Balanced Mind with Julie Potiker

Settle in to peace and quiet through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She competes the meditation with the poem, "Why read poetry if it won't make you rich?", by Joy Sullivan

This version ends with music allowing you to drift off into sleep.

Why read poetry if it won't make you rich?

For starters, your soul will get bigger.

Your love, more terrible and luminous. Soon, you'll say tender things at parties after too much champagne. A...

Duration: 00:22:46

Settle in to peace and quiet through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She competes the meditation with the poem, "Why read poetry if it won't make you rich?", by Joy Sullivan

Why read poetry if it won't make you rich?

For starters, your soul will get bigger.

Your love, more terrible and luminous. Soon, you'll say tender things at parties after too much champagne. A sidewalk quince, wet with midnight, will stop you in your tracks. In time, you'll find the perfect...

Duration: 00:21:15

Bring compassion into your breath through this meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "The Most Important Thing", by Marie Marchand from her book, Mostly Sweet, Lovely, Human Things.

This version ends with music allowing you to drift off into sleep.

The Most Important Thing

I asked the stars:

What is the most important thing?

The panorama of bright sentinels remained

silent and just keep shining.

So I repeated my question...

Bring compassion into your breath through this meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "The Most Important Thing", by Marie Marchand from her book, Mostly Sweet, Lovely, Human Things.

The Most Important Thing

I asked the stars:

What is the most important thing?

The panorama of bright sentinels remained

silent and just keep shining.

So I repeated my question, this time imploringly:

What is the most important thing?

It was urgent. My...

Sit back and sink into this healing meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with a reading of the poem, "Limitation", by Marie Marchand, from her book, "Mostly Sweet, Lovely, Human Things".

This version ends with music allowing you to drift off into sleep.

Limitation, by Marie Marchand

"I closed my mouth and spoke to you

in a hundred silent ways." - RUMI

Words, although powerful and sometimes sacred

are not the answer.<...

Duration: 00:20:16

Sit back and sink into this healing meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with a reading of the poem, "Limitation", by Marie Marchand, from her book, "Mostly Sweet, Lovely, Human Things".

Limitation, by Marie Marchand

"I closed my mouth and spoke to you

in a hundred silent ways." - RUMI

Words, although powerful and sometimes sacred

are not the answer.

This is hard for a poet to say.

Words are sign posts, doorways<...

Duration: 00:19:55

Julie Potiker leads you through this meditation centering on peace. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Staying True", by James Crews.

This version ends with music allowing you to drift off into sleep.

Staying True

Though they've begun to shrink and shrivel, the echinaceas I saved from the killing frost last night still send out their honeyed scent, filling the whole room. And I think:

Let me be that stubborn, that reckless with whatever time I have left, staying so true...

Duration: 00:20:49

Julie Potiker leads you through this meditation centering on peace. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Staying True", by James Crews.

Staying True

Though they've begun to shrink and shrivel, the echinaceas I saved from the killing frost last night still send out their honeyed scent, filling the whole room. And I think:

Let me be that stubborn, that reckless with whatever time I have left, staying so true to myself, I keep trying to make this world a kinder, more beautiful place right up to...

Duration: 00:20:07

Breath in compassion for yourself, for others, and the world around you through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the mediation with the poem, "How to Stitch Together the World", by Marjorie Moorehead.

This version ends with music allowing you to drift off into sleep.

How To Stitch Together The World

by Marjorie Moorehead, from her book, "Into the Thrum"

When there are so many tears,

what is my needle and thread?

...

Duration: 00:18:30

Breath in compassion for yourself, for others, and the world around you through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the mediation with the poem, "How to Stitch Together the World", by Marjorie Moorehead.

How To Stitch Together The World

by Marjorie Moorehead, from her book, "Into the Thrum"

When there are so many tears,

what is my needle and thread?

Maybe each word written down

on the page is a stitch to fix a rip,

or...

Duration: 00:17:58

Breathe goodness in - and out - through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Into the Thrum", by Marjorie Moorhead.

This version ends with music allowing you to drift off into sleep.

Into the Thrum, by Marjorie Moorehead

Finally, the forsythia

is at full throttle froth.

Yellow petals spangling

in large group celebration.

Nearby, magnolia too,

has decided to pop. It's time

Breathe goodness in - and out - through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Into the Thrum", by Marjorie Moorhead.

Into the Thrum, by Marjorie Moorehead

Finally, the forsythia

is at full throttle froth.

Yellow petals spangling

in large group celebration.

Nearby, magnolia too,

has decided to pop. It's time

to show up, and each tree is

a handful of confetti-in-the-air.

The crocuses have teased...

Duration: 00:19:56

Sit in stillness, in silence, as Julie Potiker leads you through this guided meditation She completes the meditation with the poem, "Hope Waits Its Turn", by Shawn Avenigo Sanders.

This version ends with music allowing you to drift off into sleep.

Like the number I pulled out from the take-your-turn dispenser at the DMV, Hope sits inside my pocket. It takes a seat in the green plastic chair, understanding there are other emotions ahead of it, each with their own urgency. Anxiety likes to hover near the counter,staring...

Duration: 00:19:47

Sit in stillness, in silence, as Julie Potiker leads you through this guided meditation She completes the meditation with the poem, "Hope Waits Its Turn", by Shawn Avenigo Sanders.

Like the number I pulled out from the take-your-turn dispenser at the DMV, Hope sits inside my pocket. It takes a seat in the green plastic chair, understanding there are other emotions ahead of it, each with their own urgency. Anxiety likes to hover near the counter,staring at the red flickering number on the wall, while Logic pretends to be in control, recalculating time...

Duration: 00:18:45

Quiet the thoughts in your mind through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with her poem, "Perseid Star Party".

This version ends with music allowing you to drift off into sleep.

Perseid Star Party, Julian, California, by Julie Potiker

Am I in your way?

No, it’s straight up in the sky, she said.

But my spirit is huge, I say. 

No worries, the jacketed person replied,

folded int...

Duration: 00:18:06

Quiet the thoughts in your mind through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with her poem, "Perseid Star Party".

Perseid Star Party, Julian, California, by Julie Potiker

Am I in your way?

No, it’s straight up in the sky, she said.

But my spirit is huge, I say. 

No worries, the jacketed person replied,

folded into her black canvas camping chair,

I can see right through it.

Is there a friend you would like to visit...someone who is now gone? Someone you would like to have a conversation with? Julie Potiker guides you through this journey. She completes the meditation with her poem, "July Morning".

This version ends with music allowing you to drift off into sleep.

July morning, by Julie Potiker

There’s a California wild rose bush in bright sun at the edge of the patio in Hailey, Idaho

where I sit in th...

Duration: 00:21:36

Is there a friend you would like to visit...someone who is now gone? Someone you would like to have a conversation with? Julie Potiker guides you through this journey. She completes the meditation with her poem, "July Morning".

July morning, by Julie Potiker

There’s a California wild rose bush in bright sun at the edge of the patio in Hailey, Idaho

where I sit in the shade of the house and sip my morning coffee

A silky smooth brown and be...

Duration: 00:20:32

Think about what you need in your life right now as you breathe into this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "God Says Yes To Me", by Kaylin Haught.

God Says Yes To Me

I asked God if it was okay to be melodramatic

and she said yes

I asked her if it was okay to be short

and she said it sure is

I asked her if I could wear...

Duration: 00:19:56

Think about what you need in your life right now as you breathe into this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "God Says Yes To Me", by Kaylin Haught.

God Says Yes To Me

I asked God if it was okay to be melodramatic

and she said yes

I asked her if it was okay to be short

and she said it sure is

I asked her if I could wear...

Duration: 00:19:05

Close your eyes and imagine the warm rays of the sun embracing you as you melt into this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "The Sun", by Mary Oliver.

"The Sun", by Mary Oliver.

Have you ever seen

anything

in your life

more wonderful

than the way the sun,

every evening,

relaxed and easy,

floats toward the horizon

and into the clouds or...

Duration: 00:20:54

Close your eyes and imagine the warm rays of the sun embracing you as you melt into this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "The Sun", by Mary Oliver.

"The Sun", by Mary Oliver.

Have you ever seen

anything

in your life

more wonderful

than the way the sun,

every evening,

relaxed and easy,

floats toward the horizon

and into the clouds or...

Duration: 00:20:23

Think of a word or phrase that you find soothing - as you listen to this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Soft Medicine", by James Crews.

This meditation ends with music allowing you to drift off into sleep.

Soft Medicine, by James Crews

Soft medicine is what I need today—

summer sun filtered by a lemon tree

and cedar chips cushioning each step

across the rocky yard. I...

Duration: 00:20:06

Think of a word or phrase that you find soothing - as you listen to this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Soft Medicine", by James Crews.

Soft Medicine, by James Crews

Soft medicine is what I need today—

summer sun filtered by a lemon tree

and cedar chips cushioning each step

across the rocky yard. I need wool socks

and a hoodie zipped up to my chin

in sp...

Duration: 00:19:32

Julie Potiker leads you through this guided meditation focused on compassion. She completes the meditation with the poem, "In a Friend's Garden", by James Crews.

This meditation ends with music allowing you to drift off into sleep.

In a Friend's Garden, by James Crews

"I want to be here to see

the poppies open," my friend says,

telling me why she never travels

anymore in the middle of summer.

We each hold one...

Duration: 00:19:50

Julie Potiker leads you through this guided meditation focused on compassion. She completes the meditation with the poem, "In a Friend's Garden", by James Crews.

In a Friend's Garden, by James Crews

"I want to be here to see

the poppies open," my friend says,

telling me why she never travels

anymore in the middle of summer.

We each hold one of the heavy buds

whose petals already ache to break

free and spread...

Duration: 00:19:36

Breathe in as you relax into this calming meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with her poem, "Whispers of a Fifth Force".

This meditation ends with music allowing you to drift off into sleep.

Whispers of a Fifth Force, by Julie Potiker

In Idaho’s early morning hush,

I settle into the Adirondack chair by the fire pit,

fast running river less than a pickle-ball court away,

my slippered fe...

Duration: 00:22:08

Breathe in as you relax into this calming meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with her poem, "Whispers of a Fifth Force".

Whispers of a Fifth Force, by Julie Potiker

In Idaho’s early morning hush,

I settle into the Adirondack chair by the fire pit,

fast running river less than a pickle-ball court away,

my slippered feet rest on the cool back of a boulder,

smooth and steady beneath me.

...

Use your breath to breathe in compassion for yourself and others through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "The Guest House", by Rumi.

This meditation ends with music allowing you to drift off into sleep.

 The Guest House

This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, Some momentary awareness comes As an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crow...

Duration: 00:19:51

 Use your breath to breathe compassion for yourself and others through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "The Guest House", by Rumi.

 The Guest House

This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, Some momentary awareness comes As an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, Who violently Weep your house Empty of its furniture, Still, treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out Fo...

Duration: 00:19:17

This meditation may be just what you need right now. Julie Potiker completes this guided meditation with her poem, "Sunday Morning June 1, 2025".

This meditation ends with music allowing you to drift off into sleep.

Sunday Morning June 1, 2025, by Julie Potiker

Stretched out on the thick grey sofa cushion,

the courtyard still cool with early light.

Above me, the carob tree

leans in—its green leaves filtering the sun,

green pods lon...

Duration: 00:20:36

This meditation may be just what you need right now. Julie Potiker completes this guided meditation with her poem, "Sunday Morning June 1, 2025".

Sunday Morning June 1, 2025, by Julie Potiker

Stretched out on the thick grey sofa cushion,

the courtyard still cool with early light.

Above me, the carob tree

leans in—its green leaves filtering the sun,

green pods long and thick,

not yet brown or curled with time.

Bef...

Duration: 00:20:10

Breath in loving kindness for yourself, and out for others through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with her poem, "Going Gently Looks Like".

This meditation ends with music allowing you to drift off into sleep.

“Going gently looks like” (prompt from Julia Fehrenbacher)

This rounded cane chair, my body nestled in cozy fleece, the breeze kissing my thighs, knees, shins, and ankles.

Black-headed Grosbeak trilling like a Song...

Duration: 00:21:52

Breathe in loving kindness for yourself, as you breathe out for others through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with her poem, "Going Gently Looks Like".

“Going gently looks like” (prompt from Julia Fehrenbacher)

This rounded cane chair, my body nestled in cozy fleece, the breeze kissing my thighs, knees, shins, and ankles.

Black-headed Grosbeak trilling like a Song Sparrow

Cobweb threads fluttering from the body of the cracked wooden shorebird to i...

Duration: 00:20:49

Julie Potiker lead you through this guided meditation focusing on what you need right now. She completes the meditation with the poem, "How to Love Yourself", by James Crews.

This meditation ends with the poem so you can drift off to sleep at the end.

How to Love Yourself

Sit by the open window as long as you can,

listening as rain taps out its own rhythm

on the canopies of trees at last gone to green.

Feel ho...

Duration: 00:17:42

Julie Potiker lead you through this guided meditation focusing on what you need right now. She completes the meditation with the poem, "How to Love Yourself", by James Crews.

How to Love Yourself

Sit by the open window as long as you can,

listening as rain taps out its own rhythm

on the canopies of trees at last gone to green.

Feel how that music seeps into you

as each new droplet sinks into soil,

touching...

Duration: 00:18:05

This meditation led by Julie Potiker might be just what you need today. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Imaginal Cells", by James Crews.

(This version ends with music so you can drift off into sleep.)



Imaginal Cells, by James Crews

Like caterpillars born with imaginal cells

that know how to become a thing with wings, 

we too carry a dream inside ourselves

of a different, better world. There will be

struggle, yes, as we claw our...

Duration: 00:20:07

This meditation led by Julie Potiker might be just what you need today. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Imaginal Cells", by James Crews.

Imaginal Cells, by James Crews

Like caterpillars born with imaginal cells

that know how to become a thing with wings, 

we too carry a dream inside ourselves

of a different, better world. There will be

struggle, yes, as we claw our way out of

a chrysalis that can no longer keep us...

Duration: 00:19:20

Breath in peace for yourself - as you breath out peace for others through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Light Show", by James Crews.

"Light Show", by James Crews.

Before supper, I called upstairs to him:

Come see the light show. And without

a moment’s hesitation, he rushed down

to the basement to stand next to me

on the other side of a pool of sun

stretching from the on...

Duration: 00:18:20

Relax and breathe along with Julie Potiker as she leads you through this healing breath meditation. She completes the meditation with her poem, "In the Habitable Zone".

In the Habitable Zone, by Julie Potiker

I let the thought settle—dew on my skin—

120 light years from my morning coffee,

a world, more than eight times bigger

than Earth, orbits a red dwarf star.

Spinning steadily in what scientists call

the habitable zone.

It could be a Hycean worl...

Duration: 00:19:06

Use your breath to focus on what you need right now - through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with her poem, "11 minutes".

11 minutes, by Julie Potiker

The Karmine Line, invisible.

But real enough to draw a boundary

between us and what's beyond.

At 62 miles the air gives up its grip

and Blue Origin, that sleek silver wish,

carries six women through suborbital space into weightlessness.

11 minutes, a life...

Duration: 00:21:40

Join Julie Potiker as she leads you through this Classic Metta Meditation. She completes the meditation with her poem, "March on Meadowbrook Road".

March, on Meadowbrook Road, by Julie Potiker.

Down the way from the old Triumph mine, Narrow-leaf Willow, a rust-colored and wild, leans into the breeze.

Rubber Rabbit-brush waits in stillness, not yet yellow - there's room here for

what takes time. Basin Wild Rye a parchment scrap from last year's book, whispers its end in a papery rush.

Find compassion for yourself and those around you through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "The Return of Hearts and Minds", by James Crews.

The Return of Hearts and Minds, by James Crews

I wake before dawn this morning

to live inside the quiet, to feast

on the dark bread of the possible.

The house breathes on its own, though

no footsteps stamp the floor above,

no doors slam shut, and...

Duration: 00:18:06

Relax into this meditation -- as you breathe in compassion. Julie Potiker completes the meditation with her poem, "Joy has Four Legs and Doesn't Ask for Permission".

Joy has Four Legs and Doesn’t Ask for Permission, by Julie Potiker

No one told them about wars

or the price of eggs.

Mutts and pure breeds of every flavor

run without hesitation,

as if the world has always been this open,

this forgiving.

Wellington leaps an...

Duration: 00:20:24

In this guided meditation you will focus on peace, love, and compassion. Julie Potiker competes her meditation with the poem, Prayer, by James Crews.

"Prayer", by James Crews

I ask for just the slightest shift

in my thinking, the kindest sifting

of my busy mind so only wonder

and peace are left behind. So that

as I walk in sleet on this spring morning

I can see even these muddy ruts

made by careless trucks on the...

Duration: 00:20:23

Relax into this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Sunflower", by James Crews.

Sunflower, by James Crews

"Joy is not made to be a crumb."

Mary Oliver once wrote, but isn't that

how it often shows up at first? One crumb

of attention, then another, and another

until you're able to follow the trail

leading to the volunteer sunflower

you hadn't noticed blooming by the garden.

"Volunteer," we...

Duration: 00:18:33

Using your breathe ease into this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with a reading of the poem, "Awe", by James Crews.

Awe

It's a shiver that climbs the trellis

of the spine each tingle a bright

white morning glory bursting into blossom

beneath the skin. It can happen anywhere,

anytime, even finding a sleeve of ice

worn by a branch all morning, now fallen

on a bed of snow. You can choose...

Duration: 00:18:39

This guided meditation may be just what you need today. Julie Potiker completes the meditation with the poem, "The Most Important Thing", by Julia Fehrenbacher.

The Most Important Thing, by Julia Fehrenbacher

I am making a home inside myself. A shelter

of kindness where everything

is forgiven, everything allowed—a quiet patch

of sunlight to stretch out without hurry,

where all that has been banished

and buried is welcomed, spoken, listened to—released.

​

A fiercely friend...

Duration: 00:20:04

Julie Potiker leads you in this classic loving kindness meditation focusing on the words - may you be safe, may you be happy, may you be healthy, and may you live you life with ease. She completes the meditation with her poem, "New".

"New", by Julie Potiker

Bundle swaddled snuggly

sleeps soundly

eyes half moons

delicate rose lips

upturned dough of nose

Miniature hands

slender fingers

gossamer nails

This guided meditation led by Julie Potiker focuses on goodness - as you breathe in and out. She completes the meditation with her poem, "February 11th, 2025".

February 11th, 2025, by Julie Potiker.

Rain is coming, there’s a damp chill as I zip my down jacket, tuck my slippered feet under me in my favorite listening chair under the eaves.

Bewick Wrens, tail up, are chirping and trilling in the green leafy branches of the carob trees. When one drops down onto the bricks, I get a close lo...

Duration: 00:19:36

In this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker you will focus on a being who brings you joy - and then move into classic loving kindness phrases. She completes her meditation with the poem, "Dream Life", by Billy Collins.

Dream Life, by Billy Collins

Whenever I have a dream about Poetry,

which is not very often

considering how much I think about her,

she appears as a seamstress

who works in the window of a tailor's shop

in a...

Duration: 00:23:49

Focus on giving love to yourself and others as you follow this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Listening", by Julie Barton.

Listening, by Julie Barton

I rebuilt my ancestral altar. 

Two nights later, two great-horned owls 

stood near my front door.

I knew they were my grandparents who

lingered. 

They said in the next 

morning’s meditation, Where we are,

Find peace and connection through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Community", by James Crews.

Community, by James Crews

Science now tells us

what we have known

since the beginning:

you and I are made of light.

And if atoms can be birthed by long-gone stars

whose signatures we still

trace in every night sky,

and if these atoms can

come together to form

Goodness - is the focus of this guided meditation. What is it you need to hear to make you feel good? Julie Potiker completes the meditation with a reading of her poem, "Holy Stop".

Holy Stop, by Julie Potiker

A little after 2pm

I exit the 5-south freeway at Loma Santa Fe.

At the traffic light, two women with bright green vests

CROSSING GUARD in tall black letters.

Outstretched arm

grasping pole with big red stop sign

...

Duration: 00:21:58

Breathe in goodness...for yourself...and others through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "You Matter", by James Crews.

You Matter, by James Crews

All we can do in times like these

is offer things to say to others:

You matter to me. The Mason jar

of chicken soup given to a neighbor,

or the clay mug shaped by the hands

of a friend, with a dog and goldfinch

...

Duration: 00:19:51

Find your center as you move into the New Year with this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Life and Death", by Mary F. Lenox.

Life and Death, by Mary F. Lenox

On the day of our birth, 

We begin our journey toward death

Needless to say,

Every living being on this planet today

 will not be here in 120 years.

That’s twelve decades from now 

Most will be gon...

Duration: 00:17:44

Join Julie Potiker as she guides you through this meditation focusing on what it is you need - for yourself. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Try Softer", by James Crews.

"Try Softer", by James Crews

Honor wherever you are

whether the door to your life

has blown off its hinges,

or you find the simplest joy

sitting in a patch of winter sun

on that corner of the carpet

where you love to stretch.

Breathe in and visualize a Hanukkah candle - lit with love, glowing. Julie Potiker completes the meditation with the poem, "The Back of Our Hands", by Annette Friend.

"The Back of Our Hands," by Annette Friend.

My nephew's afternoon wedding in upgraded

Jersey City - a rose covered Chuppah overlooks

the sun-speckled Hudson River, the jagged NYC skyline.

My granddaughter, six, sits on my lap,

in a flowered pink dress, beige patent leather

shoes with tiny bows, softly touches...

Duration: 00:20:40

In this guided meditation, led by Julie Potiker you will be focusing on your gifts and what it is you need right now. She completes the meditation with the poem, "At the Market", by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer.

"At The Market", by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

Now when I walk through the market

I think of how someone else here

beside the stir-fry cart and the tie-dye tent

has just lost a beloved

and is hiding tears behind sunglasses.

Not knowing...

Duration: 00:21:41

What would be most helpful for you to hear right now. Is it hope, healing, peace? Julie Potiker guides you through this meditation and finishes with her poem, "Considering Poetry".

Considering Poetry, by Julie Potiker

No furrowing of brows

Nor squinting of ears

I like the message to ripple on clear fresh water

Perhaps a river stream

Flowing over stones smoothed by the ages

Perhaps more rhythmically

Dynamically

The pull of the moon

...

Duration: 00:20:29

Right now, in this moment, what is it you need to hear? Julie Potiker helps you focus on that question through this guided meditation. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Reciting Poems to Each Other in a Difficult Time", by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

Reciting Poems to Each Other in a Difficult Time, by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

It might have looked as if we stayed

in our respective squares—

nine separate rooms made of pixels—

but for an hour the poem...

Duration: 00:21:43

Enter the holiday season and finish the year with gratitude and thankfulness - for those who helped you throughout your life. Who has helped you become the person you are today? Breathe in acknowledgment of their contribution to your life's journey - breathe out thankfulness. Julie Potiker completes her meditation with the poem, "Thank You", by Ross Gay.

Thank You, by Ross Gay.

If you find yourself half naked

and barefoot in the frosty grass, hearing,

again, the earth's great, sonorous moan that says

Open your heart to compassion through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with a reading of the poem, "So I Can't Save the World", by —Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

"So I Can't Save the World", by —Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

So I can’t save the world—

can’t save even myself,

can’t wrap my arms around

every frightened child, can’t

foster peace among nations,

can’t bring love to all who

feel...

Duration: 00:20:55

This meditation led by Julie Potiker focuses on our connection to others. We are the light, we are connected, and we are the helpers. She completes the meditation with the poem, " Look for the Helpers", by James Crews.

"Look for the Helpers", by James Crews

Today, I will look for the helpers-the woman pouring sunflower seeds

from an orange bag into the feeder,

and a chickadee, having eaten its fill, lifting off

so another can feast there.

Someone holding open

Using your breath, breathe in peace and hope through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with a reading of the poem, "Hope", by Lisel Mueller.

"Hope", by Lisel Mueller

It hovers in dark corners

before the lights are turned on,

it shakes sleep from its eyes

and drops from mushroom gills,

it explodes in the starry heads

of dandelions turned sages,

it sticks to the wings of green angels

that...

Duration: 00:19:21

Find a quiet place to settle into your own stillness through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Natural Silence", by James Crews.

Natural Silence, by James Crews

It's not easy to find the silence

behind traffic noise and the rush of a jet

dragging its contrails through the sky.

But here it is again in the in-between,

when I learn to listen long enough

to the call-and-response of birdsong,

...

Duration: 00:20:23

While sitting in quiet meditation - bring in phrases of loving kindness to yourself; may I be safe, may I be happy, and may I find moments of ease. Julie Potiker completes the meditation with the poem, "Choices", by James Crews.

"Choices", by James Crews

You can grieve the leaves stripped

from the maple, all that empty

space between bare branches,

or you can bless the abundance

of light shining through, buffing

the pine boards of the floor until<...

Duration: 00:21:49

Take some time to slow down your mind and your body - as you sit, relax and breath through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with her poem, "Self-Care."

"Self-Care", by Julie Potiker

Self-care is in my spine, stamped

in my vertebrae after a decade

of teaching mindful self-compassion.

It keeps my skeleton fro collapsing

in a heap on the earth when disaster strikes.

It raises me a little taller when joy, awe,

Slow down and connect to yourself and the beauty that surrounds around you through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Watson", by Julia Fehrenbacher.

"Watson", by Julia Fehrenbacher.

I'm pretty sure our new kitten things

our middle-aged dog is his mama.

At first, he hissed and made himself big

whenever he saw her, but now

he nestles into the warm curve

of her belly and purrs. He even

closes...

Duration: 00:20:39

Compassion is the focus of this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. Breath in compassion for yourself - and out for others. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Komorebi," by James Crews.

Komorebi, by James Crews

For what must have been a full minute

in the spacious eternity of an evening

at the ragged end of summer, I stood

in the kitchen as the sun dropped down

behind the trees at the exact right place

for it to...

Duration: 00:20:32

The focus of this guided meditation is healing - through breathing. Julie Potiker completes the meditation with the poem," We Were Made for This," by Julia Fehrenbacher.

We Were Made for This, by Julia Fehrenbacher

I want to fill this space

with words that will erase the distance

between your certainty and mine

make room under the big, empty sky

for grace to sit, move closer

until skin touches skin, eyes see eyes.

<...

Duration: 00:18:56

Join Julie Potiker as she leads you through this guided meditation where you will use your breath to relax - and focus on what it is you need right now. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Rose-Breasted", by Kai Coggin, from the book, "Mother of Other Kingdoms, poems by Kai Coggin".

"Rose-Breasted", by Kai Coggin

(for Pheucticus Iudovicianus)

To be rose-breastedmp

as in the grosbeak that graced

the feeder today on my lunch breath,

me, in my teaching clothes, bright...

Duration: 00:19:54

In this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker you will focus on breathing goodness in - and out. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Holding the Light", by Stuart Kestenbaum 

Holding the Light, by Stuart Kestenbaum.

Gather up whatever is 

glittering in the gutter,

whatever has tumbled 

in the waves or fallen 

in flames out of the sky,

for it’s not only our

hearts that are broken, 

but the heart

...

Duration: 00:17:11

In this episode of Balanced Mind - Julie Potiker leads you through a quiet compassion meditation. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Awakening", by Vera Haldy-Regier.

Awakening, by Vera Haldy-Regier

Oh, lilacs,

once again, your splendor

delights my senses and speaks

of the many past spring times of youth

that promised lo ve, lifted my heart

and then dashed it into the heat of summer

with all its sensual excess

older and furrowed now,

I...

Duration: 00:18:14

Find connection - and healing through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with her poem, "I Am Noticing".

I Am Noticing, by Julie Potiker.

I am noticing everything all at once, all the time, so much so that some things lay down on top of others.

Last night, sitting in the courtyard after dinner, listening to what my husband was saying, hearing his words and the tone and timber of his voice, I was struck by the tempo of...

Duration: 00:19:12

Join Julie Potiker as she leads you through this loving kindness meditation. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Mountain Forest: Early Summer", by Joan Koerper.

Mountain Forest: Early Summer

Raven caws

Ladybug lands on my finger

two California Quail mosey by

Band-Tailed Pigeons coo

breeze tickles leaves and pollinated blossoms

of the hundred-year-old Apple trees

as Buddha, seashells in folded hands, offers thanks.

Sap from Jeffrey Pines glistens

Mistletoe grows lustily, greedy...

Duration: 00:22:17

As you wake up, slip into this morning meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Gathering Nectar", by Julia Fehrenbacher.

"Do you know that sometimes,

when gathering nectar,

bees fall asleep in flowers?" Andrea Gibson

Gathering Nectar

When I am flitting ahead to the next

very important thing, I do not land long enough

to notice steam rise from the mug of mint tea, do not

breathe in the...

Duration: 00:17:59

Quiet your mind as you listen to this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with her poem, "Garden Dreams".

"Garden Dreams", by Julie Potiker

Jasmine, roses - lavender flowers dot the rosemary hedge.

I’m in a clapboard house, sleeping over with other women, some sort of retreat.

Roni is there too.

Grasping at images

Fragments of feelings

Snippets of conversations

Trying to hold onto the story-line

as it disappears in a...

Duration: 00:19:44

Breathe in and out peace and love as you listen to this loving kindness meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Sea Glass", by James Crews.

"Sea Glass", by James Crews.

We keep going back to the rocky beach,

searching for the glint of sea glass--

the white, the green, the rarest blue.

It takes decades to smooth out the sharp

edges of those shards, yeas of helpless

turning in the tides, so we...

Duration: 00:20:10

Julie Potiker takes you to your favorite summer spot - through this guided visualization. Where are you, what do you hear, smell or feel? She completes the meditation with her poem, "Delicate Blossoms".

Delicate Blossoms, by Julie Potiker

Prunus persica - a Contender.

Small emerald and ruby velvet coated stones.

Untold dangers - snails, spiders, beetles, Cedar Waxwings, Bluejays and Mockingbirds among other friends I willingly host in my garden.

Small furry creatures - a cartel of squirrels, they too, belong in the...

Duration: 00:19:10

Julie Potiker leads you in this quiet compassion meditation. She completes the meditation with the poem, "In a Friend's Garden", by James Crews.

In a Friend's Garden, by James Crews

"I want to be here to see the poppies open,"

my friend says, telling me why

she never travels anymore in the middle of summer.

We each hold one of the heavy buds whose petals

already ache to break free and spread, bursting red at the seams.

The mulch...

Duration: 00:18:10

Breathe in peace and love while listening to this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Folding Alter", by James Crews.

Folding Altar, by James Crews

I carry my church with me

wherever I go, unfolding the altar

of a moment while out walking

with my husband, pausing to pick

a few dandelions gone to seed,

taking a deep breath, then blowing,

sending those silver messengers

into the air...

Duration: 00:18:50

Breathe in love, for yourself and those around you as you follow this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Forms of Love", by Daniel Baylis.

Forms of Love, by Daniel Baylis.

Sometimes I wonder:

What's the point?

Why be good? Why care? Why try to change things?

Why--when we continue to wreck each other?

Yet, I keep moving forward.

Not because I am confident of any outcomes.

But because I...

Duration: 00:18:48

Hold yourself in love as you sink into this Loving Kindness meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Natural Silence", by James Crews.

"Natural Silence", by James Crews.

It’s not easy to find the silence

behind traffic noise and the rush of a jet

dragging its contrails through the sky.

But here it is again in the in-between,

when I learn to listen long enough

to the call-and-response of birdsong,

to wi...

Duration: 00:20:44

Breathe compassion in and compassion out -- as you settle into this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "The Fawn", by Nikita Gill. (From the book, "Where Hope Comes From; Poems of Resilience, Healing, and Light).

"The Fawn", by Nikita Gill

(After Mary Oliver's "Wild Geese")

You do not have to win at a crisis.

You do not have to push yourself

to learn a new language or write a book

or take up...

Find a quiet space to sit, relax, and breathe as Julie Potiker transports you through her guided visualization meditation. She completes the meditation with her poem, "Immersed & Transported".

"Immersed & Transported", by Julie Potiker

Soon, I arrive -

a sea of humanity spilling

 into ornate building.

Sunbeams escape my smile

as volunteer scans my ticket,

 the playbill - a treasure map

   clutched to my chest.

Find my row by letter of al...

Duration: 00:19:53

Tap into compassion, for yourself and others, through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Just for Now", by Danna Faulds.

"Just for Now", by Danna Faulds

Just for Now,

Without asking how, let yourself sink into stillness.

Just for now, lay down the weight

You so patiently bear upon your shoulders.

Feel the earth receive you,

And the infinite expanse of the sky grow even...

Duration: 00:20:19

Breathe in gratitude and compassion during this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with her poem, "Birthday Presence".

Birthday Presence, by Julie Potiker 

The air feels like spring

tucked into my sit spot

thin cotton pajamas

No jacket wanted or needed

On this late February day

Three days left in my 62nd revolution around the sun.

My eyes alight on the shrub -

Bee’s Bliss Sage.

...

Duration: 00:20:57

Bring in kindness to yourself and others through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Holding the Light", by Stuart Kestenbaum.

Holding the Light, by Stuart Kestenbaum

-for Kait Rhoads

Gather up whatever is

glittering in the gutter,

whatever has tumbled

in the waves or fallen

in flames out of the sky,

for it's not only our

hearts that are broken,

but the...

Duration: 00:22:05

Join Julie Potiker as she guides you in this compassionate breath meditation. She completes the meditation with her poem, "Holding Court".

Holding Court, by Julie Potiker

Scattered about, Western Sycamore leaves forever remind me of book pages - undone, unglued, unloved, discarded.

Feeling this dip in mood, I make my way to the caged veggie garden below in search of something yummy.

Bright green cauliflower lifts my spirits. I wrestle it out of the rich soil with the help...

Duration: 00:20:58

Julie Potiker guides you through this breathing meditation focusing on compassion. She completes the meditation with the poem,"Guru in Disguise", by Julia Fehrenbacher.

"Guru in Disguise", by Julia Fehrenbacher

There is something about the way

morning light resets an old, mossy oak

that quiets the loud in me, invites

me to set everything down.

As I step closer, I see

that she has wrinkled and grayed with age,

as weathered seasons, storms-indifference.

Feel your body rooted to the earth as you meditate to this compassion meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes this guided meditation with the poem, "The Forest", by Nikita Gill.

The Forest, by Nikita Gill

One day when you wake up, you will find that you have become a forest.

You have grown roots and found strength in them that no one thought you had.

You have become stronger and more beautiful,

full of life giving...

Duration: 00:20:02

Ease your body into this early morning loving kindness meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes this guided meditation with her poem, "Soft Morning".

Soft Morning, by Julie Potiker

The birds sound muted

A beetle

No bigger than a black nickel

Makes its way on faded ceramic tiles

to cream and red brick pavers

He is headed somewhere fast

Swift for his kind

No wings

Just short legs

...

Duration: 00:24:56

Sit back as you relax into this compassion meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Church", by James Crews.

Church, by James Crews

When I ask how you are,

imagine a field of untouched snow

stretching blank between us,

waiting for the answer of your steps –

perhaps hesitant at first, then

more certain as you begin to share

the sorrows and joys that sit

like unwrapped offerings

on th...

Duration: 00:18:10

In this end-of-the-year guided meditation led by Julie Potker you will use your breath to breathe in healing, awareness, and gratitude. She completes the mediation with the poem, "For the End of the Year", by Donna Ashworth.

'For the End of the Year", by Donna Ashworth.

Why do we start a new year, with promises to improve?

Who began this tradition of never-ending pressure?

I say, the end of a year, should be filled with congratulation,

for all we survived.

And I say a...

Duration: 00:22:43

Focus on what makes you happy, and who makes you happy - as Julie Potiker leads you through this guided meditation of peace and love. She begins the meditation with the reading of the poem, "Hold Out Your Hand", by Julia Fehrenbacher. She completes the meditation with her poem, "So Much Love," by Julie Potiker .

Hold Out Your Hand, by Julia Fehrehbacher

Let's forget the world for a while

fall back and back

into the hush and holy

of now

are...

Duration: 00:22:35

Embrace love and peace through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with her poem, "December 1, 2023, Coffee Poem".

"December 1 , 2023, Coffee Poem", by Julie Potiker.

My flannel pajama bottoms got wet when I folded myself into my morning sit spot

That’s ok

It didn’t prompt me to move

Just to feel the dampness on the back of my thighs.

I wonder whether my morning coffee meditation rituals are getting repetitive

After all...

Duration: 00:20:30

In this guided meditation, led by Julie Potiker, you will imagine breathing in a healing golden light -creating peace within your body. She completes this guided meditation with the poem, "Still Breathing".

Still Breathing, by Anonymous

I will stand with you,

though I am shaken to my core.

I will pray with you,

though I question who might hear.

I will cry with you,

though the pain I feel cannot compare with your suffering.

I will sing...

Duration: 00:18:55

"Only love is big enough to hold all the pain in this world", (Sharon Salzberg). Julie Potiker leads you in this guided meditation of peace and love. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Only Love," by James Crews.

Only Love, by James Crews.

And so I image the entire earth

as one beating heart held in the space

of this universe, inside a larger body

we can't fathom, filling with enough

love to lead each of us out of the cave

...

Duration: 00:22:24

Julie Potiker guides you through this meditation for peace for Israel. She completes the meditation with "Kiddish Poem, by Marge Piercy.

" Kiddish Poem," by Marge Piercy

Look around us, search above us, below, behind.

We stand in a great web of being joined together.

Let us praise, let us love the life we are lent

passing through us in the body of Israel

and our own bodies, let’s say amen.

Time flows through us like water.

Th...

Duration: 00:22:36