The One with Podcasts

I'm an avid podcast listener. I immerse myself (with sometimes guilty pleasure) in shows centered around self-improvement, meditation, life coaching, and psychotherapy. My goal is to gain a deeper understanding of both: me and the world, ultimately aiming for a sense of well-being. Most often, I indulge in these podcasts during my daily bike commute to work, using them to uplift my mood and boost my work ethic.

However, after years of this podcast-cycling routine, the city has transformed into an internal acoustic nightmare. At every intersection, a persistent podcast audio reminder looms, refusing to dissipate.

As I pedal over the bridge, a familiar prompt echoes in my ears: "Imagine yourself the way you are when you're full of light and lightness." Continuing towards the station through the park, the numerous traffic lights become auditory checkpoints. At each stop, I'm guided: "Inhale, focusing on the breath on your upper lip, the area above the upper lips, in your nostrils, and in your upper nose. Exhale, redirecting your awareness to your upper nose, nostrils, and the area above your upper lips."

Upon reaching my workplace, I lock my bike. In the bike stand, I keep hearing advertisements, proclaiming, "Vita, your nutrient concentrate with 56 micronutrients from nature."

Post-work, I decide to alter my route home in search of tranquility. Yet, the inner echo persists, urging me to practice meta-meditation: “May you be happy. May you be peaceful. May you be filled with love." I hear in my inner ear as a truck takes over. I turn off the cycle path into the left-turn lane: "Success is what you define as success for yourself," I hear and at the same time I have to be careful not to get run over by fast cars.

I am back on the bridge. On this side of the road, it rings in my ear: "Imagine you are a sling plant, let your sexual energies flow." In that moment, I can't help but think, perhaps heavy metal music might have been a more fitting soundtrack for my daily commute.