Meditative Story

Having trouble quieting your mind at night? Join Rohan for this soothing, nighttime meditation designed to ease your body and mind into a restful …

Jessamyn Stanley, author of Yoke: My Yoga of Self-Acceptance, realizes one day that her life has become filled with unwanted clutter. Suddenly, how she’s perceived on the outside no longer reflects what she feels on the …

2x Emmy Award-winning TV host, journalist, and author Tamron Hall has hit milestones in her life that a younger version of herself would never have …

"Are you going to do this? Ever?" Standing at the edge of the highest diving board at the aquatic center, a young Adam Grant tries and tries, and tries to leap off. But he can't face down his fear — not so much of …

It’s not surprising that Martha Beck, best-selling author and columnist for O, The Oprah Magazine, grew up as a high achiever. Attending Harvard …

What do you do when your own body feels like the enemy? Spoken word artist and activist Andrea Gibson (You Better Be Lightning) spends years struggling with chronic illness, feeling as if their body is at odds with …

As the wind howls around his camping caravan on a remote Welsh farm, poet David Whyte sits at a table, trying – and failing – to write. He's worried he has lost his gift. He's worried he never had a gift at all. But …

As he helps his youngest child prepare for her first day of school, Rohan offers us all a chance to practice three unique approaches to learning. …

Kathryn Nicolai, creator of the Nothing Much Happens podcast, learns at an early age to diminish her own needs. She never wants to become a problem …

As Rohan prepares to sell his home, he guides us through a meditation on our mind’s capacity to hold memory, impart meaning, and attach emotions to …

In 2009, Eddie Huang, author of the acclaimed memoir Fresh Off the Boat, opens Baohaus, his first Taiwanese restaurant on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. It’s a wild, chaotic gamble that exemplifies Eddie’s spirit. But as …

Growing up, actress, writer, and director Zoe Lister-Jones admires her mother’s confidence and her willingness to stand up for what she believes. But as a shy kid that’s wary of the dangers in the world, Zoe isn’t sure …

Robin Arzón is a star fitness coach at Peloton, beloved for her high-energy coaching with more than a dash of tough love. In this story, join Robin on the longest run of her life: the Florida Keys 100 Ultramarathon. As …

In the UK, Joe Wicks became a household name early in the pandemic with his daily workouts, called “PE with Joe,” that helped millions of us keep …

Journalist and beloved podcast host Leila Day grows up being told that she should “tone it down.” When she moves to Cuba in her early twenties, she …

Rohan offers strategies for clear transitions from the demands of work, to being present with our families, pets and friends. Whether it’s putting on a record, lighting some incense, going for a walk, or noticing the …

As a former broadcast journalist and anchor for major networks like NBC and CNN, Soledad O’Brien understands the value of telling people’s stories in …

Many of you have let us know how much you love the music which accompanies each episode of Meditative Story. You’ve also expressed that Meditative Story helps you wind down and get a better night’s sleep. So today, …

Meredith Goldstein writes the wildly popular Love Letters column in the Boston Globe, but for much of her life, she’s viewed romantic relationships …

Today’s special meditation features a parable from our friends at The One You Feed podcast. If there are two opposing forces working within us, a …

Silvia Vasquez-Lavado is the first openly lesbian woman to climb the famous Seven Summits, a bucket list of the highest mountain on every continent. But while preparing for the seventh summit, a peak that has eluded her …

Throughout his life, pastry chef Duff Goldman — best known for his long-running Food Network show Ace of Cakes — is driven by his desire to make …

In 2009, Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter Jason Mraz is having one of the busiest years of his life. A nonstop tour schedule and monotonous …

Garrett McNamara is a legend in the surfing world who’s ridden some of the biggest waves on the planet. To maintain his surfing career, Garrett spends all his time and energy chasing the next big swell. But when he …

By the time Sharon Salzberg is 16 years old, she knows the people around her don’t admit to suffering, much less talk about it. A year later, she …

The many highs of Tig Notaro’s comedy career (Emmy and Grammy nominations, creating TV shows, and hosting the “Don’t Ask Tig” podcast) may seem predestined. Yet these are all things that seem beyond the realm of …

From the outside, Niall Breslin — known by legions of Irish fans as Bressie — appears to have led a charmed life. He’s had a professional Rugby career, achieved national stardom as a musician, and been a coach on The …

In today’s Meditation, Rohan reflects on the theme of creating calm, inside and out. Please join us in applying some simple practices to help balance our outer and inner worlds.

This year, we’re again marking Mental …

As a legendary Jazz trumpeter, winner of 5 Grammy Awards, and composer of over 60 films including the works of director Spike Lee, it’s easy to assume Terence Blanchard is someone with a lot of confidence. But growing …

Growing up in the suburbs of England, Felix Barrett — founder of immersive theater company Punchdrunk — considers himself a good kid. He’s a …

Broadcaster Dan Harris shares a candid look at his attempts to connect more with his son, Alexander, on their first father-son trip.

Each episode of …

Today’s meditation features a special guest, Rohan’s 7 year-old son, Arne. 

Letting go can come in stages, or so Rohan experiences on a recent holiday …

"Why?” asks an insistent high school art teacher. “Why? Why? Why?” Staring blankly back, a young Jay Shetty has nothing to say. It’s an art project, …

Krista Tippett’s early years aren't what you’d expect knowing who she is today. As a journalist and political aide in divided Berlin in the '80s, she …

A California native, Chip Conley grew up visiting the towering redwoods and indulging his curiosity about wise and aging things. But as an adult …

Today, Rohan shares a Lovingkindness Meditation born out of a Spring walk around Oxford. In this practice, phrases are repeated that gradually move our focus from another, back to ourselves, and, finally, to larger and …

Bakari Sellers made history when he became the youngest African American elected official in the United States. But beneath the surface of his …

Actress Zuri Adele, known for playing Malika Williams on the popular Freeform show Good Trouble, spent parts of her childhood largely isolated. But …

Climate activist Varshini Prakash first became aware of the effects of a changing planet when her grandparents’ village in India was flooded in a monsoon. A child then, she felt overwhelmed and powerless. In this week’s …

Gretchen Rubin is an expert on happiness, and she's spent her career helping people build the habits to achieve it. But she assumed that if something …

Sometimes on Meditative Story, we break from our usual episodes to share a reflection from our host, Rohan Gunatillake, occasioned by moments that we might like to take a beat to sit with. Today, Rohan welcomes the …

As a WNBA player, AD is used to saying, “I’m good” as an automatic response, no matter the injury. It’s what allows them to be a successful athlete, …

Best-selling author Isabel Allende has led an extraordinary life marked by moments of tragic loss. A coup in her home country of Chile forces her family into exile, and an unexpected illness takes away one of the most …

Like so many of us, Chad Sanders wants to feel a sense of belonging — but as he grows up, he feels too often like he's living in the shadows of other people’s judgment. Fortunately, life has a way of giving us glimpses …

Through his long and storied career as a stuntman, Curtis Rivers has appeared in scores of films and television shows, ranging from James Bond movies to Captain America to Game of Thrones. He has won a Screen Actor …

Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate love of all kinds — whether it’s the unconditional love of a pet, the instinctual reflex to help those who are suffering, or, perhaps most important, the time we take to …

Hannah Cross is a licensed clinical social worker, devoted to helping people with emotional and behavioral concerns. The way she approaches her work is rooted in a life-changing early job, one she almost didn’t take — …

What’s the hardest part about being the main character in your own life? You’re also writing the script as you go along. And sometimes it’s hard to know when you need a scene change. Filmmaker Franklin Leonard …

As a teenager, Jade Bowler is laser-focused on her dream of leaving home, with ambitious plans for the future. It’s only after her plans fall apart that Jade realizes big achievements aren’t the only thing that can …

Figuring out how to express your authentic self is a journey in discovering what lights you up. For Eric Whitacre, the choral composer and conductor, these lessons came to him through his passions for outer space, …

Michelle Thaller is an astronomer and science communicator who helped unveil the latest images from the Webb Telescope — the one that's currently sending us never-before-seen images of deep space. In her Meditative …

Choral music composer and conductor Eric Whitacre directs choirs around the globe, but as a kid in northern Nevada, he feels like the black sheep. He …

Staying connected with our loved ones is not always easy, especially if, like Jai Punjabi, you live far away from home. As a founder of Wait What, the company behind Meditative Story, Jai’s work in New York means his …

Growing up in the Kennedy family, Tim Shriver sees close relatives compete at the highest level of U.S. politics and learns a very specific …

What would it be like to turn your New Year’s resolutions on their head, by resolving to focus our attention in an entirely different way? That’s …

When life is overwhelming, sometimes the smallest action — even one that seems insignificant in the moment — is what helps us move forward. Cristina Mittermeier is a nature photographer and adventurer who's used to …

How can we maintain a sense of freshness, awe, and wonder in our perspective on the world? Today’s Soul Curriculum episode finds Rohan diving deeper …

Over a tiny table in a crowded bar … on a bike crossing at the Mexican border … standing at the edge of a windswept cliff: There are places and moments where life comes into crystal-clear focus, and you realize …

Before his rise to fame, David Duchovny is a popular kid – charming, funny, bright, and athletic, beloved by friends and teachers alike. But there’s …

Nature filmmaker Tom Mustill travels the globe capturing breathtaking footage of animals while highlighting the work of the world’s leading conservationists. But one summer day, on a vacation kayak trip, he comes face …

In today’s Soul Curriculum, Rohan speaks candidly with writer Alex Morris about how to become more comfortable asking for help. As Alex shares, it’s …

When actor Michael Imperioli is 17, he makes an impulsive move: on the day he's supposed to drive up to college, instead he takes the train down to …

As a young writer and performer, Sara Benincasa found her voice doing stand-up comedy. For years, it seemed better than therapy. But slowly, doubts surfaced. While the external validation she received made her feel …

No matter what emotions are brought up for you during the holiday season, the mindfulness techniques explored in this episode will leave you feeling …

When life hands you an unimaginable sorrow, how do you begin to recover your joy, your connection, your creative spark? In a special crossover episode with our friends at the Spark & Fire podcast, comedian and actor …

Sitting in the school library, staring down at his unfinished chemistry homework, pre-med student Case Kenny feels helpless. He faces a difficult …

Just out of school, writer Alex Morris gets a job performing and teaching improv comedy in London, playing absurd characters night after night. But …

Rohan sits down with author Florence Williams to talk about her award-winning Meditative Story, “To chase the sunset.” In conversation, Florence offers her candid perspective on how to face heartbreak with patience and …

Growing up, Rachel Cargle was used to seeing things her family couldn’t afford. As she got older, became a writer, lecturer, and philanthropist, she …

How do the challenges and trauma we encounter in our lives tie to our ancestral roots? How do we hold on to these experiences in our physical body? …

On the Mexican holiday Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, we allow ourselves space for our memories and our grief about those we’ve lost — as well …

The strawberry field past the maple tree. A hidden nook beneath the stairs. The magical hour before anyone else is awake. Throughout her life, Angela Ahrendts has sought out sanctuaries – sacred spaces to reconnect and …

Midway through a grueling, muddy obstacle course, Shani Tran is so grateful for the support of her father, her teammate, who cheers her on and pulls …

In today’s Soul Curriculum episode, Rohan talks with the Paralympian and current world record holder in the long jump Lex Gillette. Lex shares his …

Russ Ellis has led the kind of life they write books about. The first full-time Black professor at California’s Claremont Colleges. Acclaimed …

In today’s Soul Curriculum episode, Rohan and singer/songwriter Nataly Dawn invite us all to consider what it is to be a beginner, and why it’s so …

Growing up half-Japanese in South Florida, Kino MacGregor spends a lot of time feeling uncomfortable in her own body. But her Japanese grandfather is …

In this episode of Soul Curriculum, Rohan spends time with Henry Shukman, author and spiritual director of the Mountain Cloud Zen Center in Santa Fe. …

As an author and poet, Mark Nepo has spent decades writing about spirituality and serenity. But his life wasn’t always as calm as it is now. Growing up, Mark feels challenged by the demands of his perfectionist father …

In this episode of Soul Curriculum, Rohan speaks candidly with songwriter, poet, artist, and musician Morgan Harper Nichols about the creation of her …

Celebrity chef Carla Hall wasn’t always interested in cooking. As a child, she finds that puzzles and play help her to discover her true character. When she falls upon a hard time, she instinctively turns to memories of …

In the UK, Joe Wicks became a household name early in the pandemic with his daily workouts, called “PE with Joe,” that helped millions of us keep …

Lex Gillette is a 5-time medalist at the Paralympic Games, and a world record holder in the long jump, but he’s more than that too. As he learns to …

When Nataly Dawn’s family moves from the U.S. to a tiny town in the middle of France, she finds herself unable to speak, read, or even play the way the other kids do. It’s embarrassing, being a rock-bottom beginner in …

As a boy in Oxford, Henry Shukman seeks refuge from a painful childhood by disappearing into poetry, immersing himself in nature. But the beauty and …

Lehua Kamalu captains a vast, double-hulled ocean canoe crafted to the exact specifications of the seafaring vessels used by her ancestors. She and …

Today’s episode takes you inside the intimate process behind creating a Meditative Story — and explores the musical wizardry behind each episode. 

We hear from storyteller Dallas Taylor, the host of the 20,000 Hertz …

Today's storyteller Steven Ho grew up in a strict Vietnamese-American household where the stakes were always high. He felt an overwhelming pressure …

Morgan Harper Nichols is a songwriter, poet, artist, and musician who was diagnosed with autism as an adult. Growing up, she yearns to see the wider …

Maya Shankar is a cognitive neuroscientist and host of the award-winning podcast A Slight Change of Plans. As a girl, she struggles with taking things too seriously: herself, the sufferings of others, the hypothetical …

In this special episode, we spend more time with a storyteller who recently shared their Meditative Story with us, Sharon Salzberg. Rohan and Sharon wind their way back through Sharon’s story, exploring the key theme: …

On his podcast and TV show Song Exploder, Hrishikesh Hirway digs deep into the creative process of legendary songwriters. But before Hrishikesh becomes a podcast creator, he's a working musician himself … who finds his …

By the time Sharon Salzberg is 16 years old, she knows the people around her don’t admit to suffering, much less talk about it. A year later, she …

Gordana Biernat grows up in a household full of mayhem and darkness. But there’s one saving grace: her grandfather, who spins legendary stories of …

Growing up on his father’s ranch in Elko, Nevada, Waddie Mitchell watches the cowboys around him with awe, silently absorbing their stories and …

Today, Dallas Taylor is a creative director and creator of the beloved podcast Twenty Thousand Hertz. But before this, he had another life – one that brought immense pressure. He shares the story of how he comes to …

Writer Isha Sesay is happiest when she is caring for others; it’s a lesson she learns from her mother while growing up in Sierra Leone. But as an …

Every Thursday night, Matthew Mercer leads a merry band through a maze of goblins, spells, and enchantments, as he plays an immersive role-playing …

In this episode — in this experiment — we’re inviting back a storyteller who very recently shared their Meditative Story with us, Kristin Windbigler. Together, Rohan and Kristin are going to wind our way back through …

Like so many of us, Chad Sanders has strived to belong for as long as he can remember — thwarted in the shadows of other people’s judgements of him. Fortunately, life has its way of giving us glimpses into our limitless …

Rural California is all Kristin Windbigler knows as a child — its wild, green pastoral landscape, where living off the land and self-sufficiency is a choice to live abundantly. One evening, gathered around the …

When someone’s having a mental health challenge, helping them early on to seek support can make a lifetime of difference. That’s why campaigns like Mental Health Awareness Month, taking place across the U.S. this month, …

As he sits with his wife in the waiting room of the pediatric cardiology unit, actor Joel McHale is struggling to feel anything but helpless. His …

Silvia Vasquez-Lavado is the first openly lesbian woman to climb the famous Seven Summits, a bucket list of the highest mountain on every continent. But while preparing for the seventh summit, a peak that has eluded her …

“Nothing really prepares you for how to explain what an airstrike is to your six-year-old when waiting at a red light.” Such was the recent …

For the first 22 years of his life, Al Harris singularly focuses on one single goal: to play basketball in the NBA. Although he’s an elite young …

Morgan Saylor is an actor of stage and screen, best known for her portrayal of the teenage Dana Brody in the series “Homeland.” But, before acting, …

When Fred Minnick returns from his military service as a photographer documenting the war in Iraq, he finds himself haunted by what he saw through …

Jacob Sartorius has been making music and short videos since he was a kid. By age 14, he had millions of social media followers who loved his honest, …

We’re inviting you into the Meditative Story library to explore the idea: what’s possible when you reframe the question? You’ll hear excerpts from some of our most beloved episodes in which storytellers see challenges …

Writer Florence Williams, grieving the loss of a long marriage, finds herself in Tulsa, Oklahoma; she's come to sit with Penny, her former …

Rohan Gunatillake recounts his 2005 trip to Plum Village, the monastic community founded by the great Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. Author of over 100 …

Boy meets girl, girl notices boy's squirrel painting, boy and girl fall in love. The plot of a classic Hollywood romcom? Not even close. But when …

Keith Ferrazzi is the author of Never Eat Alone, a classic book about working relationships. But before he became an expert on building bonds at work, Keith is busy building emotional armor around himself – to hide his …

Gracia María is a modern-day medicine woman, practicing community rituals in the tradition of her Peruvian ancestors. In connecting with her ancient roots, though, she realizes she also needs to rebuild the bonds with …

Fluent in cheating time to squeeze productivity out of every minute, entrepreneur Keith Yamashita recounts the frightening details of a devastating stroke as it is actually happening, and discovers the second part of …

As the pandemic drags on, Vanessa Hua finds herself in a dark place of panic and doom-scrolling. But that begins to change on one spring day, when …

Under the starry night sky, Rohan shares with us a ritual of ending and beginning. Bring to mind something you want to celebrate from this past year; …

As an artist and writer, Beth Lisick has had her share of freelance side gigs. But nothing can prepare her for this latest assignment: tending to the unforgettable Bill, who leads Beth on an epic journey through New …

Today’s Meditative Story departs from our standard format. It’s not a story. But it’s as striking and resonant as any wisdom we’ve ever shared on this podcast. In this episode, Austin Mao – a listener in our community …

The end of a troubled life ignites a search for answers – a truth long buried, and a truth not yet formed.

If this episode resonates with you, we’d love to hear from you. Please take a moment to share your reflections by …

For Jai Punjabi, the most powerful connection to home is through food – specifically the wonderful Indian cuisine he was raised on. Hoping to …

All her life, Meredith Arthur is a model of competence and control, and it sweeps her higher and higher up the professional ladder. But inside, …

It happens not in a yellow wood, but in author Steve Almond's befuddled 20s, when he is facing for the first time a decision that might actually matter. To the left lies success. To the right, something more interesting.

As a Night Minister with San Francisco Night Ministry, Rev. Monique Ortiz walks the dark streets of a beautiful and aching city – a city that …

The chaotic nature and noise of life as a musician – touring from city to city – eventually erodes Andrew Bird's ability to hear the music that is really inside of him. In a courageous effort to understand the faint …

Before becoming a MacArthur award–winning entomologist, Dr. Marla Spivak is adrift – first as a young woman in search of direction, then deep in the …

What do we do with the not-quite-perfect relationships in our lives? Growing up, the comedian and actor Milana Vayntrub adores her father — but all their happy times together end with him getting back on a plane. What …

Years before his YouTube-phenomenon cooking show Binging with Babish, the filmmaker Andrew Rea finds himself slipping into despair. His day job is draining him; so is an unhappy marriage. He finds the courage to take …

You might know actor Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltisanti from The Sopranos — and now The Many Saints of Newark. But before all that, he was a …

Russ Ellis has led the kind of life they write books about. The first full-time Black professor at California’s Claremont Colleges. Acclaimed …

Learn these calming techniques to help navigate tricky family dynamics, the challenges of disconnecting from work, and the loneliness that can arise …

A street in Honduras. A conference room. The fifth lap of a bike ride. Crisis can descend on you in unexpected places – and so can clarity. All that’s required of you, really, is to be there for it, and to stretch …

Boy meets girl, girl notices boy's squirrel painting, boy and girl fall in love. The plot of a classic Hollywood romcom? Not even close. But when …

Robin Arzón is a star fitness coach at Peloton, beloved for her high-energy coaching with more than a dash of tough love. In this story, join Robin on the longest run of her life: the Florida Keys 100 Ultramarathon. As …

Arriving in a strange town, disoriented and desperate to crawl into bed, Kaywin Feldman realizes she is just steps from an eight-century-old art …

Psychology professor Dr. Laurie Santos is the host of The Happiness Lab podcast – and of Yale’s most popular course ever. (More than 3 million people …

As he sits with his wife in the waiting room of the pediatric cardiology unit, actor Joel McHale is struggling to feel anything but helpless. His …

The heart of storytelling is a journey, across time and place. In these four short stories, travel to a remote and lonely farm … a village alive with family … an island teeming with unique life … and a city street that …

One summer night Paola Antonelli, now curator and head of R&D at MoMA, sets sail off the coast of Sardinia – snaking through the wavy sea with …

Loving football – specifically loving England’s team during a cup final – means resigning yourself to heartbreak, over, and over, and over. In this …

Best-known for his record-setting streak of 2,632 consecutive games played, Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. is widely regarded as one of Major League Baseball’s greatest all-time players. But for Cal, just showing up is …

All our problems haven’t magically vanished after the dark year gone by, but perhaps we’ve begun a new chapter, a slow re-awakening. In this …

Fresh out of nursing school, Wayne Little finds a treasured mentor in his first job – a nurse whose lifelong mission inspires his own. Years later, …

As a young girl, mowing her neighbor's lawn in the Kentucky heat, SG Goodman learns many important things: how to avoid running into the chain-link fence, the art of blowing the grass away from the house ... and the way …

It's 1996, and Robert Reich has the job of a lifetime – one that's taking a steady toll on his family. In a story he’s never told before, Reich …

During some of the tougher days of the last two years, Rohan takes refuge in learning a new dish: aubergines with fermented chili bean paste and black vinegar. The project grounds him at an ungrounded time, and …

In a meditation for all the senses, Rohan guides you into a relaxed state that will quiet your mind and help you drift to sleep.

If this episode resonates with you, we’d love to hear from you. Please take a moment to …

Thomas Page McBee is an author and a journalist – and was the first transgender man to box in Madison Square Garden. But that fight wasn't about overpowering an opponent. It was about confronting his own fears – of …

In the morning, Idaho pastor Tri Robinson herds cattle and mends fences; in the evening, he writes sermons. But the two parts of his life don't feel connected. He feels such a deep love of the natural world, in all its …

As a young composer, Max Richter is searching for his voice, the sound of a music that is uniquely his. But what he has is only a box of fragments, song experiments, half-formed questions. He sits with them, he thinks …

Twins Scott and Brian Nicholson are dancers and choreographers on tour with Ariana Grande. Onstage, the three of them move across the stage as a …

Standing at the door of the airplane, a new thing called “snow” swirling around her, Rohan’s mom is about to take a momentous step – making a life change that reverberates down the generations. A meditation about the …

"Cape Spear always calls me back." Tony Tjan grows up in the cold and dramatic landscape of Newfoundland, where snow piles high and storms rage – but …

When she went off to college, Hannah Brencher started a simple habit: exchanging handwritten letters with her mom. Inside the envelopes that arrived …

Omar Wasow had a fabulous life as a reporter and tech expert – he even taught Oprah how to use email! But an important piece of unfinished business …

Love sneaks up on us. It’s a sudden awakening from the mundane. It’s divinity in the everyday. In this special episode, Rohan shares a trio of …

The strawberry field past the maple tree. A hidden nook beneath the stairs. The magical hour before anyone else is awake. Throughout her life, Angela Ahrendts has sought out sanctuaries – sacred spaces to reconnect and …

The idea of a meditation retreat is deeply romantic. But the reality can be very different. Join our host Rohan Gunatillake on his first retreat, at a monastery in the English countryside, where he locks in to his …

As the youngest of 10 kids, Majora Carter is used to being a little bit invisible, shyly watching the world around her as she draws with her crayons. But her first-grade teacher, Ms. Transport, sees that she has a …

What’s the hardest part about being the main character in your own life? You’re also writing the script as you go along. And sometimes it’s hard to know when you need a scene change. Filmmaker Franklin Leonard …

Writer Florence Williams, grieving the loss of a long marriage, finds herself in Tulsa, Oklahoma; she's come to sit with Penny, her former …

Behind her Grammy-nominated song “Black Like Me,” Mickey Guyton shares the story of her long journey toward embracing her voice as a country music star. As a Black woman in a traditionally white industry, her …

When young Nate Berkus pushes open the door to his new bedroom, an unfinished space in his family home, he doesn’t know it yet – but he’s opening the door to a new vision of what his life can be. A life that he can …

In telling three short stories from his life as a meditator, host Rohan Gunatillake explores the way a few simple words of wisdom, said at the right moment, can build your strength and resilience for a lifetime. He …

"Are you going to do this? Ever?" Standing at the edge of the highest diving board at the aquatic center, a young Adam Grant tries and tries, and tries to leap off. But he can't face down his fear — not so much of …

As a young man, facing two great losses one after another, philosopher and neuroscientist Sam Harris falls into a deep sadness. He ruminates, feeling stuck, lonely, and lost. But in a chance experiment, Sam learns to …

Actor, writer and comedian Aasif Mandvi has given us so many laughs in his role as a correspondent on The Daily Show – on stage and in television and …

Before his rise to fame, David Duchovny is a popular kid – charming, funny, bright and athletic, beloved by friends and teachers alike. But there’s …

Ecologist Nalini Nadkarni – known as the "Queen of the Forest Canopy” – has spent a career clambering around tree tops, studying the interdependence …

For filmmaker Jai Punjabi, the most powerful connection to home is through food – specifically the wonderful Indian cuisine he was raised on. Hoping …

By the 1980s, Diana Nyad had left competitive swimming behind, embarking on a successful career as a sports broadcaster. But after a meeting with …

“Pay attention to the small transitions, the ones whose potential is always here but sometimes overlooked.” Host Rohan Gunatillake tells three simple stories to draw our attention to the spaces where we realize change …

Kaya Henderson has spent a career reimagining urban education for the 21st century. But Kaya’s faith in her own potential is tested during her first …

As the daughter of UN diplomat, Nadia Owusu grows up across several worlds. Trailing her father from Africa to Europe before moving to the United States for university, Nadia grapples with her fractured identity. But …

Stephen Wilkes has a unique approach to photography that requires a sustained focus to capture subtle changes in light and perspective. The same …

As we transition into a new season, and look forward to a new year ahead, we’re sharing these five short stories of people in motion. Listen for stories of birth, creative rebirth, and stories of starting over. Because …

Times like these require faith, patience, and resilience. This short episode brings together moments from four beloved stories. Sharing a pivotal moment from their lives, these four storytellers explore the large and …

As chief meteorologist for ABC News, Ginger Zee has traveled the world to cover historic storms and extreme weather. But her passion for storm …

Best-known for his record-setting streak of 2,632 consecutive games played, Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. is widely regarded as one of Major League Baseball’s greatest all-time players. But for Cal, just showing up is …

Ghuan Featherstone is determined to go his own way – to live with courage, kindness, and faith in justice. To be a cowboy. But growing up in a …

Growing up on his father’s ranch in Elko, Nevada, Waddie Mitchell watches the cowboys around him with awe, silently absorbing their stories and …

As a young girl raised on the gravel roads of central Texas, Mickey Guyton falls in love with country music – but as a Black woman in a traditionally white industry, her authenticity is constantly questioned: Too Black. …

When a years-long relationship ends, author and filmmaker Jennifer 8. Lee makes the startling discovery that she lacks an inner monologue – a voice …

Considered a prodigy in China, Lang Lang arrives to the U.S. certain of what it takes to be the best pianist in the world – dedication, discipline, …

Facing a dreaded 20-hour layover after weeks away from home, Pico Iyer decides to leave the airport and explore the city outside. He walks down the quiet streets, hoping to distract himself with a few new experiences. …

A glossy picture on the cover of a magazine. That’s all it takes for a teenaged Arianna Huffington to decide she’s going to leave her family and home – and the activity and warmth of her mom’s kitchen table – to start …

It's early morning. A hotel room. Wajahat Ali, playwright and author, is traveling for work when he gets a call from his wife – she's sobbing, panicked, heartbroken. Their tiny daughter, Nusayba, has been diagnosed with …

Shawn Colvin grows up in a dangerous house. There’s a dad with a hair-trigger temper. But there’s also a dad who builds things, and who plays music, …

Twenty-four long miles into a grueling paddleboard competition, photographer Donald Miralle sights the buoy that tells him he's just a few miles from …

The strawberry field past the maple tree. A hidden nook beneath the stairs. The magical hour before anyone else is awake. Throughout her life, Angela Ahrendts has sought out sanctuaries – sacred spaces to reconnect and …

As Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Otis Moss carries the torch for generations of church and civil rights leaders, including his own father, a regional director in the SCLC, and a friend of …

Judith Grisel is an internationally recognized behavioral neuroscientist and professor of psychology known for her research on the role of the brain …

Gretchen Rubin is an expert on happiness, and she's spent her career helping people build the habits to achieve it. But she assumed that if something …

For many of us, the days are stretching out, copies, duplicates of one another. But there is change happening around us, time is moving forward. This meditation, led by host Rohan Gunatillake, is about noticing that …

One icy morning on a Vermont farm, Elizabeth Lesser is witness to a miraculous thing: the birth of a bleary, bleating baby lamb. Years later, as a …

The chaotic nature and noise of life as a musician — touring from city to city — eventually erodes Andrew Bird's ability to hear the music that is really inside of him. In a courageous effort to understand the faint …

Lehua Kamalu captains a vast, double-hulled ocean canoe crafted to the exact specifications of the seafaring vessels used by her ancestors. She and …

American cultural critic Thomas Chatterton Williams is deeply in love with his French wife, Valentine. Accustomed to exquisite command over the …

Jail has a way of warping time. Changes on the outside world are locked away from those inside. Upon his release after serving 17 locked-up years, …

We all need to love and be loved, we all want to feel not alone in this world. And this is true for all of the living world, says ecologist and …

Shea Hembrey is 5 years old, walking along the road to his farmhouse on the edge of the Mississippi River Delta, where the floodplains meet the Ozark …

None of us has ever faced a moment like this. It is heartbreaking and exhausting and ever changing and yet ... days seem to blur together. In this Meditative Story, there is no storyteller – but there are stories. Host …

In this classic episode, while working on an experiment to measure the age of the universe, astronomer Michelle Thaller is reminded once again about both the impersonal immensity around us, and the deeply personal …

Jackals and leopards in the fields. The sound of a lion’s roar. Majestic African bush elephants outside the front door. This is childhood for Forrest Galante as a kid growing up on a farm in Zimbabwe. He’s adventurous …

There he is: pacing around the campfire, contemplating, ruminating. Then, with a crooked, mischievous smile, he begins. “Here’s a story…” This is a …

"Why?” asks an insistent high school art teacher. “Why? Why? Why?” Staring blankly back, a young Jay Shetty has nothing to say. It’s an art project, …

One summer night Paola Antonelli, now curator and head of R&D at the MoMA, sets sail off the coast of Sardinia — snaking through the wavy sea …

DeRay Mckesson is one of America’s most recognized and admired activists. But before that, he was a magician. Not the kind who pulls a rabbit out of …

How do you find joy in your life? For entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and author Reid Hoffman, it’s through the act of genuine, honest, and intimate conversations with friends. Once a self-described misfit, in …

How to teach a classroom full of "difficult" kids? By meeting them where they are, and finding a way in. This is something that Sinéad Burke sees …

Watching her daughter chase a balloon through a graveyard, Dr. Lucy Kalanithi comes to realize that maybe she can learn from four-year-old Cady. …

How do you build rapport with another person quickly? How do you bond? Author A.J. Jacobs shares a Meditative Story about the day he found himself on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and how courage to take a risk might just …

Psychologist and author Susan David invites us into the sad days after she loses her father as a child – and the kind teacher who helped her carve …

To truly see what is right in front us, requires the practice of looking, of careful and sustained attention – without expectation or judgment. Join …

No boys. No dresses. As a teen, Moj Mahdara, founder of the fashion media company Beautycon, knows she’s different. And growing up in a traditional …

Fluent in cheating time to squeeze productivity out of every minute, entrepreneur Keith Yamashita recounts the frightening details of a devastating stroke as it is actually happening, and discovers the second part of …

As an actor and a new mom, Catherine Reitman felt pulled between two competing identities. To capture her frustration, her sadness, her truth, she …

Author and poet Stephen Kuusisto, who is blind, hears life expressed in sound, the weird and wonderful chance music of everyday life. And he's able …

When's the last time you hand-wrote a letter? Author Hannah Brencher shares a simple story about the value of connecting on paper.

If this episode resonates with you, we’d love to hear from you. Please take a moment to …

In precisely chosen words, the writer, artist and Zen priest Zenju Earthlyn Manuel tells a story from her girlhood, a road trip from LA to Louisiana …

Tuxedo-clad, face covered in makeup, hair slicked and parted in the middle, jumping around a creaky stage, teenage Josh Radnor (now an actor, producer and director) makes a life-changing discovery: He can act. And he …

Host of NPR’s Wait, Wait...Don’t Tell Me!, Peter Sagal is wrecked and stuck in the wake of a divorce. Suddenly, he finds himself with two free weeks. In need of a healthy distraction, Peter jumps on his Harley for a …

What's is like to be an identical twin? Game designer Jane McGonigal tells a story of similarity and divergence as she explores the magic of sharing DNA while becoming an individual.

If this episode resonates with you, …

Restaurateur Danny Meyer takes us back to where it all began for him: a family trip to Europe and a simple plate of pasta. That memorable meal sparked a lifetime practice of discovery that continues to feed his …

While filming one day in the Congo Rainforest, legendary photojournalist John Moore pursued the vision of a perfect photograph -- a vision that literally brought him to his knees. He shares the magic that can occur when …

Sitting around tables with arms experts, moving missiles around a map of Europe as if it were a gameboard, On Being's Krista Tippett grabs the moment to dislodge herself from the exhilaration of power. The journey that …

Author and journalist Thomas Page McBee takes us into the boxing ring at Madison Square Garden, where he finds answers to some of his most profound questions through fighting – and along the way discovers what happens …

Broadcaster Dan Harris shares a candid look at his attempts to connect more with his son, Alexander, on their first father-son trip.

If this episode resonates with you, we’d love to hear from you. Please take a moment to …

For this human moment, join astronomer Michelle Thaller as she contemplates the night sky. We’re such a small part of the universe – and yet so significant within it.

If this episode resonates with you, we’d love to hear …

Renowned astronomer and science commentator Michelle Thaller shares a story about cosmic awe and deep connection — both to our fellow human beings and to the universe around us.

If this episode resonates with you, we’d …

In a tiny studio in Tampa, Florida, with new-to-the-scene Jennifer Hudson and a Pomeranian dog named Grammy, young music producer Larry Jackson begins to feel the heat. It’s his job to not only make music, but to make …

A glossy picture on the cover of a magazine. That’s all it takes for a teenage Arianna Huffington to decide she’s going to leave her family and home – and the activity and warmth of her mom’s kitchen table – to start …

Facing a dreaded 20-hour layover after weeks away from home, Pico Iyer sees his best option is to set out and explore a city he never planned to visit in the first place. Pico's expectations, like anyone traveling to a …

Watching her daughter chase a balloon through a graveyard, Dr. Lucy Kalanithi comes to realize that maybe she can learn from four-year-old Cady. …

Every week, you’ll receive a different Meditative Story from a storyteller who will transport you to the time and place where everything changed for them — a story you might find yourself relating to deeply. As the …