About Meditative Story
Meditative Story is a first-of-its-kind podcast listening experience that combines the emotional pull of immersive storytelling with the immediate, science-backed benefits of mindfulness practice. Meditative Story is a WaitWhat original series — created by the team who built and led TED’s media organization — in close partnership with Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global. The series is made possible with generous support from Salesforce.
The format
invention of
Meditative Story
In each of the 26 episodes that form the first season of Meditative Story a different storyteller uses high-sensory story telling techniques to transport listeners to a time and place where everything changed for them.
As the story unfolds, our host and mindfulness guide. Rohan Gunatillake, offers gentle mindfulness prompts embedded in line with the story itself, prompting listeners to settle more deeply in story details, and connect with their own observations.
The entire experience is elevated by gorgeous originally composed musical arrangements by the story. Shifting between music and vibration, the transforms the listener’s state of mind.
The entire experience is elevated by gorgeous, originally composed musical arrangements by The Holladay Brothers, which rides ethereally above the story. Shifting between music and vibration, the innovative sound design brings the story to life, and transforms the listener’s state of mind.
As a subscriber, every week you’ll receive a different Meditative Story from a storyteller who will transport you to a time and place where everything changed for them — a story you might find yourself relating to deeply. As the story unfolds, mindfulness guide Rohan will offer gentle prompts designed to calm your mind and help you connect with your own observations. Shifting between music and vibration, the sound design brings each Meditative Story to life, with the aim of giving you the headspace to feel restored and refreshed.
Some of the great storytellers you’ll hear include On Being’s Krista Tippett, restauranteur Danny Meyer, futurist Jane McGonigal, author Pico Iyer, ABC Nightline’s Dan Harris, NPR’s Peter Sagal, Apple Music’s Larry Jackson, NASA’s Michelle Thaller, transgender boxer Thomas Page McBee and Dr. Lucy Kalanithi, who shares an epilogue to her late husband Paul Kalanithi’s memoir When Breath Becomes Air.
From birth to death – from the most profound and singular to the most common, quotidian, everyday occurrences – Meditative Story’s 360-degree view on life through story will be as evocative as it is action-based, giving listeners the opportunity to restore themselves at any point of the day.