18 Calming Podcasts To Listen To If You're Not Into Meditating

You’ll probably find that you enjoy it like never before. This music became known as “meditation music” and the assumption grew up that we should listen to music while meditating. If you’ve ever found yourself saying, “I can’t meditate,” it might be time to revisit the practice with a deeper understanding of what meditation is really about.

Your brain enters the alpha brainwave state almost immediately whenever you close your eyes. In the past 50 years, technologies have been developed that can induce the same brainwave states as meditation when you simply listen to certain sounds. Every thought you have changes neural pathways and the output of brain chemicals, creating a cascade of effects on your mental health and emotional well-being. A high amplitude brain wave with a frequency of oscillation between 0-4Hz. Close your eyes, relax listening to the heavy rainstorm and sleep.

And you can listen to any music you choose, to develop insight. Innes coauthored a 2016 study that found music-listening could boost mood and well-being and improve stress-related measures in older adults suffering from cognitive decline. Her study compared the benefits of music to those of meditation—a practice in vogue for its mental-health perks.

Experiment, and you'll likely find out what types of meditation work best for you and what you enjoy doing. Remember, there's no right way or wrong way to meditate. What matters is that meditation helps you reduce your stress and feel better overall. In this type of meditation, you focus your attention on a sacred image or being, weaving feelings of love, compassion and gratitude into your thoughts. You can also close your eyes and use your imagination or gaze at representations of the image.

Each week, you will hear from real people and experts like psychologists, MD’s, and neuroscientists about the benefits of mindfulness meditation and how it can change your life. These podcasts are filled with guided meditations, inspirational quotes, and expert interviews on topics related to yoga, health, stress, sleep, and so much more. Whatever your needs are, there is something for everyone in these top picks. When life gets chaotic, finding time to sit down, let alone meditate, may seem unrealistic.



You can listen to it at iTunes or Google Play or by clicking on the play buttons below. Episodes are listed from the oldest to the most recent. In 10 easy-to-follow videos — featuring 5 guided meditation sessions — meditation expert JoAnna Hardy will teach you the basics of metta and how to put them into practice. Before you know it, How to Cultivate a Loving Heart will have you creating, and deepening, love and goodwill for yourself and the people in your life. 1) First, sit comfortably and at ease, with your eyes closed. Sense yourself seated here in this mystery of human life.

And these benefits don't end when your meditation session ends. Meditation can help carry you more calmly through your day and may help you manage symptoms of certain medical conditions. And you can practice meditation wherever you are — whether you're out for a walk, riding the bus, waiting at the doctor's office or even in the middle of a difficult business meeting.

So Scott split from America and traveled through Southeast Asia, ultimately winding up in Japan, playing in a Hindu temple and getting hip to Lord Krishna. Upon his return in the mid-’60s, he released relaxing sounds Music for Zen Meditation and Other Joys, his clarinet playing moving slow as a mountain stream. "Before Mindworks, I was a meditation slacker. Now my practice has improved exponentially. It calls me to the cushion every morning." Headspace is one of the most downloaded meditation apps out there.

A more advanced version of the Breath Awareness Meditation, you may need to work with the Breath Awareness Meditation before trying this one. This 10 minute version of this meditation will allow you to go deeper with the experience of effortlessness in meditation. Go even deeper with effortless meditation with this 20 minute version. This version has more periods of silence to help you become more self-sufficient. Whenever you can, use this longest meditation for maximum effect.