The Mary Christopher Podcast

Inner Peace Guided Meditation for the Whole Wide World ~ Sunday June 26 2024

Some days it seems that Inner Peace Place is almost impossible to find.  And, we are tempted to give up, abandon our efforts and go do something else. 
Totally understandable ... !!!
However, there are ways to move "thru" most emotional log jams.  Our emotional log jams are difficult for many reasons.  For one thing, emotions or emotional states tend to be "sticky"!  When we try to fix anything that is "sticky", we usually get stuck!  So, if we can resist the urge to try to "fix it" and keep our fingers out of our emotions, we may be able to move on and leave the logjam behind!
There are other ways of getting beyond our emotions which I mentioned in this podcast.  Sometimes simply finding a way to shift our perspective may work well.  Regardless of any outcome, remember that our focused intention and making a consistent effort builds better neurological pathways!
Thank You for showing up, for doing this spiritual work, and for everything you do every day to make this world a better place for Everyone!
Have a Wonderful Week and
Remember to Breathe ...
Mary Christopher
 

Photosynthesis and Leaves, Miniature Oxygen Factories! ~ June 18 2024

Photosynthesis is an amazingly efficient chemical process that takes place within Leaves and Grass, any kind of plant that contains chlorophyll.  This chemical process uses energy from photons to run the process.  The photos come from Sunlight!  And, the plant is also absorbing CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) from the air through its leaves!
In this process, the plant produces glucose (a sugar) by breaking down CO2 into Carbon and Oxygen.  The O2 is released into the atmosphere and the newly formed sugar helps to feed the plant.
This is an amazing process that is happening around us all the time, and has been happening for thousands and thousands of years!  All creatures get fresh O2 and the plant gets Food!
Another great mystery is the similarity between chlorophyll and blood or hemoglobin.  There is only 1 atom difference between the 2 ... !!!  You can learn more about that in the podcast.
Creation is Amazing and Wonderful !!!  We are so blessed in so many ways on this Planet and often we are completely oblivious!!!
So, this week, slow down, take a look around you, and discover all the amazing miracles that are happening every day.
Thank You for Being here and for all you do to make this World a better place for Everyone.
Many, Many Blessings,
Mary Christopher

Inner Peace Guided Meditation for the Whole Wide World ~ June 16 2024

"According to Dr. Karyn Purvis, the late Director of Texas Christian University's Child Development Centre, scientists have discovered that it takes around 400 repetitions to create a new synapse in the brain. However, if the repetition is done through play, it only takes 10–20 repetitions. Play can be a key factor in language development, and can also help children develop cognitively and emotionally. When children play, they are often more relaxed and open to learning."
 
One of the people in my advanced meditation class sent that quotation to me.  When I read it, I felt like numerous light bulbs were going off in my mind.  I was reminded of how often I have wished that I was better at having fun or at least being less serious!
 
Now that I know for sure that "play" provides specific results I decided to jump on it and do some serious research!  Actually, I did start thinking like that, but caught myself in time and switched gears.  I found a book about "play" on Audible, downloaded it, and started listening.
 
The book is 
Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul, by Stuart Brown and Christopher Vaughan, M.D.  I am just getting started, and so far I am pleased with the content and the way it is written.
 
Most of us are aware that as we grow into adulthood, we tend to become more serious.  Being an adult is "serious" as well as challenging as we deal with careers, families, health, and taxes, just to list a few responsibilities we have faced.
 
If we include spiritual development, that can add an extra level of being serious.  Now that I know I can "learn" or "reprogram" my little neurons more effectively with play, I am looking for ways to include play and/or fun into my daily routines.  And, this includes my spiritual practices.
 
More about this later.  There is a guided meditation included in this podcast.  The official time for our group meditation is 7 pm PDT, 8 pm MDT, 9 pm CDT, 10 pm EDT.  However, if for any reason, you are not able to do your Inner Peace meditation at that time, do it when it works for you.  It is still a contribution to the growing and expanding consciousness of the whole world.
 
Thank You for showing up!  Thank You for being on Earth right now!  And, thank you for everything you do every day to make the world a better place for Everyone!
 
Have a wonderful week and,
 
Remember to Breathe ...
 
Mary Christopher

Trees and Our Lungs !!! Creation Is Amazing! Tuesday, June 11, 2024

In many parts of the world, we live with Trees.  We live next to or in the middle of Trees.  If we are really fortunate, we live in a neighborhood where the streets are lined with Trees!  Any time that we are able to live in the same neighborhood with Trees, we are Blessed!
Did you know there are numerous scientific studies showing that there is less crime in neighborhoods that have Trees compared to neighborhoods where there are very few or no Trees at all!
“Neighborhoods and homes that are barren have shown to have a greater incidence of violence in and out of the home than their greener counterparts. Trees and landscaping help to reduce the level of fear.  Also the different shades of green from Trees and Plants are calming and restful!”  (Tree People)
 
How far down into the ground can Tree roots grow … ?
In general, most tree roots can grow anywhere from two to six feet deep. However, there are some tree roots that have been known to grow much deeper than that. The world's deepest tree root was found in South Africa, and it reached a depth of 24 feet!
Did you know that the pattern of growth for Tree roots resembles the branching pattern in our lungs?  The Bronchia in our lungs form a pattern that starts with the trachea and ends in tiny air sacs called alveoli.  This is how Oxygen (O2) gets to all our cells and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is removed and exhaled!
How Large Is the Area of Our Lungs ... ?
If an adult’s lungs were opened and laid out flat, it would cover an entire tennis court!  This is one of the main reasons we benefit by walking or jogging or being active outside in fresh air.  Any time we are working or playing outdoors, we are exercising and strengthening our lungs.  We are also expanding our lung capacity or, at the very least, maintain a healthy lung capacity.  This is very important as we age!
We also know from our own experience as well as from scientific studies that exercise functions as an antidepressant!  That is because exercise usually causes our bodies to produce Endorphins!  Human Beings have our own in-house pharmacy.   
Our bodies are simple and complex and amazing.  Usually, we go through the day without giving a thought to the elegance and sophistication of our lungs, or our heart and circulatory system.  We seem to take Creation for granted, missing all the amazing systems that allow us to be here and survive.
Often, when I think about our human bodies or learn how well our bodies are designed, I am in Awe of the Creator.  And, I am deeply grateful for Being here on Earth, even with all the challenges!
Take Good Care of Yourself and
Remember to go outside and Breathe, Breathe, Breathe ...
Mary Christopher

Inner Peace Guided Meditation for the Whole Wide World ~ 7 pm PDT, 8 pm MDT, 9 pm CDT, 10 pm EDT June 9

Thank You all so much for showing up for our Inner Peace Meditations! 
We are gathering momentum!  We had more than 70 downloads for last week's podcast! 
I always feel like there are so many wonderful people joining at our designated time, or doing the meditation when they have the time.  Good for us ... !!!  We are making a difference in our own lives by intentionally focusing on Inner Peace and we are making a difference for others.  Let's keep going ... 
It is a beautiful day here in this spacious park in Duluth, Georgia.  I came over early so I could sit with one of my favorite trees before it got hot.
As I was sitting with this friendly pine tree, at least 40 feet tall, listening to the birds and feeling the warmth of the Sun, I felt so grateful and blessed to have this time and this place to record our guided meditation for this evening's group meditation.
If you sometimes have difficulty finding your "inner peace place", I can offer 2 suggestions.  These are practices I use if I have any difficulty "tuning into" my sacred Inner Peace place. 
One practice is to move into a state of gratitude, remembering all the small gifts and abilities that so many of us have.  I usually start by smiling down to my little toe. This may sound silly, but there are specific reasons for doing this which I explain in this podcast.
The other practice that I find helpful is to work with "lovingkindness" for myself first, then extending that bubble of lovingkindness to include others.  Either one of these 2 practices will usually guide me into my special "Inner Peace Place"!
Again, thank you for showing up for our Inner Peace Meditations and for all the good work you are doing every day !!!
Take very good care of yourself and,
Remember to Breathe ...
Mary Christopher

John Muir ~ Naturalist, Inventor, Writer, Hiker and Father of Our National Parks

John Muir was an amazing person, a naturalist, among the first most notable environmentalists, an inventor, an adventurer, and an accomplished writer.  He loved the poetry of Robert Burns, a fellow Scot.  On Muir’s rambles through the forests, mountains, and valleys of the Northwest, he often carried a volume of Burn’s poetry and one of Emerson’s books.  Needless to say, “rambling” in the mountains and woods was Muir’s favorite activity.
John Muir was born in Dunbar, Scotland, April 21, 1838.  He was the 8th child of 13.  His father was a harsh and strict religious man who made sure everyone in the family worked hard.  Apparently, John preferred to wander off into the fields and meadows whenever he could.  As a result, John was often whipped by his father and forced to learn chapters in the Bible.  By the time John was 11, he could recite all of the New Testament and a good bit of the Old Testament from memory!  Even though growing up under the severity of his father was difficult, John said later in life that learning all those verses served to make him a better writer.  During his life, he published 6 volumes, all describing in lyrical detail the beauty and wonder of Nature.
Muir wrote constantly, publishing books and writing articles on ecology, his studies of glaciers, and botany.  He was consistently writing about the need for Yosemite to become a National Park like Yellowstone.  Yellowstone was the first national park in the United States and also in the world!  Partly in response to the need for Yosemite to become a national park, the Sierra Club was formed.  On May 28, 1892, the first meeting of the Sierra Club was held.  John Muir was immediately elected president.  They also elected a vice-president and chose a board of directors.  The Sierra Club led the way to establish “national forests” and to protect and preserve the natural beauty and heritage of the American landscape!  Muir was president of the Sierra Club for 22 years until his death in 1914.
Thanks to John Muir, Emerson, Ansel Adams, and many other far-sighted women and men, many of our natural treasures were saved from development by being set aside as National Parks.  John Muir’s books, articles, and conversations with leaders like President Teddy Roosevelt, influenced their thinking and decisions about the preservation of our national treasures.
 

Inner Peace Guided Meditation for the Whole Wide World ~ What if ..... ? June 2 2024

We are gathering every Sunday evening at 7 pm PDT, 8 pm MDT, 9 pm CDT, and 10 pm EDT for our Inner Peace Meditation for the Whole Wide World. 
So far we have been gathering on our own.  Some people can sit at that specific time.  Other people do the meditation at the time that works best for them.
Sometimes, when I am focusing on a specific topic for my meditation, I will ask myself a question rather than just trying to direct my focus to a topic.  For this evening, the topic would be "Inner Peace Meditation".
My intention is to structure the question so all my little neurons will scurry around and get lined up with "Inner Peace".  As a result of all my neurons working so diligently, it would be easier for me to find that space or landing place. Today I used the question, "What if I am more energy and frequency than 'matter'?
I can usually tell when I have created a good question because I begin to feel more focused and coherent which is very exciting!  With this particular question, I started feeling more focused and less material.  I felt like holding my focus would be easier and I could stay alert longer.
Let me know how this sounds.  And, if you try it, let me know how well this "practice" of crafting a question works for you ... ???
Thank You for showing up, for your Wonderful Heart, and for all the Enlightened choices you are making every day.
And, remember to breathe ...
Mary Christopher
 

Forest Bathing for Health and Healing ~ May 28 2024

Have you ever heard of "Forest Bathing"?
Now you have and it is a wonderful way to relax and unwind!
I heard about "forest bathing" several years ago.  I started reading and researching to find out more.  What I discovered was Amazing and confirmed everything that I "felt" about trees.
I spent plenty of time in Trees while I was growing up.  There weren't lots of trees in Oklahoma where I grew up since it was originally praririe.  But, as soon as Settlers arrived and started building homes and tiny towns, they started planting Trees.
One of my aunts and uncles had a farm in central Virginia with many Trees and a great variety as well.  I loved to walk through the woods, following deer paths and imagining I would find a Native American settlement.  (I have a very good imagination.)  I didn't find any People but I had a wonderful time just Being in the Woods!
There are numerous, well-done, scienticfic studies about how beneficial "forest bathing is for Human Beings (that's Us).  I will do another podcast about "forests and forest bathing very soon.
In the meantime, you can enjoy reading about The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben.  Wonderful Book ... one of the books I like to take with me when I travel.
Have a great week and
Remember to Breathe,
Mary Christopher