Pay Attention

In this final guest episode before the summer break of Season 2, Holly McNeill, the Mindfulness Architect, welcomes Austra Putnina — a Latvian-born, Estonia-based podcaster, coach, and multi-passionate seeker of growth.

Together, Holly and Austra explore what it means to pay attention early, to notice the thoughts and patterns that shape us, and to begin moving even before we fully know where we are going.

Austra shares how curiosity, basketball, discipline, resilience, and repeated action helped her transform self-doubt into growth, reminding us that change does not happen overnight, but through small, sustainable steps taken again and again. This conversation is a joyful, heart-opening reminder that we are not stuck.

We do not have to have the whole path figured out. Sometimes the most important thing is simply to get curious, take one small step, and trust that time, practice, and awareness will do the rest.

As Holly and Austra discuss, there is no finish line to becoming — only deeper and deeper layers of clarity, courage, and self-understanding.

In this episode of Pay Attention with Holly McNeill, Holly is joined by mindfulness teacher Christoph Spiessens and CBT therapist Liezl Laidlaw to explore a powerful truth: mindfulness is not one-size-fits-all.

Together, they unpack why traditional approaches can unintentionally exclude many people—especially those who are neurodivergent—and how we can begin to approach mindfulness with more flexibility, curiosity, and self-trust.

From movement-based practices to rethinking the breath as an anchor, this conversation opens the door to a more inclusive, compassionate way of paying attention.

One that gives you permission to find what actually works for you. If you've ever felt like you were "failing" at mindfulness, this episode will change how you see the practice—and yourself.

What does it truly mean to live a practice? In this deeply grounded and reflective episode of Pay Attention, Holly reconnects with meditation teacher Mark Nunberg of Common Ground Meditation Center in Minneapolis —a place that played a meaningful role in her own journey. Together, they explore the unfolding path of contemplative practice—not as a concept, but as a way of living. Mark shares how his early questioning of success and purpose led him to Buddhism and insight meditation, and how over three decades of teaching have revealed a simple but profound truth: clarity doesn't come from thinking more—it comes from seeing clearly. In this conversation, you'll discover:

• What it really means to live a practice—not just do one
• How awareness matures through small, consistent inroads
• Why suffering (dukkha) can be a doorway rather than a problem
• How thoughts lose their power when they are seen clearly
• The shift from identifying with the mind to observing it
• What liberation actually points to—and how it's available in everyday life
• Mark reminds us that the goal isn't to eliminate thoughts, but to change our relationship to them—and that real transformation happens not through force, but through awareness.

If you've ever felt lost, overwhelmed by your thoughts, or curious about what lies beyond the "chaos of the mind," this conversation offers a grounded and accessible path forward.

Did you know 22 veterans take their lives every day in the U.S.? In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Pay Attention, Holly sits down with Maria Gonzalez to explore the hidden toll of trauma on veterans and their families. Maria shares her family's journey through years of chronic pain, emotional volatility, and the invisible weight of unresolved trauma that so often goes unseen. What began as physical suffering gradually revealed something much deeper—wounds that traditional treatments were not reaching. Maria speaks candidly about her husband Gabe's struggle as a disabled veteran, the terrifying moment when their family reached a breaking point, and the desperate search for help that led them to an unconventional path: psychedelic-assisted healing outside the United States. What followed was not a magic fix, but a profound shift—one that opened the door to healing, new patterns, renewed connection, and a restored desire to live. Together, Holly and Maria talk about PTSD, depression, chronic pain, caregiver trauma, and the complicated reality of loving someone who is suffering in ways you cannot fully see. They also explore the importance of preparation and integration, and why healing does not just affect the individual, but the entire family system. This episode is both heartbreaking and hopeful. It is a conversation about invisible wounds, the limits of conventional care for some people, and the possibility of transformation when the right kind of support finally reaches the root of the pain. Maria also shares how she and Gabe are now turning their experience into service through Operation Solace, helping other veterans access life-saving retreats and reminding families that they are not alone. If you have ever loved someone who was silently struggling, or if you yourself know what it feels like to search for relief and find none, this episode offers something essential: honesty, compassion, and hope.

What if recurring dreams held the key to understanding who we truly are—and what we're here to do?

In this follow-up to their first conversation on dream tending, host Holly McNeill invites dream tender and therapist Valerie Johns back for a raw and revealing live dream tending session.

If you've ever wondered who Holly really is beyond the mic, this is the episode. It's raw, unpolished, and deeply personal—and through the process, Holly learns more than she expected.

Together, Holly and Valerie explore:

· How live dream tending can reveal hidden wisdom within recurring dreams

· Why dreams often uncover unresolved identity, self-worth, and the longing for mentorship

· How the ego loses control in the dream state—and why that matters for personal growth

· How some dreams come from the collective unconscious, calling us to healing and action in the world

This isn't just a conversation—it's a vulnerable, transformative experience that invites listeners to tend their own inner landscapes with curiosity and care.

✨ Haven't listened to Part 1 yet? Go back and start there for Valerie's full introduction and insights into dream tending.

Connect with Valerie Johns: 🌐 valeriejohns.com📷 Ihttps://www.instagram.com/valeriejohnsla/ 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-johns-66155216/

To stay in the world of dreams just a bit longer, this week on Pay Attention we're going back to the archives to revisit an earlier conversation on dream tending with Valerie Johns. What if your dreams weren't random at all, but meaningful messages from the deepest parts of you? This episode originally aired in Season 1 as Episode 24. Unlike traditional dream interpretation, Valerie's approach to dream tending encourages us to form a relationship with our dreams—to listen, explore, and allow the subconscious to speak. In this conversation, Holly McNeill sits down with Valerie to explore how dreams can support emotional healing, personal clarity, and spiritual growth. Together they discuss:

• Why we forget our dreams—and how to start remembering them

• Why recurring dreams and nightmares may actually be calls for attention

• How the ego has no control in the dream world—and doesn't like it

• How some dreams may arise from the collective unconscious, pointing us toward healing and action in the world ✨ Part 2 of this conversation will re-air next week with Holly and Valerie joining live. If you're curious and don't want to wait, you can find it now in the archives as Season 1, Episode 25, where Valerie leads Holly through a live dream tending session. Connect with Valerie Johns: 🌐 valeriejohns.com 📷 / valeriejohnsla 🔗 / valerie-johns-66155216

What happens when awareness awakens inside a dream?

In this episode of Pay Attention, Holly McNeill continues her exploration of consciousness — not just in the waking world, but in the landscapes we enter each night.

She sits down with Robert Waggoner, one of the world's most respected lucid dreaming educators and former president of the International Association for the Study of Dreams, to explore what lucid dreams reveal about the deeper architecture of the mind. Lucid dreaming is more than flying or controlling dream scenes.

It is the moment we recognize, within the dream itself, that we are aware. And from that awareness, something extraordinary happens: belief shapes experience instantly.

Together, Holly and Robert explore:

What lucid dreaming truly is — and why it has been scientifically validated

How belief and expectation shape both dream reality and waking life

The role of attention and emotional stability in sustaining lucidity

The mysterious "inner awareness" that can respond from beyond the thinking mind

How lucid dreaming can support healing, insight, and creative expansion

What it means to practice "lucid living" beyond the dream state

If much of what we call identity operates below conscious awareness, the dream state may offer a rare and direct encounter with the forces shaping our lives.

As Holly often reminds her listeners: when we understand how the mind works, we begin to see where we have agency.

Tonight, as you drift to sleep, you might ask yourself — what would happen if you knew you were dreaming?

Following last week's open and expansive conversation, this episode turns gently toward something powerful: choice.

Holly sits down with psychotherapist and poet Robby Cale for a reflective conversation that begins with his spoken-word piece, "Dear Universe," and unfolds into an exploration of the stories we inherit — from our upbringing, our environment, and the identities handed to us before we ever knew we had a say.

Together, they explore perception and perspective, inherited belief systems, nervous system awareness, and the quiet but profound shift from living on autopilot to living with intention.

Because while we may not choose the story we're given, we always have agency in how we continue it. The episode closes with a live poetic reflection — a reminder that becoming the light is always an option.

Is it a mental health crisis, or is it a spiritual awakening? In this live episode of the Pay Attention Podcast, host Holly McNeill is joined by guest host Cheyenne Moore and Dr. Margaret Arnd-Caddigan to explore the intersection of spiritual awakening and mental health. We tackle the terrifying question many ask during a Kundalini awakening or deep spiritual journey: "Am I going crazy?" Cheyenne shares her first-hand account of a Kundalini energy unraveling, heart expansion, and the terrifying beauty of surrender. Dr. Margaret brings decades of psychology experience to explain how mystical experiences differ from psychosis and offers clinical discernment. Together, they examine where spiritual awakening and mental health intersect and how to navigate it wisely. If you have ever felt your world crack open and questioned your sanity, this conversation offers steady ground. You are not broken. You may be expanding. In this video, we discuss signs of spiritual awakening, the difference between mental health struggles and spiritual emergence, and how to find grounding when the soul speaks. #spiritualawakening #kundalini #mentalhealth #psychology #payattentionpodcast #healingjourney #consciousness

In this episode of Pay Attention, Holly sits down with Clare Johnson, PhD, one of the world's leading voices in lucid dreaming, for a deep conversation about the dream world.

Discover how conscious dreaming can be a powerful gateway to healing, insight, and awareness.

Key Topics Discussed in This Video: Healing Through Dreams: How the dream world serves as a powerful space for emotional healing and self-discovery.

Overcoming Trauma: Dr. Clare shares how lucid dreaming helps resolve nightmares, grief, anxiety, and long-held emotional patterns.

Conscious Engagement: Learning to work with the subconscious mind rather than trying to control it forcefully.

The Science of Sleep: A deep dive into REM sleep, hypnagogic states, and why awareness persists even in deep rest.

Fear & Intention: Understanding how dreams respond to our fears and how to set positive intentions. Personal Journey: Holly reflects on her own experiences with altered states of awareness and their role in personal growth. Bridge to Awareness: Viewing sleep not as an unconscious void, but as a bridge between science and lived experience. This conversation invites you to see your sleep as a living, intelligent landscape that guides you toward a deeper understanding of yourself.