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Mystic Spiral Episode 16: Types of Meditation · Laura and Lauren Podcast

• 0:00
  [music]
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the Mystic Spiral,
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  SPEAKER_01: the podcast where earth-rooted magic,
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  SPEAKER_01: animal wisdom,
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  SPEAKER_01: and ancient enchantment twist together like a serpent and a snail in the moss.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_01: Join us as we explore the unseen, the intuitive, and the beautifully strange.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: Each episode invites you deeper into the spiral,
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  SPEAKER_00: into the myth, and into the wild magic that lives within and around all of us.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_01: Hi, I'm Lauren,
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  SPEAKER_01: Crystal Healer, Earth-Rooted Mystic, and Friend of Snails and Mossy Fae Folk Magic.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm Laura, Animal Communicator, Serpent Kinponowich, and Solitary Social Practitioner.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_01: Hey, Mythlings!
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  SPEAKER_01: Welcome back to the Mystic Spiral.
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  SPEAKER_01: Today, we're gently flowing into one of my favorite practices, meditation.
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  SPEAKER_00: There are many ways to meditate,
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  SPEAKER_00: and hopefully this episode can guide you and me to find the perfect one.
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  SPEAKER_01: And remember,
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  SPEAKER_01: if any questions should arise during this episode,
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  SPEAKER_01: send them to us at mysticspiralpodcasts at gmail.com,
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  SPEAKER_01: and we'll answer them in the future Q&A episode.
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  SPEAKER_00: Let's begin with mindfulness meditation.
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  SPEAKER_00: I think this is typically what people think about when they think about meditating.
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  SPEAKER_01: Agreed.
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  SPEAKER_01: Mindfulness is like sitting by a river, watching thoughts drift past
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  SPEAKER_00: like leaves on the current.
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  SPEAKER_00: The practice begins with the breath,
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  SPEAKER_00: then expands to sensations and emotions, all observed without judgment.
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  SPEAKER_00: It's especially good for people who want to reduce stress and sharpen focus.
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  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and studies show mindfulness can lower anxiety,
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  SPEAKER_01: improve sleep, and even strengthen the immune system.
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  SPEAKER_00: Who doesn't need that right now?
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  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
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  SPEAKER_00: Seriously.
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  SPEAKER_00: The goal is not about emptying the mind.
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  SPEAKER_00: It's about befriending it, learning to sit with what is and let go of the rest.
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  SPEAKER_01: Next on our list is transcendental meditation.
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  SPEAKER_01: This one feels like diving beneath the waves into a still ocean.
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  SPEAKER_01: You repeat a mantra silently, a sound, a phrase that becomes a rhythm carrying you inward.
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  SPEAKER_00: Most people practice this type of meditation twice daily for 20 minutes.
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  SPEAKER_00: It offers deep rest and calm.
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  SPEAKER_01: TM has been linked to reduced blood pressure, lower cortisol, and improved resilience to stress.
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  SPEAKER_01: It's ideal for those who love structure and repetition, a steady key unlocking inner quiet.
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  SPEAKER_01: This is also often used with mala bracelets or necklaces to help you focus on your mantra.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: So next, tell me about loving kindness meditation.
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  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's also known as meta.
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  SPEAKER_01: Meta is like lighting a lantern in the heart.
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  SPEAKER_01: First you shine it inward, may I be safe, may I be happy.
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  SPEAKER_01: Then you extend the glow outward to loved ones,
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  SPEAKER_01: acquaintances, strangers, and eventually all beings.
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  SPEAKER_00: A deeper step is sending kindness to someone who has hurt or angered you.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's where the practice becomes transformative.
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  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't mean excusing harm.
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  SPEAKER_00: It means softening the grip of resentment, cultivating compassion without denying boundaries.
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  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and research shows that meta increases positive emotions,
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  SPEAKER_01: reduces depression, and enhances empathy.
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  SPEAKER_01: It can even improve social connection.
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  SPEAKER_00: It's especially powerful for healing relationships,
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  SPEAKER_00: though it can feel challenging at first, like stretching a tender muscle.
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  SPEAKER_01: It sure does.
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  SPEAKER_01: Next up, we have guided meditation, which is one of my favorite types of meditation.
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  SPEAKER_00: Guided meditation is like being carried on a mythic journey through imagery, sound, or voice.
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  SPEAKER_01: It's especially welcoming for beginners because you don't have to figure it out alone.
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  SPEAKER_01: A guide offers you structure, imagery, and reassurance.
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  SPEAKER_00: And it's not just for beginners.
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  SPEAKER_00: Even seasoned meditators use guided practices to explore new themes,
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  SPEAKER_00: healing, creativity, or connecting with nature.
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  SPEAKER_01: Guided meditation can help reduce stress, ease anxiety, and improve sleep.
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  SPEAKER_01: It's also wonderful for visualization,
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  SPEAKER_01: imagining yourself in a peaceful forest, or envisioning your goals with clarity.
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  SPEAKER_00: It works by engaging the imagination.
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  SPEAKER_00: When you picture yourself in a calm,
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  SPEAKER_00: safe place,
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  SPEAKER_00: the body responds as if you're really there,
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  SPEAKER_00: slowing the heart rate, relaxing muscles, and soothing the nervous system.
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  SPEAKER_01: For those who love stories,
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  SPEAKER_01: guided meditation is like stepping into a mythic landscape where healing
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  SPEAKER_01: and insight unfolds.
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  SPEAKER_00: It's a reminder that meditation can be creative, supportive, and deeply nourishing.
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  SPEAKER_01: And then we have body scan, or also known as progressive relaxation.
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  SPEAKER_01: It's kind of like untying knots in the tapestry of yourself.
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  SPEAKER_01: You move awareness slowly through the body, noticing tension and inviting release.
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  SPEAKER_00: It's especially good for people with chronic stress, pain, or insomnia.
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  SPEAKER_00: Research shows it reduces stress hormones,
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  SPEAKER_00: improves sleep quality, and increases body awareness.
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  SPEAKER_01: For some,
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  SPEAKER_01: focusing on the body can be uncomfortable,
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  SPEAKER_01: but it's a gentle practice of noticing, not fixing.
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  SPEAKER_00: Last on our list is movement meditation.
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  SPEAKER_00: This practice is like prayer and motion, yoga, tai chi, or mindful walking.
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  SPEAKER_00: It's perfect for those who struggle with sitting still,
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  SPEAKER_00: like me, Letting the body lead the mind.
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  SPEAKER_01: It's shown to improve balance, flexibility, and reduce stress.
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  SPEAKER_01: It's also linked to better mood and resilience.
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  SPEAKER_01: Each gesture becomes a spiral of presence, each step away of embodying the sacred.
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  SPEAKER_01: Mithlings,
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  SPEAKER_01: if you'd like us to dive in deeper about meditation and you would like us
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  SPEAKER_01: to create different meditations for each of these different types,
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  SPEAKER_01: please let us know.
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  SPEAKER_01: We would love to do that for you.
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  SPEAKER_00: Before we leave today, we're going to pull a card.
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  SPEAKER_00: Today we were called to use the Spirit Kittens Travel Oracle Deck by Nicole PR.
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  SPEAKER_00: As a friendly reminder, please take what resonates with you and leave the rest.
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  SPEAKER_01: Okay, Mythlings, let's get this going.
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  SPEAKER_01: What Spirit Kitten wants to pop out today?
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  SPEAKER_01: We shall see, we shall see what's going on, what's popping out for us.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: The stick is so tiny and cute.
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  SPEAKER_00: That fell right out.
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  SPEAKER_01: Oh my gosh.
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  SPEAKER_01: Well, okay.
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  SPEAKER_01: There's a tiny shuffle happening now because like a big chunk fell out.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's why it sounded like a brick.
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  SPEAKER_01: Oh my lanta.
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  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
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  SPEAKER_00: Well, now we get two cards.
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  SPEAKER_01: We're just going to tell you both these because that's crazy.
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  SPEAKER_01: They were stuck together.
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  SPEAKER_01: They were stuck together.
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  SPEAKER_01: One is a mystical blue kitten.
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  SPEAKER_01: He's got a little snail shell looking situation going on.
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  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so cute.
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  SPEAKER_01: And their name is Peace.
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  SPEAKER_01: We'll just tell you what Peace is about right now.
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  SPEAKER_01: At the center of my being, there is a sanctuary of peace.
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  SPEAKER_01: A still place nestled on the shore of the flowing river of life.
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  SPEAKER_01: I will find my way there.
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  SPEAKER_01: And Peace's prompt is...
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  SPEAKER_01: What helps me cultivate a feeling of peace?
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  SPEAKER_00: Meditation, perhaps?
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  SPEAKER_01: Ooh, peace.
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  SPEAKER_01: You dirty, dirty cat, you.
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  SPEAKER_01: Perfect.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_01: Perfect.
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  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
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  SPEAKER_01: And then the other little friend here is this black, white, and kind of purplish cat.
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  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, almost.
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  SPEAKER_01: Almost.
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  SPEAKER_01: Like a misty, dusk cat.
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  SPEAKER_01: And their name is Purrification.
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  SPEAKER_01: Purrification.
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  SPEAKER_01: I let the heavy cloak of my old identities and stagnant stories drop from my shoulders.
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  SPEAKER_01: The water of new life showers my bare being, purifying and renewing.
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  SPEAKER_01: I am light as a feather.
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  SPEAKER_01: I am free as a bird.
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  SPEAKER_01: What old beliefs, stagnant energy, or unhealthy habits can I let go of?
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  SPEAKER_01: Thanks Purification for calling us all out.
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  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
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  SPEAKER_01: I will be posting these on our socials on Facebook and Instagram, Mystic Spiral Podcast.
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  SPEAKER_01: And also if you can, you should go follow us on our Substack.
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  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for spiraling with us today.
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  SPEAKER_00: Each of these practices works differently.
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  SPEAKER_00: Some through stillness, some through repetition, some through compassion, some through motion.
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  SPEAKER_01: None is better than another.
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  SPEAKER_01: What's right for one person may not be right for another.
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  SPEAKER_01: The key is curiosity.
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  SPEAKER_01: Trying different styles, noticing how they feel, and choosing what supports your well-being.
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  SPEAKER_00: And next time on the Mystic Spiral, we'll be exploring balls.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_00: Which balls, that is.
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  SPEAKER_01: Until then, mythlings, keep listening and keep your magic soft and steady.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_01: Bye for now.