Episode 036 of Living in Response is (mostly) an exploration into some ideas I have about how meditation changed for me as I connected the dots between the biological mechanisms we have in place that support our ability to meditate. Basically, we are hardwired to be able to meditate and I wonder if that information and understanding could be supportive to the meditation-curious (or meditation-struggling)?

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Topics Covered in This Episode:Summarized (mostly) with AI

1️⃣ The Day I Almost Didn't RecordI was totally prepared to skip today's episode. My body was sunburned and wiped out from a long, hot day—but something inside me still wanted to share. This episode was born out of that gentle inner nudge.

2️⃣ Sunburns, Sensitivity, and SurrenderAfter hiking and walking home under the sun with little sunscreen, I crashed. I share the story of my sunburn, the exhaustion it brought, and the importance of listening to our bodies—especially when they whisper “rest.”

3️⃣ Improvised Poetry and the Power of PresenceI attended an improv poetry workshop that unexpectedly affirmed how natural unscripted expression is for me. I reflect on the surprising connection between this podcast and poetic improvisation.

4️⃣ Claiming Creativity After Childhood WoundsI open up about how childhood moments—like being laughed at for singing or dancing—shaped the belief that I wasn’t creative. This episode unpacks how I’m healing that story and reclaiming my inner artist.

5️⃣ Everything Is Art (Even Groceries and Code)I reflect on how creativity doesn’t need to look like traditional art. From coding reports to making dinner to parenting—life is art, and we’re all artists in our own way.

6️⃣ Curiosity Over Clarity in My OfferingsI share how I'm shifting from needing to “figure out” my offerings to just being curious about sharing what I love. Meditation, in particular, keeps calling—but I’m holding space for exploration, not pressure.

7️⃣ Sacred Practices and Self-DiscernmentSome of my spiritual practices are so potent and intimate they feel sacred to keep personal. I speak on the importance of discernment when it comes to guiding others, and how facilitation requires care and training.

8️⃣ Meditation as a Biological PortalI unpack the biological side of meditation—how interoception, proprioception, and spatial awareness allow us to go deeper. I explore how these innate senses help calm the nervous system and ground us in presence.

9️⃣ Molecules of Emotion and the Science of IntentionDrawing from Candace Pert’s work, I explore how thoughts create neuropeptides, influencing the body at a cellular level. This is what made “intention” come alive for me—emotion is chemistry, and it’s powerful.

🔟 We Are Hardwired to MeditateI share my working theory: meditation isn’t something we “learn”—it’s something we’re biologically built for. When people say, “I can’t meditate,” I wonder if it’s because they’ve never been taught how their body already knows.

Mentions & Resources:🧬 Molecules of Emotion by Candace Pert🧠 Neuro-Somatic Mindfulness, Interoception & Proprioception🧘‍♀️ Meditation as Portal: Health, Healing & Hardwiring💓 Heart Coherence & the Science of Love🎤 Reclaiming Creativity After Suppression🖋️ Poetry as Emotive Writing

I don’t remember where I first learned about meditation, but I want to express deep heart-felt gratitude to that moment, anyone involved, and to all the authors and teachers i continue to learn from.

Mystically,

Belle

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mysticallybelle.substack.com