Unbalanced AF

Doubt is clever. It doesn't announce itself as an obstacle — it shows up dressed as reasonable questions. Is this working? Am I doing it right? Does any of this even matter? It sounds like discernment. It isn't. Samshaya — the third antaraya — doesn't lead toward clarity. It circles. It feeds itself. It has ended more practices than laziness ever has, because at least laziness is hones...

You didn't fall off the path. The obstacle is the path. Sutra 1.30 is the moment Patanjali gets brutally honest. He's just described the heights of practice — samadhi, pure consciousness, the whole luminous picture — and then he stops and says: here's what's coming for you. Nine obstacles. The antarayas . And they're not detours. They're the terrain. Illness. Dullness. Doub...

Your brain is a highlight reel you didn't ask for. The cringeworthy thing you said in 2019. The relationship that wrecked you. The version of yourself you keep trying to get back to. This is smriti — the fifth vritti — and it's running your life more than you realize. In this 7-minute meditation, we get into the grooves. Not the good kind. The kind your mind slides into on autopilot, repla...

Maybe you showed up every day this week. Maybe you didn’t. Either way—you’re here now. And that counts more than you think. This meditation is a reset, not a recap. A moment to notice what shifted, what didn’t, and what it felt like to actually pause in the middle of your life. No gold stars. No catching up. Just awareness. We reflect on the body, the breath, and the quiet relationship you’ve been...

You’re not stealing wallets. But you are stealing moments. In this meditation, we explore Asteya —the practice of non-stealing—and flip it on its head. Because the real theft isn’t out there… it’s the constant pull away from right now . The scrolling. The comparing. The rushing ahead. The subtle belief that what’s happening next will matter more than what’s happening now. Yeah… that. This practice...

This one isn’t about doing less. It’s about wasting less. In today’s meditation, we’re working with brahmacharya —not the outdated, panic-inducing version, but the real one: the right use of your energy . Where it goes. Who gets it. What quietly drains it… and what actually gives it back. Because here’s the truth—your energy is getting spent whether you’re paying attention or not. And most of us a...

Life is loud. Your brain has a group chat. And somehow you’re expected to be calm, productive, emotionally mature, and hydrated. Nope. Not today. In this 7-minute guided meditation , it’s just Jenna helping you do the simplest thing that changes everything: breathe without trying to “get it right.” You’ll notice the urge to control your breath (because… of course you will), and then you’ll ease in...

This week on Unbalanced AF , we’re offering you something a little softer, a little steadier, and honestly… a little necessary. Because Thanksgiving isn’t just about gratitude — it’s about family dynamics, travel chaos, emotional booby traps, old stories resurfacing, and someone inevitably bringing up something you did in 1998. So we made you a grounding meditation you can actually use. No perform...

We didn’t go to yoga school to learn how to teach. We went because nothing else was working. In this episode, we get honest about what really happens inside a 200-hour yoga teacher training — the kind that shifts how you live, not just how you move. We share what pulled us there in the first place, how it cracked something open in both of us, and why this work reached places that therapy, to-do li...

We’re back, baby. After six months of real life doing what it does best—throwing curveballs, detours, and existential side quests—Cheryl and Jenna return to the mic a little wiser, a little scrappier, and still totally Unbalanced AF . In this episode, we unpack where we’ve been, what we’ve learned, and why balance is still a myth we keep chasing anyway. From perfectionism disguised as “productivit...

7-Minute Meditation to Refuel Without Forcing It You know those mornings when your eyes open and you’re already done ? Like, before coffee, before emails, before even thinking about being productive — you’re running on fumes. This isn’t about pretending you’re fine or powering through with fake energy. It’s about learning to refill without the hustle. In seven minutes, we’ll skip the pep talks and...

Episode Description: This meditation is a pattern interrupt—for when you’re running on autopilot, saying “I’m fine” before you’ve even checked in with what's happening on the inside. It’s for those moments when life feels like a blur and you need something real to land in. No fluff. No pretending. Just breath, awareness, and the choice to be present in the middle of whatever this day is bringi...

You know that feeling when you look up mid-scroll or mid-life and think: How did I get here ...and.... What am I even doing right now? Yeah. This one’s for that. This 7-minute meditation doesn’t try to fix the spiral — it meets it. With breath, with space, and with the radical permission to not have it all figured out. You’ll get grounded in your body, explore the quiet echoes of “how did I get he...

Whether you're wide awake or barely hanging on, this meditation is a soft place to land. We’re not here to conquer the day just yet — we’re here to meet it. To notice what’s here, without needing to fix it. To remember that the day will come soon enough — but this moment is already here. Your mind will wander. That’s not a failure; it’s the invitation. To begin again. And again. To return — to...

Whether you’re lying down, sitting up, or still curled up in bed—there’s nothing more you need to do right now than listen. This short, grounding meditation is an invitation and a gentle commitment: to live today in a way that when you look back, there’s at least one moment you didn’t miss. Remember, no one has ever lived this exact version of today—not even you. Together, we’ll practice coming ba...

This isn’t toxic positivity. It’s a loving, low-key pep talk for when your inner critic gets loud and your energy runs low. In this guided meditation, we trade pressure for presence — and give your nervous system a reason to exhale. Whether you’re doubting your worth or just need someone [you] in your corner, this one’s for the version of you that shows up anyway. Benefits of this meditation: Repl...

In this episode of Unbalanced AF , we’re tapping into the kind of wisdom that doesn’t come from overthinking or Googling—it comes from that quiet, deeper part of you that knows exactly what to do, even when you’re too busy questioning everything. You know that voice? The one that’s always been there, but sometimes gets drowned out by the noise? Yeah, that one. This meditation is all about tuning i...

In this episode of Unbalanced AF , we’re setting sail to rediscover what’s been missing—your anchor. You know, that unshakable, steady point inside of you that somehow gets lost in the shuffle of life’s chaotic waves. It’s time to bring it back. This Yoga Nidra session will take you on a grounding journey to reconnect with your true center. We’ll start by lying down and letting the earth hold you,...

In this episode of Unbalanced AF , we’re diving into a meditation that’s all about letting go of the pressure to be perfect and embracing the messy, beautiful process of practice. Spoiler alert: it’s not about getting it right. It’s about showing up, being real, and trusting that the doing is where the magic happens. Forget about striving for flawless moments—this meditation is here to help you fi...

In this episode of Unbalanced AF , Jenna and Kait are serving up the real talk on navigating the teen world—and spoiler alert: it’s messy, chaotic, and occasionally hilarious. And sometimes, it requires your fort-making skills using whatever props you’ve got lying around. They spill the tea on how they found their shared passion for connecting with teens and how it’s turned into something powerful...

Ever stood on one leg in yoga and wondered why your body suddenly has the coordination of a toddler? Spoiler alert: it’s not just your abs slacking off. In this episode, Cheryl and Jenna dive deep into the real reasons behind your mat-top wobbles, from inner ear shenanigans and the subtle art of proprioception, to that last lonely nerve in your big toe desperately trying to keep up. But balance is...

This one is for the part of you that’s tired of performing—tired of fixing, improving, striving. In this short guided meditation, we practice the radical act of being with ourselves, just as we are. No pressure. No proving. Just breath. Just presence. Together, we’ll explore how the smallest moments—how you breathe when no one’s watching, how you listen when the world feels full—are shaping who yo...

What if every quiet moment was silently shaping who you're becoming? In this episode, Cheryl guides you through a meditation designed to awaken your awareness to the invisible ways you train for life—through the gentle rhythm of breath, the stillness of inquiry, and the grace of presence. There's nowhere else you need to be, nothing else you need to fix. Just witness your breath as a mirro...

No one packed snacks, someone forgot the permission slip, and the bus smells weird. Welcome to adulthood. We’re just doing a headcount. Not to make sure you didn’t wander off—but to check in on the humans behind the roles, the routines, the “I’m fine”s. Because lately, it feels like we’re all moving through life with a little Field Trip Energy : slightly disoriented, overstimulated, and hoping som...

Feeling fried? Cool. Same. This guided Yoga Nidra isn’t just a nap with a spiritual soundtrack. It’s a legit reset button—an ancient practice designed to drop you below the noise, the pressure, and the endless to-do lists. In this offering, Cheryl Van Sciver—yoga teacher, co-founder of Balanced Planet Yoga, and professional life-juggler—walks you through an 8-step meditation that’s part body scan,...