{"podcast":{"title":"The Daily Meditation with Brother Richard","slug":"the-daily-meditation-with-brother-richard-7622550","podcast_index_feed_id":7622550,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/693ebc1df3a6f9e20ac00b64","website_url":"https://shows.acast.com/the-daily-meditation-with-brother-richard","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/693ebc1df3a6f9e20ac00b64/1768228963935-3ffa2910-3b9e-4cb3-aae1-624d46da23e4.jpeg","author":"Cutdown Studios and Brother Richard","episode_count":207,"summary":"The Daily Meditation with Brother Richard is a short daily podcast offering stillness, clarity and spiritual grounding - a moment of calm in a busy, noisy world. Hosted by Brother Richard, a Capuchin Franciscan friar and meditation teacher, each episode draws on the Christian monastic contemplative tradition, one of the oldest continuous meditative practice in the world. With warmth, simplicity and deep humanity, Brother Richard offers reflections and guided meditations shaped for modern life. These meditations are open to people of all faiths, and to those with none. No belief is required - only a few quiet minutes and a willingness to pause, breathe and be present, whether taking a pause during the day or winding down before sleep. Brother Richard belongs to the Capuchin community in Dublin, Ireland, where a life of prayer and meditation has been practiced every day for over 400 years. This podcast carries that living tradition forward, translating ancient wisdom into a form that speaks to contemporary experience. To find out more about the Capuchins’ work visit: https://capuchindaycentre.ie/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","last_synced_at":"2026-08-01T16:20:56.882418+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-daily-meditation-with-brother-richard-7622550"},"episode":{"title":"Meditation on the Soul (Part 2): The Animal Soul","slug":"meditation-on-the-soul-part-2-the-animal-soul","published_at":"2026-05-08T12:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-daily-meditation-with-brother-richard-7622550/meditation-on-the-soul-part-2-the-animal-soul","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-daily-meditation-with-brother-richard-7622550","url":"https://shows.acast.com/the-daily-meditation-with-brother-richard/episodes/meditation-on-the-soul-part-2-the-animal-soul","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/693ebc1df3a6f9e20ac00b64/e/69faec3d2a1dd3f1a871f840/media.mp3","summary":"In this meditation, I guide you through the second part of a series exploring the different aspects of the soul, focusing on what is traditionally called the animal soul. Building on the previous reflection on the vegetative soul, which relates to basic life and survival, this practice turns to the realm of desire, the impulses and motivations that shape how we act and respond. We begin by settling into the body and the breath, allowing awareness to deepen. From here, you are invited to gently observe the desires that move within you, without judgement. The meditation explores both the positive desires that draw us towards growth, happiness and connection, and the more difficult desires that can lead us towards distraction, excess or imbalance. Rather than seeing these as opposing forces, the practice invites a deeper understanding, recognising that all desire has its origin in something good. Through this awareness, you are guided to consider how you might cultivate what is life-giving, while gently letting go of what no longer serves you. This meditation offers a moment of calm, whether you are pausing during the day or winding down before sleep, helping you develop clarity, balance and a deeper understanding of your inner life. This meditation supports self-awareness, emotional balance and reflection. Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction 00:20 – The animal soul 00:40 – Desire and motivation 01:05 – The bell 01:31 – Letting go of stress 02:10 – Awareness of the breath 03:10 – Breathing in light 04:20 – Resting in warmth 04:50 – Positive desires 05:37 – The desire for happiness 05:50 – Difficult desires 06:50 – Living between desires 07:39 – Reflecting on desire 08:40 – The goodness at the root of desire 10:19 – Intention for awareness 12:35 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast.…","meta_description":"In this meditation, I guide you through the second part of a series exploring the different aspects of the soul, focusing on what is traditionally called…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":769,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-daily-meditation-with-brother-richard-7622550/episodes/meditation-on-the-soul-part-2-the-animal-soul/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-daily-meditation-with-brother-richard-7622550/meditation-on-the-soul-part-2-the-animal-soul.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}