Lehua Kamalu captains a vast, double-hulled ocean canoe crafted to the exact specifications of the seafaring vessels used by her ancestors. She and her crew are making a 2,500 mile journey between Tahiti and Hawaii, the same one original settlers of the South Pacific traversed, the same journeys historians once struggled to believe possible without today’s technology. The stakes are high and they sail the way their ancestors sailed, taking their cues from the water and wind. Lehua stays alert and patient hours on end. It’s only by being grounded in the signs that Lehua can anticipate the possibilities. And it’s only by staying present that Lehua can take in the magic of the open water — and draw from that magic to sustain herself when each journey ends, as they inevitably do.Each episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story at: www.meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tracking the path of the sun, by Lehua Kamalu

Today’s episode takes you inside the intimate process behind creating a Meditative Story — and explores the musical wizardry behind each episode. We hear from storyteller Dallas Taylor, the host of the 20,000 Hertz podcast, who gives us a peek behind the scenes in which Dallas describes his collaboration with the Meditative Story team. This exclusive excerpt comes from his companion podcast, MicroHertz. Also, our host Rohan Gunatillake interviews our composer, Ryan Holladay, who shares how he approaches creating the music for Meditative Story.Listen to Dallas Taylor’s episode of Meditative Story, “I focus on sensations that ground me”: https://listen.meditativestory.com/DallasTaylorMedStoryListen to Dallas Taylor's podcast, Twenty Thousand Hertz: Apple | Spotify | WebListen to the companion podcast MicroHertz: https://glow.fm/20k/Each episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story at: www.meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dallas Taylor: Soul Curriculum

Today's storyteller Steven Ho grew up in a strict Vietnamese-American household where the stakes were always high. He felt an overwhelming pressure to walk the straight line set before him — a line of overachieving and excellence. As Steven grew up, he encountered places and circumstances that catapulted him into a deep curiosity and affection for the world around him. Steven began to wonder if there might be more than he could have ever expected, waiting for him outside the lines.Listen to Steve Almond's episode of Meditative Story, "My roads diverging": http://listen.meditativestory.com/SteveAlmond_WWLearn more about Steven: https://linktr.ee/steveioeFind Steven on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steveioeFind Steven on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/steveioeFind Steven on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@steveioeEach episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story at: www.meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The magic beyond our boundaries, by Steven Ho

Morgan Harper Nichols is a songwriter, poet, artist, and musician who was diagnosed with autism as an adult. Growing up, she yearns to see the wider world outside her rural home, and to embark on adventures like Bilbo Baggins. When she spends a semester studying abroad, she finds herself surrounded by the unfamiliar — and feeling rejected and lonely sometimes. But by stepping into the unknown, she begins to discover what is most important to her — and finds a new path to belonging.Listen to Mickey Guyton's episode of Meditative Story, "Embracing what makes me different": http://listen.meditativestory.com/MickeyGuytonWWLearn more about Morgan: https://morganharpernichols.comFind Morgan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morganharpernichols/Where to purchase Morgan's latest book, Peace is a Practice: https://morganharpernichols.com/preorderWhere to find Morgan's artwork: https://garden24.coEach episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story at: www.meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Heading halfway around the world to find myself, by Morgan Harper Nichols

Maya Shankar is a cognitive neuroscientist and host of the award-winning podcast A Slight Change of Plans. As a girl, she struggles with taking things too seriously: herself, the sufferings of others, the hypothetical misfortunes she imagines for the future. She turns to her father for perspective — and he takes her on a memorable walk, one that helps her understand her place in the universe (spoiler: it’s not not at the center of it). When her adult life brings a new and unexpected kind of sorrow, she turns to these lessons from her father again, to find a balance between the seriousness that comes with loving life and the wise perspective of knowing we're all just passing through.Listen to Dr. Laurie Santos' episode of Meditative Story, "My monkey teacher": http://listen.meditativestory.com/LSantos_WWListen to Maya Shankar's podcast (selected as the Best Show of the Year by Apple in 2021), A Slight Change of Plans: https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/a-slight-change-of-plansFollow Maya Shankar: https://www.instagram.com/drmayashankar/Each episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story at: www.meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The joy of being an unwilling traveler through life, by Maya Shankar

In this special episode, we spend more time with a storyteller who recently shared their Meditative Story with us, Sharon Salzberg. Rohan and Sharon wind their way back through Sharon’s story, exploring the key theme: Being kind, loving, patient with yourself. Together, they dive deeper into this idea, in a way that may just open up something special in you.Did you relate to Sharon’s story? Email us at hello@meditativestory.comLearn more about Sharon: sharonsalzberg.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sharon Salzberg: Soul Curriculum

On his podcast and TV show Song Exploder, Hrishikesh Hirway digs deep into the creative process of legendary songwriters. But before Hrishikesh becomes a podcast creator, he's a working musician himself … who finds his ability to create being slowly drained away by self-doubt. He stumbles into a case of songwriter’s block that lasts him nearly seven years. Today, Hrishikesh shares the story of how he gets drawn back into creating music through an unexpected collaboration.Listen to Andrew Bird's episode of Meditative Story, "Listening to the space around you": https://listen.meditativestory.com/AndrewBirdSpaceAroundYouLearn more about Hrishikesh Hirway: https://hrishikesh.co/Each episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story at: www.meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Giving myself permission to create, by Hrishikesh Hirway

By the time Sharon Salzberg is 16 years old, she knows the people around her don’t admit to suffering, much less talk about it. A year later, she makes a life-changing decision to travel alone to India to study meditation. It doesn’t all go as expected. Through the journey’s disappointments, discomforts, and surprise lessons, she finds an unexpected friend: herself. In today’s Meditative Story, Sharon talks about how being kind, especially to herself, became her biggest mountain to climb.Listen to Pico Iyer's episode of Meditative Story, "A home that had been waiting for me forever": http://listen.meditativestory.com/IyerClassicWWEach episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story at: www.meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDLearn more about Sharon:Website: sharonsalzberg.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/sharonsalzbergTwitter: www.twitter.com/sharonsalzbergFacebook: www.facebook.com/SharonSalzbergYouTube: www.youtube.com/user/SharonSalzbergVideoMedium: www.medium.com/@sharonsalzbergLinkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/sharonsalzbergSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sharon Salzberg: How I found kindness as my compass

Broadcaster Dan Harris shares a candid look at his attempts to connect more with his son, Alexander, on their first father-son trip.Each episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story at: www.meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Building a bond with my son, by Dan Harris

Gordana Biernat grows up in a household full of mayhem and darkness. But there’s one saving grace: her grandfather, who spins legendary stories of the quirky folkloric magic he sees all around them. In today’s Meditative Story, Gordana talks about reopening herself to the unseen and the “funny rushes of surprise” she encounters all around her when she stops dodging fear and starts seeking new chances to grow.Read a transcript of this episode: https://meditativestory.comSign up for the weekly Meditative Story newsletter, to get a timely episode reminder and a mini meditation in your inbox each week: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDLearn more about Gordana Biernat’s work at: www.mypowertalk.comYou can email her at info@mypowertalk.comFollow Gordana Biernat at:https://twitter.com/MyPowertalkhttps://www.facebook.com/SuperSoul100/https://www.instagram.com/mypowertalk/https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordanabiernathttp://www.supersoul.tv/supersoul-100/soul-teachers/gordana-biernatSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A funny rush of surprise, by Gordana Biernat

Growing up on his father’s ranch in Elko, Nevada, Waddie Mitchell watches the cowboys around him with awe, silently absorbing their stories and manners – how to shoe a horse, start a colt, lead a crew and tell a tale. Through the buckaroos he learns that adventure and freedom aren’t things to seek elsewhere – that embedded in the raw materials of his own life, in the sounds and smells of the ranch itself, are the real rules for living that don’t get written down.Learn more about Waddie Mitchell: waddiemitchell.comRead a transcript of this episode: https://meditativestory.com/waddie-mitchell/Sign up for the weekly Meditative Story newsletter, to get a timely episode reminder and a mini meditation in your inbox each week: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A cowboy’s rules for living, by Waddie Mitchell

Today, Dallas Taylor is a creative director and creator of the beloved podcast Twenty Thousand Hertz. But before this, he had another life – one that brought immense pressure. He shares the story of how he comes to realize that feeling the weight of anxiety and fear doesn’t mean he’s broken. It means he’s human.Listen to Dallas Taylor's podcast, Twenty Thousand Hertz: (Apple | Spotify | Web)  Listen to Aasif Mandvi's episode of Meditative Story, "Getting out of my own head": http://listen.meditativestory.com/AasifMandvi_WWsEach episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story at: www.meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I focus on sensations that ground me, by Dallas Taylor

When someone’s having a mental health challenge, helping them early on to seek support can make a lifetime of difference. That’s why campaigns like Mental Health Awareness Month, taking place across the U.S. this month, are so vital. In this meditation from Rohan, you’re invited to take this time to slow down, check in with yourself, and open a conversation with those you love about how we’re all doing right now. To support the people you love, it starts by focusing on the basics. To find out more about the Back to Basics campaign for Mental Health Awareness Month, visit the Mental Health America website at mhanational.org/mayEach episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story at: www.meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Back to basics: A mental health check-in for all of us, by Rohan Gunatillake

Writer Isha Sesay is happiest when she is caring for others; it’s a lesson she learns from her mother while growing up in Sierra Leone. But as an adult, there’s another lesson her mother teaches her, in quite another way: that even the most caring and giving among us must learn to receive help too. It’s through both giving and receiving that we become whole.Listen to Arianna Huffington's episode of Meditative Story, "Life and love and the moment": https://link.chtbl.com/ArianaHuffington-IshaSesayFollow Isha Sesay on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamishasesay/Isha Sesay’s podcast, The Accidental Activist: https://the-accidental-activist.simplecast.com/ Isha Sesay’s 2020 book, Beneath the Tamarind Tree: A Story of Courage, Family, and the Lost Schoolgirls of Boko Haram: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/beneath-the-tamarind-tree-isha-sesay?variant=32131159752738Each episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story at: www.meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Forging my own path, by Isha Sesay

Every Thursday night, Matthew Mercer leads a merry band through a maze of goblins, spells, and enchantments, as he plays an immersive role-playing game. In our story, Matthew explores what these creative games open up in him and how shining his light into the world gives others permission to do the same.Learn more about Critical Role: https://critrole.com/foundation/Listen to Reid Hoffman's episode of Meditative Story, "Through friendship, a better version of myself": https://listen.meditativestory.com/ReidHoffman-MercerEach episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story at: www.meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The magic that ripples out when we share our passions with others, by Matthew Mercer

In this episode — in this experiment — we’re inviting back a storyteller who very recently shared their Meditative Story with us, Kristin Windbigler. Together, Rohan and Kristin are going to wind our way back through Kristin’s story, and talk about the key theme that her story explores: “How can I connect with those who are different from me?” The goal of this experiment: to dig into this theme in a way that may just open up something special in you.Did this experiment work for you? Email us at hello@meditativestory.com and take a moment to fill out this quick survey: medstorypod.com/NewEpisodeSurveyEach episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Sign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kristin Windbigler: Soul Curriculum

Like so many of us, Chad Sanders has strived to belong for as long as he can remember — thwarted in the shadows of other people’s judgements of him. Fortunately, life has its way of giving us glimpses into our limitless possibility, when we allow our natural creativity and curiosity to embody our highest expression, regardless of the friction that people and circumstances place upon us. A magical high school experience in English class, and later in life, an auspicious walk with the iconic filmmaker, Spike Lee, give Chad unforgettable windows to find his flow. Turns out, by letting go of how others think he should be, Chad is finally able to walk into every room and every environment as himself.Listen to Franklin Leonard’s episode of Meditative Story, "Writing the Main Character": https://listen.meditativestory.com/LeonardSandersepEach episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story at: www.meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Finding my flow state, by Chad Sanders

Rural California is all Kristin Windbigler knows as a child — its wild, green pastoral landscape, where living off the land and self-sufficiency is a choice to live abundantly. One evening, gathered around the television with her mom and dad, Kristin watches a news report that suggests families like hers, living below the poverty line, are in critical need of help. What the TV journalist misses is that it’s possible to live abundantly without a big paycheck, without the need for anything other than what the land and community already provide. The news report sends Kristin on a path to tell deeper, multi-dimensional stories. She ends up in San Francisco and discovers that city-living has its own charm, before coming home to country life where she is today. The stories Kristin shares are American narratives that add up to a universal truth: when we people work together to solve urgent problems, our differences fall away.Listen to Waddie Mitchell’s episode of Meditative Story, "A cowboy’s rules for living": https://listen.meditativestory.com/WaddieMitchellWindbiglerEach episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story at: www.meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're doing this thing together, by Kristin Windbigler

As he sits with his wife in the waiting room of the pediatric cardiology unit, actor Joel McHale is struggling to feel anything but helpless. His infant son has been born with two holes in his heart; an operation is underway to repair them. But waiting in that moment, Joel begins to realize the unpredictable journey of parenthood that lies ahead. Life will happen. You just deal with it as best you can. And you love your kids, endlessly and endlessly and endlessly.Each episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story at: www.meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joel McHale: One beating heart

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 importance of self-compassion over the desire for conquest when dealing with life’s greatest obstacles.You can purchase her new memoir, In the Shadow of the Mountain, which further explores her journey to the Seven Summits and the trauma that it unpacks, here: https://amzn.to/3uaJh2bListen to Donald Miralle’s episode of Meditative Story, “Where the water takes me": https://listen.meditativestory.com/DonaldMiralleSilviaepEach episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story at: www.meditativestory.comSign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gyDGgDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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