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The 15 best mindfulness podcasts to center and ground you

November 10, 2023 - 15 min read

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The 15 best mindfulness podcasts

It’s time to tune in

In a world full of digital stimuli and busy work calendars, finding quiet in the chaos might feel like a pipe dream. 

It’s hard to find peaceful spaces and mindsets that calm you when you’re busy with work, school, or just life in general. But like any other personal development goal, building a mindfulness or meditation practice takes focus and persistence. It’s a lifelong pursuit that needs support and direction. 

While reading self-help books and watching TED Talks about mindfulness can inspire your journey, tuning into a regular series provides connection and a sense of accompaniment. With each new episode, you expand your learning and strengthen your connection to the host, which can motivate you to continue and progress. 

With so much content to sort through, it isn’t always easy to find a mindfulness podcast that speaks to you. This list of the best mindfulness podcasts includes minute meditations, breathing exercises, and life-changing discussions about personal fulfillment to help you integrate a mindfulness practice into your daily life. 

The 15 best mindfulness podcasts 

Whether you’re looking for a meditation podcast or deep dives on subjective well-being, these 15 podcasts will help you enjoy the benefits of mindfulness. It’s time to tune in. 

1. Daily Meditation Podcast

Mary Meckley’s daily dose of guided meditation gives you a good reason to set aside 30 minutes each morning. The Daily Meditation Podcast sessions guide you through self-reflection on topics like empathy, courage, and anxiety. You can choose episodes depending on how you’re feeling.

Meckley is an experienced meditation instructor who uses a soothing voice and positive affirmations to create calm introspection. You can practice guided meditation any time, but starting your day with Meckley might be the good habit you need to move through life with a deeper perspective and intention

2. Mindfulness Meditation Podcast

The Rubin Museum of Art is a New York City-based museum dedicated to the art and ideas of the Himalayas. More than a space to view artworks, the Rubin serves as a space for reflection and personal transformation. 

Each week, the Mindfulness Meditation Podcast begins by analyzing the history and meaning of a work from its collection. A meditation or mindfulness teacher guides you through a meditation session, using the artwork as inspiration.

The union of art and mindfulness techniques demonstrates that you can access peace anywhere — whether in a quiet corner at home or sitting in front of a beautiful piece of art. 

3. Mindfulness for Beginners

Entering the world of self-improvement doesn’t have to feel daunting. Everyone starts somewhere. Host Shaun Donaghy understands that this practice can be overwhelming for beginners and eases you into it. 

Mindfulness for Beginners is one of the best spirituality podcasts because it focuses on the basics. Donaghy breaks down complex concepts into easy-to-understand, relatable ideas, like how to practice self-compassion or rebuild trust. With a solid foundation, you’ll find the best mindfulness practice for you. 

4. Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris

Dan Harris believes that “happiness is a skill you can learn.” Before he was a podcast host, Harris was a co-anchor on Nightline and Good Morning America. He penned the #1 New York Times bestseller 10% Happier about having a panic attack on national television and his skeptical journey into spiritual wellness and self-help. 

Harris’ podcast of the same name invites an expert on each episode to debunk myths about mindfulness practices. If you’re skeptical of self-care routines or mindfulness, Harris’ intimate approach to the mental health podcast might change your mind. Hearing about the intimate journey that altered his perspective might catalyze you to create mindful moments in your day, too. 

5. Tara Brach

Inner work is essential to leadership, and learning how to listen to yourself becomes your greatest tool to help others. 

This is exactly what Dr. Tara Brach believes. Brach is a meditation teacher, psychologist, and author whose practice centers around fusing Western psychology and Eastern spiritual practices. 

Her weekly self-improvement podcast Tara Brach offers insights into human behavior and emotion, guiding listeners toward healing, compassion, and inner peace. You’ll learn to find calm within yourself to be of better service to the world around you. 

6. Untangle

What if you could tune into a podcast during your morning routine to improve your whole outlook for the day? Untangle, a weekly podcast from Patricia Karpas and guided meditation app Meditation Studio, does just that. Karpas digs deep with experts in brain health, leadership, and self-care practices

Karpas’ show is a mix of the best mindfulness and lifestyle podcasts. She explores ways to ignite your creativity, optimize your morning routine, and achieve a work-life balance, speaking with diverse experts who use their own experiences to inspire your journey. 

7. Peace Out Podcast

Podcasts are incredible learning resources, but that doesn’t mean they all have to be serious. Peace Out Podcast uses storytelling to teach mindfulness and emotional self-regulation to children. While it might be the best positivity podcast for kids, parents can also benefit from the unpretentious tone. 

Each new podcast episode turns guided meditation into a relaxing story, transporting children and adults alike into a calm world full of imagination. Host Chanel Tsang weaves mindfulness techniques into her narratives, making it a valuable educational podcast for parents to teach emotional intelligence and build a calming sleep routine

8. The Mindful Minute

The key to finding the best spirituality podcast isn’t necessarily searching for the most popular on Apple podcasts or Spotify. Instead, try to look for the podcast that fits your needs. And if quick and accessible mindfulness techniques are what you’re looking for, The Mindful Minute could be the perfect solution. 

Host Meryl Arnett wants to use meditation practices to “infuse our real, everyday lives with the magic of the awakened heart.” As a mother, meditation teacher, and podcast host, Arnett understands that hectic schedules get in the way of a sustainable, daily meditation practice.

Her podcasts vary from 10–15 minute mini-meditations to hour-long episodes about finding contentment, reducing stress, and building self-discipline

9. On Being with Krista Tippett

For the last twenty years, Krista Tippett’s On Being has asked some of the world’s most pressing questions, like what it means to be human. With a Peabody Award under her belt and a guest list that includes Desmond Tutu and Jane Goodall, it’s safe to say she knows how to find common ground with anyone

Tippett sits down with thought leaders — meditation teachers, artists, and activists — to approach the world with deeper imagination and joy. She contemplates the loneliness of grief, finding wholeness, and your connection to the natural world. Plus, with nearly two decades of radio play, you’ll have hundreds of episodes to sort through. 

10. Metta Hour

Sharon Salzberg has been a key figure in bridging the gap between Western meditation and Buddhist practices since the 1970s. After a school trip to India, Salzberg dedicated her life to sharing meditation practices to help others find mental clarity. In her five-decade career, she shared the stage with the Dalai Lama, wrote 11 books, and acted as contributing editor to O Magazine. 

With more than a hundred episodes, Metta Hour mixes guided practices, personal anecdotes, and interviews with other leaders in meditation. Her experience and depth of knowledge make her podcast a rich resource for both beginners and advanced mindfulness students.  

11. The Science of Happiness 

If you’re a logic-based thinker, you might struggle to embrace spirituality and mindfulness. The Science of Happiness might help you ease into those topics. Host Dacher Keltner, an award-winning psychologist, uses innovative scientific research to answer questions about happiness and well-being. 

Keltner’s psychology-based podcast covers topics like gratitude, kindness, and resilience. His practical, science-tested hacks can help uncover happiness for even the most skeptical listeners. 

12. The Overwhelmed Brain

Following a breakup that pushed him into a deep depression and revealed his own toxic traits, Paul Colaianni used his personal healing to help others learn emotional intelligence

The Overwhelmed Brain provides hour-long episodes with personal anecdotes and tools to acknowledge your feelings. Colaianni explores topics like social anxiety, learning from failure, and letting go of people. His personal approach and honesty make this a valuable motivational podcast, demonstrating that everyone can aim for self-reflection. 

13. Mindfulness in 8 Weeks

If you’re a goal-oriented person, you probably need structure to build your mindfulness routine. Mindfulness in 8 Weeks offers just that. Author Michael Chaskalson’s mindfulness trainings have been recommended by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Excellence and prescribed by the NHS. 

In his podcast, Chaskalson turns his step-by-step book of the same name into a practical, eight-week mindfulness exercise. By the end, you’ll have a strong foundation in mindfulness that you can continue to deepen. 

14. The Minimalists Podcast

It’s never a bad idea to declutter, whether it’s your mind, interpersonal relationships, or work-from-home office. Joshua Fields Milburn and Ryan Nicodemus are Emmy-nominated Netflix stars, podcasters, and New York Times-bestselling authors who want to help others live more meaningful lives with less material goods. 

In The Minimalists, Milburn and Nicodemus explore a wide variety of topics, including professional identity, anxiety, and financial wellness. With more than 400 episodes, you may surprise yourself with areas of your life that could use a little tidying up. 

15. Meditative Story

Visualization and manifestation are time-tested meditation techniques, but sometimes you need a little push to engage with your inner self. 

Meditative Story invites guests — from actor David Duchovny and astronomer Michelle Thaller — to tell detailed personal stories that transport you to the moment they felt a deep shift within themselves. Each episode encourages you to build a connection with the storyteller, which in turn, helps you build a deeper connection to your own experience.

It’s time to tune in

Mindfulness is a wonderful technique to tune out the hustle and bustle and find a moment of inner peace. In this list of mindfulness podcasts, there’s something for every mood, curiosity, and meditation level. 

Your journey into mindfulness and meditation doesn’t have to start and stop with a podcast. You can complement your listening with personal growth books, self-care practices, and wellness coaching.

Ready for personal growth?

Whether it's overcoming challenges or reaching your full potential, our coaches are here to help.

Ready for personal growth?

Whether it's overcoming challenges or reaching your full potential, our coaches are here to help.

Published November 10, 2023

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships.

With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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