By Tisha Tolar
Who knew Rob Lowe would be the catalyst to rocket-launch my spiritual journey into places that I didn’t even know existed? Apparently, the Universe did when I was forced to diligently Google “how do podcasts work?” on a hot summer’s day in 2020, the year of great hindsight.
Back then, I had heard Rob was interviewing Demi Moore on his new podcast. I didn’t know what a podcast was, but I had to listen. This Gen X, St. Elmo’s Fire fangirl wasn’t going to miss out. However, I was getting to that age where technology started to outpace me, and I was too stubborn to ask my Gen Z offspring for help.
I sucked it up, figured things out for myself, and loved every second of the conversation. Another thing I couldn’t figure out back then, and for many years before, was how to meditate. I’d been trying in earnest because anything that might relieve my persistent anxiety was worth a shot.
While these two stories may seem unrelated, they fantastically clashed together on quiet night in December 2020. I was minding my own business when I heard “You’re going to start a podcast.”
Huh?
A second or two passed and just as clearly, I heard “And you’ll call it Slightly Unmeditated.”
Huh.
Now, I’ve long been aware of my heightened intuition, and I’ve let it guide me for my whole life. However, at this point, I hadn’t yet put all the pieces together to understand intuition as I do now. Quite frankly, I though everybody lived the same way – until I brought the idea to some friends, and they stared at me blankly and slow-blinked a few times.
Regardless, I knew right away that this is what I had to do and had an inkling that Slightly Unmeditated might be my purpose.
Leaping into the unknown
It didn’t take long for me to do some basic research and set up all the accounts. I roped in a spiritually inclined, childhood friend and gave birth to the podcast. Hilariously, we tried to script the first show and failed spectacularly. The situation induced such laughter and elevated our moods so much, we had the confidence to just wing the initial episode and those that followed.
While I thought spirit gave me the podcast concept to inspire others, I quickly realized just how much I needed what was being created. I only had two or three people in life who would talk with me about how the Universe works through us, how we’re all connected, and my favorite topic – synchronicities.
At that point, I had already been on my spiritual journey for about 10 years. But until I started speaking into that mic, I hadn’t truly appreciated the loneliness of my journey over the years. That was the match I needed to light the bonfire of this passion project.
Fanning the flames
The Slightly Unmeditated Podcast is “a casual-talk podcast about the WTFs of spirituality, self-improvement, and motivation with a lifelong, delusional optimist who used to suck at meditation.”
We have (unscripted and often unplanned) conversations about many different aspects of spiritual awakening and the challenges that spiritual beings experience while living life as a human. We also put a lot of focus on being kind, self-loving human beings rather than the anxiety-ridden, ungrounded ‘human doings’ we thought we were supposed to be.
These conversations come from a place of vulnerability and authenticity. Episodes often reflect what’s currently happening in our journeys. I can’t say a personal documentary of the most tumultuous time in my life was intentional, but I couldn’t be happier it turned out this way.
Incidentally, six months after starting the podcast, I participated in a ‘how to meditate’ retreat and the process finally clicked. (Imagine if you will how humbling it was to tell a room full of meditators and my meditation mentor the name of my podcast. Bet they won’t forget me.)
When the leap pays off
Attending the retreat was a leap of faith that paid off in ways I couldn’t anticipate. My neighbor on the meditation mat for a week was a certified life coach. She now has her own show on my podcast channel and is a collaborator on all three of the podcasts I currently produce.
The Slightly Unmeditated Podcast Channel has been a journey onto itself. It’s been my greatest teacher, my friend, and my creative outlet. It’s taught me how to surrender to the process, trust in divine timing, and believe in myself.
When the spiritual greats seemed too intimidating and today’s thought leaders didn’t resonate, the Universe brought me guests who were super kind and patient while I learned. When I let the loneliness and fear of my spiritual journey get the best of me, the Universe brought me like-minded people to lean on and expand the SU Channel.
To date, we’ve been heard in all 50 states and in 88 countries. Heck, we even top some U.S.and foreign podcast charts on occasion. This, I believe is because no matter how spiritual or grounded we think we are; we are all a little slightly unmeditated.
A little less woo
This whole spirit-living-as-a-human-thing is hard, messy, and complicated. My mission is to ‘take the woo out of woo woo’ for those waking up to their higher power and divine purpose. It doesn’t seem as intimidating when you have others to witness the magic you see all around you.
I’m grateful for the community I’m attracting and the doors of opportunity that keep opening. Just recently, I was able to launch an online community for those looking for the spiritual support they can’t find in their family and friends – the same kind of community I wished I had 10 years ago.
The Honestly Unmeditated Support Circle offers a space away from the volatile publicness of traditional social media, so we can practice being our authentic selves with like-minded individuals with the same intention.
The genius of Source
If spirit had initially said to me “Hey, why don’t you talk to a new stranger every week about a bunch of stuff you don’t understand and also tell the world about your biggest insecurities because it’s your life’s purpose.”, I’d have likely consulted with the nearest mental health professional immediately.
But with a lot of grace, curiosity, and a willingness to be open, I’ve discovered I couldn’t be more content with how everything has manifested into my experience. I can’t imagine not witnessing the miracles that keep appearing because I believe in magic.
If you’re just starting your journey, know this – you are never alone. Even when it doesn’t feel like it, there’s a whole lot of seen and unseen things happening all around you. Follow your intuition and find those resources that resonate most for you. Anything can be a stepping-stone to the greatest experiences of your life if you’re willing to embrace the ups and downs of the journey.
About the author:
Tisha Tolar is the creator and producer of the Slightly Unmeditated Podcast Channel and has been a freelance writer since 2007. She is a Sagittarian with a magician archetype who has a weakness for bad puns.
