This contemplative meditation draws from the fourth century BCE Taoist master Chuang Tzu, as retold by Thomas Merton. Through the ancient parable of wind moving through ten thousand holes in the earth, we listen to nature’s voice—a symphony of mooing, roaring, and whistling that emerges when the invisible breath of life moves through all things. The voice of the wind becomes a powerful metaphor for the higher power many seek in recovery and spiritual practice: an unseen presence speaking through us, singing the music of our lives. What is it that blows through these ten thousand holes? This teaching invites you to rest in stillness, to listen deeply, and to surrender to the mysterious power whose voice awakens all beings. Perfect for those seeking presence, peace, and connection to something greater than themselves.

Based on “The Breath of Nature” from The Way of Chuang Tzu by Thomas Merton.

Music by Eric Fischer and Christopher Lloyd Clarke.

Audio by Eric Fischer.

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Host: Tess Callahan
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Tess's novels: https://tesscallahan.com/
Music (unless otherwise noted above): Christopher Lloyd Clark
Audio Editing: Eric Fischer

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DISCLAIMER: Meditation is not a substitute for professional psychological or medical healthcare or therapy. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred by you acting or not acting as a result of listening to this recording. Use the material provided at your own risk. Do not drive or operate dangerous equipment while listening. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

This talk/meditation invites you to access inner wisdom through sleep and the liminal spaces between waking and sleeping. In many ancient traditions, monks, yogis, and shamans dreamed worlds into being. These dreamed realms, called Pure Lands, Buddha Fields, and Fields of Spirit, exist outside of ordinary time and can be visited in meditation and dreams. They are, in essence, the Kingdom of God within you. This practice invites you to set an intention to visit these realms in dreams, releasing any expectations, and preparing the mind and body for deep, restful sleep. The meditation guides you into state of deep coherence and surrender. Relax and enjoy.

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Host: Tess Callahan
Substack: Writers at the Well
Interview Podcast: Writers at the Well
Meditations on Insight Timer
Meditations on YouTube
Tess's novels: https://tesscallahan.com/
Music (unless otherwise noted above): Christopher Lloyd Clark
Audio Editing: Eric Fischer

By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show.
Thank you for listening!

DISCLAIMER: Meditation is not a substitute for professional psychological or medical healthcare or therapy. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred by you acting or not acting as a result of listening to this recording. Use the material provided at your own risk. Do not drive or operate dangerous equipment while listening. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

This is a guided relaxation meditation for promoting restful sleep. If possible, aim for a dark, quiet, cool sleeping environment. The meditation invites you to recall a moment of gratitude from you day, followed by a full-body relaxation scan, and a short round of 4-7-8 breathing (inhaling for four seconds, holding for seven, and exhaling for eight). Then, you release your breath, letting the body breathe naturally as you visualize the heart and mind mingling. The main focus is on surrendering the mind to deep, peaceful sleep. The session ends with five minutes of ocean wave sounds. I hope you enjoy.

Audio by Eric Fischer.

Music by Christopher Lloyd Clarke.

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Host: Tess Callahan
Substack: Writers at the Well
Interview Podcast: Writers at the Well
Meditations on Insight Timer
Meditations on YouTube
Tess's novels: https://tesscallahan.com/
Music (unless otherwise noted above): Christopher Lloyd Clark
Audio Editing: Eric Fischer

By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show.
Thank you for listening!

DISCLAIMER: Meditation is not a substitute for professional psychological or medical healthcare or therapy. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred by you acting or not acting as a result of listening to this recording. Use the material provided at your own risk. Do not drive or operate dangerous equipment while listening. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

This is the final episode of a 30-part meditation series inspired by Adyashanti. It recaps the previous meditations and encourages you to challenge yourself to see the face of God in all people, all places, all animals, and all situations. Awakening is not for the faint of heart, but it leads us to experience life in ways beyond our wildest imagination.

The 30 practices build on each other, so you can listen consecutively, but if there is one in particular that speaks to you, feel free to stick with it. Based on the teachings of Adyashanti, they can be used alone or as a companion to his audio series, The 30-Day Wake Up Challenge, or his book, The Direct Way: 30 Practices to Evoke Awakening. This meditation correlates to Day 30. In some cases, the meditations are also loosely inspired by the teachings of Andrew Holecek, Pema Chodron, and Eckhart Tolle.  I hope you enjoy.

Audio by Eric Fischer. 

Music by Christopher Lloyd Clarke.

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Host: Tess Callahan
Substack: Writers at the Well
Interview Podcast: Writers at the Well
Meditations on Insight Timer
Meditations on YouTube
Tess's novels: https://tesscallahan.com/
Music (unless otherwise noted above): Christopher Lloyd Clark
Audio Editing: Eric Fischer

By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show.
Thank you for listening!

DISCLAIMER: Meditation is not a substitute for professional psychological or medical healthcare or therapy. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred by you acting or not acting as a result of listening to this recording. Use the material provided at your own risk. Do not drive or operate dangerous equipment while listening. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

This forgiveness practice is number 29 of a 30-part meditation series inspired by Adyashanti. When you forgive someone else, you release yourself from them. When you forgive yourself, you release yourself from the past. Forgiveness is about letting go. While feelings as they arise have a right to be felt and anger can often be justified, persistent states of hatred, rage and resentment are corrosive to our wellbeing. They are hindrances on the path to insight. Here you are invited to forgive as a way of freeing yourself. 

These practices build on each other, so you can listen consecutively, but if there is one in particular that speaks to you, feel free to stick with it. Based on the teachings of Adyashanti, they can be used alone or as a companion to his audio series, The 30-Day Wake Up Challenge, or his book, The Direct Way: 30 Practices to Evoke Awakening. This meditation correlates to Day 28. In some cases, the meditations are also loosely inspired by the teachings of Andrew Holecek, Pema Chodron, and Eckhart Tolle.  I hope you enjoy.

Audio by Eric Fischer. 

Music by Christopher Lloyd Clarke.

Support the show

Host: Tess Callahan
Substack: Writers at the Well
Interview Podcast: Writers at the Well
Meditations on Insight Timer
Meditations on YouTube
Tess's novels: https://tesscallahan.com/
Music (unless otherwise noted above): Christopher Lloyd Clark
Audio Editing: Eric Fischer

By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show.
Thank you for listening!

DISCLAIMER: Meditation is not a substitute for professional psychological or medical healthcare or therapy. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred by you acting or not acting as a result of listening to this recording. Use the material provided at your own risk. Do not drive or operate dangerous equipment while listening. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

This is number 28 of a 30-part meditation series inspired by Adyashanti. This practice is simple, pointed, and powerful. It takes courage to love, to be honest, to understand another person, and yourself. Here you're invited to notice your sticking points, places where you hold on, become overly insistent, or pull back too far, and to meet those places with courage.

These practices build on each other, so you can listen consecutively, but if there is one in particular that speaks to you, feel free to stick with it. Based on the teachings of Adyashanti, they can be used alone or as a companion to his audio series, The 30-Day Wake Up Challenge, or his book, The Direct Way: 30 Practices to Evoke Awakening. This meditation correlates to Day 28. In some cases, the meditations are also loosely inspired by the teachings of Andrew Holecek, Pema Chodron, and Eckhart Tolle.  I hope you enjoy.

Music and audio by Eric Fischer. 

Support the show

Host: Tess Callahan
Substack: Writers at the Well
Interview Podcast: Writers at the Well
Meditations on Insight Timer
Meditations on YouTube
Tess's novels: https://tesscallahan.com/
Music (unless otherwise noted above): Christopher Lloyd Clark
Audio Editing: Eric Fischer

By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show.
Thank you for listening!

DISCLAIMER: Meditation is not a substitute for professional psychological or medical healthcare or therapy. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred by you acting or not acting as a result of listening to this recording. Use the material provided at your own risk. Do not drive or operate dangerous equipment while listening. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

This is number 27 of a 30-part meditation series inspired by Adyashanti. This episode, drawn from the Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi, invites you to seek to understand yourself and others before seeking to be understood. When you understand yourself deeply, the demand that others understand you begins to melt away. Your heart and mind open, and you enjoy life more. Demanding that others understand BEFORE you try to understand them can block awakened consciousness from streaming through you. By seeking to understand, you open energetic pathways within yourself through which your own insight can flow.

These practices build on each other, so you can listen consecutively, but if there is one in particular that speaks to you, feel free to stick with it. Based on the teachings of Adyashanti, they can be used alone or as a companion to his audio series, The 30-Day Wake Up Challenge, or his book, The Direct Way: 30 Practices to Evoke Awakening. This meditation correlates to Day 27. In some cases, the meditations are also loosely inspired by the teachings of Andrew Holecek, Pema Chodron, and Eckhart Tolle.  I hope you enjoy.

Music: Lovingkindness by Six Missing (used with permission).

Audio: Eric Fischer. 

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
 where there is hatred, let me sow love;
 where there is injury, pardon;
 where there is doubt, faith;
 where there is despair, hope;
 where there is darkness, light;
 where there is sadness, joy.
 O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
 to be consoled as to console,
 to be understood as to understand,
 to be loved as to love.
 For it is in giving that we receive,
 it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
 and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

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Host: Tess Callahan
Substack: Writers at the Well
Interview Podcast: Writers at the Well
Meditations on Insight Timer
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Tess's novels: https://tesscallahan.com/
Music (unless otherwise noted above): Christopher Lloyd Clark
Audio Editing: Eric Fischer

By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show.
Thank you for listening!

DISCLAIMER: Meditation is not a substitute for professional psychological or medical healthcare or therapy. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred by you acting or not acting as a result of listening to this recording. Use the material provided at your own risk. Do not drive or operate dangerous equipment while listening. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

This is number 26 of a 30-part meditation series inspired by Adyashanti. This episode invites you to bring a sense of spaciousness into your conversations, to get curious about the tiny but impactful turns inherent to all dialogue, and to bring an intention for peace into those moments. It's a practice of deep listening to yourself and another.

These practices build on each other, so you can listen consecutively, but if there is one in particular that speaks to you, feel free to stick with it. Based on the teachings of Adyashanti, they can be used alone or as a companion to his audio series, The 30-Day Wake Up Challenge, or his book, The Direct Way: 30 Practices to Evoke Awakening. This meditation correlates to Day 26. In some cases, the meditations are also loosely inspired by the teachings of Andrew Holecek, Pema Chodron, and Eckhart Tolle.  I hope you enjoy.

Music and audio by the stupendous Eric Fischer. 

Support the show

Host: Tess Callahan
Substack: Writers at the Well
Interview Podcast: Writers at the Well
Meditations on Insight Timer
Meditations on YouTube
Tess's novels: https://tesscallahan.com/
Music (unless otherwise noted above): Christopher Lloyd Clark
Audio Editing: Eric Fischer

By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show.
Thank you for listening!

DISCLAIMER: Meditation is not a substitute for professional psychological or medical healthcare or therapy. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred by you acting or not acting as a result of listening to this recording. Use the material provided at your own risk. Do not drive or operate dangerous equipment while listening. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

This is number 25 of a 30-part meditation series inspired by Adyashanti. It includes some imagery of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, but it's not necessary to be Christian to enjoy the metaphor. My previous episode was about telling the truth, but truth without love is hollow. Here you are invited walk through your day leading with your heart -- a simple but utterly transformative experience. I hope you enjoy.

These practices build on each other, so you can listen consecutively, but if there is one in particular that speaks to you, feel free to stick with it. Based on the teachings of Adyashanti, they can be used alone or as a companion to his audio series, The 30-Day Wake Up Challenge, or his book, The Direct Way: 30 Practices to Evoke Awakening. This meditation correlates to Day 25. In some cases, the meditations are also loosely inspired by the teachings of Andrew Holecek, Pema Chodron, and Eckhart Tolle.  I hope you enjoy.

Support the show

Host: Tess Callahan
Substack: Writers at the Well
Interview Podcast: Writers at the Well
Meditations on Insight Timer
Meditations on YouTube
Tess's novels: https://tesscallahan.com/
Music (unless otherwise noted above): Christopher Lloyd Clark
Audio Editing: Eric Fischer

By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show.
Thank you for listening!

DISCLAIMER: Meditation is not a substitute for professional psychological or medical healthcare or therapy. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred by you acting or not acting as a result of listening to this recording. Use the material provided at your own risk. Do not drive or operate dangerous equipment while listening. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.

This is number 24 of a 30-part meditation series inspired by Adyashanti. This episode invites you to do something radical, namely to tell the truth, with kindness, all day today, both in your conversations and in your head. As we seek to grow, we often confront holdouts, those parts of us that aren’t sure they want to change. Noticing when we shade or twist the truth brings us to the cutting edge of our growth, the nitty gritty of enlightenment. If being authentic evokes fear, get curious. Lean into what's happening inside you. Telling the truth is a deceptively simple and incredibly powerful tool for spiritual growth.

These practices build on each other, so you can listen consecutively, but if there is one in particular that speaks to you, feel free to stick with it. Based on the teachings of Adyashanti, they can be used alone or as a companion to his audio series, The 30-Day Wake Up Challenge, or his book, The Direct Way: 30 Practices to Evoke Awakening. This meditation correlates to Day 24. In some cases, the meditations are also loosely inspired by the teachings of Andrew Holecek, Pema Chodron, and Eckhart Tolle.  I hope you enjoy.

Audio by Eric Fischer.

Support the show

Host: Tess Callahan
Substack: Writers at the Well
Interview Podcast: Writers at the Well
Meditations on Insight Timer
Meditations on YouTube
Tess's novels: https://tesscallahan.com/
Music (unless otherwise noted above): Christopher Lloyd Clark
Audio Editing: Eric Fischer

By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show.
Thank you for listening!

DISCLAIMER: Meditation is not a substitute for professional psychological or medical healthcare or therapy. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred by you acting or not acting as a result of listening to this recording. Use the material provided at your own risk. Do not drive or operate dangerous equipment while listening. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or the management.