Today’s episode of Our Mindful Nature - a live recording of my Winter Solstice meditation retreat - is the perfect practice to welcome in the winter season. A mini meditation retreat you can do at home!

The Winter Solstice is always a discussion of light and dark. Mythology abounds, as do rituals of celebration and reflection. 

In this class, you will hear some of the mythology surrounding the Winter Solstice. We will explore what it means to ‘harvest the fire’ in this season; we will talk about caves, bees, fire and honey. 

At the end, you will experience a longer, guided meditation that takes you through a reflection of the year and an inquiry into what is to come next in 2025. You can use this as a time to set intentions for the season or the new year.

So grab your tea, light your fire, and settle in as we welcome Winter. 

In this episode, you hear:

• The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper
• Wintering by Sylvia Plath
• Sounds of the natural world recorded by Nick McMahan

I hope you enjoy! This is the last episode of 2024. We will back in 2025 with all new episodes, guests and practices to share ❄️

A winter sleep meditation for you today, dear listeners!

As we slip into the darker, colder, and yet somehow busier part of the year I thought we would dedicate some class time to the richness of rest. 

This episode is an invitation to get cozy, to set aside your to-do list for a few moments, and rest.

You can utilize this guided meditation for

• Naptime or a mid-day reset
• Gentle guidance into evening sleep
• Support for falling back asleep if you wake in the middle of the night

And listeners, I have to tell you today’s episode has my FAVORITE soundscape of the year. A soothing combination of singing bowls and elemental sounds of the natural world - I highly recommend headphones for the full listening experience. The soundscape and video for this episode are from nature field recordist Nick McMahan.

So grab a blanket and a cup of tea, pop-in your headphones, and join me for today’s winter-time sleep meditation.

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 video, nature field recordings, video and sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://www.nickcmcmahan.com

https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/

Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting 

merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature

There is something magical about the night sky and the winter woods; a place of dreams and possibility; a place of rest and restoration.

In today’s episode of Our Mindful Nature, nature field recordist Nick McMahan shares a dreamscape from Glacier National Park. 

Not quite a guided meditation, not quite a sleep-story, but rather a meditative experience. A connection to both land and self. Perfect for relaxing before bed, taking a mid-day break, or adding some wintery vibes to your day. 

You will hear cool wind blowing from the north towards the Eastern Rocky Mountains; the first snow dusting its peaks. Nick weaves a story of dream-images and real-life exploration of this landscape:

 “Silently, I watch the dense night sky as a calm breeze washes over me, cresting like a wave through the nearby aspens. On a clear night in a remote corner of the Rockies, deep in grizzly country, I see a countless sea of stars overhead, shimmering as brightly as I’ve ever seen. Reaching into my pocket, I grab my small pair of backpacking binoculars for a closer look.”

Grab your headphones, a cup of something warm, and settle in by the fire. 

Rest your feet.

Rest your mind.

Rest your heart.

Join us for a night under the stars in Glacier National Park.

The nature sounds in this episode were recorded in the Eastern Rocky Mountains near the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The Blackfeet people have lived in the Rocky Mountain region for over 10,000 years and were the first people to hear the sounds of the winter wind blowing in from the north in this region.

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 episode including narration, nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

nickmcmahan.com

instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro

Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting 

merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature

Recently, I had a moment where I just didn’t feel seen. And later, as I was processing those feelings, I picked up James Crews’ newest book of poetry, Unlocking the Heart, and I opened to the poem, ‘The World Loves You Back’ -

It was exactly what I needed to hear.

That I/You/We are all seen for exactly who we are by the animate earth around us. 

That we aren’t alone.

In today’s meditation class, we explore the significance of belonging and being actively engaged in one’s environment. We delve into the idea of reciprocal relationships with the animate earth and our meditation practices, with an emphasis on the importance of active participation. 

Join me for a poem, discussion and guided meditation inviting us into reciprocal breathing with the forest around us. 

Thank you to Acoustic Ecologist Gordon Hempton for the use of today’s soundscape. Learn more about Gordon here: https://soundtracker.com/about-gordon-hempton/ 



Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:

instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro

Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting 

merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature

Friends, grab a cup of tea, your coziest blanket and join me as we welcome back poet James Crews. James has been a guest on Our Mindful Nature multiple times and his thoughtful presence has become something I look forward to each year. 

James and I sat down to chat about his new book 'Unlocking the Heart: Writings for Mindfulness, Courage, and Self-Compassion’ right before the November election in the U.S. Together, we reflect on life's challenging moments, the role of poetry in providing solace, and the importance of pausing and mindfulness. James shares insights into his daily practices of writing and meditation, the significance of noticing everyday wonders, and offers a poem to encourage listeners to find their own moments of wonder and peace.

If you only buy one more book this year, I hope it is this one. I have picked it up daily since the election and it continues to be the balm I most need for comfort, for heartfulness, for grief, and for presence. 

Learn more about James and his new book here: https://www.jamescrews.net/

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:

instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro

Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting 

merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature

Oh y’all. If you are struggling to practice right now; I’m with you. If anxiety and overwhelm are front and center; I’m with you. If you aren’t sure you can even stand to listen to a whole podcast episode right now; I’m with you. 

It is a lot. All of it. 

As I thought about what might be helpful in the month of November, what felt the most resonant (at least to me) is to focus on the simplest acts of care. 

This episode highlights the major teachings I’ve shared in classes and on the podcast through 2024 so far, and it teases out the most important reminders for maintaining mental health. I share a bit about a brand new PTSD treatment I got to test, tips for when meditating for 20-minutes is out of the question, and ways to care for ourselves and our loved ones in the simplest of ways.

Lastly, I share a guided meditation that emphasizes simplicity and presence. May it serve all of us well <3 

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:

instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro

Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting 

merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature

In this episode of 'Our Mindful Nature,' I am delighted to welcome back Octavia Raheem, acclaimed author, rest coach and dear friend, to discuss her newest book, 'Rest is Sacred.'

Together, we explore the significance of rest, what it means to rest, and, more importantly, what it looks like to find rest in the midst of constant “busyness”.

Octavia shares insights on the various forms rest can take, from conventional yoga practices to simple mindful pauses in daily life. At the end, Octavia shares a guided exercise and reading from her book, encouraging listeners to seek restorative moments and redefine what rest means to them.

Join us!

Find Octavia & her new book here: https://www.octaviaraheem.com/rest-is-sacred

Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.

Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:

instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro

Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting

merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature

“If one sees two women sitting at a crossroads, facing one another, they are engaged in witchcraft.” - Talmud

From 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 Sumedo

Join 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.com

instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro

Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting

merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature

A meditation for your daily practice - no chat beforehand, no distractions. Just you, the forest, and your breath.

Join me for this Green Witch-inspired meditation.

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.com

instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro

Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting

merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature

In this episode, we continue our exploration of personal power through the archetypes of the witch. Together, we will journey through the Water Witch and the Swamp Witch archetypes, uncovering their unique connections to water, the moon, and the balance between conformity and wildness.

The Water Witch draws rituals from aquatic environments, emphasizing adaptability, while the Swamp Witch thrives in the liminal spaces, representing untamed freedom.

Being fluid in change is the superpower of both of these witchy archetypes.

At the end, there is a 20-minute guided meditation devoted to the Water Witch, inviting all of us to sync with the rhythm of our breath and metaphorical ocean waves, fostering inner peace and presence.

“You are the sister to the wolf and friend to the hawk. You know in your heart the language of the plants and the songs of the wind. You have an innate connection to the wild edges. You know the beauty of the bee in flight, and hear the call of freedom on the horizon. And yet, as you go through your day today, it may be easy to miss the drum call of the Earth.”  

– Wild Woman

The Green Witch is one who sources her sense of power and nourishment from the Earth itself. She is one who might feel deeply connected to plants and animals and finds balance with time outside. 

The Green Witch likely spends more time than most contemplating the understanding that we are nature. 

In our exploration of the earth and forest archetype, we look at reciprocal relationships with the earth as a source of power and grounding. 

Join me for today’s talk and Green Witch-inspired meditation.

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 custom-crafted soundscape, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

nickmcmahan.com

instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro

Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting 

merylarnett.com

instagram.com/merylarnett

youtube.com/@ourmindfulnature