The Daily Meditation with Brother Richard

Episodes

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  Gratitude for Our Teachers 29.09.2026 11m

  In this meditation, we continue our exploration of gratitude by turning our attention towards the teachers we have encountered throughout our lives.Some are formal teachers, while others may be friends, family members, writers, spiritual guides or people whose example has shown us how to live. Even difficult encounters can contain teaching, showing us how we do not wish to be.We give thanks for the wisdom we have received, hold our positive teachers close, and gently let go of those whose lessons came through difficulty.Chapters: 00:00 – Gratitude and the Franciscan tradition 01:40 – Entering the meditation with thanks 03:05 – Breathing out tension 04:20 – Resting in gratitude 05:05 – Remembering our good teachers 06:30 – Who has taught you how to be? 07:55 – Giving thanks for our teachers 09:00 – Those who taught us how not to be 10:45 – Letting go of difficult teachers 11:40 – Receiving wisdom from both 12:45 – Breathing in the wisdom of how to be 13:40 – Returning to the breath 14:30 – Closing the meditation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Meditation on Delight 28.09.2026 11m

  Meditation is often associated with stillness, seriousness and calm, but another fruit of practice is our capacity for delight.In this meditation, we explore what it means to experience the joy of the moment as it is. We remember the people, places and experiences that awaken delight within us and practise becoming more open to the possibility of joy in each breath, each encounter and each ordinary moment.Chapters: 00:00 – Introducing delight 01:05 – Choosing this time deliberately 02:15 – Settling the body 03:00 – Can we delight in the practice itself? 03:55 – Remembering an experience of delight 05:05 – Opening ourselves to joy 06:10 – What allows delight to emerge? 07:30 – Savouring the present moment 08:55 – Divine delight 10:20 – Creating space for delight 11:50 – Delight in our relationships 13:05 – Joy as a fruit of meditation 14:05 – Breathing in joy 14:50 – Closing the meditation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Padre Pio: Pray, Hope and Don’t Worry 27.09.2026 12m

  In this meditation, we turn to Padre Pio, one of the great meditation masters of the Franciscan tradition, and his famous teaching: “Pray, hope and don’t worry.”We gently notice the worries, stresses and anxieties we may be carrying and consider how much mental and emotional space they occupy. Padre Pio’s teaching offers another way: letting go of useless worry, deliberately choosing hope, and returning through prayer to a deeper trust in divine love.Chapters: 00:00 – Introducing Padre Pio 00:48 – Entering the meditation 02:05 – Relaxing the body 02:40 – Noticing anxiety, stress and worry 04:35 – Pray, hope and don’t worry 05:25 – Why worry is useless 07:05 – Responding to worry with hope 08:55 – What hope really means 10:25 – Building the muscles of hope 11:10 – Returning to prayer 12:55 – Pray, hope and let go of worry 14:10 – Closing the meditation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Make Me a Channel of Your Peace 26.09.2026 10m

  In this meditation, we begin a new series exploring the famous Peace Prayer of St. Francis as a path towards deeper inner peace.Beginning with the words “Make me a channel of your peace,” we reflect on what it means to become an instrument of peace in the world. Through the breath and the stillness of the present moment, we gently consider what may need to be released within us so that peace can flow more freely into our lives, our relationships and the wider world.Chapters: 00:00 – Introducing the Peace Prayer of St. Francis 00:40 – Entering the present moment 01:55 – What does it mean to seek peace? 03:05 – Awareness of the breath 04:25 – Becoming an instrument of peace 05:35 – Choosing to be a channel of peace 06:35 – Breathing in peace 07:10 – Make me a channel of your peace 08:00 – What needs to be cleared away? 09:20 – Releasing what blocks peace 10:10 – Bringing peace into the day 10:45 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Elijah Meditation (Part 4): The Still Small Voice 25.09.2026 12m

  In this meditation, I bring our journey with the prophet Elijah to a close, completing the contemplative map offered by his encounter at the cave.Across this series, we have explored the storm as an image of distracting thoughts, the fire as the desires that pull us away from the reality of the present moment, and the earthquake as the false identities and personas we accumulate through life.Now we move beyond each of these and towards the destination of Elijah’s journey: the still small voice that reveals the presence of the divine.Entering the cave of the heart through awareness of the breath, we practise allowing thoughts to pass without feeding them with our attention. We release false identities and rest instead in the truth of our own being. We notice desire without judgement or attachment and allow it too to fade.Beyond the storm, earthquake and fire, we discover stillness — and within that stillness, what I describe as the breath behind the breath: the divine yes of love and presence at the centre of our being.This meditation completes our Elijah series with a practice of deep stillness, surrender and contemplative awareness, inviting us to live more consciously from the cave of the heart.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction: Completing Elijah’s journey 01:42 – Entering the cave of the heart 02:28 – The breath as our path inward 02:57 – The storm of distracting thoughts 03:25 – Becoming the eye of the storm 04:09 – Letting thoughts pass without attachment 04:34 – Moving deeper into stillness 04:58 – The earthquake of false identity 05:37 – Resting in the truth of our being 06:13 – Grounded in divine love 06:56 – The fire of desire 07:45 – Allowing desire to fade 08:05 – Passing the three gates 08:14 – Entering complete stillness 08:29 – The breath behind the breath 08:49 – The still small voice 09:24 – Living attuned to divine presence 10:09 – The divine breath within all things 10:47 – Living from the cave of the heart 11:26 – The threefold lesson 12:10 – Returning to the body 12:35 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Autumn Leaf Meditation: The Beauty of Letting Go 24.09.2026 9m

  In this meditation, I use the image of falling autumn leaves to reflect on change, release and the beauty that can be found in letting go.We begin by settling into the body and breath before visualising a tree as autumn arrives. Its green leaves gradually turn to gold, red and bronze before the tree naturally releases them to the wind.Following the journey of a single leaf from branch to forest floor, we reflect on one of autumn’s great lessons: there is a time to hold on and a time to let go. In nature, letting go is not simply an ending. The fallen leaf becomes part of the nourishment and protection that makes new life possible.From this place of stillness, we gently ask whether there is anything in our own lives that we are clinging to and may now need to release. We do not force an answer, but allow the question to rest within the stability of meditation and the certainty of divine love.This autumn meditation offers a gentle practice for accepting change, releasing what no longer serves us and recognising the possibility of new beginnings within our endings.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction: The autumn leaf 00:49 – Entering sacred stillness 01:33 – Being supported by the earth 02:01 – The rhythm of the breath 02:38 – Visualising the autumn tree 03:29 – Gold, red and bronze leaves 04:09 – Watching the leaves begin to fall 04:55 – Following a single autumn leaf 05:16 – The beauty of letting go 06:09 – Every ending contains a beginning 06:26 – Releasing what no longer serves us 06:53 – What am I clinging to? 07:44 – Letting go within divine love 07:56 – The seed of a new beginning 08:06 – Holding the autumn leaf 08:29 – Returning the leaf to the earth 08:41 – Returning to the breath 09:04 – Learning from the trees 09:29 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Meditating with Mary (Part 1): Pondering in the Heart 23.09.2026 11m

  In this meditation, I begin a new series exploring meditation with Mary, who within the Franciscan tradition is regarded as a profound example and teacher of prayer and contemplation.The Scriptures tell us that Mary “pondered all of these things in her heart.” Her example offers us another way of meeting the events of our own lives — not simply reacting to them, but creating a space in which they can be held with reflection, awareness and grace.After settling into the present moment through the breath, we bring to mind something in our own life that feels mysterious, difficult or unresolved. Rather than immediately analysing it or becoming caught in our emotional response, we practise seeing it from a little distance and allowing it to rest within the stillness of meditation.We ask what this experience might teach us, what wisdom might emerge from it and how it might deepen our capacity for compassion and love. If it feels comfortable, we invite Mary to sit with us in this space and to help us ponder the experience gently.This meditation offers a contemplative practice for moving from reaction towards reflection, creating space for wisdom, discernment, peace and new understanding.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction: Meditating with Mary 00:51 – Entering the present moment 01:28 – Settling into stillness 02:05 – Mary, Mother of Life 02:48 – Pondering things in the heart 03:18 – The mysteries of our own lives 04:09 – Moving from reaction to reflection 04:50 – Creating space for grace 05:42 – Bringing an experience to mind 06:20 – Seeing the experience from a distance 07:02 – What can this moment teach me? 07:51 – Pondering without judgement 08:18 – Inviting Mary into the experience 08:42 – What wisdom might emerge? 09:14 – Resting in the presence of the Mother 09:49 – Handing over the experience 10:29 – Returning to the breath and body 11:16 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Reset Meditation: Recovering the Form 22.09.2026 12m

  In this meditation, I return once again to the basic form of relaxation and meditation.Returning to the foundations of our practice can help deepen our meditative discipline, remind the body how to enter stillness and strengthen what we might call our meditation muscles. It is also an ideal place to begin if meditation is new to you.We start with a simple ritual gesture before becoming aware of the support beneath the body, relaxing our posture and allowing the breath to settle naturally into the belly. From there, we gently ask ourselves how we are — first in the body, and then in our thoughts and feelings.As tension begins to soften, we move towards the still point between the breaths and the deeper awareness that exists beyond the changing experiences of body, thought and emotion.This meditation offers a simple reset and a return to the essential foundations of contemplative practice: body, breath, awareness and stillness.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction: Recovering the form00:55 – Beginning with intention01:16 – A ritual gesture to begin01:55 – Finding a supported posture02:50 – Relaxing and lengthening the body03:52 – Awareness of the breath04:54 – How am I in this moment?05:28 – Releasing tension from the body06:27 – Breathing in warmth, calm and peace06:52 – Relaxing the whole body07:55 – I am more than my body08:31 – Awareness of thoughts and feelings09:15 – I am more than my thoughts and feelings09:46 – The still point between breaths10:15 – A centre of consciousness and will11:08 – Resting in stillness11:52 – Returning to the body12:30 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Lectio Divina Meditation: The Lord Is My Shepherd 21.09.2026 12m

  In this meditation, we return to the ancient contemplative practice of Lectio Divina, or divine reading, using one of the most familiar phrases from the Christian tradition: “The Lord is my shepherd.”Lectio Divina invites us to remain with a short piece of sacred text rather than simply reading or analysing it. By gently repeating and exploring its words, the thinking mind is given an anchor while deeper awareness is allowed to move towards stillness.After settling into the body and breath, we begin with the words of Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” We slowly explore the phrase, resting first with the image of the Lord and then with the shepherd as an image of care, protection and presence.Finally, we reflect on the words “I shall not want” as an expression of trust before allowing the phrase itself to become quiet and returning to simple awareness of the breath.This meditation offers a gentle practice of Lectio Divina, Christian meditation and contemplative prayer centred on trust, divine presence and the familiar words of Psalm 23.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction: Lectio Divina and Psalm 2301:28 – Opening bell01:43 – Entering stillness02:52 – Anchoring in the breath04:11 – The Lord is my shepherd04:39 – Resting with the words “The Lord”05:42 – The image of the shepherd06:28 – Shepherded by grace07:23 – I shall not want08:26 – Divine love as protector and provider09:15 – Noticing our reactions to the phrase09:47 – Returning to the sacred words10:22 – Allowing the phrase to become silent11:04 – Carrying the words into the day11:43 – The Lord is my shepherd12:13 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Taking the Long View (Repost) 20.09.2026 9m

  In this meditation, I invite you to take the long view of practice and to rest in the slow, quiet work it is doing.We reflect on why we come back to meditation again and again: not to perfect ourselves, but to grow in peace and kindness over time. Often, it is those around us who notice the change first. This is a practice we can carry for a lifetime, one that ebbs and flows, sometimes feeling strong, sometimes fragile.As we sit, we hold this wider perspective gently. We rest with the hands and the breath, noticing how each breath affects the body. An image of a tree helps us trust the process — roots deepening unseen, growth happening quietly, without striving.This daily guided meditation offers a moment of calm, whether you are pausing during the day or winding down before sleep, helping you trust the practice, rest in progress, and allow change to unfold in its own time. 00:00 – Welcome back00:19 – Why we practice00:40 – Others noticing the change01:00 – A practice for a lifetime01:27 – Strong and weak days01:30 – Leaning on community01:45 – The freedom of the long view02:25 – The intention of practice02:40 – The bell03:17 – Holding the long view03:45 – Awareness of the hands03:55 – Attention to the breath05:39 – The body responding to breath05:53 – Resting and trusting07:05 – The image of the tree08:15 – Growth without striving08:30 – Branches and bark Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Inner Room as Inner Sanctuary (Repost) 19.09.2026 11m

  In this episode, Brother Richard deepens the exploration of the inner room, describing it as an inner sanctuary — a place of safety, refuge and rest.He reflects on the meaning of sanctuary as a space where nothing is demanded and nothing needs to be defended. Meditation itself becomes this sanctuary, a place to enter with intention, gentleness and trust. Listeners are guided to prepare the body and breath, and to move gradually into stillness.Through imagery of thresholds and inner chambers, the practice invites a resting in peace, presence and unconditional love. Fear gives way to safety, and the breath becomes a steady companion as awareness settles into quiet wholeness.This episode offers a moment of calm, whether you are pausing during the day or winding down before sleep, helping you return to a deep sense of safety, peace and inner refuge.00:00 – Introduction00:40 – The inner room as inner sanctuary01:18 – Sanctuary as a place of safety01:40 – Meditation as sanctuary02:00 – Making an intention02:20 – Ritual gesture02:35 – The bell02:50 – Entering stillness03:46 – Opening the breath04:05 – Noticing the breath04:49 – Breathing in peace06:35 – Following the breath inward07:05 – Nothing to fear07:20 – Entering unconditional love07:30 – A doorway or threshold08:10 – Resting in love08:20 – I am I09:20 – Receiving peace and love10:04 – Three breaths of rest11:40 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Body Scan Meditation (Repost) 18.09.2026 12m

  In this meditation, I invite you into a body scan practice, learning to be gently present to sensation as it arises.We begin by noticing sensation itself, without judgement or analysis. Attention is then drawn to the foot, exploring feelings of warmth, weight, contact and subtle movement. There is no right experience here. Sensation may feel clear or faint, active or quiet, and all of it belongs.As awareness moves through the body, the breath remains a steady companion, allowing us to return again to wholeness and balance. Sensation becomes a doorway into presence, helping the body rest and the mind settle.This daily guided meditation offers a moment of calm, whether you are pausing during the day or winding down before sleep, supporting grounding, stillness and embodied awareness.Chapters 00:00 – Introduction00:45 – Noticing sensation01:40 – The bell05:20 – Bringing attention to the left foot06:00 – Warmth and weight in the foot07:30 – Contact and pressure07:50 – Finding the pulse10:30 – Moving awareness through the foot11:37 – Returning to the whole body12:30 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Gratitude Meditation: The Beauty of Creation 17.09.2026 10m

  In this meditation, I continue our series on gratitude by turning our attention towards the beauty of creation and the world in which we live.We begin by settling into the body and breath, receiving this time of meditation as a pause and a gift. As we breathe, we become aware of our continual exchange with the world around us — receiving what we need for life and giving back through each breath.Gradually, awareness expands towards the earth beneath us, the sky above us and the extraordinary variety of life with which we share the world. We contemplate sunrise and sunset, the changing seasons, plants, animals and the great web of life of which we ourselves are a part.Gratitude, however, is not simply appreciation. As we become more conscious of the beauty of creation, we can also ask what responsibility comes with receiving that gift and how our awareness might shape the way we care for the world around us.This meditation offers a practice of gratitude, wonder and connection, inviting us to notice the beauty that is already present and to carry that awareness more consciously into daily life.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction: Gratitude for creation00:41 – Opening bell00:55 – Entering meditation with gratitude01:48 – Resting in the breath03:02 – Our exchange with creation03:48 – Earth below and sky above04:37 – The extraordinary variety of life05:11 – Entering the great web of life06:13 – Our connection with all beings06:58 – Sunrise, sunset and everyday beauty07:57 – Remembering moments of wonder08:32 – Gratitude and responsibility09:43 – Protecting the beauty we receive10:59 – Breathing in gratitude and wonder12:28 – Resolving to notice beauty13:13 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Beginning Again Meditation 16.09.2026 11m

  In this meditation, I reflect on a simple teaching from the early desert monks: the work of meditation is the work of beginning again and again.Every time we come to meditation, the moment is new. Whatever has happened before, whatever our experience of practice has been, we are invited to meet this particular moment without judgement and begin from where we actually are.We start by noticing how we have arrived. There may be enthusiasm, resistance, tiredness or simply the discipline of showing up. Rather than judging any of these responses, we allow them to be and gently release the secondary voices that praise, criticise or evaluate our practice.From there, awareness moves through the body and breath before turning towards our inner life. Thoughts, emotions and sensations are allowed to pass while we rest in the deeper awareness that observes them.Each breath then becomes another beginning — a reminder that even when our external circumstances remain unchanged, we can meet them inwardly in a new way.This meditation offers a practice of renewal, acceptance and contemplative awareness, reminding us that every breath and every present moment offers the possibility of beginning again.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction: The work of beginning again00:44 – Opening bell00:55 – Entering a new moment01:47 – Noticing how we arrive02:39 – Letting go of judgement03:59 – The freedom of a new beginning05:06 – Awareness of the body05:52 – Releasing points of tension06:23 – The breath as a beginning07:17 – Observing our inner life08:27 – The unchanging inner observer09:36 – Beginning again in every moment10:20 – I choose to begin again11:07 – Returning to the body11:20 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Prayer of Saint Francis Meditation (Part 4): Sense and Knowledge 15.09.2026 9m

  In this meditation, I bring our series on the Prayer of Saint Francis before the Crucifix to a close, reflecting on the final petition of the prayer: the desire for sense and knowledge.Knowledge can give us information, but discernment helps us understand what matters and how we should respond. Francis asks for both — for a deeper awareness that allows us to choose wisely and to act with greater attention, compassion and openness to divine grace.We begin by settling into the body and breath, letting go of what came before and what might follow. From that stillness, we allow Francis’s prayer to sound within us once again: asking for light in darkness, right faith, certain hope, perfect love, sense and knowledge.As the meditation deepens, we consider how contemplative practice can accompany the decisions we make in everyday life. Rather than reacting automatically, we can create space to reflect, discern and listen.This meditation offers a contemplative practice for discernment, decision-making and prayer, inviting us to bring greater awareness and wisdom into the choices of daily life.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction: Sense and knowledge 00:40 – Opening bell 00:43 – Entering the present moment 01:50 – Letting go of past and future 02:25 – Resting in the breath 03:07 – The prayer for sense and knowledge 03:19 – Knowledge and discernment 04:25 – Choosing wisely through awareness 04:39 – Bringing decisions into meditation 05:26 – The full Prayer of Saint Francis 06:10 – Light, faith, hope and love 07:11 – Living with discernment 07:51 – Making decisions contemplatively 09:07 – Returning to the body 09:30 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Emotional Awareness Meditation: Unravelling the Fibres 14.09.2026 11m

  In this meditation, I explore how meditation can help us move beneath the surface of our emotional life and begin to understand the many influences that shape a feeling or reaction.We begin by settling into the body, releasing tension and becoming grounded in the breath and the present moment. From this place of stability, we bring to mind a recent experience of happiness or joy and observe it carefully.Rather than simply enjoying the memory, we begin to ask where that emotion came from. What circumstances allowed joy to arise? Why did we respond to those particular circumstances in that particular way? What experiences in our lives made us ready to receive that happiness?Meditation teachers sometimes describe the connection between stimulus and response as a rope. When examined closely, the rope turns out to contain many individual fibres: emotions, thoughts, sensations, memories and experiences woven together.In meditation, we can allow that rope to loosen and examine its individual strands with curiosity and compassion. We can understand what is useful and what we may wish to release.Although we begin here with happiness and joy, the same method can be brought to any emotional experience, helping us become more aware of the deeper causes behind our reactions and behaviours.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction: Getting to the roots of emotion00:55 – Opening bell01:06 – Entering the present moment01:30 – Relaxing the body02:20 – Settling into stability and calm02:59 – Remembering a moment of happiness or joy03:53 – Observing the experience of joy04:22 – Exploring what caused the feeling04:41 – The seven circumstances of experience05:20 – Looking beyond the immediate cause06:22 – What made me ready to receive joy?07:22 – Discovering deeper emotional patterns07:37 – The image of the rope and its fibres08:13 – Unravelling thoughts, feelings and memories08:39 – Examining the emotional fibres09:30 – What would I weave in or leave out?09:56 – Applying the practice to every emotion10:24 – Receiving what arises with compassion10:51 – Returning to the body11:20 – Resolving to notice the causes of our reactions11:35 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Coffee Meditation: Mindfulness in an Everyday Moment 13.09.2026 12m

  In this meditation, I explore how something as ordinary as drinking a cup of coffee can become a contemplative practice. As a Capuchin Franciscan, I can even claim a particular connection with coffee through Blessed Mark of Aviano, whose story became associated with the cappuccino.You can practise this meditation with coffee, tea or another warm drink, either holding a real cup or simply visualising the experience.We begin by feeling the warmth and weight of the cup in our hands. We notice its texture, the steam, the fragrance and the anticipation of taking a drink. As we take each sip, we pay attention to sensations that usually pass unnoticed: the cup against the lips, the warmth of the liquid, its movement through the mouth and throat, and the memories or stories awakened by taste and smell.By attending closely to an ordinary action, we begin to see how rich even the simplest moment can be.Towards the end of the meditation, we reflect with gratitude on everything that has allowed this drink to reach us: the coffee bean, its journey, its preparation and the many people and places involved along the way.This mindfulness meditation is an invitation to rediscover the ordinary miracles of daily life and to bring greater awareness to experiences we might otherwise overlook.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction: Coffee as meditation01:19 – Opening bell01:29 – Meditation as a moment of rest01:47 – Preparing a cup of tea or coffee02:09 – Feeling the warmth of the cup02:55 – Fragrance, steam and anticipation03:37 – Exploring the cup through the senses04:10 – Taking the first mindful sip04:55 – Taste, memory and story05:31 – Observing the narratives that arise06:30 – Taking another sip06:53 – The full sensory experience07:38 – Becoming aware of ordinary sensations08:31 – Taking a third sip08:47 – The drink becoming part of us09:13 – An ordinary moment of grace09:50 – Receiving the drink with gratitude10:08 – Remembering the journey of the coffee bean10:59 – Giving thanks11:15 – Noticing the ordinary miracles of the day11:46 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Elijah Meditation (Part 3): The Earthquake 12.09.2026 10m

  In this meditation, I return to the story of Elijah in the First Book of Kings and to the archetypal map of meditation practice we find in his experience of the cave.In previous meditations, we considered the storm as an image of the thoughts, sensations and emotions that can distract us when we seek stillness, and the fire as an image of our desire for reality to be different from what it is. Today we encounter Elijah’s third trial: the earthquake.The earthquake represents those periods of life when what once seemed secure begins to shake. A relationship may end, a job may be lost, an identity may change, or an understanding we have carried about ourselves may begin to break down.Elijah teaches us to abide. We return to the cave of stillness, to the breath, to the present moment and to divine grace. Every trial has a beginning and an end. The storm comes and goes. The fire comes and goes. The earthquake comes and goes.Our practice cannot prevent difficult circumstances from arising, but it can help us discover a deeper stability from which to meet them. In the midst of change, uncertainty and suffering, we learn to abide in stillness, equanimity and peace.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction: Elijah and the earthquake01:09 – Opening bell01:25 – Entering the cave of stillness02:07 – Grounding in the body and earth02:53 – Anchoring ourselves in the breath03:29 – The storm of thoughts and emotions04:12 – Allowing the storm to come and go04:36 – The fire of desire05:05 – Working with reality as it is05:27 – Abiding in sacred stillness05:52 – The trial of the earthquake06:28 – When what seemed secure begins to shake06:57 – The breakdown of identity and ego07:13 – Abiding through difficult times08:07 – Returning to breath, stability and grace08:33 – Growing in equanimity and peace08:47 – Storm, fire and earthquake09:37 – Nothing can remove our inner stability10:21 – Remembering the teaching in difficult moments10:55 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Gratitude Meditation: Giving Thanks for Others 11.09.2026 11m

  In this meditation, I return to the practice of gratitude and focus particularly on giving thanks for the people who have brought goodness, love and connection into our lives.Gratitude is one of the values at the heart of meditation. Learning to count our blessings and recognise what is good, even when circumstances are difficult, can help us develop greater equanimity and stability.After settling into the body and breath, we begin to bring to mind the people closest to us. They might be family members, friends, colleagues, teachers or simply people who have offered us kindness or inspiration along the way. We picture their faces, perhaps remember their voices, and notice the warmth that arises as we hold them in awareness.We consider the ways these people have blessed our lives and what we may have learned from them. At the same time, we acknowledge the nuanced reality of human relationships. Gratitude does not require us to pretend that relationships have been perfect. Sorrow and difficulty can coexist with genuine love and goodness.As we remember the support we have received, we make a resolution to become more loving, present and compassionate ourselves, allowing gratitude for others to shape the way we move through the world.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction: Gratitude for others 01:05 – Opening bell 01:16 – Settling into meditation 02:05 – Gratitude for the opportunity to meditate 02:53 – Finding the breath 03:27 – Breathing out stress and breathing in peace 03:55 – Bringing loved ones to mind 04:27 – Feeling the warmth of connection 05:11 – Recognising the gifts others bring 05:43 – Giving thanks for each person 06:13 – Holding someone in awareness 06:45 – What can we learn from others? 07:14 – Acknowledging the complexity of relationships 08:11 – Becoming more loving and compassionate 08:35 – Resting in a circle of connection 09:17 – Offering deliberate thanks 09:38 – What can these people teach us? 10:05 – Allowing the images to fade 10:41 – Returning to the body 11:15 – Resolving to walk in compassion and love 11:25 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Prayer of Saint Francis Meditation (Part 3): Faith, Hope and Love 10.09.2026 12m

  In this meditation, I continue our exploration of the meditative prayer of Saint Francis, moving from the search for light towards the fruits that can emerge from that search: faith, hope and love.We begin by deliberately choosing the time of meditation and settling into the stability of the body and breath. Returning to the prayer of Francis, we ask the Most High and glorious God to bring light to the darkness of our hearts, imagining that light filling our entire being.We then allow the prayer to deepen through three great virtues: right faith, certain hope and perfect love.Faith invites us to trust in the fundamental goodness at the heart of existence and in the grace of the present moment. Hope is not a naive belief that circumstances will automatically improve, but a deliberate choice that influences how we act and enables us to become bringers of hope to others. Love moves outward through compassion for ourselves, for others and for all that is.The prayer ultimately becomes a challenge as well as a comfort: to choose faith, choose hope and choose love, and in doing so to become a place where light can enter the world.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction: Faith, hope and love 00:39 – Opening bell 00:50 – Deliberately choosing meditation 01:19 – Settling into the breath 02:14 – Breathing out tension and breathing in peace 03:15 – Bring light to the darkness of my heart 03:40 – Filling the whole being with light 04:37 – Right faith, certain hope, perfect love 05:29 – The light of faith 06:18 – Choosing hope as a discipline 07:27 – Becoming bringers of hope 08:00 – Perfect love and compassion 08:55 – Knowing ourselves as beloved 09:04 – Returning to the prayer of Saint Francis 09:42 – Choosing faith, hope and love 10:18 – Becoming a place where light enters 10:30 – Pursuing truth, goodness and compassion 11:00 – Carrying the prayer into daily life 11:52 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.