Breathing for Tension Release, Day 3: "The Path to Happiness with the Stoics" meditation series
Daily Meditation Podcast
Mary Meckley
4.1 • 1.5K Ratings
🗓️ 2 December 2025
⏱️ 17 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In today's meditation, we draw inspiration from the Stoics, who believed that peace begins within—and that the mind becomes clearer the moment the body softens. This session guides you through a gentle breathing technique designed to melt tension from your shoulders, unclench the jaw, and steady the thoughts.
You'll explore how even the ancient Stoics used simple, intentional breaths to return to the present, regulate strong emotions, and create space between stimulus and response. With each inhale, you invite calm; with each exhale, you let go of what you no longer need.
Perfect for releasing physical tightness, clearing mental clutter, and grounding yourself in inner resilience.
Tune in, breathe deeply, and let the Stoics lead you back to ease.
ALL ABOUT THIS WEEK'S SERIES
Welcome to "The Path to Happiness with the Stoics."
Welcome to a new journey on the Daily Meditation Podcast. This week, we are walking The Path to Happiness with the Stoics.
When we think of "Stoicism," we often imagine a stiff upper lip or the suppression of emotion. But the ancient Stoics—thinkers like Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus—were actually in pursuit of profound joy. They didn't seek the fleeting happiness of a sugar rush or a new purchase; they sought Eudaimonia (flourishing) and Ataraxia (unshakable tranquility).
This is day 3 of a 7-day meditation series, "The Path to Happiness with the Stoics," episodes 1164-1170.
Prepare to shift your perspective. Happiness is not something you chase; it is something you practice.
YOUR WEEKLY CHALLENGE: "The Control Test"
This week, your challenge is to apply the "Control Test" to every moment of friction or anxiety you encounter. Whenever you feel stress rising, pause immediately and ask yourself: "Is this 100% within my control?" If the answer is no, practice visualizing yourself physically dropping the weight of that outcome, redirecting your energy solely toward your own attitude and response.
THIS WEEK'S MEDITATION JOURNEY
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All meditations are created by Mary Meckley and are her original content. Please request permission to use any of Mary's content by sending an email to [email protected].
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All meditations are created by Mary Meckley and are her original content. Please request permission to use any of Mary's content by sending an email to [email protected].Let go of repetitive negative thoughts.
The beach waves were composed by Mike Koenig.
Music composed by Christopher Lloyd Clark licensed by RoyaltyFreeMusic.com, and also by musician Greg Keller.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is episode 11,166. Welcome to the Daily Meditation Podcast. I'm Mary Macley and I share a different meditation technique every day here on the podcast. And each technique is always customized around a theme we explore in depth |
| 0:25.6 | for a full week. And this allows you to master a particular quality in your life when you focus on it, |
| 0:34.2 | day in, day out for a full week using different techniques. These are techniques you can |
| 0:42.3 | use whether you're seated meditating or if you are right smack in the busiest part of your day. |
| 0:52.0 | That's often when we most need these techniques. |
| 0:56.2 | So they help to transition you to a place of inner peace. |
| 1:02.2 | Well, we're exploring the theme this week of the path to happiness with some of the wisdom from the ancient Stoics. |
| 1:15.2 | And in particular, I'm sharing with you the Stoics, Marcus Aurelius, who was a former Roman |
| 1:25.4 | emperor, and he was highly regarded during his time, and someone who was |
| 1:33.5 | not so highly regarded always during his time, and that is Seneca. |
| 1:40.0 | Seneca was a philosopher. |
| 1:43.4 | He wrote dramas, all kinds of plays, and he was a philosopher. He wrote dramas, all kinds of plays. |
| 1:47.2 | And he also was the teacher to the infamous Nero when Nero was a child. |
| 1:57.5 | And then he advised Nero as Nero grew older. |
| 2:03.0 | And Seneca was a controversial figure because he didn't necessarily walk his talk. |
| 2:12.2 | Until later in his life, he seemed to truly exhibit the beliefs of the Stoics, which was to live more simply as a better |
| 2:31.7 | human being. Well, in today's episode, I'm going to guide you using a breathing technique. |
| 2:41.5 | Now, your breath is one of the fastest ways to calm your mind and body instantly. |
| 2:51.9 | With three deep long inhales and exhales through your nose, |
| 2:58.8 | you can instantly release tension in your body. |
| 3:03.9 | So the technique I have for you today, |
| 3:14.0 | layers and affirmation right on top of this breathing technique. And so when you use the two together, the affirmation and the power of your breath, |
... |
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