themeditationpodcast

Welcome to The Meditation Podcast. This is Jesse Stern with Episode 150, Inspiration. In many languages and cultures, the words for 'spirit' and 'breath' are closely related. The Latin words spiritus (spirit) and spirare (to breathe) give us English words like inspire (to enter breath), expire (to exit breath), and respiration (to cycle breath). Note that these words are not related to desperation, which comes from sperare (to hope). In today's meditation, we focus on each breath, each inspiration. ------- Remember that this podcast uses binaural beats, audio technology that affects the brain, so please use headphones, and please do not use this podcast while driving or operating machinery. We are not licensed health care practitioners, and we do not claim any specific health benefits from using this podcast. You are responsible for your own health. This podcast is made possible with great thanks to our subscribers on Patreon. Join our community at Patreon.com/theMeditationPodcast Now, let's begin. © 2026 The Meditation Podcast, all rights reserved. [Originally published Thu 30 Apr 2026]

tmp149 - Heart Centered by themeditationpodcast

After traumatic events or periods of elevated stress, the body may continue to hold onto its protective responses. Thus, even after a painful or difficult event has ended, we may continue to feel elevated heart rate or nervous system, a sense of high alert, or a persistent thought that something bad will happen. By resetting our stress response, we cultivate the release of old injuries and old stress responses, which in turn helps to cultivate a natural sleep cycle. In today's meditation, we reset our stress response. ------- Remember that this podcast uses binaural beats, audio technology that affects the brain, so please use headphones, and please do not use this podcast while driving or operating machinery. We are not licensed health care practitioners, and we do not claim any specific health benefits from using this podcast. You are responsible for your own health. This podcast is made possible with great thanks to our subscribers on Patreon. Join our community at Patreon (dot) com (slash) theMeditationPodcast Now, let's begin. © 2026 The Meditation Podcast, all rights reserved. [Originally published Sat 28 Feb 2026]

Anxiety, burnout, grief, stress, trauma, anger, frustration ... our thoughts and emotions are typically based on past or future experiences. However, we carry emotional and mental stress through the present, within our bodies. Physical manifestations of such stress may include tension, nausea, chronic pain, stiffness, and more. In today's meditation, we gather our thoughts and emotions to the present moment, and allow release within the body. ------- Remember that this podcast uses binaural beats, audio technology that affects the brain, so please use headphones, and please do not use this podcast while driving or operating machinery. We are not licensed health care practitioners, and we do not claim any specific health benefits from using this podcast. You are responsible for your own health. This podcast is made possible with great thanks to our subscribers on Patreon. Join our community at Patreon (dot) com (slash) theMeditationPodcast Now, let's begin. © 2026 The Meditation Podcast, all rights reserved. [Originally published Fri 6 Feb 2026]

In celebration of the New Year, let us release that which we no longer need, and renew our vision and intention for the path ahead. In today's meditation, we release and renew. ------- Remember that this podcast uses binaural beats, audio technology that affects the brain, so please use headphones, and please do not use this podcast while driving or operating machinery. We are not licensed health care practitioners, and we do not claim any specific health benefits from using this podcast. You are responsible for your own health. This podcast is made possible with great thanks to our subscribers on Patreon. Join our community at Patreon (dot) com (slash) theMeditationPodcast Now, let's begin. © 2025 The Meditation Podcast, all rights reserved. [Originally published Wed 31 Dec 2025]

Today's meditation is a bit different, as it was recorded in combo with our Patreon "TMP Chat". The theme is circular or continuous breathing, combined with relentless self acceptance. Enjoy! ------- Remember that this podcast uses binaural beats, audio technology that affects the brain, so please use headphones, and please do not use this podcast while driving or operating machinery. We are not licensed health care practitioners, and we do not claim any specific health benefits from using this podcast. You are responsible for your own health. This podcast is made possible with great thanks to our subscribers on Patreon. Join our community at Patreon (dot) com (slash) theMeditationPodcast Now, let's begin. © 2025 The Meditation Podcast, all rights reserved. [Originally published Sun 30 Nov 2025]

The fascia, or interstitium, is the largest organ in the body, a web of connective tissue that surrounds the muscles and organs. It supports effortless movement, internal power, and the flow of breath energy, also called chi or prana. In today's meditation, we cultivate awareness of the fascia body. ------- Remember that this podcast uses binaural beats, audio technology that affects the brain, so please use headphones, and please do not use this podcast while driving or operating machinery. We are not licensed health care practitioners, and we do not claim any specific health benefits from using this podcast. You are responsible for your own health. This podcast is made possible with great thanks to our subscribers on Patreon. Join our community at Patreon (dot) com (slash) theMeditationPodcast Now, let's begin. © 2025 The Meditation Podcast, all rights reserved. [Originally published Thu 30 Oct 2025]

Modern life places near-constant demands on our attention, which can lead us to feeling overwhelmed. In today's meditation, we hibernate in our own analog warmth and presence. ------- Remember that this podcast uses binaural beats, audio technology that affects the brain, so please use headphones, and please do not use this podcast while driving or operating machinery. We are not licensed health care practitioners, and we do not claim any specific health benefits from using this podcast. You are responsible for your own health. This podcast is made possible with great thanks to our subscribers on Patreon. Join our community at Patreon (dot) com (slash) theMeditationPodcast Now, let's begin. © 2025 The Meditation Podcast, all rights reserved. [Originally published Tue 30 Sep 2025]

Shadows on the Mountain, Track 7 from the album Sacred Spaces. If you like this track, consider buying the album on iTunes! I wrote Shadows on the Mountain for my mom, thinking about a remote farm where I spent my early childhood (4-7 years old). It was on a mountain, at the end of a 5-mile dirt driveway. The nearest neighbor was a mile away, and there were no other people in sight. We had goats and chickens, and a huge vegetable garden, and an occasional trip to the store — at the nearest town, 45 miles away. It was truly quiet, and the nights were completely dark. I'm not sure if people get the opportunity to experience complete silence or complete darkness anymore, but it's a beautiful thing. I was too young to appreciate the beauty of it, but the serenity of that place has stayed with me, and I'm grateful for it now. I used to sit on our mountain, watching the trees and shadows dance on the other mountain. Sometimes they looked like animals, and sometimes I could see the same animals in the same trees. Shadows on the Mountain. It features my old no-name guitar (my very first guitar, which I've had since I was 4 years old), and also has fretless bass and orchestral strings. The form is ABAB C ABAB, so AB (the two melody sections), AB again (add strings), C (the bridge), ABAB (bass playing the “A” melody both times).

We decided to make this podcast to help regular people who want to learn and practice meditation. This style of meditation is non-denominational, and we believe it can be used in conjunction with -- or separate from -- any set of religious or spiritual beliefs. The first episode is a basic meditation that uses the breath to enter a deep state of relaxation and peace. This audio is most effective through headphones. While the instruction works through speakers, the audio includes tones that are designed to help enter a relaxed state, using a technology called 'binaural beats', that sends messages to the right and left sides of the brain. Thus, it works best through headphones. A word of caution though: For some people this can be very relaxing. While inherently safe, you might fall asleep, so please don't listen to this podcast while driving! What is Meditation? In its simplest sense, meditation is sitting still and breathing. You might sit, stand or lie down -- some forms of mediation even involve movement -- but the idea is to break away from habitual movement, such as fidgeting, and the impulse to 'do' something. By focusing on the breath, we focus on the most important aspect of life. We wouldn't survive long without breath, so why not spend a few moments paying attention to our breathing? Why Meditate Since you are listening to this podcast, you probably already have your own reasons why you want to begin or continue a practice of meditation. Here are a few of my reasons: I meditate because it energizes my spirit, body and mind, and brings me closer to the source of who I am. By focusing on my breath, I carry that breath into the core of my being. This has a healing and calming effect. Meditation also brings me clarity. By stepping back from a situation or problem, I can then approach it from a new angle. Finally, not only does it help break habitual patterns of movement and 'doing', it also helps me break out of unhealthy patterns in my life.

Rowing Across the River from the album "Nine Lives of a Healer : Music for Meditation" This is the complete track of the main intro music from The Meditation Podcast. It was composed, performed and recorded by Jesse Stern.