Sunday, July 1, 2012

The Best Things is Life are Free: Podcasts

Here is the second post in my series worthwhile freebies and today I will be looking at Podcasts.

In the past I have listened to podcasts for university (some lecturers were helpful enough to upload their lectures) and I have made a few myself for my students but I never really got into listening to them.  You would think as someone who id trained in music I would forever be listening to music or trying to seek out music wherever I am, but the opposite is true.  When I teach full-time the last thing I want to do when I get home is have to listen to anything else.

Then last year, the radio in my car broke so I had nothing to listen to on my two hour commute.   It was then that I started to update my iPod regularly with music and podcasts.  However, now that I no longer spend that long in the car (thank goodness) and I am not teaching music everyday - I feel like I can listen to a bit of something without my head going to explode.

Recently I went searching through all the podcasts available on iTunes, looking for meditation podcasts or podcasts on breathing breathing - things like that.  Well, I have turned up so many gems I just had to share them with you (please note the links are to websites not the podcasts - all podcasts were accessed through iTunes).  Here is a list of what I subscribe to:

  • The Barefoot Investor - practical financial advice
  • BTR: Natural Health, Wellness & Beauty  | Blog Talk Radio - sadly no longer updated but there are about 60 episodes - each lasting for near an hour
  • Chapter Audio Books on PodOmatic - this is a great tool to listen to all the classics for free!
  • A History of the World in 100 Objects - as I have not been feeling very in-the-loop academically latley I have found these podcasts so interesting.  Here is the blurb for the next 20 podcasts: Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum, describes a new series coming to BBC Radio 4 – Shakespeare’s Restless World. Twenty programmes will explore the world of Shakespeare and his audience through objects from that turbulent period.
  • Jane Austen Season Audio Books with ITV1 & Classic FM - again no longer updated but the three books available are: Persuasion, Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park.
  • Learn Spanish - Survival Guide - again no longer update but with a ridiculous amount of episodes I think it will keep me busy for awhile
  • Learn to Meditate - Meditation Podcast - the older episodes are the basics - luckily you can choose which episodes to download
  • Mindfulness of Breath Meditation for Beginners - There is only one episode but I have listened to it a few times and still struggle to stay with it so it is good for beginners
  • My Thought Coach - there are a few interesting episodes here such as: Forgiveness Affirmations and Affirmations for Happiness.  I find these great to listen to when I am feeling a bit lost or angry about something
  • New Moms, New Babies: Tips, Tricks, Sanity Savers - another one that is no longer updated but it does have a huge catalogue of episodes - I am finding this very helpful in the lead up to having a baby and never having been around one before
  • tranquility du jour - a podcast series that has been running since 2007.  Topics in finance, yoga, personal branding, macrobiotics, packing for travel and lots of others.
  • 20 min. Yoga Sessions from YogaDownload.com - while this is not suitable while I am pregnant there are some great sessions in here with detailed information and printable instructions.
here to original source

I would like to make a special mention of Mamaste Yoga - Prenatal Yoga - I looked on YouTube for prenatal yoga and did not find much but this podcast series is great.  There are about 16 episodes in all and they are podcasts with video, meaning that the instructor is demonstrating the poses in front of you.  I find that with the few yoga classes that I have done previously I am able to follow these easily and the instructor has such a claming voice.

 I hope you find something useful that will fit in with your listening habits.


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