Most people try meditation, struggle with it, and then wonder if they’re doing it wrong. In this episode, Master Mikel Steenrod explains why meditation works from a Taoist perspective—and why those early difficulties aren’t mistakes, but the first signs that the mind is beginning to reorganize itself.
You’ll learn:
• Why attention drifts and what that tells you about your internal state 
• How meditation rewires awareness rather than “adding calm” 
• The actual sequence of mind changes that occur as practice deepens 
• Why the struggle phase is essential—not a failure 
• How awareness becomes more stable, more present, and more capable over time 
• The difference between effortful focus and natural attention 
• What meditation reveals about your unconscious habits and internal tension patterns
Master Steenrod also discusses how to work with your limits, how to avoid common self-judgments that derail practice, and how to tell when meditation is genuinely transforming you.
A clear, practical teaching for anyone building a meditation habit—or returning to one after frustration.
 
-Weekly episode Sign Up Page at <a href='https://living-the-tao.supercast.com/'>living-the-tao.supercast.com</a> .
 
Intro music: “Finding Movement” by Kevin MacLeod — licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (<a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/'>https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</a>). Source: incompetech.com

Most people try meditation, struggle with it, and then wonder if they’re doing it wrong. In this episode, Master Mikel Steenrod explains why meditation works from a Taoist perspective—and why those early difficulties aren’t mistakes, but the first signs that the mind is beginning to reorganize itself. You’ll learn: • Why attention drifts and what that tells you about your internal state • How meditation rewires awareness rather than “adding calm” • The actual sequence of mind changes that occur as practice deepens • Why the struggle phase is essential—not a failure • How awareness becomes more stable, more present, and more capable over time • The difference between effortful focus and natural attention • What meditation reveals about your unconscious habits and internal tension patterns Master Steenrod also discusses how to work with your limits, how to avoid common self-judgments that derail practice, and how to tell when meditation is genuinely transforming you. A clear, practical teaching for anyone building a meditation habit—or returning to one after frustration. -Weekly episode Sign Up Page at living-the-tao.supercast.com . Intro music: “Finding Movement” by Kevin MacLeod — licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Source: incompetech.com

Most people try meditation, struggle with it, and then wonder if they’re doing it wrong. In this episode, Master Mikel Steenrod explains why meditation works from a Taoist perspective—and why those early difficulties aren’t mistakes, but the first signs that the mind is beginning to reorganize itself.
You’ll learn:
• Why attention drifts and what that tells you about your internal state 
• How meditation rewires awareness rather than “adding calm” 
• The actual sequence of mind changes that occur as practice deepens 
• Why the struggle phase is essential—not a failure 
• How awareness becomes more stable, more present, and more capable over time 
• The difference between effortful focus and natural attention 
• What meditation reveals about your unconscious habits and internal tension patterns
Master Steenrod also discusses how to work with your limits, how to avoid common self-judgments that derail practice, and how to tell when meditation is genuinely transforming you.
A clear, practical teaching for anyone building a meditation habit—or returning to one after frustration.
&nbsp;
-Weekly episode Sign Up Page at <a href="https://living-the-tao.supercast.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">living-the-tao.supercast.com</a> .
&nbsp;
Intro music: “Finding Movement” by Kevin MacLeod — licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</a>). Source: incompetech.com

Why Meditation Works

Living the Tao with Taoist Master Mikel Steenrod.   Discover how ancient Taoist training can improve modern life. Living the Tao blends real doctrine, practical instruction, and clear explanation—helping you reduce stress, develop emotional resilience, and cultivate a mind that sees the world as it truly is.
Each episode explores the core practices of Taoism, including meditation, qi cultivation, self-awareness, intuitive clarity, and the philosophy behind living skillfully. Master Steenrod combines classical teachings with modern psychology, everyday examples, and the calm precision that long-time listeners love.
🎧 New full episodes release on the first Friday of each month. ⚡ Living the Tao Shorts arrive biweekly—fast, focused insights to help you reset your mind.
🌐 Deepen your practice with articles, Taoist explanations, and study materials: <a target="_blank" class="decorated-link" href="https://www.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com</a>
🥋 Explore Qi Gong training, videos, and wellness resources: <a target="_blank" class="decorated-link" href="https://www.watermountainvirtual.com" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.watermountainvirtual.com</a>
If you want the complete feed, please put our public RSS in your player or directly use podbean.
The public feed: <a href="https://podcast.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com/feed.xml" title="https://podcast.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com/feed.xml">https://podcast.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com/feed.xml</a>

Religion & Spirituality

Spirituality

Living the Tao with Taoist Master Mikel Steenrod. Discover how ancient Taoist training can improve modern life. Living the Tao blends real doctrine, practical instruction, and clear explanation—helping you reduce stress, develop emotional resilience, and cultivate a mind that sees the world as it truly is. Each episode explores the core practices of Taoism, including meditation, qi cultivation, self-awareness, intuitive clarity, and the philosophy behind living skillfully. Master Steenrod combines classical teachings with modern psychology, everyday examples, and the calm precision that long-time listeners love. 🎧 New full episodes release on the first Friday of each month.⚡ Living the Tao Shorts arrive biweekly—fast, focused insights to help you reset your mind. 🌐 Deepen your practice with articles, Taoist explanations, and study materials:https://www.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com 🥋 Explore Qi Gong training, videos, and wellness resources:https://www.watermountainvirtual.com If you want the complete feed, please put our public RSS in your player or directly use podbean. The public feed: https://podcast.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com/feed.xml

Living the Tao with Taoist Master Mikel Steenrod.&nbsp;&nbsp; Discover how ancient Taoist training can improve modern life. Living the Tao blends real doctrine, practical instruction, and clear explanation—helping you reduce stress, develop emotional resilience, and cultivate a mind that sees the world as it truly is.
Each episode explores the core practices of Taoism, including meditation, qi cultivation, self-awareness, intuitive clarity, and the philosophy behind living skillfully. Master Steenrod combines classical teachings with modern psychology, everyday examples, and the calm precision that long-time listeners love.
🎧 New full episodes release on the first Friday of each month. ⚡ Living the Tao Shorts arrive biweekly—fast, focused insights to help you reset your mind.
🌐 Deepen your practice with articles, Taoist explanations, and study materials: <a href="https://www.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com</a>
🥋 Explore Qi Gong training, videos, and wellness resources: <a href="https://www.watermountainvirtual.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.watermountainvirtual.com</a>
If you want the complete feed, please put our public RSS in your player or directly use podbean.
The public feed: <a href="https://podcast.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com/feed.xml" title="https://podcast.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com/feed.xml" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://podcast.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com/feed.xml</a>

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Why Meditation Works

Why Meditation Works

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