You know when you're trying to relax and your mind starts reminding you of ALL the things you need to do? Suddenly you remember 10 things to add to your grocery list, and that you forgot the form for school and to respond to your friend's text and what are we even having for dinner tonight and did I remember to send that email at work? Let’s chat about how meditation has helped me stop the constant ticker running through my head to find some peace. I’m Amy Jackson. Let’s settle in and get started.

I'd love to help you bring meditation into your life in ways that make sense for you and your schedule just in time for the school year to start. I’m offering a Meditation Workshop on August 11, 2022 where I'll show you how to take a break from the constant mental to-do list and find some peace. It’s perfect for beginners, and the best part is that you can join me at The Perch or through Zoom! Register here: https://theperchplace.myshopify.com/products/meditation-workshop

This podcast is brought to you by The Perch, a soul care organization in Aurora, IL. To find out about my workshops, classes, and products, head to my website now: theperchplace.com.

I like bubble baths a lot, especially in one of these deep tubs. But somehow luxurious bubble baths got equated with self care, and that’s just not the truth. Let’s dive into the kind of self care that’s so good but may not feel so luxurious. I’m Amy Jackson. Let’s settle in and get started.

This podcast is brought to you by The Perch, a soul care organization in Aurora, IL. To find out about my workshops, classes, and products, head to my website now: theperchplace.com.

It’s vacation season! Have you ever gone on vacation desperately in need of a refresh, but then returned home feeling the same, or maybe worse than when you left? It takes intentionality to make vacations actually restful. Let’s dive into several practical steps we can take to make our vacations good for our souls. I’m Amy Jackson. Let’s settle in, and get started.

This podcast is brought to you by The Perch, a soul care organization in Aurora, IL. To find out about my workshops, classes, and products, head to my website now: theperchplace.com.

Friend, you are worthy of self care. You deserve self care. And Self care really can fit into your life. In this guided meditation, you’ll reflect on the activities and practices that help bring peace and calm into your life. You can be seated, lying down, or even standing—whatever feels best to you. I’m Amy Jackson. Let’s settle in and get started.

This podcast is brought to you by The Perch, a soul care organization in Aurora, IL. To find out about my workshops, classes, and products, head to my website now: theperchplace.com.

I’ve noticed lately that we’ve taken self care and made it mean expensive, time-intensive activities that simply aren’t accessible for most people. I think we’ve got the wrong idea about self care, and I want to set the record straight. I’m Amy Jackson. Let’s settle in and get started.

This podcast is brought to you by The Perch, a soul care organization in Aurora, IL. To find out about my workshops, classes, and products, head to my website now: theperchplace.com.

I'd love to hear what you're doing to feel more grounded this summer! Share with me in a DM on social media or send me an email: [email protected]. I'd love to hear from you! If you'd like to get my Self-Reflection Deck or my book Unhurried (both mentioned in this podcast), you can purchase them on my website! https://theperchplace.myshopify.com/

This podcast is brought to you by The Perch, a soul care organization in Aurora, IL. To find out about my workshops, classes, and products, head to my website now: theperchplace.com.

With so much going on in the world, more and more people are experiencing anxiety on a regular basis. If you’re feeling anxious today, you’re not alone, and there’s nothing wrong with you. Anxiety is a normal bodily response. It’s our body’s way of letting us know there’s a threat. But sometimes our anxiety can be a little overactive—like when it sticks around after the threat is gone, or when there never was a threat. Let’s take a break today and see if we can release some of this anxiety. You can do this meditation seated or lying down, whichever would feel more comfortable to you. More than anything, I invite you to find a position that will allow you to relax and focus. I’m Amy Jackson. Let’s settle in, and get started.

Suggested Resources:

This podcast is brought to you by The Perch, a soul care organization in Aurora, IL. To find out about my workshops, classes, and products, head to my website now: theperchplace.com.

When I feel overwhelmed by all I want to accomplish in a day, I find it especially helpful to pause and simply take a break. It’s a gentle reminder to myself that I am a human being, not a machine. It’s good to take a break! You can do this meditation seated comfortably or even lying down. Just choose a posture that will help you focus rather than be a distraction. I’m Amy Jackson. Let’s settle in and get started.

Suggested Resources:

This podcast is brought to you by The Perch, a soul care organization in Aurora, IL. To find out about my workshops, classes, and products, head to my website now: theperchplace.com.

During the early days of the pandemic, when everything felt a bit surreal, I created a simple coffee ritual to help me feel grounded in a tumultuous time. I didn’t always know what time I’d make my coffee, but I knew I’d make it at some point, and this simple moment helped me feel more at ease and focused in a way I desperately needed. Today I offer it to you in a guided meditation form. Get your coffee brewing right now. I’m Amy Jackson. Let’s settle in, and get started.

Suggested Resources:

Unhurried: A 52-Week Meditiative Bible Reading Guide

Mindful Mornings Notepad

This podcast is brought to you by The Perch, a soul care organization in Aurora, IL. To find out about my workshops, classes, and products, head to my website now: theperchplace.com.

To kick off this podcast, I want to give you a peek behind the scenes. I’m Amy Jackson. Let’s settle in and get started.

I started The Perch in 2017 to be a resting place where people could discover and practice soul care. For me, soul care is all those things we do to help us live the healthy, thriving lives of purpose we were created for. It’s moving our bodies and taking breaks and getting enough water and prayer and connecting with others and healing past trauma and discovering our true identity. It’s taking care of our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.

Soul care became really important in my life about 15 years ago when I was a minister at a church and I found myself completely burned out. Worse, I felt a lot of shame about being burned out. Shouldn’t I know how to combat burnout? Shouldn’t I, as a minister, know how to connect deeply with God, myself, and others to prevent burnout?

Well, in case you haven’t learned this yet, shoulds are liars. The truth is that I hadn’t learned the rhythms of soul care. I’d learned how to do a lot of things, but I hadn’t learned how to refill my soul in a holistic way. And there’s no shame in needing to learn.

What I discovered in my search was that for centuries Christians have done all sorts of practices that refilled them and refueled them and connected them to God, themselves, and others—but I’d never heard of these practices. Ancient contemplative practices like lectio divina and Scripture meditation. Ancient corporate practices like lament. Even ancient ways of praying like breath prayer. They were all new to me, and I started trying them as I learned about them.

Here's what I’ve learned since then: we were created to need rest. Rest is good. Rest is not a distraction or a burden. It’s a beautiful gift that’s meant to be opened every day. And rest is not just physical: it’s mental, emotional, sensory, and relational too. To put it bluntly: we all need to press pause—every single day.

That’s why I created The Perch as a place to rest, find peace, and experience transformation. Through workshops, yoga classes, retreats, and more, I love providing a space for people to focus on soul care and walk away feeling relaxed, refreshed, and refilled. And this podcast is an extension of The Perch.

My hope with this podcast is to help you press pause in meaningful ways. You’ll find guided meditations, ideas for engaging soul care in your own life, and tips I’ve learned along the way for staying grounded and connected.

You’ll find that some episodes pull from my Christian faith and others don’t. My goal is to make every episode accessible to people of faith, of no faith, and everywhere in between.

Let’s take a deep breath in and out together right now. We can always use a reminder to stop and breathe.

Friend, I’m so glad you’re here on this journey with me. Today as you go about your day, may you know you are deeply loved, and may you experience a bone-deep peace. Amen.

This podcast is brought to you by The Perch, a soul care organization in Aurora, IL. To find out about my workshops, classes, and products, head to my website now: theperchplace.com.