. We will spend the next 5 weeks exploring the Ethics of Meditation.

I find it profoundly poignant that the ethical foundation of meditation is always taught first in Eastern practices and yet is so often saved for 'later' in Western teachings. I confess that I usually assume the ethical teachings are inherent within the practice and have not explicitly taught them in a class setting. Until now.

This is a mistake on my part, and one I look forward to rectifying immediately! My hope is that this will be an insightful series that prompts reflection and curiosity about how these ethical teachings play out in your own life.

The very first ethical foundation is non-violence.

I believe there is no more immediate crisis in our lives than the crisis of violence. It is one that requires our unwavering attention and intention.

As author Deborah Adele writes, “Non-violence asks us to step lightly, do no harm, and honor the relationship we have with the earth, with each other, and with ourselves.”

The teachings of non-violence might seem easily understood on the surface but the subtle implications only continue to deepen as your meditation practice progresses.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we explore the tenet of non-violence and share in a 20-minute guided meditation.

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Working with Dreams; An Interview with Chanti Tacoronte Perez

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 03:00:00 -0500

Over the last several years, Chanti Tacoronte Perez has taught me so much about exploring and relating to my dreams, and today, I get to share a conversation with Chanti all about dreams, the dark and the wisdom waiting for us there.

Chanti is a Cuban-American creatrix, ritualist, and author; and she believes that images speak a profound language. Her life’s work is as a translator of the unseen and advocate for the imaginal. She holds a Masters in Engaged Humanities, a Masters in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, and Chanti is currently working on her doctoral dissertation in Jungian Depth Psychology and Archetypal Studies program at the same institution. Her passion is to inspire you to rediscover your creative self by weaving the blessings with the wounds while honoring the land and the ancestors.

In this episode, Chanti and I talk about:

The difference between a symbol & a sign
What it means to dream journal
What to do if you don’t remember your dreams
How to work with your dreams
And, why you should throw out your dream interpretation books!

This conversation is nowhere near comprehensive, but my hope is that it sparks a bit of curiosity and a willingness to start exploring your own dreams. Then you can join one of Chanti’s dream retreats; you’ll probably see me there!

Download Chanti’s guide to dream journaling here: http://bit.ly/3IoXRt4

Learn more about Chanti & her offerings here: https://www.yantrawisdom.com/

Be sure to check out my newest offering: Elemental Awakening Retreat Series. Registration for this intimate, online gathering is now open and registration is limited to 20 students. Learn more here: https://www.merylarnett.com/elemental-awakening

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The Dark Side of Meditation {part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 03:00:00 -0500

To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.

To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,

and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,

and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.

~Wendell Berry

I have a question for you -

Do you equate peace with effort? Does it feel as though you must work to attain peacefulness?

I think for many of us, it does feel this way - as though we are trying to get somewhere or attain something within this practice.

The idea of enlightenment can easily feel as ‘trying to attain’ if we aren’t mindful. Let’s look at the story of the Buddha as an example - he tried EVERYTHING… All the practices, the harshest asceticism, but ultimately, what is it that worked?

He sat all night under the Bodhi tree - open and receptive to all that Mara, the personification of temptation and distraction, threw at him.

He didn’t attain anything; he remembered.

I wonder what this does for you when you think about your practice being as simple as remembering who you really are and what you really already know.

Does it invite you to lie back? To soften some? To simply linger, waiting, watching?

In the last 3 episodes, we have been exploring endarkenment - the opposite, necessary component of meditative practice to balance enlightenment. The qualities we’ve explored to know the dark are:

Embodiment
Fierce compassion {as bravery, empowerment, clarity, authenticity, balance, fulfillment, wisdom or vision}
And lastly: Receptivity

We wait. We listen. We receive.

Don’t chase the light. Remember you ARE the light.

Join me for this final episode in our Endarkenment series as we discuss receptivity and share a 20-minute guided meditation practice.

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The Dark Side of Meditation {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 01:00:00 -0500

In this meditation series, we are exploring the Dark. Winter is, by its very nature, the darkest time of the year, and our meditation practice, so often taught as an opportunity to chase enlightenment, can also be an invitation to linger in and celebrate endarkenment (as Deborah Eden Tull has phrased it).

The dark so often is associated with something scary, and yet it is really simply something quiet.

The quiet is only scary when you think you might hear something you don’t want to hear.

Stillness is uncomfortable because you might have to feel something you’ve been trying to ignore.

I’ve come to think that meditation is only perceived as difficult because we are so hellbent on chasing the light. The moment we let go of that control, the moment we open up to the mysterious darkness is the moment our practice becomes easeful.

The dark is not logical, linear or binary. It is all things messy, chaotic and unknown. The dark says courage, dear one. Trust your senses. Listen. Feel. And as we decide to linger in the darkness without rushing to turn on a light, we must be fiercely compassionate.

This is not easy. There is a reason the winter months are difficult for many of us. A reason that SAD exists. Light is much needed for our survival, AND, we all know there can be too much of a good thing.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we explore how chasing the light shows up in our meditation practice {and in life!}, and what it means to be fiercely compassionate in the dark.

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The Dark Side of Meditation {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 03:00:00 -0500

I love the winter. I find a surprising sense of energy and creative spark that comes with the darkest, coldest months. The cold makes me feel alive; soups and stews, fires in the fireplace, and rich oils for skin make me feel nourished and cared for; and the dark… well, the dark is where I feel most awake.

I don’t mean that I'm a night owl… quite the opposite actually. I'm an in-bed-at-9-and-up-at-5 kinda gal. But those quiet, dark hours - when I’m in the liminal space of physical wakefulness and subconscious wakefulness… Those hours are my most insightful.

This meditation series, The Dark Side of Meditation, is a nod to meditation teacher Deborah Eden Tull and her book, Luminous Darkness. Her teachings and my own experience have guided me to pay deeper attention to the dark; and so, we will use some of our winter months to stop chasing the light and learn how to savor the dark.

Did you know that humans lived on earth for more than 600,000 years BEFORE learning how to kindle a fire? That is 600,000 of living in the rhythm of daylight and darkness; of living in rhythm with the seasonal changes in light. Living in rhythm is a practice of being embodied.

When we think about sinking into the rhythm of the seasons and this darker time of year, it is about inviting ourselves deeper into our own bodies.

And, meditation my friends, meditation is a practice of embodiment.

Darkness has been a crucial teaching in so many spiritual and awakening traditions - Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Aboriginal and Indigenous traditions - and yet, culture today places so much emphasis on light, on progress, on achievement, and on growth. It is all about ‘enlightenment’.

On the flip side, darkness is associated with scariness, with the unknown, with spiderwebs and skeletons. Don’t go into that dark closet without a flashlight! Turn on the lights so you can look under the bed, but the problem is if you keep turning on a light, your eyes never adjust to the dark.

This time of year asks us to be patient enough, brave enough, to linger in the dark. Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute podcast as we explore endarkenment rather than enlightenment.

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Fully Present with Diana Winston

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 12:20:00 -0500

Friends, today I get to share a conversation with one of my personal favorite meditation teachers, Diana Winston! Diana is the Director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA, the author of several incredible books about meditation and a former Buddhist nun.

Together, we talk about the second edition release of her book, Fully Present, as well as my personal favorite book, The Little Book of Being.

Diana shares some insights on how the field of mindfulness meditation has evolved over the last ten years. In this episode, we talk about

The ethics missing from most meditation teachings
The science of kindness {hint: meditators are kinder than non-meditators!}
How the practice is evolving from me-centric to community-centric
Mindful parenting
Natural awareness and the pleasure to glimpse practices

Grab a cup of tea, pop-in your headphones and join Diana and me for this conversation and a short guided practice from Diana at the end.

For more information about Diana, her books and the apps she teaches on, visit https://dianawinston.com/ and https://www.uclahealth.org/programs/marc

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Who is Your Practice Really For? Meditation For the Love of it; part 3

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 03:00:00 -0500

How to make your practice so lovely, so vital that you won’t skip a day:

Make your practice beautiful. Don’t cram it in; savor it.

Ask for what you most need. Name your intention, your purpose, your hope for this practice.

Dedicate the merit.

Our practice is never just about ourselves.

Friend, fellow teacher and former Mindful Minute guest Caverly Morgan in The Heart of Who We Are:

“The longer we cling to the notion that there’s a separate self who awakens, the more arduous our path will be. We realize freedom together.”

Patience, Presence, Kindness is my intention. It is for my interactions and sense of wakefulness in the world, and it is for the collective. We could all use more of these qualities, couldn’t we?

Meditation is a practice of collective empowerment. It is for us, not me alone. So, at the end of the practice, let us offer up the merit.

May this practice benefit all. May this practice be for the good of humanity. May patience, presence and kindness spread across the planet.

Remember where attention goes, energy flows.

Join me for today’s talk and guided meditation practice, and consider following this class up with my interview with Caverly Morgan. You can find that episode anywhere you get your podcasts.

Be sure to Sign up { http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL } for my newsletter to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.

BIG NEWS: The Mindful Minute is now on YouTube! If you’d like to watch these classes visit youtube.com/@themindfulminutepodcast

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Meditation For the Love of It {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 03:00:00 -0500

This month’s meditation series is a foundational challenge to help you build up to a 20-minute/day nourishing meditation practice. I want to get away from the ‘check-it-off-the-to-do-list’ mentality and instead build a practice that feels so vital and lovely that you wouldn’t skip a day no matter what happens.

A piece of this nourishing practice comes when we specifically name what we most want or need from the meditation practice. Some of you will resonate with naming an intention; some of you might resonate with requesting a blessing; or naming a desire; or a goal…

My personal practice has been built with the intention of cultivating patience, presence and kindness. When we name for ourselves why we are practicing, there is more encouragement to show up to the cushion each day, and there is more mindful energy carried throughout our day. Because we aren’t really practicing for those 10-minutes on the meditation cushion; we are practicing for the other 23 hours and 50 minutes of our day.

Join me for today’s talk and guided meditation practice as we build our meditation practice to 15-minutes/day this week!

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Meditation For the Love of It; A 2023 Meditation Challenge {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 03:00:00 -0500

Happy New Year! Every January, I see an influx of people who are ready to try a meditation practice, and every February, I see most of those people fall away once again. And so this year, I thought - “what can I do to help people immediately reap the benefits of meditation?”

Normally, in January, I do an introductory series that lays out the foundations of a practice, and I stress that starting with even 5 minutes/day is enough. But I wonder if it is really enough to keep you practicing. Because, at least for me, if I try to cram a 5-minute rushed practice between my last meeting and carpool, well… I’m still pretty stressed. It doesn’t feel great, and I’m very likely to forget to do it again the next day.

So this year, I’m offering something different. I’m offering an introductory series into the depth and beauty of the practice. In the next 3 weeks, you will go from meditating 10 minutes/day to 20 minutes/day, and my hope is that you’ll discover the beauty within this practice and within yourself as we go.

This series is both a beginner series and a series for those that have lost the magic in their practice. This is a series to remember our loveliness and that of the practice.

Let’s begin!

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The Steadiness of Stones, Our Relationship to Time {part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 29 Dec 2022 03:00:00 -0500

This meditation series has been an exploration of time. For most of us, time appears to be as steady as a stone - something that is always here, guiding us along - reminding us where we are supposed to be by what time it is.

But, things aren’t quite as they appear when it comes to time or to stones.

Time is both flexible and relative. It moves at different speeds depending on where you are and if you are moving or not.

The phrase ‘now’ has no meaning outside of your direct personal experience. Now is only now for you right now. It is an ever-expanding edge rather than a static point.

And, that ever-moving edge reminds us that the universe is made up of events not things. Even things we think of as things, like stones, are actually just long events.

So, over the course of the first two classes in this series, rather than time being like the steadiness of stones, we’ve really discovered time is more like the unsteadiness of stones.

I’ve shared this mostly through physics and the brilliant minds of people like Newton, Einstein and Carlo Rovelli. However, we don’t have to be brilliant scientists to understand the wildly mysterious ways of time. We simply have to meditate.

My guess is you already know time is relative and flexible because you have experienced it within your meditation practice.

You’ve meditated on a tough day where 3 minutes felt like interminable hours.

On other days, you’ve meditated and fallen into the realm of timelessness. Where a minute lasts a day, and it feels like you can’t even remember when you took your last breath and it doesn’t really matter because you might never need to breathe again.

When we meditate, time becomes circular, all encompassing and all knowing, rather than a step by step progression. There is no where you need to be because you are already exactly where you are.

Join me for this final installment in our exploration of time and guided meditation practice inviting you into the timeless realm of your deepest knowing.

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The Steadiness of Stones; Our Relationship to Time {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 03:00:00 -0500

Let’s start with two scientific facts:

When we are in motion, time contracts.
The universe is made up of events, not things.

In my exploration of time, I came across a sentence from physicist Carlo Rovelli that stopped me in my tracks. He wrote - “Now means nothing.”

Now means nothing. Nothing?! What have I been teaching for the last decade if the truth of the present moment has been disproven by science? What are we meditating for, and what are we experiencing?

The more I reflect on scientific facts above and the dissolution of the present moment, the more I find an invitation to stop thinking of ourselves as something to fix and our meditation practice as something to get right. This isn’t a static moment in time and we are not a thing to improve upon. We are an event, a becoming, and when we sit still time expands. We are shifting from contraction to expansion and witnessing the ever-changing dynamism of our internal experiences as a direct experience of the universe.

Join me for today’s talk and guided meditation practice as we explore the expansion of ‘now’.

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The Steadiness of Stones; Our Relationship with Time

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 03:00:00 -0500

“I don’t have enough time”

“Take your time”

“You have all the time in the world”

Common enough phrases; each signaling something about our interaction with the experience of time. Phrases hinting that we should move faster, or slower, that we should do something, or not. And all of which create a cascading story of beliefs for each of us.

Time is such a funny thing. It feels fast and slow {sometimes all at once}. It feels like a separate entity 'out there' that we have no control over and which has enormous control over us... and yet…

There is no universal, objective time.

It isn't out there on its own. It is only HERE; in relation with a where and a who.

Time is inextricably bound to where and to who. It is personal, flexible, and relative.

In this all new 3-part meditation series, we will explore our relationship with time: how our experience of time impacts our meditation practice and how our meditation practice impacts our relationship with time.

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The Heart of Who We Are with Caverly Morgan

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 03:00:00 -0500

Today, on The Mindful Minute, I am sharing a conversation with meditation teacher and author Caverly Morgan about her new book, The Heart of Who We Are: Realizing Freedom Together.

Caverly is a meditation teacher, author, speaker, and nonprofit founder. She is the founder and Lead Contemplative of Peace in Schools—a nonprofit which created the nation's first for-credit mindfulness class in public high schools. She is also the founder of Presence Collective, a community of cross-cultural contemplatives committed to personal and collective transformation.

In this episode, Caverly and I really hone in on the phrase “realizing freedom together” and explore what this means in relation to our meditation practice, which far too easily can feel singular and isolated when we aren’t practicing in community.

We talk about book clubs vs. book collectives; about freedom, community and privilege; and what it means to stop imagining that liberation comes only when ‘I’ as a singular being awaken.

We go deep, y’all, and yet, I feel like we barely scratched the surface. Perhaps we’ll ask Caverly to come back and share more!

Make sure you listen all the way to the end. Caverly leads a 20-minute guided meditation inviting us to reflect and create awareness around all the self-imposed beliefs we hold onto about our separateness.

You can learn more about Caverly and her new book by visiting her website: caverlymorgan.org

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation to support the growth of this labor of love. Your monthly donation will aid in keeping this show sponsor-free, employing additional small businesses AND funding the ongoing creative growth I invest in.

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Political Resilience Q&A

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 03:00:00 -0500

There is nothing I love more than responding to student questions about meditation, and recently I was asked two really good questions that I thought would be useful to the greater Mindful Minute community.

At the end of our Political Resilience series, I was asked about what to do if you want to forge connections, to return to the table, but everyone else is hostile?

And, I was asked a crucial and common question about what to do on days when you are too busy or stressed or overwhelmed to meditate… my answer might surprise you.

Join me for a short Q&A session followed by a 20-minute guided meditation.

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

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Replay: What Peace Really Means

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 03:00:00 -0500

Our meditation practice is the practice of The Middle Way. Meaning the practice isn’t about perfection, a goal or an end-game. The practice IS the practice.

A student once asked his teacher, “is there anything I can do to become enlightened more quickly?”

And, the teacher responded, “as little as you can do to make the sun rise in the morning.”

“Well, what good are these practices you prescribe?” asked the student.

“To make sure you are awake when the sun starts to rise.” replied the teacher.

Let’s make sure we are awake today.

If you want to skip right to the meditation, start at 4:45.

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

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Building Political Resilience {part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 03:00:00 -0500

This meditation series has asked some really big questions of us. Can we start to let go of binary thinking? Can we believe that two seemingly opposite things can both exist as true in the same moment? That right and wrong are not the only two choices?

In a very small way, this reminds me of starting a meditation practice. Do you remember that feeling? The feeling of believing that a meditation practice would be a good thing, and yet when you sat down to practice it was hard, uncomfortable and definitely not magical?

We had to do this dance between what we believed and what we experienced even though it didn’t quite line up.

New futures are scary.

The only thing we can do is commit to our vision, to build the rhythms and routines that support us, and to stay engaged and curious.

This is true for a meditation practice AND this is true for building political resilience.

We commit to our vision. We build the rhythms and routines that support us. And, we stay engaged.

Join me for the final installment of our Building Political Resilience meditation series as we explore new futures and practice befriending ourselves and others through a guided meditation practice.

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

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Building Political Resilience {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 03:00:00 -0500

This series is one of the more challenging undertakings I’ve shared on this podcast. Talking about democracy in a time of toxic polarization feels daunting and more than a little bit overwhelming.

I’m not here to fix it, and I definitely don’t have the ‘answers’ but I believe deeply in naming the things that cause us pain and turning towards them rather than away. So here we are.

Democracy is hard.

In part 1 of this series, we explored the term ‘gaslighting’ and the implications that come when we start to ask ourselves “am I crazy?” after hearing the day’s political news.

In part 2 of this series, we follow the natural train of thought, “if I’m not crazy, then I’m RIGHT!”.

And here is where things get messy… because the answer isn’t quite so straightforward.

Luckily, The Fetzer Institute is doing some profound research in the area of toxic polarity and heart-centered solutions, and they recently shared some amazing interventions for reducing polarity and re-engaging with democracy. {you can find a link to these interventions within my Awakened Heart Meditation Community}.

One of these interventions highlights our Moral Differences. Similarly to how we all have six kinds of taste buds {salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and savory}, but we all have different taste preferences; we also share 6 different moral values, but we prioritize them differently.

In today’s episode of The Mindful Minute, we talk about moral differences, we perform a social science experiment that will blow your mind, and, of course, we share a guided meditation together. Grab your headphones and join me!

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

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Building Political Resilience {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Not Left, Not Right, but Deep - The Fetzer Institute.

With the midterm elections surrounding us, I’ve been reflecting on the challenges I feel when it comes to engaging with democracy in this country right now. Sometimes I am all moral outrage and calling my representatives and going to rallys. Sometimes, I am overwhelmed, exhausted and scared so I shut down completely. I ignore it all.

In that extreme vasciliation, I find myself often thinking, “am I crazy???” And that, my friends, is the number one sign that you are being gaslit.

The term originated from the 1938 play and subsequent film Gaslight, where the protagonist’s husband slowly manipulated her into believing she’s going mad. Throughout the film, the main character sees the gaslights dimming and brightening for no apparent reason. Her husband convinces her that it's all in her head, but in reality, he was switching the attic lights on and off to create the gaslight flickers.

The turning point in the movie is when someone else says “hey, did you notice the gaslights are flickering?”

Naming things has power. And naming a faulty, fractured, messy situation might not make it neater, easy or better, but it does allow us to reclaim a sense of sanity when we can, in community, acknowledge that indeed the gaslights are flickering.

You aren’t crazy.

Democracy is hard. Really hard.

And, it is vital that we both pay attention and engage.

In the book Burn Out, the authors write, “wellness is a state of action, not a state of being”.

Similarly, Congressman John Lewis once stated, “Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part to help build what we called the Beloved Community, a nation and world society at peace with itself.”

This correlation in states of action led me to reflect on the overlap in democratic engagement and in our self-care. Join me for this 3-part meditation series as we explore what’s needed to build Political Resilience.

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

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The Power of Sound; An Interview with Shonali Banerjee

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Today, I am sharing a conversation with a friend, colleague and teacher - Shonali Banerjee.

Many years ago, Shonali led a Mantra Circle that I was a part of, and in it, I learned so much about the power of sound and voice. To this day, one of my strongest memories is chanting the Gayatri mantra along the banks of the Ganges river on a trip to India. And even now, I warm up my voice and set my intention through mantra before teaching live classes.

Shonali is a yoga teacher, singer, ritualist, death doula, and all around Wise Woman. Together we talk about mantra meditation and the power of reclaiming our voices, walking labyrinths, political resilience, the cycle of death and birth, and so much more.

At the end, Shonali guides in a powerful practice of chant and reflection. She shares -

"To The Surface"

I adapted this version of the song from the original, written by an unknown author, honoring Pachamama, the Earth Goddess. The original has been sung by hundreds of women and men in Baja Mexico and is spreading around the globe. Gather Together and Sing!

To the surface she rises. From the fearful ways, we see her face

To the surface she rises. Let the women breathe, again today

Today we pray, in the honor of her way. Today we sing her name.

Today we pray, in the honor of her way. Today we sing.

Rise Up Women, Protect Women, Rise Up Women, Protect Women.

You can watch Shonali perform this chant here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFAEMTM-ec8

Learn more about Shonali and her work by visiting www.wisemawellness.com

And, be sure to check out the work of Threshold Choirs. Threshold Choirs sing at the bedside of the dying with and for all people. Threshold affirms the beauty, dignity, and wholeness of all people and believes that everyone deserves to be treated with kindness from their first to their last breath. https://thresholdchoir.org/

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Download freebies and learn more about my offerings, classes, and more by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

The Stagnation Layer {part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 03:00:00 -0400

We started this meditation series, The Stagnation Layer, with the connective idea that the human body is a microcosm of the universe; that we can view the universe as a mirror image of what goes on inside.

And, we looked to the Voyager space expeditation, in particular the experience of Voyager 1 in the Stagnation Layer of the cosmos, as a metaphor for how we might engage with moments of ‘stuckness’ or stagnation.

Community is vitally important for our movement through Stagnation.

It is our engagement that makes these moments magical and rich rather than scary and confusing.

We don’t need to worry about what anyone else is doing or experiencing within their meditation practice.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we explore these three lessons and how they enrich both our meditation practice and our lived experience.

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Download freebies and learn more about my offerings, classes, and more by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

The Stagnation Layer {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Part 1 of this meditation series introduced the Stagnation Layer of the cosmos and the periods of stagnation we experience as individuals both as naturally occurring phenomena. Part of the description NASA shares for the Stagnation Layer says -

There is a doubling in the intensity of the magnetic field in the stagnation region. Like cars piling up at a clogged freeway off-ramp, the increased intensity of the magnetic field shows that inward pressure from interstellar space is compacting it.
Higher-energy particles from inside our solar system appear to be leaking out into interstellar space

As a personal experience, when we stagnate we likely feel an increased pressure to DO something, to figure it out, or to move. And, all our creative mojo feels like it is draining away.

We find ourselves both anxious to move and possibly frozen in place. This is a tricky combination.

Luckily, in these moments, there are ancient and wise teachings that can be so helpful. Even if we know or think we know, it is helpful to hear of the wisdom that has come before.

Of course, what isn’t helpful is buying ALL the books. Or listening to ALL the teachers. This is overwhelming, and very likely frustrating.

The words might differ, but the underlying wisdom is clearly the same. And, it is these threads of truth that serve as a compass when we are lost in the Stagnation Layer.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we unravel the Threads of Truth and share in a 20-minute guided meditation practice.

PS. You can see the Awakened Heart Sutra that I reference in this class posted in my Awakened Heart Community or via my weekly newsletter!

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Download freebies and learn more about my offerings, classes, and more by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Where is My Mini?

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Well friends, after 5 years of creating bi-weekly episodes of The Mindful Minute I am making a shift… As of today, all new mini meditation episodes can be found exclusively within awakenedheart.community.

All of the existing mini meditations will continue to be here on the podcast, but I’m moving all future minis to my community for a number of reasons:

I am able to provide you these meditations as downloadable files, so you can keep your favorites and access anytime!
These files will be ad and commentary free to better support your meditation practice.
After 2.5 years of teaching exclusively online, I am deeply invested in building reciprocal relationships and vibrant communities.

Teaching to blank screens and empty closets is hard, y’all. I miss people. I miss faces, feedback, and engagement around these practices. My hope is that, if you enjoy meditating with me, you’ll join me in the Awakened Heart community. Even if it is just to download a new weekly practice, throw an emoji in the chat and be on your way. Better yet, pop in for a live class, comment on a question, or share some thoughts of your own.

My Thursday full-length episodes will continue to air as they always do, and I am here for you. Drop me an email or join me within awakenedheart.community so we can have an ongoing conversation.

I hope we get to practice together soon! And as always, thank you for listening and practicing with me!

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

Download freebies and learn more about my offerings, classes, and more by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

The Stagnation Layer {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 03:00:00 -0400

When you read poetry of the mystics, when you study ancient tantric & buddhist texts, not to mention so many indigneous cultures across the world, we learn of the universe as a metaphor for the internal experiences of consciousness.

The macrocosm and the microcosm… As goes the outside, so goes the inside…

And the more time I spend connecting my meditation practice with the natural world, the more I experience the wisdom of this truth, perhaps never more so than as I reflect on The Stagnation Layer.

Devoted listeners won’t be surprised to hear me bring up the Voyager space expedition yet again - it is one of my favorite stories and something that continues to capture my fascination -

Scientists write:

A cosmic purgatory?

Have you ever felt you were stuck in a cosmic purgatory? Are you in one right now?

Sometimes I think this feels like a dark void, like you are stuck in a doorway and can’t step through, or perhaps like a dense fog that you are lost inside.

Lucky for us, the universe itself is providing the answer for what we do in stagnation, if we only remember to listen.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we discover the Stagnation Layer and explore how we might move through. As always, there is a brief talk followed by a 20-minute guided meditation.

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Download freebies and learn more about my offerings, classes, and more by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Lovingkindess from the Unknown; with Deborah Eden Tull

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Deborah Eden Tull guides through a short practice from her new book, Luminous Darkness. This practice is an opportunity to connect with the mystery, with the unknown, and to both offer and receive lovingkindness from this endarkened teacher.

While doing this practice, I was immediately reminded of Rilke’s famous words -

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue…”

You can learn more about Eden here: https://www.deborahedentull.com/

And, you can find Luminous Darkness here: https://www.deborahedentull.com/luminous-darkness

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Download freebies and learn more about my offerings, classes, and more by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Luminous Darkness; An Interview with Deborah Eden Tull

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 03:00:00 -0400

“I believe it is time to let go of our current obsession with enlightenment and include the teachings of endarkenment. That is, it is time to commit to turning toward rather than away from darkness and to learn to perceive with the heart.”

The words above are included in the introduction to a new book, Luminous Darkness - An Engaged Buddhist Approach to Embracing the Unknown, written by Deborah Eden Tull.

Eden is a dharma teacher, author and spiritual activist. She trained for 7 and a half years as a Buddhist monk at a silent Zen monastery and has taught engaged dharma for over 20 years, and the conversation we share in this episode might be one of my favorite interviews of the year!

I was moved to tears as we talked about endarkenment and wandering off-trail. We explore the realm of dreams, of spiritual bypassing, of the intersection of meditation, nature & social justice, of moral imagination and of rage.

Eden reminds us that, “the point of meditation is not to replace our old beliefs with new ones, but to access the perception that is free of beliefs.”

Whew. This conversation is not to be missed!

You can learn more about Eden here: https://www.deborahedentull.com/

And, you can find Luminous Darkness here: https://www.deborahedentull.com/luminous-darkness

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Download freebies and learn more about my offerings, classes, and more by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Political Resilience Challenge

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 03:00:00 -0400

In this mini meditation episode, I am sharing some big news - my upcoming meditation challenge: Building Political Resilience! And, then we will share in this week’s mini meditation:

One of the biggest stumbling blocks in our meditation practice is when we find ourselves either falling asleep or daydreaming our way through practice. Conversely some of us might discover meditation is the time we have huge insights, brilliant ideas or vibrant surges of energy. Either way, laxity or elation both cause us to stumble when it comes to deepening our meditation practice.

Join me for today’s mini meditation as we address this oh-so-common obstacle.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Download freebies and learn more about my offerings, classes, and more by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Back to School {part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 03:00:00 -0400

This month, as kids are transitioning back to school in the Northern Hemisphere, I thought it would be fun if all of us meditators also ‘go back to school’ and revisit some of the key teachings {and primary obstacles!} that help us recommit to and deepen our meditation practice.

Within this meditation series, we have been dissecting 3 of the most common stumbling blocks when it comes to a meditation practice.

Already, we have talked about the 3 primary forms of laziness {part 1}, the sneaky ways we forget the foundational instructions {part 2}, and today, we are going to explore laxity & elation. Discovering the antidote to this particular obstacle was a huge step forward in my own practice. I hope it is for you as well!

Join me for today’s meditation class as we explore falling asleep, being too excited, and everything in between! We will finish with a 20-minute guided meditation.

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Download freebies and learn more about my offerings, classes, and more by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Safe Spaces

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 03:00:00 -0400

In this mini meditation, you will hear me talk about what it takes to make safe spaces both in our practice and within communities like my new Awakened Heart Meditation Community. The meditation today guides us through a primary practice and reminds us of the vital instructions for a deep meditative experience:

What do we do with our bodies? With our breath? With our minds?

This practice is a great option if you are looking for basic guidance, feeling a bit lackluster in your meditations lately, or if you are just starting out!

Join me.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Download freebies and learn more about my offerings, classes, and more by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Back to School {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 03:00:00 -0400

This week’s obstacle is far too important to ignore: Forgetting the Instructions

I know you know the basics of how to meditate. We talk about them all the time and I mention them in every guided meditation. But the truth is, that is part of the problem. The instructions become so familiar that they go in one ear and out the other, and soon we find ourselves sitting for an entire meditation practice and writing a grocery list in our heads the whole time. Whoops!

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we review and refresh the primary instructions for how to meditate and then put it into practice as we sit together for a 20-minute guided meditation.

This is a great episode to listen to if you are feeling a bit lackluster in your meditations lately or if you are just starting out!

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Download freebies and learn more about my offerings, classes, and more by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Connection Is The Most Important Thing

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 03:00:00 -0400

This meditation is focused on connection to self and others as a source of support in tough times. I shared it as part of the launch of my new meditation community: Awakened Heart.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Download freebies and learn more about my offerings, classes, and more by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

We Can Only Go So Far Alone

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Today, I am going to talk to you about something near and dear to my heart, but first let me start with some truths:

These last several years have been incredibly tough.

Being a parent during a pandemic challenged me in ways far deeper and more complicated than I could have ever guessed.

The political landscape in this country creates a constant state of deep fear in my body.

The eco-crisis has my anxiety at an all-time high.

The loss of body autonomy for women in the United States had me spiraling in hopelessness.

And, the knowledge that what I am feeling and experiencing as a white woman in this country is just a SLIVER of what my black and brown friends are experiencing is enough to bring me to my knees.

All of these feelings left me with one big question…

Does. meditation. work?

Do the practices that I do and teach on a daily basis actually help? In this very real, very difficult reality that we live in.

I am happy to say that with some very deep reflection, discussion with my own teachers, and a digging further into my own practice has left me with the answer -

Yes. And.

Yes. Meditation is an AMAZING tool for helping us deal with our modern-day lives, AND we can only go so far alone.

So, I have spent the last 5 months envisioning and creating the Awakened Heart Meditation Community so that we can go further. Together.

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Download freebies and learn more about my offerings, classes, and more by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Recommit to Your Practice

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 05 Sep 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Today’s mini episode is a practice dedicated to helping you discover the sneaky ways that laziness shows up in our meditation practice and helps us listen for the antidote that we need in order to move deeper into our practice.

Join me for this guided meditation.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Download freebies and learn more about my offerings, classes, and more by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Back to School {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Summer is often a season of fluid, flexible schedules. There might be camps for the kids, vacations, dealing with other people’s vacation schedules…

Every week feels a little different and when that is the case, I notice that my meditation practice shifts. The time of day that I practice is a little less consistent. Sometimes I practice for shorter periods. I practice indoors more with the extreme heat.

And now... The kids are going back to school.

I saw pumpkin flavored goodies at the grocery store.

The promise of fall is in the air, and I thought we would ride that back to school energy in our meditation practice with a re-commitment and a deepening of our practice.

In general, there are 3 basic categories of obstacles that stand in the way of a deep meditation practice:

Laziness

Forgetting the Instructions

Laxity or Elation

In this meditation series, we will explore these three obstacles along with their antidotes as a way to settle more fully into our meditation practice. Join me for today’s talk and 20-guided meditation as we explore the obstacle of laziness. It isn’t what you think!

Learn more about my Awakened Heart Meditation Community: https://www.merylarnett.com/awakened-heart-meditation-community

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Download freebies and learn more about my offerings, classes, and more by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Elemental Ritual with Mara Branscombe

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Today’s mini meditation, led by Mara Branscombe, is a practice of connecting with the energy of the elements as a way to reset and shift our energy. This is a short, powerful practice. Don’t miss it!

You can learn more about Mara at https://marabranscombe.com/

And you can find her new book at https://www.ritualasremedy.com/

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Download my FREE OFFERING: 5 Practices for Heartbreaking Times Here: merylarnett.com

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

Ritual As Remedy; A Conversation with Mara Branscombe

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Today’s episode of The Mindful Minute is a conversation with Mara Branscombe about the power and simplicity of everyday rituals as a form of soul care.

Mara is a mother, writer, yogi, artist, teacher, mindfulness leader, ceremonialist and spiritual coach. She is the author of a new book “Ritual As Remedy: Embodied Practices For Soul Care.” Mara is passionate about weaving the art of mindfulness, self-care, creativity, mind–body practices, and earth-based rituals into her life and work, and she has been leading community ceremony since 2000.

Together, we chat about what ritual is and why it matters now more than ever. Mara explains how to begin a daily ritual, and why she chose the elements and the Wheel of the Year as the framework for her book.

My personal favorite part of the conversation was our discussion of how and why our personal practices might change over the course of a season - why we might lean into an element or practice more heavily at some point and then gradually add, shift or evolve that practice as the season changes.

Be sure to listen all the way to the end as Mara guides us through a short mindfulness practice!

You can learn more about Mara at https://marabranscombe.com/

And you can find her book at https://www.ritualasremedy.com/

Download my FREE OFFERING: 5 Practices for Heartbreaking Times Here: merylarnett.com

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Your Feelings Don't Need Fixing

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 03:00:00 -0400

In today’s class, we stop trying to fix what we feel. The grief, the fear, the rage, the numbness - all the things we ‘shouldn’t’ feel but wow, do we ever feel. Loudly. Insistently. And importantly.

These aren’t feelings to be ignored, sugar-coated, covered up or silenced. Our meditation practice enables us to feel with courage and compassion, and when our meditation practice ends, we have the strength and clarity to take the next right step.

Join me for today’s mini meditation.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Download my FREE OFFERING: 5 Practices for Heartbreaking Times Here: merylarnett.com

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

When We Suffer {part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 03:00:00 -0400

This class was recorded just after the Supreme Court’s official overturn of Roe v. Wade in the United States. In the aftermath, women across the country are dealing with the heartbreaking loss of autonomy over our own bodies.

It is incredibly poignant to be teaching the final installment of the ‘When We Suffer’ meditation series. In the previous 2 classes, we discussed how to acknowledge what we feel, and how to stop being afraid of what we feel.

I hope you will join me for today’s talk and guided meditation practice.

Download my FREE OFFERING: 5 Practices for Heartbreaking Times Here: merylarnett.com

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Are You Afraid of Your Feelings?

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 03:00:00 -0400

It is quite common to be inexperienced at allowing our difficult feelings to be as they are.

When we are scared, often we run.

When we are angry, often we fight.

When we are sad, often we numb.

Our meditation practice allows us the opportunity to return to the present moment, to acknowledge what it is that we are truly feeling, and then to ask ourselves -

“Can I be with this?”

The answer to this question guides our next response.

Join me for a mini meditation designed to help us stop being afraid of what we feel.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Download my FREE OFFERING: 5 Practices for Heartbreaking Times Here: merylarnett.com

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

When We Suffer {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 03:00:00 -0400

When we suffer, when we struggle with big emotions, step one is to consciously acknowledge what you feel. Step two is to stop being afraid of what you feel.

This fear of feelings might show up as:

I can’t bear this
It will always feel this way
I SHOULDN’T feel this way
This SHOULDN’T be this way

These thoughts are often cues that we have left the present moment, and that we have left our mindfulness practice and it is time to return.

Our meditation practice allows us the opportunity to return to the present moment, to acknowledge what it is that we are truly feeling, and then to ask ourselves -

“Can I be with this?”

The answer to this question guides our next response.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute for a discussion and guided meditation designed to help us stop being afraid of what we feel.

Download my FREE OFFERING: 5 Practices for Heartbreaking Times Here: merylarnett.com

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: For Suffering, Heartbreak, and Fear

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Meditation can’t make you feel better about school shootings.

Meditation can’t make you feel better about hate-based violence being perpetuated over and over again.

Meditation can’t make you feel better about political decisions you disagree with.

What meditation can do is help us acknowledge and allow how we feel, and in a way, this does make us feel a bit “better”.

Meditation is an invitation to

Acknowledge what you feel
Stop being afraid of what you feel
Release the need to fix what you feel

Join me for a mini meditation meant to help you embody and acknowledge what you are feeling in a way that is safe and supportive.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Download my FREE OFFERING: 5 Practices for Heartbreaking Times Here: MerylArnett.com

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

When We Suffer: Meditation for a Broken World (part 1)

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 01:00:00 -0400

Do you know what Ontological Anxiety is?

Ontological Anxiety is what we feel when our state of being or our existence feels unsafe and/or threatened. Over the last several years, I’ve noticed that my meditation practice, which started out as a way to help me feel less stressed at work, has really morphed into a practice that helps me mitigate my own ontological anxiety.

Every new crisis - pandemics, mass shootings, environmental, political - creates the exact same feelings in my body. Equal parts heartbreak and terror.

This isn’t new or exclusive to one generation. These aren’t the only fraught times, scary or unknown times…

This has been true for all of human existence.

In Buddhism, the very first of the 4 Noble Truths is that suffering is an innate part of human existence.

In a myriad of spiritual texts, we find commentary on the fact that the universe itself contains good and bad, positive and negative states, life and death. Suffering is not a mistake; it is simply built into the system.

The tension of opposites is not an issue to remedy. It simply is the truth of existence.

Meditation can’t make you feel better about school shootings.

Meditation can’t make you feel better about hate-based violence being perpetuated over and over again.

Meditation can’t make you feel better about political decisions you disagree with.

What meditation can do is help us acknowledge and allow how we feel, and in a way, this does make us feel a bit “better”.

Meditation is an invitation to

Acknowledge what you feel
Stop being afraid of what you feel
Release the need to fix what you feel

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we lean into our meditation practice as a support for suffering. As always, we have a brief discussion followed by a 20-minute guided meditation. Join me!

Download my FREE OFFERING: 5 Practices for Heartbreaking Times Here: https://mailchi.mp/merylarnett/5-practices-for-heartbreaking-times

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Sabbatical

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 01:00:00 -0400

I’m doing something a little bit scary this month… I am taking off the entire month of July.

For the last six months or so, I’ve been wondering - how does someone who is self-employed take a sabbatical? And what I finally realized is no one else is going to give me permission. I’m the only one who can make that choice. And so {gulp} I am doing it.

For the next 6 weeks, there will be no live classes, no new podcast episodes, no creating of any kind. My intention is that instead, this time will be spent savoring space, quiet, rest, and dreaming.

I have so many ideas, and before I create anything new I must rest a bit.

I hope you will consider joining me. Slow down this month. Linger over tea, conversations, or moments of quiet. Meditate a bit more. Rush a bit less.

While the podcast is quiet, here are 2 ways you can stay connected:

You won’t receive anything from me while I’m on break, but you will be the FIRST to hear about what is new in August.

Join my free meditation community, Meditate with Meryl: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

I’ll share some bonus meditation practices and the occasional Sabbatical-Update, and I will be looking for updates from you! Share how your practice is going this summer. What are you loving? What are you struggling with? Is there a topic you hope I address on the podcast?

I’ll be back in August with a new meditation series.

Until then, keep practicing!

Love,

Meryl

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Time Is Yours To Play With

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 01:00:00 -0400

Often, we are scared to fully enter time because we operate from a place of deficit. Somewhere, someway, we were sold the belief that there isn’t enough time and that we are not in control of what little time we do have…

The secret truth is that time is ours to play with.

The time we dedicate to eating, sleeping, making money, and caring for others - this time is sacrosanct and given priority. But prayer, meditation, study, pleasure - these are fit in only in stolen seconds.

The truth is, you do have time, so join me now for today’s mini meditation.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

Spiritual Physics {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 01:00:00 -0400

In this 2-part series, we are looking at meditation as the nexus of space, time, and body-soul.

Last week, we explored how we might fully enter space, the heartbeat of the earth and our resonance when we fully connect in this way.

This week, we tackle the concept of time. Perhaps the most frequent refrain I hear as a meditation teacher is…. “But, I don’t have time?!”.

The secret truth is that time is ours to play with.

The truth is, you do have time, you might just choose to spend it differently.

This is a big, big topic with lots of nuance - let’s start the conversation now, in this episode of The Mindful Minute, along with a 20-minute guided meditation because… you do have time ;-)

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Fully Embody Your Space

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 01:00:00 -0400

In today’s mini meditation, we investigate what it means to be fully connected to space. If meditation is the nexus of space, time and soul - how do we step into our space completely and mindfully?

In electromagnetic fields, a form of space, there is attraction, repulsion, movement, holding together, and transformation from one type of energy to another.

Join me for a mini meditation inviting you to explore your relationship with space.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

Spiritual Physics {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 01:00:00 -0400

Recently, I was having a discussion regarding the nexus of space, time, and soul - a meeting point I think of as the practice of meditation - when someone suggested that this exploration was a form of Spiritual Physics.

If you’ve listened to this podcast for any length of time you know I often pull in theories, quotes and ideas from physicists so this term feels spot on for the work we do in meditation.

The definition of physics is -

Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. Physics is one of the most fundamental scientific disciplines, with its main goal being to understand how the universe behaves.

My proposed definition of Spiritual Physics -

… is the psycho-spiritual science that studies the inner workings of the human experience, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy, emotion, imagination and cognition. Its main goal is to explore how the soul behaves.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we explore Spiritual Physics and what it means to fully enter space & time.

Big thank you to today’s sponsor: Ungloo!

Ungloo creates products to allow you to meditate comfortably anywhere you want to go. Check out the Ungloo Box, a portable meditation chair, at ungloo.com and be sure to use code Mindful10 to save 10% on your order!

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Self-Care Reflection

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 30 May 2022 01:00:00 -0400

Today’s mini meditation is a special self-care practice. You will hear poet James Crews read his poem, Self-Care, and then I will share his invitation for reflective journaling. Grab a notebook, a pen, and a cup of tea. Settle into a comfortable seat and join us!

You can find this poem and reflection {and many others!} in James’ new book, The Path to Kindness.

You can find The Path to Kindness at your local, independent bookstore, and you can learn more about James at jamescrews.net

Big thank you to today’s sponsor: Ungloo!

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

The Path to Kindness with James Crews

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 26 May 2022 01:00:00 -0400

For quite awhile now, I have wanted to bring a conversation about poetry to The Mindful Minute. Over the years, I’ve found more and more a connection between reading poetry and my meditation practice, and today, I get to finally explore this connection with poet James Crews!

James Crews’ work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Sun Magazine, Ploughshares, and The New Republic, as well as on Ted Kooser’s American Life in Poetry newspaper column. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a PhD in Writing & Literature from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and is the author of four collections of award-winning poetry, including The Book of What Stays (Prairie Schooner Prize and Foreword Book of the Year Citation, 2011), Telling My Father (Cowles Prize, 2017), Bluebird, and Every Waking Moment. He is also the editor of several anthologies of poetry: Healing the Divide: Poems of Kindness and Connection; and How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope. He leads Mindfulness & Writing retreats online and throughout the country, and works as a creative coach with groups and individuals. He lives with his husband, Brad Peacock, in Shaftsbury, Vermont.

James and I explore the connection between poetry and meditation, the magic of the most mundane moments, poetry as a tool for connection, and a shared hatred of folding laundry! James also talks to us about journaling and how to get started if you feel stuck when it comes to writing.

This conversation was a delight to record; I hope you enjoy listening to it as well!

You can find James’ new book, The Path to Kindness, at your local, independent bookstore, and you can learn more about James at jamescrews.net

Big thank you to today’s sponsor: Ungloo!

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Defining Your Values with Dr. Andrew Newberg

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 23 May 2022 01:00:00 -0400

Dr. Andrew Newberg, a neurotheologist, shares a short practice with us of defining our innermost values and making sure that our actions support those values.

You can listen to his full interview on the 5.19.22 episode - Spirituality and Meditation.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

Spirituality & Meditation; An Interview with Dr. Andrew Newberg

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 19 May 2022 01:00:00 -0400

Dr. Andrew Newberg, one of my favorite former guests, is back with us today to talk about mindfulness, spirituality and our mental well-being. I’ve just wrapped a meditation series, Can Meditation Unite Us, that has reflected on the overlap of several spiritual traditions, and I thought it would be interesting to talk to Dr. Newberg about what happens in our minds and our bodies as we engage with spiritual practices.

Dr. Newberg is a neuroscientist and a pioneer in the neurological study of religious and spiritual experiences, a field known as “neurotheology.” His research includes taking brain scans of people in prayer, meditation, rituals, and trance states, in an attempt to better understand the nature of religious and spiritual practices and attitudes.

In this episode of The Mindful Minute, we talk about religion as well as non-religious activities like meditation, time in nature, and creative pursuits. We talk about ways to explore unity even with those that we find challenging, we discuss the potential problems with religion and spirituality, and we talk a bit about ontological anxiety.

I found this conversation fascinating, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Dr. Newberg’s most recent book is Brain Weaver, Creating the Fabric for a Healthy Mind through Integrative Medicine.

You can see some of the brain images that Dr. Newberg references here: http://www.andrewnewberg.com/research

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: A Practice of Unity

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 16 May 2022 01:00:00 -0400

2+ years into a pandemic, when we’ve been enforcing various levels of separation in our daily lives, we are mentally and emotionally unwell. And we find ourselves in this moment with time, space and nature all reminding us that to heal is to connect.

Yet, this is really hard at this moment because we’ve created neural pathways of separation. Luckily, we know that meditation is a practice of creating NEW neural pathways, and not only that - meditation is a practice of being present, non-judgmental and compassionate with ourselves and with ALL other beings.

Meditation is a practice of expansion and connection. A practice of healing. Join me for today’s mini meditation as we invite in a sense of unity.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

Can Meditation Unite Us? {part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 12 May 2022 01:00:00 -0400

Within this series, we are exploring the concept of unity through our meditation practice. So often, we look at our meditation practice through the lens of its 3 tenets: presence, non-judgment, and compassion. Most of the time, I break these tenets down into their individual practices so that we can explore them each in a deeper way - BUT, this can create the mistaken belief that we can ONLY focus on one tenet at a time, or that if we tried to do it all we would have to meditate for an hour.

The truth is these elements are inseparable. They are entangled within our meditation practice as a complete whole. In a recent conversation with Neuro-theologist Dr. Andrew Newberg, he explained that in his research it is clear that we are healthier - mentally and emotionally - when we feel unity and a connectedness to all beings.

Religions or spiritual practices that teach a domination of others, an elitism, racism, sexism, etc. have adverse health effects. The practices that teach love and compassion create healthier, happier people.

In this particular moment, when we are re-emerging after 2 years of being separate, we are mentally and emotionally unwell. And we find ourselves in this moment with time, space and nature all reminding us that to heal is to connect.

Yet, this is really hard at this moment because we’ve created these neural pathways of separation. Luckily we know that meditation is a practice of creating NEW neural pathways, and not only that - meditation is a practice of being present, non-judgmental and compassionate with ourselves and with ALL other beings.

Meditation is a practice of expansion and connection. A practice of healing. Join me for today’s talk and 20-minute guided meditation.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Lovingkindness for Our Mama Hearts

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 09 May 2022 01:00:00 -0400

Being a mom; trying to become a mother; or not becoming a mother is likely one of the most difficult experiences of your life. We love our children, we worry endlessly, and we often experience the vast extremes of emotions with them or with our own seeming successes or failures.

One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves in relation to the word ‘mom’ is a practice that refills and strengthens our emotional reserves.

Join me in this practice of lovingkindess just for the mama-hearts out there… no matter how tough the day, we always deserve our own love and compassion.

*The practice is also available in my meditation app Roots*

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

REPLAY: For The Mamas

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 05 May 2022 01:00:00 -0400

*This episode originally ran in 2018, and I am delighted to replay it for you this week as we celebrate the mamas.

Happy Mother’s Day, mamas! This short meditation is a chance to sit and be with it all. Being a mother is its own complex mess of emotions, feelings and thoughts. And, we are here for it. All of it. Celebrating the joys, the sorrows, the triumphs and the defeats. Celebrating the mundane and the magnificent. We are here for it. We are here for each other.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Have Faith

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 02 May 2022 01:00:00 -0400

We are so entrenched in our sides, our tribes, our ideological beliefs, that it feels almost impossible to comprehend how someone could feel or believe differently. Take any political issue, and my guess is that you can’t even believe how someone on the other side could think their choice is a good one, and yet -

Even in this inability to comprehend, we know that ‘they’ are thinking the exact same thing about ‘our’ beliefs and choices. It blows the mind, doesn’t it? How is resolution or unity possible?

And, then I sit and I meditate, and remember what is most important. That remembrance settles me into the type of knowing that allows me to face the unknown and the discord and have faith in our capacity for goodness.

I don’t have the answers, but I do have faith in our connection.

Join me for today’s mini meditation as we cultivate faith in our capacity for goodness.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

Can Meditation Unite Us? {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 01:00:00 -0400

This month, we are paying attention to the overlap of Easter, Passover, and Ramadan, and the way the universe seems to be reminding us of what is most important -

Our connection to each other and to the planet.

In our meditation practice, we can also explore our sense of unity. One of the tenets of a mindful meditation practice is non-judgment. We talk about this idea of not judging ourselves, our thoughts or our emotions quite often, but what about our judgment of others.

I don’t have the answers, but I do have faith in our connection.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute. We talk about faith, non-judgment, unity, and how this overlaps with advocacy and action. And of course, we share in a 20-minute guided meditation at the end. Let’s practice.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Personal Renewal

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 01:00:00 -0400

In our meditation practice, we are invited into the present moment. But the cool thing is that the present moment isn’t a static place. In fact, the present moment is more like a precipice, an edge…

The present moment is a continually expanding experience of what is NOW. I think of it as a verison of the universe itself. Scientists know that the universe is continually expanding - and it feels like the present moment is a microcosm of the universe as a whole.

A multitude of experiences are contained within the present, and it is always changing. Both are true.

So in every moment that we sit and breathe in meditation, we are what we are in this moment AND we are becoming something new. Generating new cells, new thought patterns, new awarenesses.

As part of our practice we celebrate our continual renewal. It is our chance to see ourselves exactly as we are and as we are becoming. Join me for today’s mini meditation celebrating our personal renewal.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

Can Meditation Unite Us? {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 01:00:00 -0400

April 2022 is a powerful month this year. For the first time in 31 years, the sacred holidays of Passover, Easter & Ramadan all overlap in the same month. These holidays respectively celebrate themes of liberation and expansion, rebirth and renewal, and forgiveness and self-restraint.

Unrelated, I went on a foraging hike this weekend in the North Georgia mountains. I learned about some of the medicinal plants that are in abundance right now like violets, dead nettle, and yellow root. So many of these plants offer medicine that is deeply needed in this moment - respiratory health, vibrancy, and healing. In a talk given by a fellow meditation teacher, she marveled at the fact that the earth is producing exactly what we most need right now.

In the same way, we see time responding to our needs. The overlap of lunar and solar calendars doesn’t happen often, and at a moment when divisiveness feels ever-present - when we are seeing a dramatic ramp up in exclusive policy vs inclusive policy - the universe is responding with the reminder of what we most need and what is most sacred:

Our connection to each other and the planet we live on

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we explore our meditation practice as a pathway to unity.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: How We Grow

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 01:00:00 -0400

In the last episode, Rhizomatic Meditation, I created and shared this term - ‘Rhizomatic Meditation’ which is really just another way to describe the process of becoming a meditator, in my opinion.

A rhizome is “a continuously growing horizontal underground stem which puts out lateral shoots and adventitious roots at intervals” like ginger or iris plants.

I think this is an interesting lens to view our meditation practice through as well. Rather than a clear end goal that we are systematically working towards, accomplishing one study unit and then the next; instead we grow horizontally along our path underground.

It isn’t always clear. It definitely isn’t linear. Nor are we always fully aware of the process happening underground.

So, we continue to meditate, we journal, and we share or discuss with our community to help us uncover/discover what is happening as we grow underground.

Join me for today’s mini meditation and let’s feel for ourselves how we grow.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

Rhizomatic Meditation

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 01:00:00 -0400

I recently attended a forum titled ‘Democracy Under Siege: Authoritarianism and the Psyche’. It was fascinating; just in case you were wondering exactly how nerdy I am…

During the panel discussion a comment was made that democracy asks us to embrace rhizomatic thinking or rhizomatic imagination. This phrase immediately jumped out at me because I had just taught the last ‘Way of Roots’ meditation class and I knew this was tied to that topic, but how?

A rhizome is “a continuously growing horizontal underground stem which puts out lateral shoots and adventitious roots at intervals” like ginger or iris plants.

If you look at rhizomatic learning, you will see the work of Inna Semetsky. She writes, “a rhizome does not consist of units, but of dimensions and directions.”

It isn’t always clear. It definitely isn’t linear. Nor are we always fully aware of the process happening underground.

So, we continue to meditate, we journal, and we share or discuss with our community to help us uncover/discover what is happening as we grow underground.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we chat about rhizomatic meditation {I definitely just made that term up}, and then share in a 20-minute guided meditation.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Entangled

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 01:00:00 -0400

In physics, entanglement refers to particles that “have correlated attributes such that they act not as individual particles but as an inseparable whole.”

Within our meditation practice, I think we see entanglement on two levels:

First, our practice becomes entangled with our lived experience. Initially perhaps, our practice feels like this thing we do on our meditation cushion and then we go live our lives the other 23 hours and 50 minutes of the day. But slowly, slowly this practice tangles with our waking, walking moments and we feel more and more consciousness throughout our days.

Second, our meditation practice is entangled with other meditators across place and time. When we connect with other meditators, our practice becomes more enlivened. We receive the same support, warnings, and care as the mother trees share with the younger members of the forest.

Join me for today’s mini meditation as we explore our own sense of entanglement.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

The Way of Roots {part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 01:00:00 -0400

Within this meditation series, we have discussed how rootedness is innate to us {part 1}, and how paths carved by our rootedness lead us to a rewilding of the spirit {part 2}, and now in the last part of the Roots meditation series we discuss entanglement.

In physics, entanglement refers to particles that “have correlated attributes such that they act not as individual particles but as an inseparable whole.”

In forests, tree roots entangled with the mycorrhizae of the soil create an inseparable community that rely on one another for well-being.

Within our meditation practice, I think we see entanglement on two levels:

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we sift through the forest floor in search of answers about our own meditation experiences.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about:

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: A Path Carved

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 01:00:00 -0400

If we look at ancient meditation teachings as roots, they allow us to understand the path that has been carved by practitioners of the past. And then crucially, the teachings always invite us to explore for ourselves. To question. To advance. We don’t have to accept without experiencing for ourselves.

We use wisdom teachings - through books, through teachers or classes or podcasts - to help guide us. To give us the lay of the land and the sense of what’s possible. And then we return to our practice.

Join me for today’s mini meditation practice as we explore the path carved.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Elemental Awakening: Begins March 20, 2022

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

The Way of Roots {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 01:00:00 -0400

This meditation series, The Way of Roots, began with an exploration of our own rootedness - our own ability to be present and awake to the moment as it is.

Now, we add a bit to our understanding of Roots.

Roots travel in search of nutrients, water, and community with other trees.

One of the first things I think about is the big oak on the side of my house, near the road. It has been there a long time, and its roots have traveled past the boundary of the yard, under the paved road where they have made these huge, self-created speed bumps in the road.

The tree doesn’t heed to suburban ideas of lawn. Roots don’t heed to where development has said ‘stop’. In fact, re-wilding has shown that even in the face of huge infrastructure and development - if left alone, roots move back in and take back the territory that was once theirs.

This makes me think of the wisdom teachings from great meditators of the past. These ancient teachings don’t heed to modernity. They don’t become obsolete because now iPhones and social media exist. In fact, these teachings of meditation become MORE potent in the face of these modern evolutions.

Meditation teachings invite the rewilding of our souls on some levels. It says ‘remember when’ or ‘remember who’ you were before all this.

This isn’t to romanticize an ancient time, or ancient culture. It is simply to be aware of the path your roots have carved and are currently carving.

From each root, are tons of little off-shoots. We get to ask, “are we on an off-shoot, or are we on the main root? Are we moving in the direction we want to be moving?

If we look at teachings as roots, they allow us to understand the path that has been carved.

And then crucially, the teachings always invite us to explore for ourselves. To question. To advance. We don’t have to accept without experiencing for ourselves.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we explore the path roots carve and then share in a 20-minute guided meditation.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Elemental Awakening: Begins March 20, 2022

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Access Your Roots

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 01:00:00 -0400

Roots, in botany, are the part of a vascular plant normally underground. Its primary functions are

To anchor of the plant
To aid in the absorption of water and minerals
To store a reserve of food.

Our practice serves much the same purpose. It anchors us to the present moment, it allows us to absorb the benefits of being present, non-judgmental and compassionate, and it prepares us to face difficult times with equanimity.

And, here is the vital element - we can access this wisdom just as we are. We are born with roots. Rootedness is innate to us.

Join me for today’s mini meditation as we practice accessing our roots.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Special thanks to today’s sponsor: Baronfig - Baronfig’s line of “Tools for Thinkers” includes guided journals, notebooks, writing instruments, bags, accessories, and so much more. As an avid journaler, I use and love their guided meditation journal, dream journal and their basic Confidant notebooks! Get one for yourself at baronfig.com

Learn more about my:

*Elemental Awakening

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

The Way of Roots {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 01:00:00 -0400

Often, when we talk about simplifying, getting back to basics or our foundation, we say “getting back to our roots”... and my offering this month is exactly that -

It is an invitation to get back to our roots in the most literal way possible. To explore our rootedness and how this relates to our meditation practice.

When I think about the roots of a plant, I see this as something innate, something forged, and something woven. Over the next 3 classes, we will look at each of these ideas in turn.

Roots are innate. They are the first thing to grow from a seed; a seed is ‘born’ with roots so to speak. They are something we too are born with. This early and automatic ability to present. To be HERE. We are just part of the earth, the family, the moment without question.

Roots, in botany, are the part of a vascular plant normally underground. Its primary functions are

To anchor of the plant
To aid in the absorption of water and minerals
To store a reserve of food.

And, here is the vital element - we can access this wisdom just as we are. We are born with roots. Rootedness is innate to us.

Join me for today’s talk and 20-minute guided meditation.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Special thanks to today’s sponsor: Baronfig - Baronfig’s line of “Tools for Thinkers” includes guided journals, notebooks, writing instruments, bags, accessories, and so much more. As an avid journaler, I use and love their guided meditation journal, dream journal and their basic Confidant notebooks! Get one for yourself at baronfig.com

Learn more about my:

*Elemental Awakening: Begins March 20, 2022

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Community Meditation

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 01:00:00 -0400

Today’s mini meditation is offered with the reminder that community is a valuable part of any meditation practice. It is what helps us to explore meditation off the cushion and to put our practice into everyday use.

Join me!

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Special thanks to today’s sponsor: Baronfig - Baronfig’s line of “Tools for Thinkers” includes guided journals, notebooks, writing instruments, bags, accessories, and so much more. As an avid journaler, I use and love their guided meditation journal, dream journal and their basic Confidant notebooks! Get one for yourself at baronfig.com

Learn more about my:

*Elemental Awakening: Begins March 20, 2022

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

The Value of Community

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 01:00:00 -0400

One of my intentions for 2022 is to truly pay attention to and foster community both in my work and my personal life. This is a value I hold so dear, and I’ve felt the impact of the last 2.5 years as it has asked us all to reimagine community connection.

I’ve recently introduced a monthly community discussion class in my live Monday night meditation class as one way to foster this sense of connection, and I thought, even though you won’t get to hear the actual community chatter in this episode {I’ve kept that private to maintain safe, sacred space within my live class}, it is valuable to hear my thoughts on why community matters so much to us as meditators.

You’ll hear some short thoughts from me, and we will share in a 20-minute guided meditation as usual. Please know, if you are searching for your own meditation community - you are, of course, welcome to join my live classes if the timing works for you, but you could also join my free meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

If you join, please feel encouraged to post! Share your questions, ideas, wins, and wonderings! Discussion is how online community begins to build, and I would love to hear from you.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Special thanks to today’s sponsor: Baronfig - Baronfig’s line of “Tools for Thinkers” includes guided journals, notebooks, writing instruments, bags, accessories, and so much more. As an avid journaler, I use and love their guided meditation journal, dream journal and their basic Confidant notebooks! Get one for yourself at baronfig.com

Learn more about my:

*Elemental Awakening: Begins March 20, 2022

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Elemental Awakening to Fire

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 01:00:00 -0400

Mini Meditation: Elemental Awakening to Fire

In today’s mini meditation, I’m sharing another elemental practice with you in celebration of my upcoming program Elemental Awakening!

We have explored two different wind-based practices recently and now we will revisit an old favorite - fire. Today’s meditation is one of my original offerings in Roots - my nature-based meditation app. In this practice, you hear the embers of a campfire crackling as it burns in Little Yosemite Valley. This soundscape was recorded by Gordon Hempton and the meditation was written from my direct experience of sitting in front of decades worth of campfires.

Don’t forget registration for Elemental Awakening closes TOMORROW, March 15 at Midnight. There are just a few spots left and I would love for YOU to join me in this intimate exploration of the elements, ourselves, and our relationship to mindfulness.

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

Baronfig - Baronfig’s line of “Tools for Thinkers” includes guided journals, notebooks, writing instruments, bags, accessories, and so much more. As an avid journaler, I use and love their guided meditation journal, dream journal and their basic Confidant notebooks! Get one for yourself here: https://baronfig.com/

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Elemental Awakening: Begins March 20, 2022

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

Astronomical Mindfulness with Sarah Scoles

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 01:00:00 -0500

Show Notes: Astronomical Mindfulness with Sarah Scoles

The new book, ASTRONOMICAL MINDFULNESS, is a unique guidebook written by astronomy professor, Chris De Pree, and science journalist, Sarah Scoles, and in today’s episode of The Mindful Minute I chat with Sarah about all things astronomical.

We talk about the power of the sun, moon, stars, and planets to offer engaging exercises that deepen your knowledge of the solar system, help you take necessary pauses every day, and foster a renewed sense of presence in the universe.

This conversation is such a fun listen after January’s Meditation & The Moon series and my upcoming Elemental Awakening offering. Join me for this exploration of the cosmos, mindfulness, and some new practices you can try tonight.

Learn more about Sarah Scoles at: https://www.sarahscoles.com/

You can purchase Astronomical Mindfulness at your local bookstore.

Learn more about Elemental Awakening at: https://www.merylarnett.com/elemental-awakening-2022

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Elemental Awakening: Begins March 20, 2022

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Delight, Sorrow and What Lies Between

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 01:00:00 -0500

Mini Meditation: Delight, Sorrow and What Lies Between

When we reflect on opposing forces such as good & evil or joy & sorrow, it is easy to see them as existing on a scale with one force on each side - thesis and antithesis.

But, what happens when we introduce a third force? Thesis. Antithesis. Synthesis.

Fire. Water. Air.

Rabbi Jill Hammer writes, “ when we come to presence, we are able to hold multiple truths without straining.”

Join me for today’s mini meditation as we practice holding multiple truths and bringing synthesis to the moment.

Today’s meditation is inspired by the guided visualization Higher than Delight, Deeper than Sorrow written by Rabbi Jill Hammer.

You can learn more about Elemental Awakening here: merylarnett.com/elemental-awakening-2022

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Elemental Awakening: Begins March 20, 2022

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

The Ways of Wind {part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 01:00:00 -0500

You’ll remember that this month’s meditation series is a series about the ever-changing wind and the play of opposite forces in our daily lives. Good & evil, praise & blame, joy & sorrow, etc.

Last week {part 2} we looked through the lens of Buddhist teachings on the 8 Worldly Winds, and that we never know when the wind will change directions. We were offered a solution of learning how to live in the ‘middle’ or with equanimity.

Now, I love learning how these same ideas permeate time, location and culture. Lately, I’ve been reading an ancient Jewish mystical text known as the Sefer Yetzirah. The interpretation I’m reading is written by Rabbi Jill Hammer - it is a story about creation, the elements, the cosmos and God.

As the text explores opposing forces such as delight and suffering, merit and guilt, even fire and water, Rabbi Hammer writes, “even things so diverse as pleasure and pain are still made up of the same building blocks, the same human consciousness and experience, the same divine creative force. The wheel of letters contains all phenomena. All happenings are ultimately one, even when they appear radically different. When we understand this, we can come to a state of equanimity within the cosmos.”

It is all the same wind, just blowing differently.

And, the suggested solution, over and over again, is Equanimity.

Rather than fight with the present moment, can we learn to be with it exactly as it is?

Philosopher and poet Mark Nepo describes it so beautifully when he offers -

“We are all continually asked to learn how to ask for what we need, only to practice accepting what we’re given.”

Join me for today’s discussion and 20-minute guided meditation on The Mindful Minute. Today’s meditation is inspired by the guided visualization Higher than Delight, Deeper than Sorrow written by Rabbi Jill Hammer.

You can learn more about Elemental Awakening here: merylarnett.com/elemental-awakening-2022

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Elemental Awakening: Begins March 20, 2022

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Elemental Awakening to Wind

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0500

Mini Meditation: Elemental Awakening to Wind

My newest program, Elemental Awakening, is an exploration of the elements and their corresponding sacred practices. It runs from the Spring Equinox to the Fall Equinox, and it is a chance for 12 of you to study in-depth with me over the course of the next 7 months.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be releasing a few mini meditations that correspond with each element as a way to explore Elemental Awakening for yourself.

Today’s mini meditation invites you to meditate with the idea and experience of wind.

This experience invites us into equanimity as sometimes we resonate with the sensation of being blown around. Chaotic, uncontrolled. Other times, we resonate with the sensation of our feet solidly on the ground, a steady anchor as the wind whips around us.

You can learn more about Elemental Awakening here: merylarnett.com/elemental-awakening-2022

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Elemental Awakening: Begins March 20, 2022

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

The Ways of Wind {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0500

This is a series about wind, about good and bad, about our struggles with the state of the world; but mostly, this is a series about wind.

I love wind.

Sometimes, I resonate with the sensation of being blown around. Chaotic, uncontrolled.

Other times, I resonate with the sensation of my feet on the ground. My body, a steady anchor as the wind whips around me.

It is a both/and situation, and it asks us to acknowledge paradox. It teaches us equanimity.

In Buddhist teachings, there is a teaching known as the 8 Worldly Winds. These winds are:

-Praise/Blame

-Gain/Loss

-Success/Failure

-Joy/Sorrow

The gist of the teaching is that we never know when the wind will change directions.

We are also reminded that one doesn’t exist without the other. We can’t only have praise. Or success. Or Joy. And in fact, we know through psychological research that if you refuse to experience sorrow, you inadvertently are unable to experience joy. The teaching isn’t telling us to fix it, or to get better.

Rather the teaching is offering us a way to learn how to exist in the middle.

We learn to embrace tension, paradox, change. Instead of seeking resolution, waiting for the chord at the end of a song, we let ourselves open and relax in the middle.

Ajahn Sumedo teaches us to be open to the way things are. “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.”

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we explore the ever-changing wind both in concept and within a 20-minute guided meditation.

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Elemental Awakening: Begins March 20, 2022

*Roots: nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: The Edge of the Universe

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0500

You guys. I have something BIG to share with you today!

I have just released my newest offering into the world. This is something that has been incubating in my meditations, my dreams and my daily walks for a full year, and I am so delighted to finally share this with you! ⁠

Elemental Awakening is an exploration of the elements and 6 corresponding sacred practices. This program will run from the Spring Equinox to the Fall Equinox, and it is a chance for 12 of you to study in-depth with me over the course of the next 7 months.

This is not a workshop, a training or an intensive.

This is an invitation.

An invitation to go deeper with me; to gather in an engaged, curious community; to explore together; and to weave a tapestry of our own magic.

I’m so excited to share a bit about this opportunity with you guys, AND I’m releasing one of my newest meditations from my newly redesigned nature-based meditation app - Roots. This practice is one I’ve been using daily for weeks, and I think you might enjoy it too -

A while ago, I had the opportunity to hike to the top of Haleakala - a dormant volcano on Maui, Hawaii. The summit lies at 10,023 feet above sea level. We were above the clouds, and although it was summer time, it was bitterly cold as the wind whipped around us. The landscape felt desert-like, but what was most noticeable was the way it seemed like you were closer to the sky than the earth. It felt like we were quite literally ‘hanging in the void’ or the liminal space between the solid ground we call home and the expansive universe that wraps around us.

It was a moment of both/and - of being connected to the life we live on a daily basis and equally connected to the greater expanse that reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously or to worry too much.

In this practice, we hear the wind whipping from the top of a volcano as recorded by Gordon Hempton. We imagine ourselves at the edge, the void between earth and the universe, between the mundane and universal consciousness.

Let’s practice balancing on this edge.

Native Hawaiians, also known as Kanaka Maoli, are the first people to have heard the sounds of this particular landscape.

You can learn more about Elemental Awakening here: merylarnett.com/elemental-awakening-2022

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

***Elemental Awakening: Begins March 20

**Roots: my nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can also grab my FREE Meditation Starter Kit on my website merylarnett.com. It is full of my favorite tips, stories and ideas for starting and maintaining a daily meditation practice. Grab your copy today! --> http://bit.ly/meditationstarterkit ***

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

The Ways of Wind {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0500

I spend a lot of time reflecting on the teachings of meditation and their intersection with the specific moment we are living in. For most of us, I believe this feels like a scary time, as if there are two sides battling out for domination with no chance of reason or clarity being heard.

As I dance with the anxiety of mid-term elections this year, and continued reports of rising extremism, I remind myself that we have been here before.

Some of the details might be new to this moment, but the vast majority of this experience is a cycle we have experienced over and over again throughout history.

Battles of right and wrong, left and right, good and evil are not new. They are not unique to us living in 2022.

There are teachings in ancient Buddhist texts of the 10,000 joys and 10,000 sorrows. The ever changing winds that blow.

There are teachings in ancient jewish texts that talk about delight and sorrow, merit and guilt simply being a rearrangement of the same two letter combinations.

Over and over again, this lesson is presented to us -

It isn’t good/correct on one side, and evil/incorrect on the other.

Rather, one side exists because of the other.

They exist simultaneously and of the same elements, just expressed differently.

And so, over the course of this next 3-part series, The Ways of Wind, we will look at the different teachings around the ever changing winds of experience. We start tonight by learning to balance on the edge of the universe. Join me here, now for a discussion and 20-minute guided meditation.

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Roots: my nature-based meditation app

*Elemental Awakening: Begins March 20!

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: The Magic of Bruno

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0500

Why do we love Encanto so much? Why has “We don’t talk about Bruno” taken over the charts in such an unexpected way?

Perhaps it is that the music and the lyrics remind us we are not alone in what we feel, what we struggle with… and I think it is so important to make this connection alongside our meditation practice.

It is far too easy to mistakenly believe that meditation is an isolating practice. We often practice alone. We close the door; we tell others to be quiet and not interrupt us. We finish and we likely don’t speak about our experience within meditation to anyone. Yet, the truth is our practice is a deep reminder of our connection to everyone, to all beings.

Let’s meditate together today in connection with Bruno and all beings everywhere <3

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

**Roots: my nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

We Don’t Talk About Bruno… Or Do We?

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0500

I am obsessed with Encanto. Are you? We have watched the movie several times, and basically listen to the soundtrack on repeat these days…

The song “We don’t talk about Bruno” has taken over the charts beating out the previously unbeatable “Let it Go”...

The spin class I recently took that was themed to the Encanto soundtrack had three times more people in it than any other class at that moment in time.

Why do we love this story and this music so much?

This is a story among so many things of magic, of intergenerational trauma, of perfectionism, of expectations, of not wanting to look at the cracks in the foundation.

Lin-Manuel Miranda has given us a story that encompasses so much of what we are experiencing on literal and metaphorical levels right now. This is a myth that allows us to process, to digest our own experiences without thinking too hard about it.

The music and the lyrics remind us we are not alone in what we feel, what we struggle with, and I think it is so important to make this connection alongside our meditation practice.

This is the exact same reason why we practiced with the phases of the moon this month. It connects us. In space. In time. Across generations, geographic locations and ideological gulfs. It is the same moon. It gives context to the chaos of our lives.

There is a reminder in the sky, in the music, in our practice:

From chaos comes creation.

From formlessness comes formation.

We are here to create, and when we face tough times with wide-open eyes and hearts, when we talk about Bruno, we can create something truly spectacular.

So, tear-streaked faces, exhausted eyes, furrowed brows and all, show up. Sit on your cushion. Place yourself in space and time underneath the moon, within the lyrics, and let’s see what we create.

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Roots: my nature-based meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Pause, Rest, Be with Octavia Raheem

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0500

My friends, if you read only one book this year, let it be

Pause, Rest, Be: Stillness Practices for Courage in Time of Change

My dear friend, Octavia Raheem has released her second book into the world and it is the balm we have all been waiting for. In her introduction, Octavia writes,

“I created Pause, Rest, Be to meet you in the places that shape, redefine, and sometimes undo us: endings, liminal space, and beginnings. The places of falling aparts and mergings. Of letting go and coming together. Union. This book contains my personal reflections on endings, the place in between, and beginnings. It is also a book of inquiry and practice. Each section ends with a prayer that crosses faiths to reach all hearts.”

And also -

“You are not lost. You are here to reorient your way to the path that is truly yours to walk.”

I am so delighted to share this conversation amongst friends. We talk through closing our shared business, through the liminal space in between and imaginal cells {my favorite!}, as well as stepping boldly into new beginnings.

This is the book that speaks to what you are feeling right now, and perhaps offers you some new tools for when even meditating might be ‘too much’...

After listening, be sure to purchase Octavia’s new book from your local bookstore, or here:

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/691234/pause-rest-be-by-octavia-f-raheem

You can learn more about Octavia and her books here:

https://www.pauserestbe.com/

https://octaviaraheem.com/

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Waning Moon

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 01:00:00 -0500

As the light of the moon diminishes, and our meditation practice nears the end, we are reminded one last time to return to presence. If we have drifted off this is the moment to catch that last thought, daydream, or feeling, and to remember the wisdom of our practice before moving on with our day.

Join me for today’s mini meditation in honor of the waning moon.

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Roots: my nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Meditation & The Moon {waning moon}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 01:00:00 -0500

She wanes.

The moon gradually continues her cycle with diminishing light night after night until we return to the dark moon and start over again.

This phase of waning light reminds us that we set an intention to turn our attention inward. The premise of this series has walked us through the cycles of the moon and their representations in our meditation practice. The new moon, waxing moon, full moon & now waning.

As the light diminishes, we are reminded in the last moments of our meditation practice to return to presence if we have drifted off; to catch that last thought, daydream, or feeling; and to remember the wisdom of our practice before moving on with our day.

Join me as we discuss how to remember the wisdom, how to complete a meditation practice, and then we will share in a 20-minute guided meditation together.

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Roots: my nature-based meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional kid spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Full Moon Meditation

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 01:00:00 -0500

This week is the week of the January full moon. Many indigenious groups have specific names for each of the 13 full moons of the year. January’s moon, by northern and eastern tribes, was often called the wolf moon.

So called because this is a time, deep in winter, when the wolves are hungry and howling frequently.

Interestingly, the full moon is also the time when we are believed to be the most magnetic, articulate, receptive and collaborative. The light of the moon and ourselves is bright and reflecting outward.

So, in this receptive moment, how do we address the hungry wolf?

Join me in this mini meditation encompassing the 3 components of a mindful meditation practice and satiating the hungry wolf within.

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

#meditatewithmeryl

Meditation & The Moon {full moon}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 01:00:00 -0500

This week is the week of the January full moon. Many indigenous groups have specific names for each of the 13 full moons of the year. January’s moon, by northern and eastern tribes, was often called the wolf moon.

So called because this is a time, deep in winter, when the wolves are hungry and howling frequently.

For us too, January has evolved to be a hungry month. For many people throughout the world, this is a literal hunger, and for those of us who are fortunate enough to have enough to eat in this moment, metaphorically we’ve been trained to focus on hunger this month too -

What do I WANT for the coming year?

What will I accomplish?

What will make me feel like enough?

Hunger.

So, in this receptive moment, how do we address the hungry wolf?

With love. With Compassion.

Not enoughness can not be satiated with accomplishments, with praise or with plans. The empty belly of enoughness can only be filled with a steady diet of compassion. This is also the final component of a meditation practice.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we discuss the full moon and its implications for our meditation practice. As always, we will finish with a 20-minute guided meditation.

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Join my FREE meditation community here: https://meditate-with-meryl.mn.co/

Learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Waxing Moon Meditation

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 01:00:00 -0500

We add light and awareness to our meditation practice, when we relinquish all judgment.

What happens when we stop telling ourselves we are wrong?

That we are something to fix?

What happens when we are curious instead?

When we stop saying no; when we soften the armour around what we can’t feel or won’t feel, is it possible that there is wisdom waiting for us?

Join me for today’s mini-meditation as we relish the added light of non-judgment.

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Meditation & The Moon {waxing moon}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 01:00:00 -0500

This week, the moon is waxing. She is adding a sliver of light every night. We also see this experience mirrored in our meditation practice.

We begin by simply settling into the present moment, and then, we add more light and deeper awareness by incorporating non-judgment into our practice.

In our daily lives, the waxing moon is typically an ideal time to brainstorm, to plant seeds of creation, and to initiate new projects. Without doubt, one of the most vital elements of the creation process is the ability to suspend judgment. In a brainstorm, everything is allowed. No idea is bad. We explore all the possibilities.

So too with our meditation practice.

Thoughts, feelings, daydreams arise, and rather than push them away or argue with them, we simply say, “welcome.”

Or better yet -

“This is what is happening right now. I wonder what will happen next?”

When we stop saying no; when we soften the armour around what we can’t feel or won’t feel, is it possible that there is wisdom waiting for us?

Join me for today’s discussion on the waxing moon and non-judgment; I share a real life example of this tool being incredibly useful in my own eco-anxiety fears, and then we will share in a 20-minute guided meditation practice.

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: New Moon Meditation

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 01:00:00 -0500

The new moon happens each lunar cycle; it is the time when the moon is completely dark. The new moon reminds us that the moon itself doesn’t possess any light. The light we so love and celebrate is a reflection, an illumination from a perpetually radiant source of light- the sun.

This is quite true of our meditation practice as well. It isn’t “meditation” - the type, style, name or duration - that is the magic. Rather, the practice simply reflects or illuminates our innermost, perpetually radiant self.

The practice of meditation allows us to witness the inner workings of our own minds.

We start this illumination by simply landing here. Now.

By learning how to be present.

Join me for today’s mini meditation practice.

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Meditation & The Moon {new moon}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 01:00:00 -0500

I am most decidedly NOT a night owl. I’ve always been early to bed, early to rise - hence teaching 6 a.m. yoga for more than a decade ;-)

And yet, over the last year, I found myself taking walks at night. Nothing fancy; just short strolls through my neighborhood - the same route I would walk with my kids during the daytime, and yet, I found it was completely altered at night.

As I’ve tracked the cycles of the moon in this most visible, tangible way I’ve noticed how the lunar phases show up in our meditation practice just as they do on the tides, our bodily rhythms and the seasons themselves. Honoring the cycles in our lives can be a potent way to connect more deeply to our stillness practices.

This first meditation series of 2022 is a refresher course on the basics of meditation tied to the phases of the moon. Perfect for those of us that need a little boost, a little depth, or just a breath of fresh air in our practice!

In this episode, we start with the new moon, which just happened on January 2. This is the time when the moon is completely dark. The new moon reminds us that the moon itself doesn’t possess any light. The light we so love and celebrate is a reflection, an illumination from a perpetually radiant source of light.

The practice of meditation allows us to witness the inner workings of our own minds.

We start by landing here. Now.

Join me for this all new meditation series as we kickstart our meditation practice for 2022.

Special thanks to today’s sponsor:

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Honor The Mystery

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 01:00:00 -0500

In today’s mini meditation we explore and honor the Mystery. The unknown forces that cause some moments to feel particularly chaotic or overwhelming and the unknown forces that tip us back into periods of calm.

We can look to the Winter Solstice as an example -

In ancient times, this was a moment when it appeared that the sun had stopped moving in the sky. The light had disappeared.

Our ancestors didn’t know that the earth orbited the sun or that its axis was tilted. They didn’t know why the sun ‘stopped’ moving or if the light would return. So they did little things to create comfort - they lit fires and made offerings; they created ritual as a way to acknowledge the mystery and the chaos as well as to calm some of the fear that arises in the face of the unknown.

Join me for today’s mini meditation as we honor the mystery and calm the chaos.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

From Chaos to Calm {part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 01:00:00 -0500

Happy Winter Solstice to my friends in the Northern hemisphere and happy Summer Solstice to those in the south! Today’s episode is the final installment of the Chaos to Calm series as well as my final episode of 2021.

In today’s class we explore and honor the Mystery. The unknown forces that cause some moments to feel particularly chaotic or overwhelming and the unknown forces that tip us back into periods of calm.

We can look to the Winter Solstice as an example -

In ancient times, this was a moment when it appeared that the sun had stopped moving in the sky. The light had disappeared.

Join me for one last meditation class in 2021 as we honor the mystery, celebrate the solstice and calm the chaos.

As we wrap up 2021, I just want to share a huge thank you to everyone who listened, who emailed, who donated or shared about the podcast. I delight in sharing these classes with you all and I’m grateful for your presence here. There are lots of new series coming up in 2022, until then, keep practicing and be well.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Spiral Inwards

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 01:00:00 -0500

Spiral fractals can be seen in shells, fiddlehead ferns, hurricanes, spiral galaxies, and the motion of fluid.

And, isn’t this exactly what we are doing in our practice? We are spiraling inwards, learning to listen to our deepest selves.... but here is what I’ve learned about spiraling inward:

It isn’t as clear-cut as it first seems. It seems like we should always feel like we are getting closer to the center, shouldn’t it? As if every practice should feel deeper and quieter?

And yet, anyone with a regular meditation practice will tell you, it doesn’t feel like that.

In my experience, it feels more labyrinthine - you can never quite tell where you are in the journey while you are in the middle of it. Just when you feel furthest away, you suddenly find yourself right at the center.

Join me for today’s mini meditation as a practice in the deep listening required to spiral inwards.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

From Chaos to Calm {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 01:00:00 -0500

In last week’s episode, From Chaos to Calm part 1, I kicked off this series with the idea of doing the deep work of noticing our own internal fractals. Remember, a fractal is a never-ending pattern that is created by repeating a simple process over and over.

Last week, we looked at fractals that branch - trees, blood vessels, and rivers as examples, but there is another kind of fractal… a spiral.

Spiral fractals can be seen in shells, fiddlehead ferns, hurricanes, spiral galaxies, and the motion of fluid.

And, isn’t this exactly what we are doing in our practice? We are spiraling inwards, learning to listen to our deepest selves.... but here is what I’ve learned about spiraling inward:

It isn’t as clear-cut as it first seems. It seems like we should always feel like we are getting closer to the center, shouldn’t it? As if every practice should feel deeper and quieter?

And yet, anyone with a regular meditation practice will tell you, it doesn’t feel like that.

So, what do you do when you walk through a labyrinth? You take one step at a time. You don’t look too far ahead. You stay right here in the present moment, and you relinquish any attempt to guess when you might be finished.

In today’s episode of The Mindful Minute, we talk about ways we can work on the deep listening and the spiral inward that moves us from chaos to calm. We also share in a 20 minute guided meditation at the end. Join me!

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Fractals in the Frost

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 01:00:00 -0500

I look at the calendar. I look at my to-do list. I look at my bank account. I look at my inbox. I repeat. This time of year more than any other, I feel the pull of the outer world rub distinctly against my desire to slow down, stay inside, and savor this dark, cozy season.

As I reflect on the familiar feelings of chaos, I realize that what I am seeing is a fractal. A fractal is a never-ending pattern that occurs in nature. While the fractal itself, the pattern, is quite simple, the picture it displays can be one of chaos.

But now that we know where to look, the movement from chaos to calm is simpler than ever. Join me for this mini meditation inviting us to pull back and see the simplicity behind the chaos.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

You can learn more about my:

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training - Begins in January 2022!

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

From Chaos to Calm {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 01:00:00 -0500

“A fractal tells a story of the processes that created it.” - FractalFoundation.org

These fractals appear everywhere. In nature, in mathematics, even in Jackson Pollock's paint splatters… and if this is true, if they really are everywhere, might they also be present in the intangible, invisible aspects of our lives? Might they be present in our actions and our feelings?

If we can do the deep work of tracing back through the chaotic feelings to the largest possible branch we can find, we might discover an incredibly simple pattern. A pattern that goes something like - everytime X happens, I respond with Y, which makes me a bit anxious or unhappy. And, then this pattern continues to repeat, creating CHAOS.

Our meditation practice is the invitation to interrupt this pattern. It invites us to pause in the repetitive choices we make, and it allows us to give ourselves the space to make a new choice.

Patience and consistency will deliver the results. They always do. So in this most chaotic month, may you breathe deeply and practice more consistently than ever.

See example fractal images here:

https://fractalfoundation.org/fractivities/WhatIsaFractal-1pager.pdf

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training - Begins in January 2022!

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Nature, Art & Ritual with Day Schildkret

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 01:00:00 -0500

Today, I am so delighted to share a conversation with Day Schildkret - an artist in pursuit of impermanent beauty - about his upcoming book Hello, Goodbye: 75 Rituals for Times of Loss, Celebration and Change, which will be published on January 25, 2022.

Day is internationally known for his work Morning Altars in which he creates impermanent art through found objects in nature. In this conversation we dive deep into the importance of ritual, what it is, how we create our own rituals and more.

As we creep up on the Winter Solstice and the New Year, this is a perfect conversation to spark your creativity, and perhaps nudge you to create your own rituals…

Be sure to check out Day’s work here: https://www.morningaltars.com/

And, please consider pre-ordering his upcoming book Hello, Goodbye at your favorite local bookstore.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training - Begins January 2022!

*Shoreline: my meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Walking Meditation

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 01:00:00 -0500

Today’s mini meditation is a sneak peek of some new content soon to be released in Shoreline meditation app. This is a 10-minute guided walking meditation that you can do anywhere - your backyard, a sidewalk, a park, a hiking trail....

A mindful walk is a beautiful and valuable practice; it invites us to cultivate the qualities of meditation: presence, non-judgment and compassion, in our everyday, active lives. Not just on the meditation cushion.

You’ll begin at the start of the path you have chosen. You might choose to only go a short distance {10 - 20 feet} and then turn around, tracing your steps over and over again, or you can choose to go on a meandering walk. Following a path, road or trail for as long as feels comfortable to you. Please make sure you know your surroundings or are following a marked trail if you intend to meander.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

You can learn more about my:

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training - only 5 spots left!

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Thanksgiving 2021: A Practice of Contentment

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 01:00:00 -0500

Happy Thanksgiving.

As we acknowledge this holiday in our own chosen ways this year there is much to celebrate. There is also much to grieve. And, there is much to remember about the truth of our relationship with the indigenious people of this land.

As we each work to sort out our understanding, feelings and plans for the holiday, I thought we could practice today with the gift of contentment.

Contentment is understanding that the moment is complete.

It doesn’t mean the moment is perfect. It doesn’t mean you are 100% happy. It simply means that we are willing to show up for this moment exactly as it is. We are willing as Swami Rama said to “fall in love with our lives”.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training - only 5 spots left!

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Keep Laughing

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 01:00:00 -0500

“Thinking only of the negative aspect doesn’t help to find solutions and it destroys peace of mind,” he writes. “I love smiles, and my wish is to see more smiles, real smiles. … If we want those smiles, we must create the reasons that make them appear.” - The Dalai Lama

In our practice, a bit of humor can be a mechanism for going deeper. Rather than doubt, judge or over-analyze, what happens if we simply smile, shake our heads at the wildness of it all and trust our inner experiences?

We tip the scales towards kindness

We balance the ocean of our bodies,

And, we remind ourselves that we simply can’t see or know the whole story.

Join me for today’s mini meditation practice and be sure to listen to the full story in last week’s episode “Lying on the Forest Floor part 3.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

You can learn more about my:

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training - only 10 spots left in my 2022 training!

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Lying on the Forest Floor {part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 01:00:00 -0500

This meditation series was crafted in response to a simple and mind-blowing statement that ‘humus, human and humor’ all share the same root word.

In part 1, we explored the concept that we are earth come to consciousness {humus}. In part 2, we looked at what it means to be human; to be as boundless as the ocean {human}.

And now, in part 3 we look at humor in life and our meditation practice. The term humor is actually derived from ‘humoral medicine’ of the ancient Greeks, which taught that the balance of fluids in the human body controlled human health and emotion. {Thank you Wikipedia!}.

With humor, we invite balance. This is such a valuable sentiment to explore because so much of life feels like it is screaming at us to FIX ALL THE PROBLEMS.

Humor is the reminder that our brains simply can’t see the whole picture and it is ok that we don’t have all the answers. Humor is the invitation to not be totally consumed by the drama.

The Dalai Lama, a revered spiritual leader and, according to him, a professional laugher, writes

We tip the scales towards kindness

We balance the ocean of our bodies,

And, we remind ourselves that we simply can’t see or know the whole story.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute for a discussion on humor and a 20-minute guided meditation practice.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training - only 10 spots left in my 2022 training!

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: The Boundless Ocean

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 01:00:00 -0500

The classic text, the Ashtavakra Gita, is a dialogue on the nature of Self. Within it, we as human beings, are described as a boundless ocean. So much more than a single thought, a single mind, or a single body. Join me for today’s mini meditation as we tap into our true expansive nature.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

You can learn more about my:

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training - only 10 spots left in my 2022 training!

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Lying on the Forest Floor {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 01:00:00 -0500

From Humus to Human Being

Today’s talk is an exploration of what it is to be human. To be earth come to consciousness. In many languages, cultures and depth practices, there is a word or phrase that means something along the lines of “I am that I am”.

In Sanskrit, So Ham means “I am that I am”. In Hebrew, Hineni means “I am here”. These words & phrases point to something vast and boundless. Something bigger than just ‘me’. These words, phrases and ideas are pointing to something that is easily overlooked by the brilliance of our own minds.

Our minds tend to create a little movie that stars me and only me. We get so caught up in this unfolding drama that we miss the simplistic beauty of BEING. Here I am. I am that I am.

It can feel like we are our minds. Our thoughts. But our mind actually has a multiplicity of layers.

Our minds are capable of comprehending:

The object of cognition: I think a thought.
The process of cognition: I witness the thought as a happening inside my mind.
Itself as the cognizant force: I am able to understand that the mind is having this thought as part of but not entirely of my being.

Who is this “cognizant force”?

Who is here?

Who is that?

When we lie on the forest floor, we allow ourselves to take up MORE space than we usually do. We are more than a single thought. Or a single brain. We are the whole forest. The boundless ocean. Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we discuss and then practice a 20-minute guided meditation.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training - only 10 spots left in my 2022 training!

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: We Are Earth Come to Consciousness

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 01:00:00 -0500

In a recent meditation, the Franciscan priest and author Richard Rohr wrote: “Being human means acknowledging that we're made from the earth and will return to the earth. We are earth that has come to consciousness.

In all the ancient teachings, we read that the body is a microcosm of the universe. There is both poetry and science in these statements. When we acknowledge the truth of this connection between earth and body, it is as if we are entering a deep forest. We must have both the courage to enter the forest as well as the willingness to feed the intuitive senses that will carry us safely through.

Join me for a short guided meditation that reflects on this connection to earth herself.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Lying on The Forest Floor {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 01:00:00 -0400

Recently, I listened to an interview with Suzanne Simard, author of Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest.

She talks so beautifully about how forests are wired for wisdom and how trees that we previously thought were drowning out young saplings are actually helping them to thrive, much like a grandmother-mother-child relationship.

Within this interview, a comment was made that Humus, Human and Humor all share the same root word, and I can’t stop thinking about the truths hidden in this simple fact.

The root ‘Hum’ in Latin means ‘ground’. ‘Humus’ means earth or ground.

We must have both the courage to enter the forest as well as the willingness to feed the intuitive senses that will carry us safely through.

“We are earth come to consciousness.”

This month’s meditation series is an exploration of lying on the forest floor, and the connection between humus, human, and humor. We begin with a meditation on earth itself.

Join me.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 01:00:00 -0400

Since 2006, I have been pulling at the threads of meditation. The threads of mindfulness, of Shamatha, of Vipassana, of Tantra, of Sri Vidya... ⁠

⁠

While styles, words, and texts may differ, there are some threads that run through all of these practices. ⁠

Threads of Truth, I call them. ⁠

⁠

In the creation of my Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training, I wove these threads together. ⁠

⁠

The word "Sutra" {as in The Yoga Sutra} means to stitch together, and this training is built upon what I've crafted and named as the Awakened Heart Sutra.⁠

⁠

This sutra contains the fundamental elements that anchor a meditation practice in ancient wisdom, and offer enough expanse from which you can begin to weave your own meditative magic. ⁠

⁠

Join me for today’s special episode as I share a bit about the ideas and principles behind this training.

You can learn more about my:

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Brain Weaving: An Interview with Dr.Andrew Newberg

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 01:00:00 -0400

Two of the most common questions I receive from meditation students:

How do I know meditation is actually helping me?
Will meditation help with my depression/anxiety/PTSD?

Today, I am bringing you a fascinating conversation with one of the world’s experts on what meditation actually does for your brain, Dr. Andrew Newberg, and he is going to help me answer these very questions!

Dr. Newberg is the director of research at the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health and a physician at Jefferson University Hospital. He is board certified in internal medicine and nuclear medicine, but what is most interesting to me is that he is a pioneer in the neurological study of religious and spiritual experiences, a field known as “neurotheology.” His research includes taking brain scans of people in prayer, meditation, rituals, and trance states, in an attempt to better understand the nature of religious and spiritual practices and attitudes.

In today’s episode of The Mindful Minute Dr. Newberg talks to us about

What happens to our brains with as little as 8 weeks of practice
Some of the different types of meditation and which ones ‘work’ {hint: they ALL do!}
A myriad of ways to address the stress and anxiety of pandemic living
How to build the healthiest brain possible

His new book Brain Weaver shows that optimal brain health is achievable by successfully weaving together a tapestry of our bio-psycho-social-spiritual dimensions. I loved his book, and truthfully, I could have chatted with him for hours. His work is fascinating and so inspiring as we all endeavour to take better care of ourselves.

Enjoy this conversation!

You can learn more about Dr. Newberg and his book, Brain Weaver, here: http://www.andrewnewberg.com/

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: Through The Woods

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 25 Oct 2021 01:00:00 -0400

Today’s mini meditation is from my exclusive content from Shoreline meditation app. This meditation is accompanied by a custom soundscape from Gordon Hempton. Use headphones for the best possible experience.

There is a reason so many fairy tales take place in a forest. There is something magical that happens here. It is a little dark, a little scary, a bit light, and a bit life-affirming. The forest holds it all. When we meditate in the forest, we invite in the spectrum of experience and we approach it all with childlike wonder and curiosity.

The forest we hear in this meditation is Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest in the Southern Appalachian mountains of North Carolina. This is one of the last virgin hardwood forests on the east coast. The cathedral-like arches and vaulted ceilings of these hardwood branches form a forest with wonderful acoustics; home to the eastern winter wren and many other beautiful singers.

Members of the Cherokee Indian Tribe were the first indigenous people to hear the sounds of this landscape.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mental Fitness with Marc Champagne

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 01:00:00 -0400

Y’all know I am a voracious reader, right? So much so that I considered calling my donation page a “buy me a book” page. Books inspire me, provoke questions, and uplift me. I am releasing a series of interviews with authors of some new books that I have just read and love deeply!

You know the other thing that I love and do daily {aside from meditate}? I journal. Journaling is such an important practice for me that I even included it as an important part of meditation teacher training! And, today’s guest wrote an entire book inspired by the profound impact of journaling.

Marc Champagne unpacks the mental fitness practices and reflective questions shaping the lives of some of the most successful and brilliant thinkers in the world. He is the host of the top 50 ranked podcast, Behind The Human, and co-founded the journaling app (KYO) which ended up reaching over 86 million people without any paid advertising, all within the first two years of launch. He has studied mental fitness practices for over a decade and has consulted for top-rated digital journals and wellness companies.

Marc's first book, Personal Socrates, explores the pointed questions that stimulate our mental fitness and teach us how to direct our internal narrative to work for us, instead of against us.

"We all ask questions, but are they the right ones, the best ones, and are we asking enough of them?"–Marc Champagne

Learn more about Marc and his new book here: https://www.behindthehuman.com/

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Meditation & Social Justice; An Interview with Dr. Traci Baxley

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 01:00:00 -0400

What an important conversation I am sharing with you guys today. I recently had the tremendous honor of having a conversation with Dr. Traci Baxley, the author of Social Justice Parenting: How to raise compassionate, anti-racist, justice-minded kids in an unjust world.

Dr. Baxley’s work introduces clear, do-able and specific steps for families to take to engage in the social justice activism that today’s society needs most. She specifically addresses why “raising good kids” and “protecting my little kids from the problems of the world” are false narratives that white parents {myself included} must continue to push back against.

And, best of all, Dr. Baxley presents this important conversation in an open-hearted, shame-free way. When I read her book, I felt clear and empowered to introduce important narratives to my children and to engage them in ways our family can take supportive actions.

I told her before we started recording that I felt like we were already friends just from reading her book, and that is even more true after our conversation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Please, please, please go buy her book, read it, and start having these conversations with your own families, if you aren’t already.

Lastly, if you are curious why a conversation about social justice is happening on a meditation podcast, please take a moment to listen to today’s episode. Our meditation practice allows us to create connection, clarity and compassion for ourselves, but it doesn't stop there. Our practice ultimately expands outward until we know our connection to all beings everywhere as a true, immutable fact. And, that knowledge asks us to step into action to support our beliefs. That doesn’t mean you have to be at every protest; it doesn't mean that we each do what we can to eliminate the suffering of all beings, everywhere. In small, manageable ways. With heart.

I love you all; keep practicing and enjoy today’s episode.

Mini Meditation: We Are Earth Come to Consciousness

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 01:00:00 -0400

Join me for a short guided meditation that reflects on this connection to earth herself.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Lying on The Forest Floor {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 01:00:00 -0400

Recently, I listened to an interview with Suzanne Simard, author of Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest.

Within this interview, a comment was made that Humus, Human and Humor all share the same root word, and I can’t stop thinking about the truths hidden in this simple fact.

The root ‘Hum’ in Latin means ‘ground’. ‘Humus’ means earth or ground.

We must have both the courage to enter the forest as well as the willingness to feed the intuitive senses that will carry us safely through.

“We are earth come to consciousness.”

This month’s meditation series is an exploration of lying on the forest floor, and the connection between humus, human, and humor. We begin with a meditation on earth itself.

Join me.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Connection Between the Lines: An Interview with Uli Beutter-Cohen

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 01:00:00 -0400

As our Living in a Divided World meditation series comes to end, I wanted to wrap up the month with a discussion with one of the amazing creative souls that has provided me with a sense of connection and hope during the pandemic - my cousin!

Uli Beutter Cohen is a New York City–based documentarian, artist, and the creator of Subway Book Review. She explores belonging to a time and place through writing and photography. Uli is a sought-after speaker and panelist. Her work has been featured on TV, in print and online by New York magazine, Esquire, Vogue, Forbes, Oprah Magazine, Glamour, the BBC, and The Guardian, among others.

For nearly a decade, Uli has ridden the subway through New York City to observe, interview, and photograph some of its most imaginative people: the readers of books. Between The Lines: Stories from the Underground, Uli’s first book, is the remarkable result—a collection of conversations that beautifully illuminate who we are and where we are going.

Between the Lines is an enthusiastic celebration of the ways stories invite us into each other’s lives, and a call to action for imagining a bold, empathetic future together. So, get on board, stand clear of the closing doors and enjoy this special ride.

*Between the Lines releases everywhere on October 26, 2021.

You can pre-order Between the Lines at your favorite indie bookshop.

Pre-ordering books is a huge help to authors.

https://bookshop.org/a/3206/9781982145675

Find Uli at

https://www.subwaybookreview.co/

@subwaybookreview

@theUBC

Mindful and Modern - Mindful and Modern makes the most beautiful meditation cushions, chairs, candles, and more. Be sure to visit https://www.mindfulandmodern.com/ and use code MindfulMinute10 to save 10% on your entire order.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: 4 Immeasurable Qualities

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 01:00:00 -0400

In this mini meditation, we dig into the four qualities that all beings possess in immeasurable quantities. Lovingkindness, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy & Equanimity. This guided meditation will walk us through all four qualities, allowing us to foster and grow what we need most for the days that lie ahead.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

In celebration of my 5-year podcast anniversary {!!!}, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation to support the growth of this labor of love. Your monthly donation will aid in keeping this show sponsor-free, employing additional small businesses AND funding the ongoing creative growth I invest in. Plus you’ll get goodies in the mail from me!

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

Baronfig - Baronfig’s line of “Tools for Thinkers” includes guided journals, notebooks, writing instruments, bags, accessories, and so much more. As an avid journal, I use and love their guided meditation journal and their basic Confidant notebooks! By using our code MINDFULMINUTE21, you'll receive 20% off your first purchase. https://bit.ly/Baronfig

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Living In A Divided World {part 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 01:00:00 -0400

This meditation series, Living in a Divided World, is a series about truly acknowledging the level of divisiveness in our society and in ourselves at this particular moment in time. It is a series exploring how we might find a sense of balance or even peace within the fractures.

Part 1 invited us to courageously stop and notice that we stand at a crossroad. A crossroad between aversion {all that we disagree with} and attachment {all that we believe to be true and just}. A crossroad where all opposites meet.

Part 2 offered the chance to lean in softly, with a willingness to be changed by what we hear. It was a reminder that much of our practice hinges on the ability to listen.

And now, in part 3, we dig into the four qualities that all beings possess in immeasurable quantities. Compassion is one of them, to be sure, but compassion alone isn’t enough to get us through this moment. Join me for today’s dharma talk and guided meditation practice; it is designed to help us draw out these 4 immeasurable qualities when we need them the most. Right now.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Mini Meditation: Locked Doors & Books in Foreign Tongues

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 01:00:00 -0400

As we explore living in a divided world, as we struggle with the myriad of problems that face us in this moment, it can be hard to understand the teaching of The Middle Way. The invitation to rest in the middle of tension, paradox or discord without needing to resolve it, can feel uncomfortable to say the least.

As I work through this teaching in my own practice, I often find myself reflecting on the words of Rilke -

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue.”

Join me for today’s mini meditation as we learn to love the questions themselves.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Living In A Divided World {part 2}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 01:00:00 -0400

As we talk about facing the divisiveness that plagues our every moment, the never-ending list of crises that need solving, we are exploring a path within meditation known as “The Middle Way”.

The Middle Way lies between aversion and attachment; it lies within the meeting point of opposites.

This teaching feels like something like a koan to me. A koan in an unanswerable question, riddle or poem that invites us to a state of awakening. We can’t explain it but somehow, when we hear it, we understand the truth that lies within it.

There is a part of us that feels called to stand up for what we believe is right, to stand up for the health of the world {in all of the ways, and addressing all of the pandemics, and in this same moment, we are invited to sit in the middle of the tension, paradox and discord, and quietly relax right in the middle of it all.

It is ok if you respond to this teaching with more questions than answers, with a whole list of comments that start with, “but…” I have questions too.

And, I am reminded of Rilke as he writes,

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue.”

These teachings don’t say “don’t feel”, and they don’t say “don’t act”. These teachings allow for all of it to be here. In the middle.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Mini Meditation: Rest In The Middle

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

As we explore the paradox of the deep divides of our world today and the teachings of connectedness that have existed throughout time, we use practices like this meditation to help us land right here in the present moment.

Meditation is always inviting us into the reality of the present, where all opposites exist at once. "The still point of the turning world" as T.S. Eliot calls it.

We can choose to battle out right/left politics, and all the other ways of division, but the truth is we are the same. We, all beings, Are. The. Same. We share 99.9% of our genetic material with every other human on this earth. We are all scared of dying and of being alone. We all biologically need to belong and feel ‘correct’ in some way. And yet, the more we entrench ourselves in our own correctness, the more we ensure our fears become true. We feel more alone. We feel more threatened and unsafe.

Climb out of the trench. Sit on your cushion. Land right here, right now.

Let’s practice.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Living In A Divided World {part 1}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Today’s episode kicks off a new series for me, and I've been turning this over in my mind for months {maybe years?}... exploring how our meditation practice invites us to engage with a world that feels more divided than ever.

This month, on The Mindful Minute we are going to *Deal with Divisiveness* -

I struggle as much as the next person with fear, outrage, frustration and exhaustion. And yet, I do believe there is a way forward, and I believe that our meditation practice always shows us the next right step when we are willing to listen. ⁠

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Meditation is always inviting us into the reality of the present, where all opposites exist at once. "The still point of the turning world" as T.S. Eliot calls it... but once we land here, what do we do?⁠

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Join me for today’s discussion and guided meditation as we begin an exploration of division and interdependence * together* <3

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Mini Meditation: Coin In The River {A Shoreline Meditation}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

BIG news, y’all! This month I am celebrating 5 YEARS of podcasting?! 5 years of creating, writing and sharing meditations with you. And, this little podcast has grown to over 40,000 listeners each month!

Wow.

And, thank you! Thank you for listening and being a part of this community.

I’ve got some big goals and some fun giveaways to help celebrate this milestone. Tune into today’s episode to learn more and then to meditate with a beautiful practice from my app: Shoreline.

Today’s 10-minute meditation is a sound meditation that includes an ancient practice from the zen tradition known as a koan.

A koan is a type of teaching that is offered as a phrase, question, short poem that feels both completely cryptic and deeply understood in the same moment.

You don’t have to try to understand or explain it. Just let it live inside you as you listen.

Pop some headphones on for the best sound experience, and let’s begin.

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

Why Getting Bored Matters: Interview with Kyle Webster

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

What a fun show I have in store for you today! As I very often do these days, I got an email a few months ago suggesting that I consider artist Kyle Webster as a guest for The Mindful Minute. Now, I get a lot of these emails and 99% of the time, I say ‘no thank you,’ because this show is not primarily about interviews, but occasionally one feels like a really good fit. And this one??? Well, it was suggested we talk about meditation {my favorite subject}, creativity {my second favorite subject}, and beautifully designed notebooks {ummmm, hi. Obsessed.} so this was an absolute yes for me.

And, I’m delighted to say that the conversation was just as good as I hoped it would be.

Kyle T Webster is an international award-winning illustrator, living in North Carolina, who has drawn for The New Yorker, TIME, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and more. He is known throughout the world as the founder of KyleBrush.com, the brand behind the world's best-selling Photoshop brushes for professional illustrators, animators, and designers. And most recently, he released an interactive, meditative notebook through Baronfig called Trace.

Today, Kyle and I explore the intersection of mindfulness and creativity, the difference between meditation and meditative practices and how valuable it is to realize what is meditative for you, why boredom is a vital element for our lives, and he shares a bit of his own meditative practice that we can try at home {even if you “can’t” draw!}.

Side note, this interview is how I was introduced to the company, Baronfig. I am so in love with their notebooks {the dream and meditation journals specifically} that I have since asked them to be a sponsor of The Mindful Minute. Bonus for you - you can buy Trace at 20% off using code MindfulMinute21!

*This interview was secured before Baronfig and I had any discussions of sponsorships. All guests on this show are here because I truly wanted to share a conversation with them. No one can pay to be a guest on this show.*

Check out Kyle’s notebook here: baronfig.com/accessories/trace

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

Mini Meditation: REPLAY: Sorrowless Joy

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

This class originally aired in July 2020:

According to the Yoga Sutra, meditation connects us to our inner luminosity & sorrowless joy. In modern day terms, when we talk about meditation as a tool for emotional resiliency, we are really talking about tapping into this inner luminosity. ⁠

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We won't avoid hardship and pain in our lives just because we meditate, but we will be able to maintain connection to that inner luminosity and sorrowless joy to help us move through with more grace.

Join me for today’s mini episode of The Mindful Minute as we work with a specific meditation practice to help us build awareness of that inner light.

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

REPLAY: Emotional Resilience {part 3 of 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

This class originally aired in July 2020 and is just as fitting today as it was then:

This month, my meditation series has been focused on building emotional resilience. We are learning how to use the tools of meditation to help us not only survive tough times but more so to thrive in our daily lives. Today’s episode, the final installment of this series, is my personal favorite because I think it is the game-changing practice.

It is the practice of cultivating compassion to take back power. Yep. Compassion equals power.

Let me explain. When we are stuck in the tough feelings created by traumatic experiences {fear, shame, anxiety, uncertainty, anger} we are also stuck in what is called our “reptilian” mind. This part of our brain is not evolved or complex in any way. When we are here, we are mostly stuck here, just surviving.

Today’s meditation practice is one that helps us move out of our “reptilian” mind and into the more evolved, complex part of our mind. I’m going to call it the wise mind.

Developing emotional resilience, in large part, requires us to be able to shift ourselves out of our reptilian mind and into our wise mind. We need to be able to ask ourselves smart questions like

What is going on right now?
What am I feeling in my body?
What am I believing right now? Or
What story am I telling myself right now?

And then, rather than try to logic away a harsh feeling, we practice with compassion. We use the practice of cultivating a warmth of heart to take power away from singular emotions and give that power to our wise minds, where we can make conscious choices and regain a sense of joy in our days.

Join me for today’s dharma talk and 20-minute guided meditation where we learn one of the ancient meditation techniques offered in The Yoga Sutra and how it is still relevant to our modern day lives.

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation: REPLAY: Love the Tangles

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

This class originally aired in July 2020:

If you’ve discovered each time you sit to meditate lately, you are overcome with feelings of discomfort {too many thoughts, too much tension or anxiety in the body, too busy, etc.} then this is the class for you.

Over the last few months, as I’ve sat to meditate, I’ve noticed a literal feeling of “tangle” in my chest. A tight, anxious, moving feeling that immediately makes me want squash it. ⁠

Don’t feel that. ⁠

Stop it. ⁠

Ignore it. ⁠

⁠

I’ve tried it all, and the truth is, no matter how temporarily successful I might be, there that d*mn feeling is again the next time I sit… At some point, in the midst of this feeling and the war of thoughts it inspires, I heard so clearly, “love the tangle.”⁠

Love the tangle. Put your hand on your heart, and I say, "I feel you. I hear you. I acknowledge you." Allow the tangle to be here. Soften the edges, if you can. And, gently, so gently, turn your awareness towards the breath. Every thread of breath gliding to and through that tangle, spreading light and space in its wake. Not to eliminate the tangle, no, but rather to create safe space for it just to be a part of this momentary experience. ⁠

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Let’s practice this together in today’s mini-meditation from The Mindful Minute.

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

REPLAY: Emotional Resilience {part 2 of 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

As pandemics and humanitarian crises abound, I am re-releasing my July 2020 series on emotional resilience. This particular class couldn’t have come at a better time. When our hearts are breaking, our fear is overwhelming, and we feel helpless to offer help or answers, we must lean into our own discomfort without needing to fix it. We must love the tangle.

Keep practicing.

Keep Going.

I’m with you & I love you.

This class originally aired in July 2020:

This month’s meditation series is exploring how a meditation practice bolsters our emotional resiliency. Basically, meditation is one tool that helps us ensure we will make it through tough times with more grace.

We started the series {part 1} with a look at the 24-hour, global news cycle and how that can create a semi-permanent state of anxiety in many of us. This week, we discuss how to shift ourselves out of constant anxiety and into a state of rest & relaxation.

Over the last few months, as I’ve sat to meditate, I’ve noticed a literal feeling of “tangle” in my chest. A tight, anxious, moving feeling that immediately makes me want to squash it. ⁠

Don’t feel that. ⁠

Stop it. ⁠

Ignore it. ⁠

⁠

Love the tangle. Put your hand on your heart, and I say, "I feel you. I hear you. I acknowledge you." Allow the tangle to be here. Soften the edges, if you can. And, gently, so gently, turn your awareness towards the breath. Every thread of breath glides to and through that tangle, spreading light and space in its wake. Not to eliminate the tangle, no, but rather to create safe space for it just to be a part of this momentary experience. ⁠

⁠

More on this experience and *how* to love the tangles in today’s episode of The Mindful Minute.

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

REPLAY: Navigating Tricky Times

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

This class originally aired in July 2020:

We can all apply specific mindfulness techniques to help us navigate these emotionally tricky times with as much emotional resiliency as possible.

The goal is not to avoid hard times, but to know without doubt that you can survive these times.

When we are feeling the impact of traumatic stress, one of the primary feelings is one of powerlessness. Therefore, the antidote is to begin to regain a sense of power during our days. We can start by bringing our minds right back here to the present moment. Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we use presence to calm ourselves and reclaim our peace of mind.

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

REPLAY: Emotional Resilience {part 1 of 3}

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Well my loves, school has started here and already we are getting covid exposure emails, the news is filled with fourth wave worries, and I’m feeling much of the familiar worry, frustration and fear that I felt last year at this time. So I’ve decided to pause some of the upcoming interviews I have planned, and instead, I’m going to re-run the series I created in July 2020 - Meditation & Emotional Resilience. Can’t hurt to remind our minds and soothe our hearts as we ride the waves of fall 2021.

This class originally aired in July 2020:

Oh, loves. It has been a year thus far, hasn’t it?! Murder hornets, pandemics, and long-overdue demands for social justice have asked much of our emotional resiliency. As I’ve worked with students to navigate these times, I’ve realized that I’m relying on much of my experience in teaching mindfulness for PTSD {Post Traumatic Stress Disorder}.

For several years, I was lucky enough to work alongside brilliant psychotherapists and social workers as we offered tools to those working through PTSD and substance abuse. While we won’t all receive a formal diagnosis of PTSD, most of us are working through the experiences of trauma in our daily lives.

All of us can apply specific mindfulness techniques to help us navigate these tricky times with as much emotional resiliency as possible.

The goal is not to avoid hard times, but to know without doubt that you can survive these times.

When we are feeling the impact of traumatic stress one of the primary feelings is one of powerlessness. Therefore, the antidote is to begin to regain a sense of power during our days. This meditation series will look at some of the key steps towards regaining that sense of power and learning to be more comfortable with the acknowledgement that there is very little we can actually control. Let’s start with presence. Get here, in this moment, now.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we explore what it takes to build emotional resilience through meditation.

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Awakened Heart Meditation Teacher Training

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Mini Meditation From Shoreline: Like A Clock in a Thunderstorm

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Today’s mini meditation is one of the most popular meditations on my app - Shoreline. Take 5 minutes to try it now!

“Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace, like a clock during a thunderstorm.” ⁠ ~Robert Louis Stevenson⁠

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There is something about the imagery of a clock in a thunderstorm - a steady, safe consistency that invokes the feeling of meditation.⁠

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Meditation isn’t a promise that there will be no loud noises, disruptions or heartaches. The practice is simply a tool that provides a steady, safe consistency from which we can respond to any given moment and any given situation. ⁠

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You can listen to a longer version of "Like A Clock in a Thunderstorm" guided meditation on Shoreline {available in the Apple app store}.

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I wrote this meditation alongside the perfectly captured thunderstorm recorded by Gordon Hempton in Arkansas. You can hear the space, the energy and your own private pace within this practice.⁠

These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice.

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl

Radiant Rest; An Interview with Tracee Stanley

Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Well y'all... I was SO excited to host this conversation with my Teacher, Tracee Stanley, that I forgot to switch to my podcast microphone for recording....

So the audio might sound a bit different, but I promise the conversation is 100% worth listening to! Without doubt, if you listen to one of my episodes from 4 years ago and one today, you will hear quite a difference in my teaching. Much of this evolution is due to the guidance and practices offered by Tracee over the years.

Tracee Stanley, founder of Empowered Life Circle shares teachings that are inspired by more than 20 years of study in the traditions of the Himalayan Masters and Sri Vidya Tantra. The focus of her teaching honours life as a ritual and she is devoted to yoga nidra, meditation, self-inquiry, nature as a teacher, and ancestor reverence. She is the creatrix of the Empowered Life Self-Inquiry Oracle Deck and host of Radiant Rest Podcast which celebrates the practices, teachers, and traditions that prioritize the rituals of rest, sacred dreaming, and self-care.

Today, she is going to talk to us about the power and grace of yoga nidra, why we should practice both yoga nidra and meditation, and how to find the time to do so!

This conversation was such a treat for me; I know you will enjoy it too.

Tracee was kind enough to share a special practice for us, Moon Nectar.

You can listen to it here: https://traceeyoga.com/moon-nectar

Tracee’s book Radiant Rest - Yoga Nidra for Deep Relaxation and Awakened Clarity published by Shambhala Publishing is now available where books are sold. Learn more at radiantrest.com, empoweredlifecircle.com, and traceeyoga.com.

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

Donate here: https://www.merylarnett.com/support-the-mindful-minute

You can learn more about my:

*Shoreline: my new meditation app

*Live, virtual meditation classes with me

*Upcoming events

All by visiting merylarnett.com.

Connect with me on Instagram {@merylarnett} to get bonus meditation tips, mini-meditations, and the occasional baby spam: https://www.instagram.com/merylarnett/

#meditatewithmeryl