Meditative Story

Urban farmer Indy Officianalis, host of National Geographic’s Farm Dreams , grew up knowing that nature was the place she felt most comfortable. When the world made her feel different, it was her private escape where she belonged. In this week’s episode, Indy tells the story of when she first learned nature could actually be an oasis for everyone, a place that erases differences and allows for new...

What might we learn from the wisdom of a centenarian? Join Rohan for this guided meditation inspired by a family member’s 100th birthday. The lessons from a long life well lived can help us reflect on our own priorities, and enable us to think about our future years in a new light. Rohan will gently guide you through each decade from 1 to 100 to unlock potent lessons for the present moment. If thi...

Celebrity chef Carla Hall wasn’t always interested in cooking. As a child, she finds that puzzles and play help her to discover her true character. When she falls upon a hard time, she instinctively turns to memories of her grandmother’s kitchen for comfort. In this episode of Meditative Story, Carla shares how sensory play finally allows her to solve her biggest puzzle yet — herself. Carla’s stor...

Co-founder of Insight Meditation Society (IMS) and author of several popular books on Buddhism, Joseph Goldstein has been a legend in the world of mindfulness for nearly half a century. But when he returned to US from India in the early ‘70s, penniless and without a job prospect, he had no way of knowing what his future held. This week, Joseph tells the story of how he learned to keep himself open...

Having trouble quieting your mind at night? Join Rohan for this soothing, nighttime meditation designed to ease your body and mind into a restful sleep. Drawing on the close connection between mindfulness and relaxation, Rohan takes you step by step through the process of turning down your senses until all that remains is the quiet calm of rest. If this episode resonates with you, we’d love to hea...

Jessamyn Stanley, author of Yoke: My Yoga of Self-Acceptance , realizes one day that her life has become filled with unwanted clutter. Suddenly, how she’s perceived on the outside no longer reflects what she feels on the inside. But in her efforts to minimize her footprint and live a minimalist life, Jessamyn learns something unexpected: She can choose to love who she is right now, messiness and a...

2x Emmy Award-winning TV host, journalist, and author Tamron Hall has hit milestones in her life that a younger version of herself would never have believed were possible. Part of the secret to her success is her willingness to try, even when she doesn’t know how things will work out. This is a lesson she learns from her grandfather, and from her mom, whose legacies teach her that there’s beauty i...

"Are you going to do this? Ever?" Standing at the edge of the highest diving board at the aquatic center, a young Adam Grant tries and tries, and tries to leap off. But he can't face down his fear — not so much of falling as losing control. So there he stands at the end of the board, paralyzed. In this story, Adam Grant, now a famed organizational psychologist, shares how a wise diving coach helpe...

It’s not surprising that Martha Beck, best-selling author and columnist for O, The Oprah Magazine , grew up as a high achiever. Attending Harvard University for both undergraduate and doctoral degrees, Martha spends years fighting to be the smartest person in the room and contending with serious anxiety. It’s only after a revelatory trip to Japan that Martha learns to put her rigid pursuit of inte...

What do you do when your own body feels like the enemy? Spoken word artist and activist Andrea Gibson ( You Better Be Lightning ) spends years struggling with chronic illness, feeling as if their body is at odds with their anxious mind. It’s only when they learn to surrender control and embrace their physical sensations that they allow their body to guide them back to joy.  Learn more about A...

As the wind howls around his camping caravan on a remote Welsh farm, poet David Whyte sits at a table, trying – and failing – to write. He's worried he has lost his gift. He's worried he never had a gift at all. But just outside, invisible and unexpected, is someone who offers him help – and friendship – at the exact moment he needs it. Their lifelong friendship takes root here, in the magical, wi...

As he helps his youngest child prepare for her first day of school, Rohan offers us all a chance to practice three unique approaches to learning. Whether we’re hearing a new idea, analyzing that new idea, or putting that idea into practice, the steps laid out in today’s meditation lead us towards deeper understanding. Above all, Rohan suggests infusing our studies, or mindfulness practice, with a...

Kathryn Nicolai, creator of the Nothing Much Happens podcast, learns at an early age to diminish her own needs. She never wants to become a problem for other people, so she pretends like she’s always okay. When she gets an opportunity to study abroad in Italy, a difficult experience with her host family causes her to retreat further into herself. It’s only when she feels the compassionate concern...

As Rohan prepares to sell his home, he guides us through a meditation on our mind’s capacity to hold memory, impart meaning, and attach emotions to everyday objects. Reflecting on the duality of emptiness and fullness in his house — where everything has been boxed up for the movers — Rohan invites us to explore this same dance between the substance and impermanence of the things that surround us....

In 2009, Eddie Huang, author of the acclaimed memoir Fresh Off the Boat , opens Baohaus, his first Taiwanese restaurant on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. It’s a wild, chaotic gamble that exemplifies Eddie’s spirit. But as the restaurant’s success grows, Eddie is faced with the challenge of either sticking to his principles or living someone else’s dream for his life. Find Eddie on YouTube: https://w...

Growing up, actress, writer, and director Zoe Lister-Jones admires her mother’s confidence and her willingness to stand up for what she believes. But as a shy kid that’s wary of the dangers in the world, Zoe isn’t sure she’ll ever be able to use her voice the same way. It’s not until she’s confronted by a dire situation that Zoe learns her self confidence can come from difficult circumstances, as...

Robin Arzón is a star fitness coach at Peloton, beloved for her high-energy coaching with more than a dash of tough love. In this story, join Robin on the longest run of her life: the Florida Keys 100 Ultramarathon. As difficult as it is to run 100 sweaty miles in the South Florida heat, far more challenging is the mental fortitude to keep doubt at bay. If this episode resonates with you, we’d lov...

In the UK, Joe Wicks became a household name early in the pandemic with his daily workouts, called “PE with Joe,” that helped millions of us keep moving and laughing. Early on in his own life, Joe learns first-hand how fitness can help people survive hard times, as he runs miles to escape from a chaotic childhood. As he begins his adult life, he embarks on a 2,000-mile bike ride — but this time, h...

Journalist and beloved podcast host Leila Day grows up being told that she should “tone it down.” When she moves to Cuba in her early twenties, she finally finds a place that embraces her whole identity — or so she thinks at first. It’s only after making one simple change that Leila sees how quickly others treat her differently, and she realizes she has something to say about it. By expressing her...

Rohan offers strategies for clear transitions from the demands of work, to being present with our families, pets and friends. Whether it’s putting on a record, lighting some incense, going for a walk, or noticing the patterns in your own breathing, join us in exploring how clear transitions help set a fresh, new tone, and allow us to move more peacefully through our day. If this episode resonates...

As a former broadcast journalist and anchor for major networks like NBC and CNN, Soledad O’Brien understands the value of telling people’s stories in the correct light. In this week’s episode, she shares how experiences from her own life helped her recognize the importance of identifying people’s strengths and how reflecting those strengths back to them allows people to achieve their full potentia...

Many of you have let us know how much you love the music which accompanies each episode of Meditative Story. You’ve also expressed that Meditative Story helps you wind down and get a better night’s sleep. So today, we’re introducing Sleep Song, a beautiful companion to our classic Meditative Story episodes. Created by our gifted in-house composers, Sleep Song is designed to help you enter a relaxe...

Meredith Goldstein writes the wildly popular Love Letters column in the Boston Globe, but for much of her life, she’s viewed romantic relationships as a trap. Meredith grows up seeing the limitations of her mom’s insular life, and knows she wants more for herself. It’s only when the pandemic forces her to slow down that she realizes the beauty in giving attention to each moment, rather than always...

Today’s special meditation features a parable from our friends at The One You Feed podcast. If there are two opposing forces working within us, a proverbial good wolf and a bad, how do we foster the positive attributes we’d like to see grow, while keeping the less desirable traits at bay? In celebration of our collaboration with The One You Feed, Rohan leads us through a meditation on how to defan...

Silvia Vasquez-Lavado is the first openly lesbian woman to climb the famous Seven Summits, a bucket list of the highest mountain on every continent. But while preparing for the seventh summit, a peak that has eluded her climb after climb, she realizes that she can’t charge forward with the same conquering mentality. Denali — the highest mountain peak in North America — leads her to discover the im...