Meditation Inspiration

By Katie Austin

Welcome to Meditation Inspiration! This podcast is here to inspire you with stories from meditators from around the world, to either start a meditation practice or to keep one going. I will be asking ... more

Download on the App Store

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

FAQs about Meditation Inspiration:

How many episodes does Meditation Inspiration have?

The podcast currently has 34 episodes available.

Meditation Inspiration episodes:

July 31, 202634. Compassion: Kindness in the face of difficulty
In this episode, Katie talks about the topic of compassion. Compassion is when kindness meets difficult in our life.
The topics we cover are:
What is compassion?
The three components of self-compassion.
What stops us being compassionate to ourselves.
The two sides of compassion - fierce and tender compassion.
Being compassionate to others.
Practices that help us develop compassion.

Here are the links mentioned in the episode:
- Katie's free 35min Intro to Mindfulness Session > https://www.katieaustinmindfulness.co.uk/free-mini-intro-to-mindfulness
- Katie's online mindfulness community > https://www.katieaustinmindfulness.co.uk/online-mindfulness-practice-community
- Summer Slow Down Session in Cornwall > https://www.katieaustinmindfulness.co.uk/slow-down-yoga-session
- Autumn 8 Week Mindfulness Course in Newquay, Cornwall >
https://www.katieaustinmindfulness.co.uk/finding-peace-in-a-frantic-world-mindfulness-course
...more
29min
July 03, 202633. Befriending ourselves and others
In this episode, Katie talks about cultivating the quality of befriending in our lives through mindfulness and meditation practices to support our wellbeing and relationships with others.
In the episode we discuss:
What do we mean by befriending?
The science backing up the benefits of befriending practices.
How we can cultivate this quality of heart and mind through mindfulness?
What loving-kindness or metta meditation practice is.
The buddhist roots of befriending and the brahma viharas.
The difference between befriending and compassion.
If you are interested in joining the online befriending workshop mentioned in the episode you can join here.
If you are interested in joining my in-person Slow Down Session on 31st August 2026 you can join here.
One article I enjoyed reading about the research base around loving-kindness meditation can be found here and here.
The teachers I mentioned in the podcast were Christina Feldman and Sharon Salzburg.
---
About the show host, Katie Austin...
I am mindfulness meditation and yoga teacher based in Cornwall in the UK and I am trained through Bangor University to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This is an evidence-based 8 week mindfulness course that draws from the ancient wisdom of Buddhist meditation, modern psychology and neuroscience to support you to shift your relationship to stress in your life to reduce unnecessary struggle and experience greater peace and ease.
You can find out more about me and my offerings here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.katieaustinmindfulness.co.uk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
---
Find a Mindfulness-Based Course Teacher in the UK (also lots of online teachers for those not in the UK), a great place to look is the BAMBA website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bamba.org.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ BAMBA stands for British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches.
----
New episodes are released every two weeks or so! Happy listening, happy meditating.
...more
29min
June 16, 202632. Julia McCabe: Meditation as mental resilience training.
In this week's episode Katie talks to yoga teacher of 20+ years and yoga teacher trainer, Julia McCabe, who lives in Western Canada. Julia is currently studying a masters in Neuroscience, Psychology and Mental Health at King’s College, London.
In this episode we talk about:
Julia’s challenging first contact with meditation.
Resistance being normal when learning meditation.
What happens to our brain when we meditate.
The research backing up compassion over excessive empathy.
How movement and breath work can support stiller meditation.
Check out Julia's amazing digital yoga, breath work and meditation studio here ➡️https://juliamccabe.com/digitalstudio/
And find her next neuro-informed breath work teacher training here ➡️ https://juliamccabe.com/education/
---
About the show host, Katie Austin...
Katie is a mindfulness meditation and yoga teacher based in Cornwall in the UK. She is trained through Bangor University to teach evidence-based mindfulness courses that draw from the ancient wisdom of Buddhist meditation, modern psychology and neuroscience to support you to shift your relationship to stress in your life to reduce unnecessary struggle and experience greater peace and ease.
You can find out more about Katie and her offerings here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.katieaustinmindfulness.co.uk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
----
New episodes are released every two weeks or so on Wednesdays! Happy listening, happy meditating.
...more
45min
June 03, 202631. Acceptance - Seeing things clearly
In this episode, Katie talks about the mindful attitude of acceptance, how it can support our lives and how we can cultivate it through mindfulness practices.
The topics covered are...
Acceptance isn't passive resignation.
Acceptance is the first step towards appropriate action.
How acceptance supported Katie working with the tiredness of being a new Mum.
How mindfulness has supported Katie to accept her body.
How acceptance can support the experience of pain.
---
About the show host, Katie Austin...
I am mindfulness meditation and yoga teacher based in Cornwall in the UK and I am trained through Bangor University to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This is an evidence-based 8 week mindfulness course that draws from the ancient wisdom of Buddhist meditation, modern psychology and neuroscience to support you to shift your relationship to stress in your life to reduce unnecessary struggle and experience greater peace and ease.
You can find out more about me and my offerings here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.katieaustinmindfulness.co.uk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
---
Find a Mindfulness-Based Course Teacher in the UK (also lots of online teachers for those not in the UK), a great place to look is the BAMBA website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bamba.org.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ BAMBA stands for British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches.
----
New episodes are released every two weeks or so! Happy listening, happy meditating.
...more
23min
May 20, 202630. Jessi Hill: Meditation as a support for chronic pain.
Nature Well Course facilitator Jessi Hill joins Katie for a conversation about all thinks mindfulness with a particular focus on how mindfulness has supported Jessi to navigate their experience of chronic pain.
In this episode we discuss:
Being introduced to mindfulness through a therapist.
The difference between practicing in a group and solo.
Jessi’s experience of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course.
How meditation has supported Jessi in reducing his physical pain.
Discovering the value of meditating regularly.
The support of a varied toolbox of different meditation practices.
Ways to connect with Jessi:
Personal Instagram ➡️ @jessi.in.the.wild
Nature Well Instagram ➡️ @waterandwilds
...more
39min
May 08, 202629. Beginner's Mind - Seeing through alien eyes
In this week’s episode Katie explores the attitude of beginner’s mind and how it can support bringing back the vividness and colour to our lives.
We talk about:
How imagining you are an alien can help tap into this attitude.
The upsides and downsides of the autopilot mode.
How beginner’s mind can support our relationships
Lesson from seeing through the eyes of a child.
How beginner’s mind can bring freshness to our mediation practice.
If you want to explore this topic in more depth, you can join Katie's next online practice circle on Beginner's mind on Monday 11th May here through her online community membership.
If you are in Cornwall, you can book onto Katie's next 3 Week Introducing Mindfulness Course here.
...more
23min
April 24, 202628. Kareen Griffiths: Bringing mindfulness to life through music.
In this episode, Katie speaks to mindfulness teacher, speaker, advocate of mental health, music lover & mindful DJ, Kareen Griffiths.
Katie met Kareen when she facilitated a mindful DJ set at the International Conference to Mindfulness.
In the episode we talk about:
Kareen’s passion for listening to music as a mindfulness activity.
How Kareen shares music in her workshops and classes as an accessible doorway to mindfulness.
Talking about how we can make mindfulness more accessible.
The importance of making mindfulness less heavy and more fun!
How Kareen’s mindfulness practice began with an invidual journey supported by reading.
How mindfulness supports Kareen to let go of worries and anxieties.
Links to connect with Kareen...
Kareen’s next event in Birmingham: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/celebrate-yourself-summer-party-tickets-1983629153195
Kareen’s linkedin where you can contact her about hosting an event for your team: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kareengriffiths/
Kareen’s website where you can contact her about hosting an event for your team: https://calmify.co.uk/
Kareen’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kareenmay__/
Kareen’s mix cloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/KareenM/
...more
48min
April 03, 202627. Patience: Increasing our tolerance for impatience and boredom
In this week's episode, Katie talks about the attitude of patience and how we can cultivate it in our mindfulness practice and lives.
In this episode, she talks about:
The traditional definition of patience and her own definition.
How we can practically cultivate patience in our meditation practice.
Why patience is helpful in our lives.
Examples of how cultivating patience can support our relationships.
How patience supports our relationship with our bodies when illness and tiredness show up.
How patience is helpful when we are learning something new.
Natures wisdom on how things unfold in their own time.
Check out Jon Kabat Zinn's short video on the attitude of patience here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkW27a8m1mY
And also I recommend reading the chapter on the Attitudinal Foundations in Jon Kabat Zinn's book Full Catastrophe Living if you enjoyed this topic.
---
About the show host, Katie Austin...
I am mindfulness meditation and yoga teacher based in Cornwall in the UK and I am trained through Bangor University to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This is an evidence-based 8 week mindfulness course that draws from the ancient wisdom of Buddhist meditation, modern psychology and neuroscience to support you to shift your relationship to stress in your life to reduce unnecessary struggle and experience greater peace and ease.
You can find out more about me and my offerings here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.katieaustinmindfulness.co.uk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
---
Find a Mindfulness-Based Course Teacher in the UK (also lots of online teachers for those not in the UK), a great place to look is the BAMBA website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bamba.org.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ BAMBA stands for British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches.
----
New episodes are released every two weeks or so! Happy listening, happy meditating.
...more
33min
March 20, 202626. Sharon O'Sullivan: Meditation as a yoga therapist, physiotherapist and mum.
In this week's episode, Katie speaks to physiotherapist and yoga therapist Sharon O'Sullivan about her longstanding meditation practice and how meditation is woven into her work supporting people recovering from physical injury, stress management and burnout recovery and prevention.
In this episode we discuss:
Discovering meditation through yoga at university when she was 18.
The crossovers between yoga, meditation and physiotherapy.
Sharon’s life changing experience of a 10 day silent meditation retreat.
Explaining where meditation sits within the 8 limbs of yoga.
How her meditation practice supported her through a traumatic birth experience.
How yoga and meditation supports her busy life as a mum and business owner.
You can connect with Sharon's work here: https://sos-therapies.com/
Here are the details for Sharon and Katie's next yoga and mindfulness retreat in Nov 2026 in Cornwall: https://www.katieaustinmindfulness.co.uk/yoga-mindfulness-retreat-cornwall-2026
...more
54min
March 06, 202625. Non-judgment.
In this episode, Katie talks about the attitude of non-judgment in mindfulness practice. This is a fundamental quality of mindfulness that supports us to bring more kindness and clear seeing to our lives.
In this episode we discuss:
What is non-judgment?
How judgements can be helpful in many ways.
How to mindfully let go of unhelpful self-judgments
Non-judgment as a support to our relationships.
How to work with preferences towards different meditations.
---
About the show host, Katie Austin...
I am mindfulness meditation and yoga teacher based in Cornwall in the UK and I am trained through Bangor University to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This is an evidence-based 8 week mindfulness course that draws from the ancient wisdom of Buddhist meditation, modern psychology and neuroscience to support you to shift your relationship to stress in your life to reduce unnecessary struggle and experience greater peace and ease.
You can find out more about me and my offerings here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.katieaustinmindfulness.co.uk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
---
Find a Mindfulness-Based Course Teacher in the UK (also lots of online teachers for those not in the UK), a great place to look is the BAMBA website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bamba.org.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ BAMBA stands for British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches.
----
New episodes are released every two weeks or so! Happy listening, happy meditating.
...more
27min

FAQs about Meditation Inspiration:

How many episodes does Meditation Inspiration have?

The podcast currently has 34 episodes available.