Take a Moment
Daily meditations hosted by Marnie Castor, originally aired on KUT. Each episode offers a brief moment of mindfulness and reflection. The podcast is supported by the Relationship Counseling Center of Austin.
Episodes
Thin Places
Autumn is a time across many cultures when the veil is considered to be thin.
Illuminate
Bear witness to your fellow human beings. Illuminate when possible.
Healthy Intimacy
How far we've come from our commonality with birds, bees, and even educated fleas.
Armpit Breath
A somatic practice to expand on each breath.
Love Yourself and Be Devastating
If my inner compass feels lost, I look to landmarks. People, places and things that reflect my true north.
Abhyasa and Vairagya
I approach consistent practice with patience and non-attachment to the outcome.
Listening Meditation
An exercise for centering yourself in the current moment
Abdominal Lock
An exercise to lift up and massage your organs of digestion.
Reductive Language
Oversimplification is as limiting to the subject as it is to the source.
Tarzan
As it turns out, chest pounding *gently* is a fine way to open our lungs.
Floating Head
I am centered and present in my perfect body.
Give a Hoot
Give a you know what and pick it up.
Cat Cow
An embodied practice that allows for a full-body flow using the breath.
Lunar Meditation
A meditation on lunar qualities.
Glow of Firelight
Perhaps our draw to the blue light of screens is rooted in a deeper longing for the warm glow of fire.
When We Don't Move
Small movements make a big difference.
Autumnal Equinox
I pause and observe the balancing shift between seasons.
Neuroaesthetics
Find something that lifts your spirits to look at.
At War with Ourselves
I find inner peace.
Hyoid
A freestanding bone in the middle of the throat may be the key to upright posture.
The Most Toys
Aparigraha. I know when enough is enough.
Two Part Breathing
A breathing practice that utilizes pauses between inhales to expand the breath.
Lymphatic Movement Arms
A simple arm exercise to pump the lymph nodes in the neck and arms.
Do Hard Things
Obstacles make us better at life and stronger at problem-solving.
Spacious Breath
Use the imagination to create a full, healthy and expansive breath.
Three Sieves
Three filters (or sieves) to consider before your words are spoken aloud.
Chakras Part 2
The seven chakras explained.
Chakras Part 1
An introduction to the Chakra system.
Tech Neck
A simple exercise that can help us improve forward head syndrome or "tech neck"
Robai Shin Grandmother Mind
Compassion is revolution
Setting an Intention
When we set and intention we want to speak in clear present language.
Heart Rate Variability
High Heart Rate Variability points to good cardiovascular health.
Summer Months
During summer months, we may find ourselves easily agitated or quick to anger. Ayurveda is a holistic approach that brings the body into balance by applying opposites.
Full Moon
There are many beliefs about the full moon and the moon's phases. Tonight's full moon is called the Sturgeon moon.
Collarbone Tapping
Tapping the collar bones activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
Hands on Ribs
A relaxed breathing practice to release stuck energy from your lower ribcage.
Hissing Breath
A cool breath practice.
Living the Dream
Life is but a shadow.
The Power of Invisible
Consider our bias toward the seen.
Grief
When we repress grief, it can morph into a sorrow we can no longer access.
How Are You Breathing?
How we breathe tells all about how we be.
Put the Baby to Bed
Are you trying to function beyond your limits? Stop.
Lamed Vavnik
Do good and throw it in the sea; if the fish don't know, the Creator will.
Shoulder Release
Slow down and listen to your body to stop tension before it turns into pain.
Neti Neti
You can't really shut the mind off but you can observe your thoughts.
No Complaints
Complaining can be an entryway to connection, but there is a better way.
Lighten Up
Laugh in spite of life's most lugubrious moments.
Phases of the Moon
Use the moon and it's cycle as a mirror for our own phases and changes.
Liar, Liar
"The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the slow, eating agony of a lie is never lost."
Healthy Social Engagement
We are hardwired to be social creatures. It's good for the mind, body and soul.
Walking Meditation
A meditation rooted in breath, body and intention.
Unshakeable Trust
A practice that fosters courage, self-assurance, and unwavering trust.
Our Relationship to Food
How we consume is as important as what we consume.
Bodhisattva
Be kind or leave.
Row Row Row Your Boat
We do not know what happens next until we row, gently.
Full Breath In
Longer, fuller, conscious breathing gives life.
Toilet Seat
One small step for man, one giant leap for human kindness.
What Is Your Story?
Who are you, really?
Pelvic Tilt
Between the upper and lower body sits the hardest-working set of bones.
Seeds
Seeds of today are the forests tomorrow.
Waking Up in the Middle of the Night
A sudden awakening in the middle of the night may be an invitation to explore the liminal space between sleep and waking life.
I Heart Nuance
It's not supposed to make sense; that's the point.
Respect the Feet
They ground, anchor and carry the body forward.
Don't Just Do Something, Sit There
Something to do with doing nothing.
Leave It Alone
Healing does not arrive at a breakneck speed. Recovery requires rest.
Straw Breath
Release tension with intention on the exhale.
Sensing Anger
Felt sensations tell us more about our emotions than our thoughts.
Take A Different Way Home
The wisdom of your internal compass will never lead you astray. Get lost to find out just how.
Bees Breath
Humming, speaking can stimulate the parasympathetic system.
Wrist Extension
A stretch for your connective tissue.
Soft Eyes
Watch the windows to the soul bloom and thrive when engaged with intention to relax.
Sharpen Your Axe
Slow down to speed up, take breaks to allow the progress of energy to flow at a natural pace.
Holistic Approach
Holistic healing leads with a positive outlook. Is there a holistic change you can make today?
Show Up
Making an effort to show up builds and binds love and trust.
I Want Love
What we seek and what we are is love.
Om Shanti
A mantra for peace and inner calm.
Sit Up Tall
A gentle, imagery-driven practice to reframe the value of sitting upright.
Cucumber
Look to the earth's bounty to keep your cool during the peak heat of summertime.
Pause on the Exhale
Breath is a good place to start the process of letting go.
Patience and Faith
Patience and gratitude for when things don't work out as hoped.
