{"podcast":{"title":"Sit Around the Fire","slug":"sit-around-the-fire-7092992","podcast_index_feed_id":7092992,"rss_url":"https://api.riverside.fm/hosting/p7CgHNTy.rss","website_url":"http://www.sitaroundthefire.org","image_url":"https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/a1a89402-3cb2-4d0e-8271-1dc3f9195458/logos/1ca2cda6-5777-4806-9283-839da608aef6.png","author":"Ashlea Dillard","episode_count":62,"summary":"Welcome to Sit Around the Fire — the space where stories ignite transformation. Hosted by a former first responder turned licensed professional counselor and certified hypnotherapist , this podcast blends real-life experiences , powerful teachings, and practical tools for mental and physical health . Each episode invites you to slow down, reflect, and find your spark again. Together, we explore mindfulness, stress management, trauma recovery, and PTSD healing — all through the lens of someone who’s lived it. You’ll hear raw conversations with first responders, veterans, and mental health experts as well as other incredible human beings with amazing stories and missions who share their wisdom on how to move from burnout to balance, from survival mode to thriving. If you’re ready to break free from old patterns and beliefs , reclaim your peace, and live your most abundant, limitless life , this is your community. ✨ What you’ll learn: How to manage stress and trauma while building emotional resilience. Practical mindfulness and mental well-being techniques that fit your lifestyle. Real stories of healing from first responders and military families . Tools to strengthen both mental an…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-28T08:19:32.620717+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/sit-around-the-fire-7092992"},"episode":{"title":"#058 Start With Five Minutes: A Real Talk on Meditation with Mark Blacknell","slug":"058-start-with-five-minutes-a-real-talk-on-meditation-with-mark-blacknell","published_at":"2026-06-30T12:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/sit-around-the-fire-7092992/058-start-with-five-minutes-a-real-talk-on-meditation-with-mark-blacknell","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/sit-around-the-fire-7092992","url":"https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/d36bd05d1d88405a9b445d8f563204d2cb63914dfb0230af1e53caff3303fd02/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJiNjAwMzE4My1jOGIxLTQ4ZDYtOWIyMC0zMjdlNTlkYjUyMzYiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiJhMWE4OTQwMi0zY2IyLTRkMGUtODI3MS0xZGMzZjkxOTU0NTgiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTFiODUwMTcyODQxMTU2YjI2M2VmY2QiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNmE0MmQ4MzY5M2Q1YTExNWEzOGM0YjZmL2FzaGxlYS1kaWxsYXJkcy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi02LTI5X18yMi00MC0yMi5tcDMifQ==.mp3","audio_url":"https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/d36bd05d1d88405a9b445d8f563204d2cb63914dfb0230af1e53caff3303fd02/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJiNjAwMzE4My1jOGIxLTQ4ZDYtOWIyMC0zMjdlNTlkYjUyMzYiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiJhMWE4OTQwMi0zY2IyLTRkMGUtODI3MS0xZGMzZjkxOTU0NTgiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTFiODUwMTcyODQxMTU2YjI2M2VmY2QiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNmE0MmQ4MzY5M2Q1YTExNWEzOGM0YjZmL2FzaGxlYS1kaWxsYXJkcy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi02LTI5X18yMi00MC0yMi5tcDMifQ==.mp3","summary":"What does it actually take to go from survival mode to a settled nervous system? In this episode, I sit down with Mark Blacknell — who grew up navigating a tough childhood in Philadelphia, served in the Marines, and found his way to meditation and a life built around balance. This conversation is for anyone who's ever thought meditation \"isn't for them,\" or tried it once, white-knuckled through 30 minutes, and quit. Mark breaks it all the way down: start small, build slow, and stop chasing some far-off enlightenment. Because as he puts it, enlightenment is just acting naturally . We get into Mark's story from Philly to the Marines, how nature and meditation cracked something open for him, what it looks like to bring this practice into a real community, and why balance — not perfection — is the whole point. You're not broken. You've been programmed. And practices like these are how you start living from the future forward. In this episode: Mark's childhood and military background, and what set the stage for change How nature and meditation became a turning point Practical, beginner-friendly meditation techniques (no incense required) Why \"balance is life, like the sun and earth\" Meditation as a lifestyle — not a 30-minute chore What death and the present moment taught Mark about being alive Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Authentic Conversations 01:41 Creating a Safe Space for Discussion 03:12 Mark's Journey: From Philly to the Marines 09:29 Transformation Through Nature and Meditation 15:48 The Impact of Meditation on Life 22:50 Bringing Meditation to the Community 29:45 Understanding Meditation: A Practical Approach 31:04 The Interconnection of Life and Spirituality 32:48 Meditation: Starting Small and Building Up 36:16 The Journey of Meditation: Expectations and Real…","meta_description":"What does it actually take to go from survival mode to a settled nervous system? In this episode, I sit down with Mark Blacknell — who grew up navigating…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3356,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/sit-around-the-fire-7092992/episodes/058-start-with-five-minutes-a-real-talk-on-meditation-with-mark-blacknell/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/sit-around-the-fire-7092992/058-start-with-five-minutes-a-real-talk-on-meditation-with-mark-blacknell.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}