What is meditation, really?

In this episode (1-183) of Living the Tao, Taoist Master Mikel Steenrod explores meditation from a classical Taoist perspective. Rather than focusing on posture, breathing, or techniques, he examines the deeper principle behind all meditative practice: the mind acting upon the mind.

Along the way, Mikel discusses the influence of the Social Mind, why most people live according to maps they did not create, and how meditation can help a person gain greater ownership of their own experience. He also explains why meditation is not always comfortable, how it can uncover parts of ourselves we have hidden away, and why Taoist meditation is not about escaping life—but engaging more fully with it.

The conversation explores the natural roots of meditation, the importance of stillness in nature, and the role meditation plays in self-knowledge, personal freedom, and human development.

If you've ever wondered what meditation is actually for—or whether you're following someone else's map through life—this episode offers a practical and thought-provoking place to begin.

Watch the video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/LDe6zoBaMd8

🎧 Listen to more Living the Tao Shorts & full episodes:

Intro music: “Finding Movement” by Kevin MacLeod — licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Source: incompetech.com