Happy New Year and welcome back to Our Mindful Nature, where we explore the intersection of meditation, nature, and mental health. Let’s start the year by diving into a fresh, gentler perspective on mindfulness — or should we say, heartfulness?

In this episode, I share a thought that’s been swirling in my mind: what if we reframed our practice? While in the West, meditation is often translated as “mindfulness,” the original Pali word aligns more closely with the concept of “heartfulness.” Imagine how this shift might change the way we experience meditation practice and life.

What We Discuss in This Episode:

• Why mindfulness in the West focuses so much on the intellect and how this reflects our cultural values.
• The richness of practicing from the heart: a softer, more embodied approach.
• How heartfulness isn’t just about sitting on a cushion but about cultivating a way of being.
• Simple, actionable steps to embrace heart-awareness in your practice.

A Guided Practice:

We’ll close the episode with a short nature-based meditation to explore heartfulness together. Feel the warmth of the season and settle into a sense of connection with your inner landscape.

Tune in to explore a gentler, more heartfelt way to nurture your mental health, connect with nature, and deepen your meditation practice.

Let’s Connect:

Enjoyed the episode? Let us know your thoughts! Share your reflections on social media and tag us at @merylarnett.

Ready to embrace heartfulness? Hit play and let’s journey inward together.

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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:

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

This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.