The Mary Christopher Podcast

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
 

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

Have you noticed that "humans" tend to be "enamored with form", also known as Stuff.
Most of us have lots of stuff.  In many cases, we have way too much Stuff which is often in a storage unit or filling up the garage or our closets.
Amazing !!! 
So, how much stuff do we actually need ... ?  Good Question ...
Or, how can we put our Stuff to good use ... ?
I know from growing up with Farmers and Ranchers, they do need plenty of stuff, most of which is useful at some time or other.  And, hopefully, their stuff is well organized!
Maybe the Lesson we are in the midst of could be called "Learning About Form!"  Or, we could call it "Everything We Need to Know about Being in Form!".
What do you think ... let me know!
Thank You for showing up, for doing your meditations, for Being here with us on Planet Earthi right now!
And, thank you for all the good you are doing every day!
Mary Christopher
 

What Is Spiritual Sight ... ?

This morning I was thinking about Spiritual Sight. I realized there are people in my life that I can talk to about Spiritual Sight and people that I do not talk to about that kind of Sight.
I have been in groups where most people feel comfortable talking about what they can see that is beyond the Visible Spectrum.  I am always relieved when I find myself in that situation.
For some time I have been thinking about Spiritual Sight and how we do or don't talk about it.  I began to find references in fiction, and not just science fiction either.  I also started noticing good examples in poetry.
So, I recorded this podcast on Spiritual Sight.  I did not try to define it, except to say that it would include the frequencies beyond the "visible spectrum" that we are used to seeing and measuring.  I am also aware that even our "everyday, walking around sort of sight" is limited or influenced by our personal perception of the world.
Let me know what you think ....
Have a Wonderful Week and 
Remember to Breathe,
Mary Christopher

Inner Peace Guided Meditation for the Whole World and World Bee Day !!!

Thank You for showing up for our weekly Inner Peace meditation.  As we continue to gather with focus and compassion, we are forming a Sacred Circle and generating a Blessing for us, our families, our neighbors, and our World!  
Certainly, we are not the only people on our Beautiful Planet doing this sacred work.  Rest assured that there are hundreds and thousands and millions of other people doing their spiritual work along side of us!  Join us at this time if you can ... 7 pm PDT, 8 pm MDT, 9 pm CDT, 10 pm EDT.  If this time does not work for you, do your Inner Peace Meditation whenever it works for you. 
Monday, May 20 is the official World Bee Day as authorized by the United Nations in 2017!  We are acknowledging the great work and the blessings that Bees contribute to our survival because they are pollinators.  We have an abundance of fruits and vegetables due to the daily "work" of pollinators who are all insects!  
Like all insects, a bee’s body is divided into three parts: a head with two antennae, a thorax with six legs, and an abdomen. All bees have branched hairs somewhere on their bodies and two pairs of wings. Only female bees have stingers (which are modified ovipositors, organs originally used to lay eggs). Many bee species have black and yellow coloration, but many do not ~ bees come in a variety of colors, including green, blue, red, or black. Some are striped, and some even have a metallic sheen. They range in size from large carpenter bees and bumble bees to the tiny Perdita minima bee, which is less than two millimeters long. (National Wildlife Federation)
There are over 20,000 bee species worldwide, including the honey bee, which originated in Eurasia and has been imported around the globe as a domesticated species. Wild bee species live on every continent except Antarctica. In North America, there are approximately 4,000 native bee species occupying ecosystems from forests to deserts to grasslands.  Bees feed exclusively on sugary nectar and protein-rich pollen from flowering plants, unlike the carnivorous wasps from which they evolved. (National Wildlife Federation)
As they forage, bees perform the critical act of pollination. As a bee enters a flower to feed on nectar and gather pollen, some of the pollen sticks to the bee’s body. When the bee flies on, it deposits some of that pollen on the next flower it visits, resulting in fertilization, allowing the plant to reproduce and generate the fruits and seeds so many other wildlife species rely on as a food source.  Bees pollinate a staggering 80 percent of all flowering plants, including approximately 75 percent of the fruits, nuts, and vegetables grown in the United States. (National Wildlife Federation)
Though all female bees can sting, they only do so when threatened. Honey bees, with hives filled with honey and larvae that need protecting, are generally more aggressive and likely to sting when disturbed than solitary native bees. (National Wildlife Federation)
Unlike the hive-forming domesticated honey bee or wild bumble bee species, most bees are solitary nesters. They don’t form hives, create honey, or live a communal lifestyle. Instead, they lay their eggs in a series of tiny chambers in tunnels in the ground, in hollow plant stems, or in decaying wood. Unlike hive-forming bee species, which collectively care for their young, female solitary bees provision their eggs with a ball of nectar and pollen and leave them to grow and pupate on their own with no parental care. (National Wildlife Federation)
Both domesticated honey bees and many native bee species are in decline. Some species, such as the once-common rusty patched bumblebee, are now listed as endangered in the U.S. Potential causes of these declines include habitat destruction, disease, agricultural and lawn and garden practices, use of pesticides, habitat fragmentation, changes in land use, invasive species, and climate change.
Pollinators, notably native bees, are critical to the survival of North America’s native plants, other wildlife, and people alike. The National Wildlife Federation maintains and supports several initiatives that support pollinators. Learn more about our work through Garden for Wildlife.
 

Inner Peace Guided Meditation for Sunday May 12 2024 ~ Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the Wonderful and Dedicated Mothers in the World. I am including those women all of us have known who were not biological mothers, but "mothered" and cared for many people during their lives.  Bless all the Mother's everywhere around the world today and every day.  Being a Mom is a Big Job !!!
Our Sunday evening Inner Peace Meditation is doing well.  We are "gathering" from wherever we are at 7 pm PDT, 8 pm MDT, 9 pm CDT,  or 10 pm EDT for our group meditation.  You can use this guided meditation or whatever works best for you.
We know when people gather to meditate with a specific intention, it changes us for the better.  There is also a combined "effect" or influence for our families, friends, and neighbors.  We become more coherent and centered.  I always sleep better following our Sunday evening meditations!
Thank You for showing up, for joining our collective effort, 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

Jane Goodall ~ Primatologist, Scientist, and Friend of Animals

Jane Goodall is living an extraordinary life of adventure, science, and service.
Through her research and her teaching, she has broadened our understanding of Primates and Nature in general.
In this podcast, I have covered the highlights of her early life and education.  In many ways, she has led a charmed life.
Let me know what you think of her work and accomplishments.
Mary Christopher