Why Striving for Perfect Calm Can Make Anxiety Worse—And How The Middle Way Offers Relief

“If one sees two women sitting at a crossroads, facing one another, they are engaged in witchcraft.” - TalmudFrom our witch meditation series, we know that the witch archetype is truly about people who are reclaiming their personal power. And from the quote above, I love the significance of this sense of power being found in the crossroads; the intersections. It reminds me of one of my favorite teachings in Buddhist psychology - known as The Middle Way. In the teachings of The Middle Way, we learn to embrace tension and paradox. Rather than waiting for the resolution, we become skillful at residing in the middle of it all…“Of course we can always imagine more perfect conditions, how it should be ideally, how everyone else should behave. But it’s not our task to create an ideal. It’s our task to see how it is, and to learn from the world as it is. For the awakening of the heart, conditions are always good enough.” - Ajahn SumedoJoin me for today’s discussion and guided meditation centered on the power we find while resting in the middle.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:nickmcmahan.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/@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.