Meditative Story
WaitWhat
Meditative Story combines extraordinary human stories with meditation prompts embedded into the storylines — all surrounded by breathtaking music. Think of it as an alternative way into a mindfulness practice, through vivid stories and cinematic music and production values. Meditative Story is an original series produced by WaitWhat and supported by our members. Our community tells us that they listen to the same episodes over and over again, and according to data provided by Apple Podcasts, Meditative Story may have the highest engagement of any podcast in the world. And that makes us proud!
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 7, 2026 • 33min
Forging my own path, by Isha Sesay
A memoir of caregiving and learning to accept help. Childhood shifts between London and Sierra Leone shape a life spent making others visible. Care for a disabled sister and a grieving family forge an identity around giving. A sudden reversal of roles after a stroke teaches the hard practice of receiving support. Ends with a guided meditation on opening to kindness.
Mar 31, 2026 • 35min
Dancing on my own, by Alex Morris
Alex Morris, a writer and former improv performer who lives with retinitis pigmentosa, tells a first-person story about hiding vision loss and learning to accept help. He recalls the safety of stage lights, the panic of getting lost, the surprising freedom of asking for assistance, and how trusting others widened his world.
Mar 24, 2026 • 34min
The last laugh, by Sara Benincasa
Sara Benincasa, comedian and writer who turns personal struggle into candid comedy. She recounts the rush of applause, grappling with anxiety and agoraphobia, and how performance blurred persona and self. She describes choosing solitude, sobriety, and small daily practices to find worth inside. Short, reflective, and quietly powerful.
7 snips
Mar 17, 2026 • 39min
Martha Beck: Letting our hearts take the lead
Martha Beck, bestselling author and life coach known for writing on personal transformation, shares a story of shifting from perfectionist striving to open curiosity. She recounts childhood pressure, intense Mandarin study, and a revelatory time in Japan. The conversation explores learning with beginner's mind, embracing emptiness, and practicing compassionate curiosity.
Mar 11, 2026 • 30min
Writing the main character, by Franklin Leonard
Franklin Leonard, film executive who created The Black List to spotlight unproduced screenplays. He recounts near-death moments and sudden pivots that pushed him from law and consulting toward creative risk. He describes founding a platform to champion writers, mapping life to a three-act story, and intentionally calling in future plot twists.
Mar 3, 2026 • 32min
Creating space to stand in truth, by Susan David
Susan David, psychologist and author known for emotional agility, shares a personal story of grief and the teachers who taught her to make space for feeling. She explores fear of loss, honest courage, the healing power of being seen, and learning to hold others’ pain with compassion. Short reflective prompts invite listeners to practice gentle presence.
Feb 24, 2026 • 30min
A nurse's story, by Wayne Little
Wayne Little, a top nursing administrator who led UCSF’s mass COVID vaccination effort, reflects on a lifelong calling to care inspired by an early mentor. He recounts caregiving in youth, deep patient bonds, mobilizing nurses in crises, designing a 23-lane drive-thru, and how joyful teamwork and equitable care shaped a community-focused response.
Feb 17, 2026 • 35min
The power of a simple loving presence, by Hannah Cross
Hannah Cross, a licensed clinical social worker who blends evidence-based therapy with compassion from her own recovery, shares how working at a youth incarceration center reshaped her approach. She describes creating a welcoming space, the talking-stick experiment, guiding a teen through panic with presence, and how simple, loving presence can open the door to deeper healing.
Feb 10, 2026 • 17min
A self-love meditation, by Rohan Gunatillake
A guided self-love meditation that invites you to settle with breath and softening. It explores companionship including the steady love of a pet and the joy of passionate hobbies. The practice expands to universal compassion before turning inward to emphasize self-care rituals. Short prompts encourage naming simple acts of self-love and celebrating them.
Feb 3, 2026 • 33min
To be seen on my own terms, by Lex Gillette
Lex Gillette, a five-time Paralympic medalist and world-record long jumper who lost his sight as a child, shares how he shaped identity through sport and music. He talks about discovering the long jump as a refuge, reclaiming music in college, and using songwriting to connect and create moments that let him be seen on his own terms.
