The Daily Meditation with Brother Richard
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305 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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Following the Breath
1 januari 2026 · 14 min
In this episode, I explore the sacredness of the breath, a theme shared across spiritual and contemplative traditions. Lees meer
I reflect on the meaning of ruah in Hebrew and pneuma in Greek, words that point to breath as life, spirit and presence. Our emotional reactions are often mirrored in the way we breathe. By learning to notice the breath gently, we begin to soften habitual patterns of reactivity.
This practice is not about controlling the breath or striving for perfection. It is about resting in it. The breath becomes a place of return, always available, always alive, offering stability and equanimity.
This episode offers a moment of calm, whether you are pausing during the day or winding down before sleep, helping you reconnect with the quiet rhythm that sustains you through daily guided meditation.
00:00 – Introduction
00:43 – Ruah in the Hebrew tradition
01:06 – Pneuma and the breath
01:43 – Breath, life and person
01:58 – The depth of ourselves
02:17 – Emotion and patterns of breathing
02:47 – Mastering the breath
03:00 – Monastic attention to the breath
03:20 – Stable equanimity
03:25 – The bell
03:30 – Taking the seat
06:30 – Noticing the breath
07:58 – A moment of panic
08:20 – Subtle movements of breathing
08:30 – The nostrils
10:20 – The elements we breathe in
10:55 – Breathing out generously
11:17 – The divine breath
11:57 – Recognising a shared breath
12:09 – Resting in the breath
12:30 – An action for the rest of the day
13:05 – Closing bell
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Beginning the Practice
1 januari 2026 · 15 min
In this episode, I guide you into the practical beginnings of meditation, how we arrive, how we sit, and how we prepare ourselves for stillness. Lees meer
We explore the importance of taking our seat with intention, and the role posture plays in supporting the breath. Meditation is not a struggle with the self, but a gentle act of presence. I describe different ways of sitting, from kneeling to sitting on a chair, and how the body, legs, trunk, diaphragm and breath, work together to support awareness.
I also introduce the idea of ritual action. Small, intentional gestures can help us mark the transition into meditation. Even the sound of a bell can become a simple signal that we are entering or leaving sacred time.
This episode offers a moment of calm, whether you are pausing during the day or winding down before sleep, helping you build a steady, sustainable and compassionate meditation practice.
00:10 — Beginning always beginning
00:30 — Taking our seat
00:55 — Setting intention
01:45 — Meditation as divine encounter
02:10 — How we sit
02:50 — Posture and alignment
03:15 — Kneeling and alternative postures
04:02 — Sitting on a chair
04:22 — Feet and soles on the ground
04:55 — The legs
05:15 — The trunk
05:47 — Avoiding compression of the breath
06:25 — A thread from the crown of the head
07:03 — The solar plexus
07:35 — Finding ease in the breath
08:15 — Building and restoring the body
08:40 — The diaphragm and deep muscles
08:54 — Breathing into the belly
09:20 — Ritual action
10:10 — Examples of ritual
10:35 — A heavenly helper
11:22 — The bell as a ritual signal
12:20 — Recap
13:05 — Deeper awareness
13:20 — What it feels like to be here
13:30 — Your deeper gesture
13:52 — Closing bell
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Coming to Stillness
1 januari 2026 · 20 min
In this episode, I explore stillness in a world shaped by constant movement, reaction and noise. Lees meer
I introduce the idea of relaxed awareness, a third state beyond effort and distraction. Meditation is not about judging your experience, but gently noticing it. Through the simple practice of checking in, I guide you to become aware of your body, your breath and the present moment, exactly as they are.
Meditation is not a struggle for improvement or escape. It is a compassionate return to what is already here. Whatever you notice, tension, restlessness, ease or resistance, all of it belongs.
This episode offers a moment of calm, whether you are pausing during the day or winding down before sleep, supporting recovery, presence and deeper awareness through daily guided meditation.
00:00 — Introduction
00:40 — Recap from the previous episode
01:49 — Events without wisdom
01:50 — The third state: relaxed awareness
02:40 — A moment of awareness
03:10 — Leaving the moment
03:20 — No judgement
03:40 — A lesson on false spirituality
04:00 — Transformation
04:20 — The bell
05:00 — Taking the seat
06:00 — Hands and palms
06:10 — Eyes open or closed
07:10 — Checking in
07:55 — How are you?
08:05 — Noticing without judgement
08:22 — Wanting to be elsewhere
08:40 — The feet
09:20 — The legs
09:27 — Sensitivity and imbalance
09:55 — Left and right sensations
10:05 — The pelvis
10:45 — Points of contact with the chair
11:05 — The natural curve of the body
11:15 — Back pain and adjustment
11:55 — The urge to reset
12:10 — No struggle with the body
12:23 — Shoulders and upper spine
12:49 — Tension in the shoulders
13:25 — Clenched tightness
14:10 — Base of the head
14:40 — Sensation in the hair
15:10 — The whole face
15:30 — Softening the face
16:00 — The face as the entrance for breath
16:20 — Noticing the breath
16:50 — The chest
17:00 — Hidden tension in the chest
17:30 — The rhythm of breathing
17:45 — Expansion of the breath
18:38 — The s…
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An Introduction to Meditation
1 januari 2026 · 6 min
In this opening episode, I introduce the practice of meditation and its place within the Christian contemplative tradition. Lees meer
While meditation is often associated with Eastern traditions, it has always been present in the West. Its roots stretch back thousands of years. In this episode, I trace the development of Christian meditation through the early Desert Fathers, the shaping of monastic life, the Franciscan school, and the Capuchin tradition, a lineage that has been teaching and practising meditation for over 500 years.
This episode offers a gentle moment of calm, whether you are taking a pause during a busy day or winding down before sleep, and sets the foundation for the daily guided meditations to come.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The Daily Meditation with Brother Richard
1 januari 2026 · 1 min
Welcome to The Daily Meditation with Brother Richard. In this short daily podcast, I offer a simple moment of calm in a busy, noisy world. Lees meer
I’m a Capuchin Franciscan friar, and this meditation practice draws on the Christian monastic contemplative tradition — one of the oldest continuous meditative traditions in the world. For over 400 years, the Capuchin community in Dublin has practiced prayer and meditation each day. In this podcast, I share that living tradition in a form shaped for modern life.
Each episode is a gentle, guided meditation to help you slow down, breathe, and return to stillness — whether you are beginning your morning, taking a pause during the day, or winding down before sleep. These reflections are open to people of all faiths, and to those with none. No experience is required. Just a few quiet minutes each day, and a willingness to be present.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.