A Guided 10-Minute Meditation Practice (plus music)

Nov 7, 2025

Explore a meditation practice that encourages letting go of striving and embracing receptivity. Discover how love, insight, and creativity naturally flow from this state of awareness. Learn that thoughts don’t need to be stopped but can become part of our greater awareness. Susan elaborates on the importance of placing attention on the breath and practicing mindfulness with body and mind. Enjoy a beautiful reflection tied to the song "Blue Sky" by The Allman Brothers Band, which captures the essence of spontaneous harmony.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

ADVICE

Let Go Of Striving

Do let go of objectives, theories, and expectations when you sit to practice.
Keep releasing goals again and again to cultivate a receptive space for insight and creativity.

INSIGHT

Receive, Don't Pursue

Receive rather than seek because love, insight, and creativity arrive into a receptive field.
Meditation trains you to rest in openness so you notice what comes to you.

ADVICE

Don't Stop Thinking

Do not try to stop thinking during meditation; that's impossible and unhelpful.
Instead, change your relationship to thoughts so they become part of the environment you inhabit.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

In this episode, I offer a guided meditation and explore what it really means to not be trying—not striving to get somewhere, even in practice. Rather than exerting effort or resisting, meditation invites us to let go again and again and rest in a state of receptivity.

We look at how love, insight, and creativity are not things we can get, but things we receive, and how meditation teaches us to rest in that open space. I also clarify common misconceptions about meditation—especially the idea that we must stop thinking—and instead suggest developing awareness of thought rather than control over it.

We end with a reflection on attention, presence, and the natural rhythm of the breath, followed by a story about one of my favorite songs, “Blue Sky” by The Allman Brothers Band, and the beauty of two voices joining in spontaneous harmony.

Highlights:

Letting go of striving and resting in presence
The art of receiving rather than seeking
Thoughts as part of awareness, not the enemy of it
Attention as placement, not analysis
The connection between meditation, creativity, and love

Closing reflection: “Blue Sky” by The Allman Brothers Band

Watch this episode on video
If you’d like to watch the podcast, the video version is available here.

Ask me a question
You can send your questions via Instagram DM or through our form — I’d love to include them in future episodes.

Learn to Teach Meditation

The Open Heart Project Meditation Teacher Training returns this January.
We begin January 17th, 2026.
I teach every session. It’s intimate, rigorous, supportive—and it’s for anyone who wants to help others work with their own minds and hearts.

Click here to learn more & sign up.

If you enjoyed this episode:

Please rate, review, and share it with a friend who’s curious about mindfulness, spiritual commitment, or the Buddhist path.

For more on Buddhist teachings and how our humanity isn’t necessarily in our way, sign up for my free weekly newsletter or join the Open Heart Project sangha for more connection with community and with me.

If this podcast has been meaningful to you, it would be great if you would subscribe, give it a five star rating and share it with a friend. To join or learn more about The Open Heart Project please visit openheartproject.com.

Thoughts? Email us at info@susanpiver.com

Produced by Citizens of Sound