The Mindful Minute

Just the meditationThe 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: MauiJungle Frogs: Borneo Indonesia (Kalimantan) - Iban TerritoryJungle bird at night (common pootoo): Amazon Basin Ecuador - Cofan TerritoryWind and creek: Pacific NorthwestSign 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsenThis 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.

Are you constantly searching for clarity in the middle of emotional chaos?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.In this episode, you'll learn:Why pausing—rather than pushing—can be the most resilient choice when you feel lostHow nature offers powerful parallels for managing anxiety and reconnecting with selfA simple but profound meditation technique to ground yourself when overwhelmedTake a breath, find your moss, and listen now to reconnect with your calm center.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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsenThis 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.

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 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsenThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

What if 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 historyPress play and give yourself space to soften your edges, breathe with intention, and realign with peace.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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsenThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Just The Meditation!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 NorthwestListen now to rediscover peace in the overwhelm — and your own power to navigate it.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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsenThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

What if 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 NorthwestListen now to rediscover peace in the overwhelm — and your own power to navigate it.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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsenThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

✨ Just The Meditation ✨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 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketingThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Feeling 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 extremesWhy “So Hum” breathing restores calm when anxiety spikesA mindset shift to embrace chaos as connection—not something to escapeLet 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 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketingThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

✨ Just the MeditationJoin 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/X9HPR1qFvQCifO867toVjQSign 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.comhttps://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.

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 meditationHow forest aromas and sounds scientifically reduce anxiety and boost immunitySimple, 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/X9HPR1qFvQCifO867toVjQSign 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.comhttps://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.

✨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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketingThis 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.

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 ParadoxDiscover 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 TrapLearn 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 MeditationExperience 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 SoundscapeToday'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. 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketingThis 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.

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-gazingSign 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketingThis 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.

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 ConnectionDr. 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 DisconnectorsDiscover 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 ConnectionLearn 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 DorsaySign 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketingThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

✨Just the meditationIn 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketingThis 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.

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.

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.

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

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.

✨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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/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.

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?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.

✨ 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

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.

✨ 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:

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.

✨ Just the meditationEmotionally 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.

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.

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.

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.

✨Just the MeditationGrief, 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.

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by grief that it seemed to erase every other emotion? In those moments, meditation might feel impossible—but what if it could become a space for tenderness rather than escape?Grief, sadness, and heartache can feel all-consuming, making it difficult to stay present. This episode explores how meditation can help us hold these emotions with care—not to fix or erase them, but to nurture connection to ourselves, others, and the natural world.- Learn how to recognize your personal “window of tolerance” and when meditation can support your healing.- Discover how nature-inspired mindfulness can offer a sense of peace, even in the midst of sorrow.- Experience a guided meditation practice infused with poetry, breathwork, and grounding techniques to hold space for your emotions with kindness.Take a deep breath, find a quiet place, and press play to explore a compassionate approach to meditating with grief.

Just The Meditation ✨Do you ever feel like you're being tossed about by life's constant changes, unable to find solid ground in the midst of chaos?In our fast-paced world filled with uncertainty, finding stability can seem impossible. But what if you could stand strong like a mountain through life's storms?In this meditation, you'll experience a peaceful meditation practice focused on equanimity—that steady, balanced quality that helps you remain centered when everything around you is changing.Immerse yourself in this guided practice with the soothing sounds of Haleakalā on the island of Maui as your backdrop. Feel the calming energy of nature support your journey toward inner balance.Take a deep breath and press play to discover your unshakable center amidst life's changing winds.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today's nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Feeling overwhelmed by the constant changes in life? Struggling to find stability in the chaos? This meditation explores the power of equanimity—your ability to stay steady like a mountain amidst life's storms.In a world where personal stress, anxiety and global turmoil seem never-ending, how do we stay grounded? Through meditation, we can develop a sense of inner steadiness that allows us to navigate uncertainty with more ease. This episode provides a reflective practice to help you cultivate resilience and balance.

How can we honor and protect the sacred lands that sustain us? Join this special meditation practice dedicated to the Earth, where we deepen our connection and commitment to its well-being.With national parks and natural spaces under increasing threat from policy rollbacks, climate change, and resource exploitation, it's easy to feel powerless. But through mindful reflection and meditation, we can cultivate a deeper relationship with the Earth—one that moves beyond gratitude into active reciprocity.✨ Experience a guided meditation that shifts focus from self-centered practice to offering support and reverence for the Earth.✨Learn how to integrate reciprocity into your mindfulness routine, acknowledging nature as an equal partner in your well-being.✨Feel a renewed sense of connection, responsibility, and appreciation for the land, water, and life that surrounds you.Press play now and join this transformative meditation to honor, support, and deepen your relationship with the Earth.

Do you ever find yourself tangled in anxious thoughts at night, struggling to ease into restful sleep?This episode offers a deeply soothing sleep meditation set beside a natural hot spring on a snowy, star-filled night. If stress, anger, or racing thoughts keep you awake, this practice will guide you into a state of relaxation through mindful breathwork and gentle visualization.Experience a full-body release of tension with guided breath counting.Learn how slowing your breath naturally steadies the mind for deep rest.Feel a sense of warmth, safety, and reset, as if cocooned by nature's healing embrace.Today's nature soundscape blends bubbling water, a trickling creek under the snow, and distant wind through pine trees. Designed to evoke the serene hush of deep winter, it offers a sense of warmth while embracing the quiet stillness of the season's final chapter before the first signs of thaw. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and let this meditation lead you into a peaceful, restorative night's sleep. Press play now.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today's nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Just The Meditation ✨Do you ever find yourself lying in bed, unable to turn off your mind—still thinking about the stress of the day or worrying about tomorrow?End-of-day fatigue and mental chatter can make it hard to truly unwind, leaving you restless and disconnected. But what if you could release the tension and reclaim your evenings with a simple, soothing meditation? In this episode, you will consciously release the day's tensions and reconnect with yourself before sleep with a beautiful visualization practice where each moment of your day becomes a bubble, released back to the universe with every exhale. Experience the profound shift that comes from consciously naming and releasing the thoughts vying for your attention.Our meditation music in this episode is the wild, diverse and secluded beaches of Hawaii as recorded by Nick McMahan. The ocean waves help to carry away the stress of the day.Take a deep breath, let it all go, and press play to experience this powerful end-of-day meditation!Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and nature soundscapes each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today's nature field recordings, sound design, and editing. Follow Nick's audio projects: https://www.nickcmcmahan.comThank 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.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

The evening hours often arrive with an unwelcome companion—a mind still buzzing with the day's events, shoulders tight with tension, and thoughts already drifting to tomorrow's challenges. As the sun sets, many of us find ourselves caught in what author Lynne Twist calls "the reverie of lack," that persistent whisper telling us we haven't done enough, aren't enough, don't have enough.But what if you could learn to consciously release the day's tensions and reconnect with yourself before sleep? In this third episode of our meditation series, we explore a gentle yet powerful evening practice designed to help you let go of the day's stress and prepare for restful sleep.Discover how to mindfully guide your thoughts, choosing where to place your attention rather than being carried away by mental chatter. Discover a beautiful visualization practice where each moment of your day becomes a bubble, released back to the universe with every exhale. Experience the profound shift that comes from consciously naming and releasing the thoughts vying for your attention.This evening meditation weaves together practical stress management tools with a sense of empowerment over your thoughts, helping you create a peaceful bedtime routine that sets you up for deep, restorative sleep. The practice builds on our previous episodes about morning gratitude and midday resets, completing your toolkit for maintaining mindfulness throughout your entire day.Our meditation music in this episode is the wild, diverse and secluded beaches of Hawaii as recorded by Nick McMahan. The ocean waves help to carry away the stress of the day.Take these few minutes for yourself to experience this calming meditation—press play and feel yourself gently releasing the day, one breath at a time.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and nature soundscapes each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today's nature field recordings, sound design, and editing. Follow Nick's audio projects: https://www.nickcmcmahan.comThank 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.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Just The Meditation ✨Do you ever find yourself lying in bed, unable to turn off your mind—still thinking about the stress of the day or worrying about tomorrow?End-of-day fatigue and mental chatter can make it hard to truly unwind, leaving you restless and disconnected. But what if you could release the tension and reclaim your evenings with a simple, soothing meditation? In this episode, you will consciously release the day's tensions and reconnect with yourself before sleep with a beautiful visualization practice where each moment of your day becomes a bubble, released back to the universe with every exhale. Experience the profound shift that comes from consciously naming and releasing the thoughts vying for your attention.Our meditation music in this episode is the wild, diverse and secluded beaches of Hawaii as recorded by Nick McMahan. The ocean waves help to carry away the stress of the day.Take a deep breath, let it all go, and press play to experience this powerful end-of-day meditation!Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and nature soundscapes each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today's nature field recordings, sound design, and editing. Follow Nick's audio projects: https://www.nickcmcmahan.comThank 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.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Overwhelmed? Stressed? Anxious? Try this quick 10-minute, lunch break meditation that is designed to reset the nervous system and quiet the mind. No chatter; no distractions - this episode is JUST THE MEDITATION. Pop-in your headphones, settle into a comfy spot and let's meditate on our lunch break. Today's meditation music comes to us from a bamboo forest on the road to Hana - almost musical, definitely rhythmic, and always soothing.Take a few minutes for yourself and experience this grounding meditation—press play and feel the shift instantly!Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and nature soundscapes each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today's nature field recordings, sound design, and editing. Hear more from this location on Nick's website: https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/dawn-on-haleakalaLearn about Quiet Parks International's conservation work: https://www.quietparks.orgFollow Nick's audio projects: https://www.nickcmcmahan.comThank 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.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Do you ever start your day with the best of intentions—only to find yourself overwhelmed by midday, rushing through lunch, and feeling completely drained?Midday stress can quickly derail even the best-planned day, leaving you exhausted and disconnected from yourself. But what if just 5-10 minutes of mindfulness could reset your nervous system and bring you back to center? In this episode, Meryl Arnett shares a simple yet powerful lunchtime meditation to help you feel grounded, refreshed, and ready to take on the rest of your day.Learn how to create a midday reset—even on your busiest daysDiscover a breathing technique that calms the mind and body in minutesExperience 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-haleakalaLearn about Quiet Parks International's conservation work: https://www.quietparks.orgFollow Nick's audio projects: https://www.nickcmcmahan.comThank 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.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

What if you could start your day feeling grounded, grateful, and clear-minded—without the noise and distractions? In this peaceful guided meditation, you'll be immersed in the sounds of a Maui sunrise, setting the tone for a day filled with intention and gratitude. No chatter, no clutter—just a mindful practice designed to help you cultivate calm, connection, and resilience from the moment you wake up. ✅ Awaken with a sense of gratitude and purpose ✅ Feel deeply connected to nature's rhythm and energy ✅ Begin your day with clarity, focus, and inner peace Press play now to experience a meditation that transforms your morning into a moment of stillness, gratitude, and renewal.

This week, we explore how to weave mindfulness through our entire day, starting with a gentle morning practice that sets our intentions and opens our hearts to daily gifts.

Welcome back to Our Mindful Nature! This week, we explore how the woodpecker's drumming can guide us in releasing emotional armor and deepening our connection with the natural world.

Exploring the Depths of AwarenessIn this final episode of our heartfulness series, we're diving below the surface of mindfulness into the rich, uncharted waters of the subconscious. While mindfulness often focuses on our conscious, waking mind, heartfulness invites us to explore the deeper layers of our being — the parts of us that dwell in dreams, intuition, and quiet knowing.

Welcome back to Our Mindful Nature! This week, we're continuing our heartfulness series by stepping off the meditation cushion and into the great outdoors.Last episode, we explored the softer, heart-led practice of meditation — a way of being curious, embodied, and a co-participant in the experience rather than its manager. But heartfulness isn't just for meditation; it's a lens for living. And one of the most powerful ways to nurture heartfulness is by connecting with nature.

Happy New Year and welcome back to Our Mindful Nature, where we explore the intersection of meditation, nature, and mental health. Let's start the year by diving into a fresh, gentler perspective on mindfulness — or should we say, heartfulness?In this episode, I share a thought that's been swirling in my mind: what if we reframed our practice? While in the West, meditation is often translated as “mindfulness,” the original Pali word aligns more closely with the concept of “heartfulness.” Imagine how this shift might change the way we experience meditation practice and life.

Today's episode of Our Mindful Nature - a live recording of my Winter Solstice meditation retreat - is the perfect practice to welcome in the winter season. A mini meditation retreat you can do at home!The Winter Solstice is always a discussion of light and dark. Mythology abounds, as do rituals of celebration and reflection. In this class, you will hear some of the mythology surrounding the Winter Solstice. We will explore what it means to ‘harvest the fire' in this season; we will talk about caves, bees, fire and honey. At the end, you will experience a longer, guided meditation that takes you through a reflection of the year and an inquiry into what is to come next in 2025. You can use this as a time to set intentions for the season or the new year.So grab your tea, light your fire, and settle in as we welcome Winter. In this episode, you hear:The Shortest Day by Susan CooperWintering by Sylvia PlathSounds of the natural world recorded by Nick McMahanI hope you enjoy! This is the last episode of 2024. We will back in 2025 with all new episodes, guests and practices to share ❄️

A winter sleep meditation for you today, dear listeners!As we slip into the darker, colder, and yet somehow busier part of the year I thought we would dedicate some class time to the richness of rest. This episode is an invitation to get cozy, to set aside your to-do list for a few moments, and rest.You can utilize this guided meditation forNaptime or a mid-day resetGentle guidance into evening sleepSupport for falling back asleep if you wake in the middle of the nightAnd 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.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnature

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.cominstagram.com/brianna_podcastproWatch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnature

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_podcastproWatch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnature

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_podcastproWatch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnature