Meditative Story

Epizode

• It doesn't have to be this hard: Mariann Budde 27.05.2026 31min

  A street in Honduras. A conference room. The fifth lap of a bike ride. Crisis can descend on you in unexpected places – and so can clarity. All that’s required of you, really, is to be there for it, and to stretch yourself in ways you hadn’t expected. Mariann Budde, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese in Washington, DC, tells of three defining moments of struggle and grace in her life. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• Together, we move from fear to hope, by Varshini Prakash 19.05.2026 36min

  Climate activist Varshini Prakash first became aware of the effects of a changing planet when her grandparents’ village in India was flooded in a monsoon. A child then, she felt overwhelmed and powerless. In this week’s episode, Varshini shares how she came to find hope and build courage through the large and small communities in her life. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• Learning to see what is in front of me, by Siri Hustvedt 12.05.2026 20min

  To truly see what is right in front us, requires the practice of looking, of careful and sustained attention – without expectation or judgment. Join author and essayist Siri Hustvedt on an hours long trip to the museum spent in front of just one painting. And discover more than just what's on the canvas. See 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 06.05.2026 30min

  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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• Notes to self, by Case Kenny 28.04.2026 34min

  Sitting in the school library, staring down at his unfinished chemistry homework, pre-med student Case Kenny feels helpless. He faces a difficult choice: did I choose the wrong major? And who will I disappoint if I admit that? Now an acclaimed podcaster (New Mindset, Who Dis?), Case shares three stories from his early life about being wrong, and how he slowly learns what’s right for him. The key: Learning to see wrongness as a chance to re-examine who he is and what his right next step might be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• Changing the game, by Tim Shriver 21.04.2026 36min

  Growing up in the Kennedy family, Tim Shriver sees close relatives compete at the highest level of U.S. politics and learns a very specific definition of what it means to be a winner. As a result, a fierce competitiveness finds its way into every aspect of his life. But as the years go on, Tim begins to question whether this winner-takes-all mentality is the healthiest way to live. Maybe there’s a way that competition can bring out the best in all of us, regardless of who gets the gold medal. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• How the bees saved me, by Dr. Marla Spivak 14.04.2026 30min

  Before becoming a MacArthur award–winning entomologist, Dr. Marla Spivak is adrift – first as a young woman in search of direction, then deep in the Amazon, severely ill and fearing death. Time and again, it’s the hum of bees that shows her a path forward. Apiculture doesn’t just become her life’s passion, it reveals a deeper truth about the connections that bind us. See 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 07.04.2026 33min

  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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• Dancing on my own, by Alex Morris 31.03.2026 35min

  Just out of school, writer Alex Morris gets a job performing and teaching improv comedy in London, playing absurd characters night after night. But his knack for hiding his true self starts long before he ever steps onstage. Alex is hiding a secret — one that only his family and a few close friends know: he’s slowly losing his sight. He shares a story about his struggles living with a degenerative eye disease and the lengths to which he would go to pretend he didn’t need help. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• The last laugh, by Sara Benincasa 24.03.2026 34min

  As a young writer and performer, Sara Benincasa found her voice doing stand-up comedy. For years, it seemed better than therapy. But slowly, doubts surfaced. While the external validation she received made her feel successful and even loved, something was missing. In this episode of Meditative Story, Sara shares how she came to look inward, instead of outward, for richer feelings of worth.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• Martha Beck: Letting our hearts take the lead 17.03.2026 38min

  It’s not surprising that Martha Beck, best-selling author and columnist for O, The Oprah Magazine, grew up as a high achiever. Attending Harvard University for both undergraduate and doctoral degrees, Martha spends years fighting to be the smartest person in the room and contending with serious anxiety. It’s only after a revelatory trip to Japan that Martha learns to put her rigid pursuit of intellect aside and find true happiness in the peaceful empty spaces between all things. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• Writing the main character, by Franklin Leonard 11.03.2026 29min

  What’s the hardest part about being the main character in your own life? You’re also writing the script as you go along. And sometimes it’s hard to know when you need a scene change. Filmmaker Franklin Leonard encounters plenty of dramatic moments as he seeks to follow his creative dream. But those big moments, he comes to realize, aren’t what will change him into the person he truly wants to be. Change happens not in an explosion or a sudden shift of scenery, but slowly, in moments of reflection, and sometimes after years of pleasing others. What matters is … it happens. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• Creating space to stand in truth, by Susan David 03.03.2026 32min

  Psychologist and author Susan David invites us into the sad days after she loses her father as a child – and the kind teacher who helped her carve out space to feel her grief and sadness honestly. It's a lesson she takes into her own journey as a parent. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• A nurse's story, by Wayne Little 24.02.2026 30min

  Fresh out of nursing school, Wayne Little finds a treasured mentor in his first job – a nurse whose lifelong mission inspires his own. Years later, in the middle of a global pandemic, he calls on those lessons he learned so long ago. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• The power of a simple loving presence, by Hannah Cross 17.02.2026 34min

  Hannah Cross is a licensed clinical social worker, devoted to helping people with emotional and behavioral concerns. The way she approaches her work is rooted in a life-changing early job, one she almost didn’t take — at a youth incarceration center. Working with these young people, she comes to realize that while the textbook approach might sometimes fail, there’s a reliable healing power in a simple, loving presence. This insight helps her see her own younger self anew, and embrace her past. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• A self-love meditation, by Rohan Gunatillake 10.02.2026 17min

  Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate love of all kinds — whether it’s the unconditional love of a pet, the instinctual reflex to help those who are suffering, or, perhaps most important, the time we take to send love back to ourselves. Love has many dimensions, and it doesn’t always involve a heart-shaped box of chocolates. Take some time with Rohan as he guides you through a celebration of love in its many varied forms. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• To be seen on my own terms, by Lex Gillette 03.02.2026 33min

  Lex Gillette is a 5-time medalist at the Paralympic Games, and a world record holder in the long jump, but he’s more than that too. As he learns to navigate the world after losing his sight, he’s worried about being left out and overlooked — or, just as bad, being seen only in terms of his disability and his athletic gifts. Lex shares the story of how he began to forge his identity on his own terms, creating a spotlight that he steps into with his entire being. 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: meditativestory.com Sign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: https://meditativestory.com/subscribe See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• Redefine your generational patterns, by Marcia Gay Harden 27.01.2026 37min

  Tony and Academy Award-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden recognizes that, like so many of us, she is who she is because of the people that raised her. In this episode, Marcia Gay tells the story of how she’s learned to reevaluate all that she inherited from her parents, and to let go of learned patterns that no longer serve her. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• Embrace every part of yourself, by Suneel Gupta 20.01.2026 39min

  Tech entrepreneur and author of Everyday Dharma, Suneel Gupta spends much of his life feeling divided between his Indian and American identities. His desire to fit in with his peers forces him to hide parts of himself and turn away from his true purpose. In this episode, Suneel tells the story of how he finally learned to welcome all parts of himself and stand proud in everything that he is. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• Move forward without moving on, by Kelly Rizzo 13.01.2026 31min

  When Kelly Rizzo’s husband Bob Saget passes away without warning, she’s faced with the challenge of moving forward day by day without leaving her memories of Bob behind. As she processes her grief, Kelly reflects on the way her father left his home country and never returned, but realizes that his memories of that place will always be a part of him. Now she must find a way to honor her own memories even as her life moves forward. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.