Our Mindful Nature: Meditation Inspired by Nature to Soothe the Overwhelmed Mind and Ease Anxiety

The Fall Equinox is a time of balance, and today's episode is a practice devoted to cultivating this balance for the colder, darker months ahead.

Join guest host Eve Payor from Singing Pines as she guides you through an authentic forest bathing experience rooted in the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku. This isn't about hiking or exercising—it's about mindfully receiving nature's healing gifts through all your senses.

What You'll Experience:

• Complete guided forest bathing session you can do anywhere—even indoors
• Scientific evidence behind nature therapy's powerful health benefits
• Sensory awareness practices connecting you to the "more than human world"
• Three focused invitations: observing motion, connecting with water, and greeting trees
• Reflection opportunities and journaling prompts throughout

The Science Behind Forest Bathing

Research led by Professor Yoshifumi Miyazaki at Chiba University reveals forest bathing:

• Significantly lowers stress hormones, blood pressure, and heart rate
• Boosts immune system through phytoncides (tree essential oils)
• Increases natural killer (NK) cells that fight infections and tumors
• Improves cognitive function, memory, and creativity
• Reduces risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease
• Enhances mood through negative ions found near water sources

Perfect For:

• Those wanting to mark the Fall Equinox in a meaningful way
• Anyone seeking natural stress relief and anxiety reduction
• People interested in science-backed wellness practices
• Those wanting to deepen their connection to nature
• Beginners to forest bathing and nature therapy
• Anyone needing a mindful break from urban overwhelm

What You'll Need:

• Access to any natural space (forest, park, or even potted plants)
• Optional: journal for reflection
• Optional: cup of tea for the closing ceremony
• Willingness to slow down and be present

Practice Highlights:

This episode includes a full 30-minute forest bathing experience with guided sensory awareness, three distinct nature connection invitations, and built-in reflection time. Eve's gentle guidance helps you discover the healing power of simply being present with the natural world.

Ready to experience the profound healing of forest bathing? Find your favorite natural space, grab a journal if you'd like, and join Eve for this transformative journey into mindful nature connection.

About Guest Host Eve Payor:

Eve is a certified guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy and founder of Singing Pines, dedicated to sharing Mother Earth's healing power through guided nature experiences.

Learn more and sign up for Nature's Reflection: A Meditation and Forest Bathing Retreat happening October 23 - 26 here: https://www.hambidge.org/workshop-schedule/natures-reflection-a-meditation-and-forest-bathing-retreat

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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/itsbriannanielsen

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.

In this third installment of the "Steadiness of Stone" series, host Meryl Arnett guides us through a fascinating exploration of time's flexible nature and how meditation reveals timeless awareness beyond our everyday linear experience.

What You'll Discover:

• Why Einstein and modern physics prove time is relative - and how meditation shows us this truth
• The difference between chronos (chronological time) and kairos (mythic, timeless moments)
• How dreams operate outside linear time and what this teaches us about consciousness
• Why expecting specific outcomes from meditation leads to disappointment
• How to recognize and fall into timeless states during your practice

Featured Meditation Practice:

Experience a unique circular breathing technique designed to help you step out of linear time progression and into expansive, timeless awareness. This 15-minute guided practice uses breath visualization to move from linear spine breathing to circular flow, ultimately releasing into pure presence.

Key Takeaways:

• Meditation naturally reveals time's fluid, relative nature
• Some insights come as sudden knowing beyond logical progression
• Timeless states can't be forced but emerge through consistent, non-expectant practice
• Both anxiety-filled and blissful meditations demonstrate time's flexibility
• Circular time and loop theory suggest past and future may be illusions

Perfect For:

Meditators curious about the deeper mysteries of consciousness, anyone struggling with time anxiety or meditation expectations, and those interested in how ancient wisdom aligns with modern physics.

Resources Mentioned:

Carlo Rovelli (Italian physicist)

"Divination and Synchronicity: The Psychology of Meaningful Chance" (Jungian psychology)

Poem: "The Three Oddest Words" by Wislawa Szymborska

Ready to explore timeless awareness? Grab your favorite tea, find a comfortable seat, and join Meryl for this mind-expanding journey beyond the ticking clock.

Learn more and sign up for Nature's Reflection: A Meditation and Forest Bathing Retreat happening October 23 - 26 here: https://www.hambidge.org/workshop-schedule/natures-reflection-a-meditation-and-forest-bathing-retreat

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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/itsbriannanielsen

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.

Just The Meditation

So many of us approach meditation with pressure, rules, and expectations—only to feel more overwhelmed than connected. In today's meditation practice, we explore a fresh, nature-inspired perspective on meditation that expands time, deepens your connection to the present moment, and helps you discover your personal “now.”

Press play now and join me.

Learn more and sign up for Nature's Reflection: A Meditation and Forest Bathing Retreat happening October 23 - 26 here: https://www.hambidge.org/workshop-schedule/natures-reflection-a-meditation-and-forest-bathing-retreat

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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/itsbriannanielsen

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.

What if your experience of time could actually shift the way you feel your anxiety?

So many of us approach meditation with pressure, rules, and expectations—only to feel more overwhelmed than connected. In this episode, we explore a fresh, nature-inspired perspective on meditation that expands time, deepens your connection to the present moment, and helps you discover your personal “now.”

You’ll learn how shifting your relationship to time can transform your mental health and create more resilience, even when life feels fast and chaotic.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

Why anxiety eases when you stop chasing the “perfect” meditation practice.

How sitting still expands your personal now and builds inner resilience.

A grounded, nature-inspired way to feel more connected and less overwhelmed.

Listen now to step into meditation with freedom instead of pressure—and discover a deeply personal path to mental health and connection.

Learn more and sign up for Nature's Reflection: A Meditation and Forest Bathing Retreat happening October 23 - 26 here: https://www.hambidge.org/workshop-schedule/natures-reflection-a-meditation-and-forest-bathing-retreat

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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/itsbriannanielsen

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.

For the Full Harvest Moon: A Moonlight Bathing Meditation

In this episode, you’ll be guided through a gentle, nature-inspired meditation practice designed to honor the full Harvest Moon, ease feelings of overwhelm, nurture resilience, and deepen your sense of connection with yourself and the world around you. Using the power of moonlight, breath, and stillness, you’ll discover how simple moments outdoors can profoundly support your mental health.

Take a pause, step outside, and let this moonlit meditation guide you into peace and clarity—listen now and feel the shift.

Learn more and sign up for Nature's Reflection: A Meditation and Forest Bathing Retreat happening October 23 - 26 here: https://www.hambidge.org/workshop-schedule/natures-reflection-a-meditation-and-forest-bathing-retreat

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

Thank you to Gordon Hempton for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:

https://soundtracker.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen

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.

What if the way you think about time is actually feeding your anxiety?

In this episode, we explore how meditation can shift your relationship with time—freeing you from the pressure of the clock and helping you feel more grounded, connected, and resilient. Instead of rushing through moments or relying on timers, this practice invites you to sit with stillness and discover a timeless space within yourself.

You’ll walk away with:

A nature-inspired perspective on time that reduces feelings of being overwhelmed. Today's nature sounds come from the Eastern Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest.

A meditation approach that creates mental health benefits by slowing down anxiety.

Practical ways to build resilience and deepen your connection through timeless practice.

Take a breath, let go of the ticking clock, and discover how meditation can transform your experience of time—press play to begin.

Learn more and sign up for Nature's Reflection: A Meditation and Forest Bathing Retreat happening October 23 - 26 here: https://www.hambidge.org/workshop-schedule/natures-reflection-a-meditation-and-forest-bathing-retreat

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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/itsbriannanielsen

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.

Are you lying awake at night, overwhelmed by racing thoughts and rising anxiety?

This episode guides you through a meditation practice designed to ease tension, quiet the mind, and help you melt into deep, restorative sleep.

Instead of battling your body or forcing your breath, you’ll discover how meditation, connection to nature-inspired imagery, and gentle awareness can transform anxiety into calm and resilience—supporting your mental health in a way that feels natural and sustainable.

In this practice, you’ll experience how to:

Release stress and tension from head to toe through mindful breathwork.

Build a circle of calm and safety to soothe anxiety and support sleep.

Strengthen your resilience by connecting to the flow of breath as a grounding anchor.

Drift into peace and connection—tune in now to discover how meditation can help you quiet anxiety and embrace rest.

Learn more and sign up for Nature's Reflection: A Meditation and Forest Bathing Retreat happening October 23 - 26 here: https://www.hambidge.org/workshop-schedule/natures-reflection-a-meditation-and-forest-bathing-retreat

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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/itsbriannanielsen

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.

A New Moon Meditation

This short guided moon meditation offers you a gentle practice to pause, connect with nature, and find resilience in stillness.

Too often, when anxiety hits, we look for quick fixes or distractions. But what if the answer lies in slowing down, syncing with your breath, and connecting to something bigger than yourself—the rhythm of the natural world?

In this 5-minute moon meditation, you’ll discover:

How to use breath awareness to release anxiety and tension.

The power of connecting with nature to restore mental health and inner balance.

A simple nighttime practice that strengthens resilience when you feel overwhelmed.

Take this moment for yourself. Press play now and let meditation guide you back to calm, connection, and peace.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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/itsbriannanielsen

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.

Is overwhelm or anxiety causing sleep struggles?

It’s frustrating to lie in bed, mind racing, despite your best efforts to relax. But what if your meditation practice is missing the one thing that could truly settle your nervous system—nature-inspired simplicity?

In this nature-inspired guided nighttime session, you’ll be gently led through a calming journey of sound, breath, and progressive muscle relaxation, all set to the soft, slow rhythms of snowy crickets in Eastern Washington. Designed for anyone navigating anxiety, stress, or sleep struggles, this episode brings intentional stillness back into your life.

You’ll discover:

A simple yet powerful method to release tension from every part of your body.

A nature-based sensory experience that promotes deeper mind-body connection.

A meditative sleep ritual that helps ease anxiety and build emotional resilience.

Press play and let your breath—and the crickets—guide you into calm.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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/itsbriannanielsen

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.

Ever felt like meditation isn’t working for your anxiety?

You’re not alone. Many people try to sit in silence only to find their thoughts racing, their bodies tense, and their minds stuck on daily stressors. But what if the secret to easing anxiety was letting nature do the heavy lifting?

In this episode, we guide you through a sensory journey deep into the Amazon rainforest—blending progressive muscle relaxation, mindful body scanning, and the sounds of the wild to create a calm that lasts long after the practice ends.

By the end, you’ll discover:

How to release physical tension step-by-step so your mind naturally follows into calm.

Why connecting with nature-inspired soundscapes can restore mental clarity and resilience.

The simple meditation cues that can anchor you when feeling overwhelmed.

Let this immersive practice help you trade anxious restlessness for deep, grounded stillness—press play and breathe easier tonight.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.

New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).

Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/.

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/itsbriannanielsen

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.