Welcome to The Academic Life. You are smart and capable, but you aren’t an island, and neither are we. So we reached across our mentor network to bring you podcasts on everything from how to finish that project, to how to take care of your beautiful mind. Wish we’d bring in an expert about something? Email us at [email protected] or [email protected]. Find us on Twitter: The Academic Life @AcademicLifeNBN.
In this episode you’ll hear about: the importance of listening to yourself—even if that means leaving one grad school program to enter one in a totally different field, the difference between meditation and mindfulness, why silent meditation can be so challenging, and how to develop a meditation practice that has enough flexibility to work for you. At the end of this episode, Lori leads us in a 10 minute guided meditation.
Our guest is: Lori Snyder, a meditation and yoga teacher, and a professional writer who founded the Writers Happiness Movement. Lori lives with her husband and her cat near the beach outside LA, all of which she loves.
Your host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, a historian of women, gender, and sexuality. Christina supports her work-life balance with long walks in nature, and taking meditation classes. She met Lori six years ago, when she won the All-Voices Fellowship to attend Lori’s Splendid Mola writing retreat. They’ve been friends [and been to many retreats together] ever since.
Listeners to this episode might be interested in:


Kindfulness, by Ajahn Brahm


Peace is Every Step, by Thich That Hanh


A Path with Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life, by Jack Kornfield


Good Morning, I Love You: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Practices to Rewire Your Brain for Calm and Clarity, by Shauna Shapiro

Links to Lori’s free online yoga and meditation classes are available through the Writers Happiness Movement.

Meditation Apps, like this one: Liberate - Black-owned meditation app that is a safe space for BIPOC and features BIPOC teachers and topics

Insight Timer


The Spiritual Practice and Mindfulness Channel on New Books Network


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