The power of a simple loving presence, by Hannah Cross

The power of a simple loving presence, by Hannah Cross

Author: WaitWhat February 17, 2026 Duration: 34:57
Hannah Cross is a licensed clinical social worker, devoted to helping people with emotional and behavioral concerns. The way she approaches her work is rooted in a life-changing early job, one she almost didn’t take — at a youth incarceration center. Working with these young people, she comes to realize that while the textbook approach might sometimes fail, there’s a reliable healing power in a simple, loving presence. This insight helps her see her own younger self anew, and embrace her past. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There’s a particular kind of quiet that happens when a story pulls you in completely, and that’s the space where Meditative Story lives. Produced by WaitWhat, this series weaves extraordinary, personal narratives from all walks of life with gentle meditation prompts that arise naturally within the tale itself. It’s not a guided meditation followed by a story, or vice versa; the two are seamlessly blended, all set against an original score of breathtaking, cinematic music. The result feels less like a traditional mindfulness exercise and more like being transported into a deeply reflective state through the power of nuanced storytelling and immersive sound design. Listeners often find themselves returning to favorite episodes, discovering new layers of meaning or calm with each revisit. This podcast sits at a unique crossroads of human experience, touching on themes of society, culture, health, and spirituality without prescribing a single path. It’s an invitation to pause, to listen closely, and to find a moment of mental clarity within the flow of a compelling human story. The production values are intentionally high, making each episode a rich audio experience that supports both engagement and relaxation. For anyone curious about an alternative, narrative-driven approach to mindfulness, this series offers a resonant and beautifully crafted journey.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Meditative Story
Podcast Episodes
Changing the game, by Tim Shriver [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:29
Growing up in the Kennedy family, Tim Shriver sees close relatives compete at the highest level of U.S. politics and learns a very specific definition of what it means to be a winner. As a result, a fierce competitivenes…
How the bees saved me, by Dr. Marla Spivak [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:07
Before becoming a MacArthur award–winning entomologist, Dr. Marla Spivak is adrift – first as a young woman in search of direction, then deep in the Amazon, severely ill and fearing death. Time and again, it’s the hum of…
Forging my own path, by Isha Sesay [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:01
Writer Isha Sesay is happiest when she is caring for others; it’s a lesson she learns from her mother while growing up in Sierra Leone. But as an adult, there’s another lesson her mother teaches her, in quite another way…
Dancing on my own, by Alex Morris [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:14
Just out of school, writer Alex Morris gets a job performing and teaching improv comedy in London, playing absurd characters night after night. But his knack for hiding his true self starts long before he ever steps onst…
The last laugh, by Sara Benincasa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:06
As a young writer and performer, Sara Benincasa found her voice doing stand-up comedy. For years, it seemed better than therapy. But slowly, doubts surfaced. While the external validation she received made her feel succe…
Martha Beck: Letting our hearts take the lead [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:59
It’s not surprising that Martha Beck, best-selling author and columnist for O, The Oprah Magazine, grew up as a high achiever. Attending Harvard University for both undergraduate and doctoral degrees, Martha spends years…
Writing the main character, by Franklin Leonard [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:55
What’s the hardest part about being the main character in your own life? You’re also writing the script as you go along. And sometimes it’s hard to know when you need a scene change. Filmmaker Franklin Leonard encounters…
Creating space to stand in truth, by Susan David [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:21
Psychologist and author Susan David invites us into the sad days after she loses her father as a child – and the kind teacher who helped her carve out space to feel her grief and sadness honestly. It's a lesson she takes…
A nurse's story, by Wayne Little [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:24
Fresh out of nursing school, Wayne Little finds a treasured mentor in his first job – a nurse whose lifelong mission inspires his own. Years later, in the middle of a global pandemic, he calls on those lessons he learned…
A self-love meditation, by Rohan Gunatillake [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:24
Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate love of all kinds — whether it’s the unconditional love of a pet, the instinctual reflex to help those who are suffering, or, perhaps most important, the time we take to sen…