

Our Mindful Nature: Meditation Inspired by Nature to Soothe the Overwhelmed Mind and Ease Anxiety
Meryl Arnett, Meditation Teacher & Trainer
Feeling overwhelmed despite your best self-care practices?
You’re not alone. Anxiety, stress, and mental health struggles are at an all-time high — even for those of us in healing professions.
After teaching and practicing meditation for 15+ years, host Meryl Arnett shares the secret to deep, restorative and helpful meditation practices - nature-inspired meditation.
Meryl’s soothing guidance and high-quality nature soundscapes will help you to:
- Cultivate a meditation practice that relieves stress and quiets the mind
- Strengthen your resilience and compassion through mindful connection
- Relax and reconnect deeply with immersive, nature-infused meditations
Tune in every Monday and Thursday for nature-inspired meditations designed to calm an overwhelmed mind, ease anxiety, and deepen your connection to yourself and the world around you.
No fluff, just powerful meditation practices released every Monday and Thursday. Start now by listening to fan favorite “Overwhelmed by Noon? Try This Quick Lunch Break Meditation for Stress Relief” and reclaim your peace.
You’re not alone. Anxiety, stress, and mental health struggles are at an all-time high — even for those of us in healing professions.
After teaching and practicing meditation for 15+ years, host Meryl Arnett shares the secret to deep, restorative and helpful meditation practices - nature-inspired meditation.
Meryl’s soothing guidance and high-quality nature soundscapes will help you to:
- Cultivate a meditation practice that relieves stress and quiets the mind
- Strengthen your resilience and compassion through mindful connection
- Relax and reconnect deeply with immersive, nature-infused meditations
Tune in every Monday and Thursday for nature-inspired meditations designed to calm an overwhelmed mind, ease anxiety, and deepen your connection to yourself and the world around you.
No fluff, just powerful meditation practices released every Monday and Thursday. Start now by listening to fan favorite “Overwhelmed by Noon? Try This Quick Lunch Break Meditation for Stress Relief” and reclaim your peace.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 11, 2025 • 18min
Embracing the Expansive Edge of Now: The Steadiness of Stones Nature Meditation {part 2}
What if your experience of time could actually shift the way you feel your anxiety?So many of us approach meditation with pressure, rules, and expectations—only to feel more overwhelmed than connected. In this episode, we explore a fresh, nature-inspired perspective on meditation that expands time, deepens your connection to the present moment, and helps you discover your personal “now.”You’ll learn how shifting your relationship to time can transform your mental health and create more resilience, even when life feels fast and chaotic.In this episode, you’ll discover:Why anxiety eases when you stop chasing the “perfect” meditation practice.How sitting still expands your personal now and builds inner resilience.A grounded, nature-inspired way to feel more connected and less overwhelmed.Listen now to step into meditation with freedom instead of pressure—and discover a deeply personal path to mental health and connection.Learn more and sign up for Nature's Reflection: A Meditation and Forest Bathing Retreat happening October 23 - 26 here: https://www.hambidge.org/workshop-schedule/natures-reflection-a-meditation-and-forest-bathing-retreatSign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsenThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Sep 7, 2025 • 7min
Harvest Moon Nature Meditation: Moonlight Bathing
For the Full Harvest Moon: A Moonlight Bathing MeditationIn this episode, you’ll be guided through a gentle, nature-inspired meditation practice designed to honor the full Harvest Moon, ease feelings of overwhelm, nurture resilience, and deepen your sense of connection with yourself and the world around you. Using the power of moonlight, breath, and stillness, you’ll discover how simple moments outdoors can profoundly support your mental health.Take a pause, step outside, and let this moonlit meditation guide you into peace and clarity—listen now and feel the shift.Learn more and sign up for Nature's Reflection: A Meditation and Forest Bathing Retreat happening October 23 - 26 here: https://www.hambidge.org/workshop-schedule/natures-reflection-a-meditation-and-forest-bathing-retreatSign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Gordon Hempton for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://soundtracker.com/https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsenThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Sep 4, 2025 • 23min
The Antidote to "I don't have time" - The Steadiness of Stones Nature Meditation {part 1}
What if the way you think about time is actually feeding your anxiety?In this episode, we explore how meditation can shift your relationship with time—freeing you from the pressure of the clock and helping you feel more grounded, connected, and resilient. Instead of rushing through moments or relying on timers, this practice invites you to sit with stillness and discover a timeless space within yourself.You’ll walk away with:A nature-inspired perspective on time that reduces feelings of being overwhelmed. Today's nature sounds come from the Eastern Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest.A meditation approach that creates mental health benefits by slowing down anxiety.Practical ways to build resilience and deepen your connection through timeless practice.Take a breath, let go of the ticking clock, and discover how meditation can transform your experience of time—press play to begin.Learn more and sign up for Nature's Reflection: A Meditation and Forest Bathing Retreat happening October 23 - 26 here: https://www.hambidge.org/workshop-schedule/natures-reflection-a-meditation-and-forest-bathing-retreatSign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsenThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Aug 28, 2025 • 11min
Melting Into Sleep Meditation: A Nature-Inspired Bubble of Calm to Soothe Anxiety
Are you lying awake at night, overwhelmed by racing thoughts and rising anxiety?This episode guides you through a meditation practice designed to ease tension, quiet the mind, and help you melt into deep, restorative sleep.Instead of battling your body or forcing your breath, you’ll discover how meditation, connection to nature-inspired imagery, and gentle awareness can transform anxiety into calm and resilience—supporting your mental health in a way that feels natural and sustainable.In this practice, you’ll experience how to:Release stress and tension from head to toe through mindful breathwork.Build a circle of calm and safety to soothe anxiety and support sleep.Strengthen your resilience by connecting to the flow of breath as a grounding anchor.Drift into peace and connection—tune in now to discover how meditation can help you quiet anxiety and embrace rest. Learn more and sign up for Nature's Reflection: A Meditation and Forest Bathing Retreat happening October 23 - 26 here: https://www.hambidge.org/workshop-schedule/natures-reflection-a-meditation-and-forest-bathing-retreatSign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsenThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Aug 23, 2025 • 4min
5-minute New Moon Nature Meditation: Foster Connection & Build Resilience
A New Moon MeditationThis short guided moon meditation offers you a gentle practice to pause, connect with nature, and find resilience in stillness.Too often, when anxiety hits, we look for quick fixes or distractions. But what if the answer lies in slowing down, syncing with your breath, and connecting to something bigger than yourself—the rhythm of the natural world?In this 5-minute moon meditation, you’ll discover:How to use breath awareness to release anxiety and tension.The power of connecting with nature to restore mental health and inner balance.A simple nighttime practice that strengthens resilience when you feel overwhelmed.Take this moment for yourself. Press play now and let meditation guide you back to calm, connection, and peace.Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsenThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Aug 21, 2025 • 8min
Snowy Crickets Sleep Meditation: Let Nature Unwind Anxiety and Release Overwhelm
Is overwhelm or anxiety causing sleep struggles?It’s frustrating to lie in bed, mind racing, despite your best efforts to relax. But what if your meditation practice is missing the one thing that could truly settle your nervous system—nature-inspired simplicity?In this nature-inspired guided nighttime session, you’ll be gently led through a calming journey of sound, breath, and progressive muscle relaxation, all set to the soft, slow rhythms of snowy crickets in Eastern Washington. Designed for anyone navigating anxiety, stress, or sleep struggles, this episode brings intentional stillness back into your life.You’ll discover:A simple yet powerful method to release tension from every part of your body.A nature-based sensory experience that promotes deeper mind-body connection.A meditative sleep ritual that helps ease anxiety and build emotional resilience.Press play and let your breath—and the crickets—guide you into calm. Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsenThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Aug 14, 2025 • 10min
Amazon Rainforest Sleep Meditation: Transform Anxiety Into Inner Peace
Ever felt like meditation isn’t working for your anxiety?You’re not alone. Many people try to sit in silence only to find their thoughts racing, their bodies tense, and their minds stuck on daily stressors. But what if the secret to easing anxiety was letting nature do the heavy lifting?In this episode, we guide you through a sensory journey deep into the Amazon rainforest—blending progressive muscle relaxation, mindful body scanning, and the sounds of the wild to create a calm that lasts long after the practice ends.By the end, you’ll discover:How to release physical tension step-by-step so your mind naturally follows into calm.Why connecting with nature-inspired soundscapes can restore mental clarity and resilience.The simple meditation cues that can anchor you when feeling overwhelmed.Let this immersive practice help you trade anxious restlessness for deep, grounded stillness—press play and breathe easier tonight.Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsenThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Aug 9, 2025 • 11min
Full Sturgeon Moon Nature-Inspired Meditation: Ancestral Wisdom from the South Carolina Wetlands
This August, under the glow of the Full Sturgeon Moon, you’re invited to slow down and listen deeply—just like the ancient sturgeon who’ve glided through waters since the Jurassic era.In this moonlit meditation, we connect to the energy of these “living fossils” and tap into the quiet power of ancestral wisdom. Set against the soundscape of a South Carolina wetland, you will hear the call of a Barred owl, the hush of insects, and the splash of feeding fish. This practice is a gentle invitation to rest in the flow of time.Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or simply seeking more mental clarity, this practice offers a quiet but powerful path to mental health resilience.In this episode, you’ll experience:A calming, immersive full moon meditation that uses a wetlands nature soundscape, recorded by accoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton, to soothe anxietyA guided visualization rooted in ancient wisdom to deepen your connection and resilienceSubtle breathing techniques to release tension and anchor you in the present momentPress play now for a moment of stillness and to see what ancient knowing rises to meet you.Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Gordon Hempton for today’s nature field recordings; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://soundtracker.com/https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsenThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Aug 7, 2025 • 9min
Ocean Waves Sleep Meditation: Nature-Inspired Stress Relief at Rialto Beach
Do you struggle with anxiety and racing thoughts at night—just when you need rest most?This soothing, nature-inspired meditation guides you into deep stillness using techniques that gently calm the body and mind—no pressure to perform, no spiritual overwhelm. Whether you’re new to meditation or returning after a stressful day, this practice helps you reconnect with your breath, your body, and the world around you.You’ll walk away with:A simple body-scan method to relieve physical tension and emotional stressA guided eye-focused technique that slows mental chatter and eases anxietyAn ocean-waves nature soundscape recorded at Rialto Beach that promotes sleep and emotional resilienceLet this session be your nightly reset—press play and melt into true relaxation.Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsenThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Aug 4, 2025 • 6min
Guided Nature Meditation: Soften Anxiety & Reclaim Calm in Overwhelming Times
Just The Meditation!In today's guided nature meditation, you’re invited to stop fixing and start feeling. Through a summer rainstorm-inspired meditation, we explore how to make peace with uncertainty and honor the mysterious rhythms within and around you.If anxiety has you gripping for control, this practice will help you release the need to understand and soften into your own resilient presence.Press play and practice now! Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/jjPrV2 to receive free meditations, soundscapes, creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsenThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.