The Morning Ritual
For centuries, rituals have offered a sense of structure, meaning, and clarity in daily life. The Morning Ritual is a podcast devoted to exploring the power of daily practices. Here, we believe that transformation doesn’t happen in a single moment, but in the quiet, consistent choices we make every day. By showing up for ourselves through ritual, we learn how to show up more fully for our relationships, our work, our communities — and the world. Each week, host Lilly Macfarlane sits down with teachers, artists, healers, and entrepreneurs to explore how their daily rituals help them stay grounded, clear, and aligned with their purpose. This podcast isn’t just for early risers or seasoned meditators. It’s for anyone curious about living with more presence, depth, and integrity. Rate, review & most importantly, enjoy! Let's connect! Don't be shy, please reach out on: www.lillybalch.com Instagram: @_themorningritual https://substack.com/@themorningritual The Morning Ritual is produced by The Space (London).
Episodes
Have you ever noticed how your breath changes when you’re stressed, anxious, or rushing through life? The way you breathe directly shapes the way you live. In this episode, I sit down with breathwork facilitator Will Twigden to explore how repatterning your breath can restore calm, release long-held tension, and open the door to a more authentic, purposeful way of living.
Will spent a decade in the corporate world. He was always on,...
In this episode, Lilly sits down with psychic medium and healer Nikki Leader to talk about the power of intuition in our modern world. Nikki opens up about her personal journey through grief and awakening, how her psychic senses first came alive, and why she believes intuition is the superpower we all need, especially in an age of AI and information overload.
Together, we explore:
- How and when Nikki first discovered her psychic g...
Today’s episode explores how mindfulness and authentic communication can improve our relationships. This applies to ALL relationships, from partners, friends, family, to (most importantly) ourselves.
Key takeaways:
- How mindfulness creates space to respond rather than react.
- Why authenticity in relationships starts with self-awareness.
- A simple framework for expressing needs with compassion.
- Five practical tools to deepen connection ...
Ally Bogard reminds us that meditation isn’t about chasing calm. It’s about meeting yourself exactly where you are. Sometimes that’s relaxed, and sometimes it’s deeply uncomfortable. In facing what arises, we come closer to our truth.
Ally shares insights from her book, The Quiet Teachers: Becoming a Student of Your Life, along with self-reflection tools designed to help you reconnect with who you truly are. Ally offers a refreshing...
Welcome to the new season of The Morning Ritual! In this episode we explore:
- What ritual means and why it matters
- The difference between the “Self” and the “self,” and why reconnecting with your capital-S Self is essential
- How my own journey with ritual began over a decade ago
- The daily practices that support me now
- Why it’s not about perfection, but presence
- My #1 tip for building a ritual that stick
Here for the meditati...
In this season finale, I take a few minutes to check in and share some exciting updates: I’m getting married next month (!), taking a short break from the podcast to fully savor the wedding and honeymoon, and lining up some truly special interviews for the next season, launching in August.
Before I step away, I wanted to leave you with one final meditation—a gentle and simple practice to help you slow down and reconnect with yoursel...
Feeling out of balance? Recalibrate and align with what's important in today’s practice. This is more of a reflective exercise than anything else. Get comfortable, clear distractions and enjoy.
As a thank-you for being part of our community, enjoy a free class at The Space, our yoga and sound healing studio in London. Use code TMRSPACE when booking and come say hi! https://www.thespacelondon.co.uk/
Loving the podcast? Leaving a ...
What is shadow work, and how does it shape our relationship with pleasure? What might our judgments reveal about our own inner landscape? And how can we transform shame into personal power?
This is one of the rawest/spiciest conversations we’ve had on The Morning Ritual. Charlene and I sit down with the incredible Ashka Zasada, whose work is all about embodiment, pleasure, and play—helping others awaken to their own aliveness in the...
In this episode, we explore the practice of Metta meditation—sending loving-kindness to ourselves, loved ones, and even those we find difficult. Inspired by my recent conversation with astrologer Barrie Dolnick, this practice helps shift frustration and resentment into compassion and ease. #blessingsandpeace
Want to learn more about the Spring Equinox and what to expect astrologically this March? Listen to the previous episode with...
March 20th marks the first day of spring—the Spring Equinox—often referred to as Mother Nature’s New Year. Katrina and I sit down with our astrologer, Barrie Dolnick, to explore how we can align with this powerful transition. In this episode, we discuss:
- What to expect as we move out of Mars retrograde and into the Spring Equinox
- How to embrace eclipse season (and the uncomfortable parts of ourselves)
- Using astrology as a tool fo...
In this guided meditation, Maureen Walsh invites you to connect with your own energy, offering a practice to cleanse, recharge, and unlock on a subtle, energetic level. Through gentle guidance, you’ll explore ways to nurture and protect your energetic field, leaving you feeling lighter, clearer, and more aligned.
Learn more about Maureen and her work: lookformeinthestars.com/group-container
Listen to my latest conversation with Maure...
In this episode of The Morning Ritual, I sit down with my energy healer Maureen Walsh- a multifaceted international artist, guide, and teacher who has dedicated the past two decades to immersing herself in the realms of yoga, meditation, art and mysticism. For the last ten years, she has been professionally practicing and refining her skills in the healing arts. Her expertise spans a wide range of modalities, including visionary an...
New Season! This is episode 1 of The Morning Ritual's 11th season and we're celebrating nature’s new year and the New Moon in Aquarius!
In this episode, I explore how to make the most of this new chapter and realign with your deepest desires. Plus, in part two, I guide you through a meditation to ground you into this fresh cycle and open your mind to new possibilities.
Get 45% off Magic Mind at www.magicmind.co/tmrpodjan
Meditate on the winter solstice and learn how to set intentions for 2025 in today’s episode. What to expect:
- Reflection prompts to release what no longer serves you.
- Guided visualization to set intentions for the year ahead.
- Embrace the stillness of the longest night of the year to pause, reflect, and realign.
The solstice reminds us that even in the darkest moments, the light is always waiting to return.
In today's episode Lilly and her co-host Katrina sit down with astrologer, tarot card reader, and author Barrie Dolnick. Known for her bestselling Simple Spells books, Barrie shares her journey from a high-paced marketing career in NYC to a life dedicated to guiding others through astrology and tarot. They cover:
- Barrie's shift from corporate life to astrology and writing.
- Understanding your Saturn Return and how to navig...
Lilly records with her mentor and longtime teacher, Dana Slamp, at her studio in London. Dana Slamp is the founder of NYC's premier Yoga Therapy School, Prema Yoga Institute. Lilly and Dana discuss the what, why, and how of yoga therapy. Towards the end of their conversation, Dana demonstrates what ‘motivational interviewing’ is and coaches Lilly in real time.
Dana and Lilly cover the following topics:
1:50 - What is ‘Yoga Therap...
This episode was inspired by the widely known study ‘A Wandering Mind is an Unhappy Mind’ (check out the study below). Let’s slow down, focus the mind, and connect back to the present moment.
Enjoying TMR? Rate, review, enjoy and as always feel free to reach out on Instagram @lillybalch. Discover more at www.lillybalch.com
A Wandering Mind is an Unhappy Mind- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21071660/
*This episode was first aired in...
East Forest is a pioneering figure in the psychedelic music space, known for his innovative approach to combining music and sound with personal transformation. In today's conversation, East Forest shares how he got into the world of psychedelics, what it’s like hosting mushroom ceremonies and the power of combining sound and psychedelics in ceremony.
1:28 How East Forest starts his day
2:00 The origin of the name ‘East Forest’
6...
Join Lilly Balch for a guided meditation designed to help you tap into your inner confidence and radiance. Through breathwork, visualization, and mindfulness, this practice will empower you to release fear, doubt, and insecurities, revealing the confident, radiant self that already resides within. This meditation will guide you in aligning with your true essence, helping you step into your day with grounded strength and authentic p...
I’m super excited to share today’s conversation with the incredible Terri Cole! Terri is a licensed psychotherapist and an expert in personal empowerment. With over two decades of experience, she has worked with a wide range of clients, from international pop stars to Fortune 500 CEOs, helping them break free from self-limiting behaviors and reclaim their personal power.
In this episode, Terri and I dive into some truly transformati...
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