Pay Attention

Holly McNeill
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Pay Attention is a podcast dedicated to a journey from the chaos of the mind to the clarity of the open heart. As a seasoned architect turned teacher and spiritual guide, Holly McNeill spent two decades while working full time and as a single mom exploring neuroscience, psychology, Buddhism, and spirituality all to uncover the transformative power of the present moment. Here you'll find practical tips and insights on how the mind works, why you get stuck, how to break free, how to create space for real change, and what lies beyond the chaos. All here to help you build a life of clarity, peace, and purpose.

  1. S2:E15 Keep Scratching The Surface | Curiosity, Action & Growth

    5D AGO

    S2:E15 Keep Scratching The Surface | Curiosity, Action & Growth

    In this final guest episode before the summer break of Season 2, Holly McNeill, the Mindfulness Architect, welcomes Austra Putnina — a Latvian-born, Estonia-based podcaster, coach, and multi-passionate seeker of growth. Together, Holly and Austra explore what it means to pay attention early, to notice the thoughts and patterns that shape us, and to begin moving even before we fully know where we are going. Austra shares how curiosity, basketball, discipline, resilience, and repeated action helped her transform self-doubt into growth, reminding us that change does not happen overnight, but through small, sustainable steps taken again and again. This conversation is a joyful, heart-opening reminder that we are not stuck. We do not have to have the whole path figured out. Sometimes the most important thing is simply to get curious, take one small step, and trust that time, practice, and awareness will do the rest. As Holly and Austra discuss, there is no finish line to becoming — only deeper and deeper layers of clarity, courage, and self-understanding.

    39 min
  2. S2:E14 Mindfulness: Why One Size Doesn't Fit All

    APR 29

    S2:E14 Mindfulness: Why One Size Doesn't Fit All

    In this episode of Pay Attention with Holly McNeill, Holly is joined by mindfulness teacher Christoph Spiessens and CBT therapist Liezl Laidlaw to explore a powerful truth: mindfulness is not one-size-fits-all. Together, they unpack why traditional approaches can unintentionally exclude many people—especially those who are neurodivergent—and how we can begin to approach mindfulness with more flexibility, curiosity, and self-trust. From movement-based practices to rethinking the breath as an anchor, this conversation opens the door to a more inclusive, compassionate way of paying attention. One that gives you permission to find what actually works for you. If you've ever felt like you were "failing" at mindfulness, this episode will change how you see the practice—and yourself.

    39 min
  3. S2:E13 From Chaos To Clarity: The Practice Of Awareness with Mark Nunberg

    APR 20

    S2:E13 From Chaos To Clarity: The Practice Of Awareness with Mark Nunberg

    What does it truly mean to live a practice? In this deeply grounded and reflective episode of Pay Attention, Holly reconnects with meditation teacher Mark Nunberg of Common Ground Meditation Center in Minneapolis —a place that played a meaningful role in her own journey. Together, they explore the unfolding path of contemplative practice—not as a concept, but as a way of living. Mark shares how his early questioning of success and purpose led him to Buddhism and insight meditation, and how over three decades of teaching have revealed a simple but profound truth: clarity doesn't come from thinking more—it comes from seeing clearly. In this conversation, you'll discover: What it really means to live a practice—not just do one How awareness matures through small, consistent inroads Why suffering (dukkha) can be a doorway rather than a problem How thoughts lose their power when they are seen clearly The shift from identifying with the mind to observing it What liberation actually points to—and how it's available in everyday life Mark reminds us that the goal isn't to eliminate thoughts, but to change our relationship to them—and that real transformation happens not through force, but through awareness. If you've ever felt lost, overwhelmed by your thoughts, or curious about what lies beyond the "chaos of the mind," this conversation offers a grounded and accessible path forward.

    45 min
  4. S2:E12 The Hidden Battle: A Veteran's Journey Through Trauma, Psychedelic Healing and Hope with Maria Gonzalez

    APR 7 ·  VIDEO

    S2:E12 The Hidden Battle: A Veteran's Journey Through Trauma, Psychedelic Healing and Hope with Maria Gonzalez

    Did you know 22 veterans take their lives every day in the U.S.? In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Pay Attention, Holly sits down with Maria Gonzalez to explore the hidden toll of trauma on veterans and their families. Maria shares her family's journey through years of chronic pain, emotional volatility, and the invisible weight of unresolved trauma that so often goes unseen. What began as physical suffering gradually revealed something much deeper—wounds that traditional treatments were not reaching. Maria speaks candidly about her husband Gabe's struggle as a disabled veteran, the terrifying moment when their family reached a breaking point, and the desperate search for help that led them to an unconventional path: psychedelic-assisted healing outside the United States. What followed was not a magic fix, but a profound shift—one that opened the door to healing, new patterns, renewed connection, and a restored desire to live. Together, Holly and Maria talk about PTSD, depression, chronic pain, caregiver trauma, and the complicated reality of loving someone who is suffering in ways you cannot fully see. They also explore the importance of preparation and integration, and why healing does not just affect the individual, but the entire family system. This episode is both heartbreaking and hopeful. It is a conversation about invisible wounds, the limits of conventional care for some people, and the possibility of transformation when the right kind of support finally reaches the root of the pain. Maria also shares how she and Gabe are now turning their experience into service through Operation Solace, helping other veterans access life-saving retreats and reminding families that they are not alone. If you have ever loved someone who was silently struggling, or if you yourself know what it feels like to search for relief and find none, this episode offers something essential: honesty, compassion, and hope.

    36 min
  5. S2:E11 What Your Dreams Are Trying to Tell You (Part 2)

    MAR 24

    S2:E11 What Your Dreams Are Trying to Tell You (Part 2)

    What if recurring dreams held the key to understanding who we truly are—and what we're here to do? In this follow-up to their first conversation on dream tending, host Holly McNeill invites dream tender and therapist Valerie Johns back for a raw and revealing live dream tending session. If you've ever wondered who Holly really is beyond the mic, this is the episode. It's raw, unpolished, and deeply personal—and through the process, Holly learns more than she expected. Together, Holly and Valerie explore: ·       How live dream tending can reveal hidden wisdom within recurring dreams ·       Why dreams often uncover unresolved identity, self-worth, and the longing for mentorship ·       How the ego loses control in the dream state—and why that matters for personal growth ·       How some dreams come from the collective unconscious, calling us to healing and action in the world This isn't just a conversation—it's a vulnerable, transformative experience that invites listeners to tend their own inner landscapes with curiosity and care. ✨ Haven't listened to Part 1 yet? Go back and start there for Valerie's full introduction and insights into dream tending. Connect with Valerie Johns: 🌐 valeriejohns.com 📷 Ihttps://www.instagram.com/valeriejohnsla/ 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-johns-66155216/

    39 min
  6. S2:E10 What Your Dreams Are Telling You with Valerie Johns

    MAR 17

    S2:E10 What Your Dreams Are Telling You with Valerie Johns

    To stay in the world of dreams just a bit longer, this week on Pay Attention we're going back to the archives to revisit an earlier conversation on dream tending with Valerie Johns. What if your dreams weren't random at all, but meaningful messages from the deepest parts of you? This episode originally aired in Season 1 as Episode 24. Unlike traditional dream interpretation, Valerie's approach to dream tending encourages us to form a relationship with our dreams—to listen, explore, and allow the subconscious to speak. In this conversation, Holly McNeill sits down with Valerie to explore how dreams can support emotional healing, personal clarity, and spiritual growth. Together they discuss: • Why we forget our dreams—and how to start remembering them • Why recurring dreams and nightmares may actually be calls for attention • How the ego has no control in the dream world—and doesn't like it • How some dreams may arise from the collective unconscious, pointing us toward healing and action in the world ✨ Part 2 of this conversation will re-air next week with Holly and Valerie joining live. If you're curious and don't want to wait, you can find it now in the archives as Season 1, Episode 25, where Valerie leads Holly through a live dream tending session. Connect with Valerie Johns: 🌐 valeriejohns.com 📷 / valeriejohnsla 🔗 / valerie-johns-66155216

    25 min
  7. S2:E9 Gateway to the Inner Self: What Lucid Dreams Reveal About Consciousness

    MAR 10

    S2:E9 Gateway to the Inner Self: What Lucid Dreams Reveal About Consciousness

    What happens when awareness awakens inside a dream? In this episode of Pay Attention, Holly McNeill continues her exploration of consciousness — not just in the waking world, but in the landscapes we enter each night. She sits down with Robert Waggoner, one of the world's most respected lucid dreaming educators and former president of the International Association for the Study of Dreams, to explore what lucid dreams reveal about the deeper architecture of the mind. Lucid dreaming is more than flying or controlling dream scenes. It is the moment we recognize, within the dream itself, that we are aware. And from that awareness, something extraordinary happens: belief shapes experience instantly. Together, Holly and Robert explore: What lucid dreaming truly is — and why it has been scientifically validated How belief and expectation shape both dream reality and waking life The role of attention and emotional stability in sustaining lucidity The mysterious "inner awareness" that can respond from beyond the thinking mind How lucid dreaming can support healing, insight, and creative expansion What it means to practice "lucid living" beyond the dream state If much of what we call identity operates below conscious awareness, the dream state may offer a rare and direct encounter with the forces shaping our lives. As Holly often reminds her listeners: when we understand how the mind works, we begin to see where we have agency. Tonight, as you drift to sleep, you might ask yourself — what would happen if you knew you were dreaming?

    43 min
  8. S2:E8 Dear Universe: The Story We Inherit — and the One We Choose

    MAR 3

    S2:E8 Dear Universe: The Story We Inherit — and the One We Choose

    Following last week's open and expansive conversation, this episode turns gently toward something powerful: choice. Holly sits down with psychotherapist and poet Robby Cale for a reflective conversation that begins with his spoken-word piece, "Dear Universe," and unfolds into an exploration of the stories we inherit — from our upbringing, our environment, and the identities handed to us before we ever knew we had a say. Together, they explore perception and perspective, inherited belief systems, nervous system awareness, and the quiet but profound shift from living on autopilot to living with intention. Because while we may not choose the story we're given, we always have agency in how we continue it. The episode closes with a live poetic reflection — a reminder that becoming the light is always an option.

    36 min
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About

Pay Attention is a podcast dedicated to a journey from the chaos of the mind to the clarity of the open heart. As a seasoned architect turned teacher and spiritual guide, Holly McNeill spent two decades while working full time and as a single mom exploring neuroscience, psychology, Buddhism, and spirituality all to uncover the transformative power of the present moment. Here you'll find practical tips and insights on how the mind works, why you get stuck, how to break free, how to create space for real change, and what lies beyond the chaos. All here to help you build a life of clarity, peace, and purpose.

Information

  • Creator
    Holly McNeill
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    57
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    Pay Attention