From corporate burnout to meditation teacher
When isolation sparked inspiration: a chance conversation between meditation teacher Amanda Weber and underwater filmmaker Martina Wing during the 2020 lockdown grew into Manta Ray Meditations, a guided video meditation series with underwater manta footage. This episode explores how the project came together and why the meditations still resonate today.
Episode summary
This episode tells the origin story of the Manta Ray Meditations video series - how it came together, why the meditations still resonate, and what both creators have learned since.
Amanda takes us through her journey from corporate communications to meditation teaching, sharing how stress pushed her to find a different way of working. She talks about what it was like swimming with manta rays at night in Hawaii - the initial nervousness about following rules, then letting go and giving herself to the experience. Years later, when COVID-19 hit, and Amanda found herself back home after evacuating from Spain, she was looking for a creative outlet to channel her energy.
Meanwhile, Martina was sitting in Hawaii with seven months of no business and an archive of thousands of hours of manta ray footage. Through their connection in an online marketing group, they realized they could combine Amanda's written meditations with Martina's underwater videos to create something meaningful during chaotic times.
The series of videos they created - "Calm Amidst Chaos: Relaxation in Uncertain Times" - features eight meditations ranging from five to ten minutes, each paired with stunning manta ray footage. What started as a pandemic project has proven timeless. Amanda notes that people's ability to focus has actually gotten worse, not better, in the past five years. Visual meditations offer an easier access point because engaging both eyes and ears helps anchor distracted minds.
The conversation also touches on Amanda's current work with dream work and her perspective on the messy middle of career transitions. Both Amanda and Martina reflect on how everything builds on everything else over a lifetime, and how moving forward with curiosity and compassion - like manta rays who can only swim forward - leads to good things even in uncertain times.
Takeaways:
Visual meditation videos work better for distracted minds because engaging both sight and sound makes it easier to stay present
Creative collaboration during difficult times gives you purpose and connection when you need it most
Life is long, and interests naturally evolve over decades. Career changes are a normal part of life.
Swimming with manta rays creates core memories that stay with you for years
Everything you learn builds on what comes next, even when the path isn't clear
Today’s guests: Amanda Weber
Amanda Weber spent 20 years in corporate marketing before burnout led her to meditation practice. She lives in Ontario, Canada, where for the past 15 years, she's been teaching people how to manage stress and find presence through meditation. Amanda also experienced the transformative power of swimming with manta rays in Hawaii, as she was a guest in #YEAR.
Resources from this episode:
If you're feeling overwhelmed or stressed, try one of the Manta Ray Meditations. Go to http://mantaraymeditations.com/ to access our 8 free videos - 5-10 minutes each of underwater manta ray footage with Amanda's guided relaxation. Whether you're new to meditation or have been practicing for years, having something visual to focus on while you listen can help anchor your busy mind. Pick the one that fits your moment today.