The Mary Christopher Podcast

Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and Gratitude to Our Ancestors ~ Sunday September 11 2022

On September 8, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II passed on from this world.  She served as Queen of Great Britain and the Commonwealth for 70 years and 214 days.  She served actively and responsibly the entire time.  Queen Elizabeth set a very high standard for serving as a monarch during a time of rapid change, political unrest, and personal loss.
There are people who feel the monarchy should be abolished, as well as some who find fault with anyone in public positions.  Regardless of anyone's political or social perspective, I think we can agree that Queen Elizabeth II did her best to serve compassionately and thoughtfully.  As far as I know, she never publically blamed others for her difficulties.  And she supported more than 600 charities during her reign.  She especially loved corgis and horses and was an excellent rider. 
Queen Elizabeth II will be missed by her family and many people around the world.
Have a really good week.  Thank You for all the good work you are doing.
And, Remember to Breathe ~ Mary Christopher
 

Labor Day Meditation for September 5 2022 ~ Can we be Calm and Centered in the Midst of Chaos???

Is it possible to be Calm and Centered in the Midst of Chaos .................................................. ?
Yes, it is possible and it does take patience and good effort on our part to develop that ability!!!
Having that ability is one of the greatest benefits of developing a spiritual practice such as meditation. 
Regardless of what you believe about your ability to meditate, it is possible to develop a strong spiritual practice that will keep you going thru all the ups and downs of our chaotic world.  That is one of the main reasons for my classes, ebooks, podcasts, and workshops. 
The world will be a better place for all of us when more people are able to be calm and centered from one day to the next.  So, hop on this podcast, and let's get more centered and calmer.
Labor Day Thank You to all the many people around the world who work every day to keep the electricity on, the trash picked up, our cars and trucks running, hospitals and emergency services available, and food on the shelves.   It takes all of us, working together, to have a relatively safe world.  Needless to say, our "civilization" could work better.  And it will, as we get better at working together.
Have a Wonderful Week.  Take really good care of yourself.
And, Remember to Breathe ~ Mary Christopher
 

Rained Out Sunday Meditation Podcast for September 4 2022 ~ I will record and post our weekly podcast tomorrow.

My usual Meditation Podcast was rained out this Sunday !!!  I did record the podcast but there was just too much background noise at the park.  And, I was thoroughly soaked getting to a shelter thru the rain !!!
I did a short announcement about recording and posting another podcast tomorrow, Monday, September 5 without so much background noise.
Remember to tune in tomorrow for our weekly meditation podcast.  I will have it posted by 3 pm EDT.
Be safe wherever you are in the World.
And, Remember to Breathe ~ Mary Christopher

Sunday Meditation Podcast ~ August 28 2022 One Reason Being in Nature Is Healing

My Apologies !!!  The sound quality for the first half of this podcast is not as good as the second half.  I had the microphone headed down instead of up!  I discovered this about halfway thru and fixed it right away.  If you want, you can skip the first half of the podcast and just listen to the back half which includes the meditation.  Won't let that happen again !!!
How are you doing today?  Are you feeling grumpy and out-of-sorts or centered and calm and relatively content?
If you are feeling generally content with yourself, that is wonderful!  If you aren't, then hanging out inside, watching lights flickering on a screen, probably won't do much to improve your mood.  Numerous studies have shown that getting in motion and heading outside, weather permitting, is usually a reliable boost to our mood and general well-being.
We know from personal experience that being active and outside increases blood flow as well as oxygen intake and absorption (again, studies have shown).  We often overlook this solution for improving our mood and energy level because it is so simple!
Another factor to consider is that we are able to "recharge" our personal energy field just by having our feet or some part of our body in contact with the Earth.  This is one reason that I much prefer to meditate outside, under a tree, with soft breezes and Fresh Oxygen.  If you haven't tried doing your meditation outside, then give it try.  As the seasons change from summer to fall in the Northern Hemisphere and from winter to spring in the Southern Hemisphere, it may be more enjoyable to be outside.
For a few days, spend more time outside, just as an experiment.  See how it feels to you and let me know in the comments.
Have a great week.  Thank You for listening!
And, Remember to Breathe ~Mary Christopher

Sunday Meditation Podcast ~ August 21 2022 Readings from Love Poems from GOD collected by Daniel Ladinsky

There are days and sometimes even weeks when I feel like "the world is too much with us"!  My mother taught English literature and loved to quote Shakespeare at relevant times.  For me, this was one of those weeks.  I had put too many items on my to-do list and some items took longer than I anticipated.  By the end of the week, I was frustrated and somewhat burned out.
This doesn't happen to me often, but when it does I do my best to take 1 or 2 days OFF, completely OFF, and just read or take long walks or sit by a stream and watch the water go by. 
This weekend I did spend some time outside, but it was humid and we did have some rain.  So, I read a lot and rested. One of my favorite books that lives by my bed is Love Poems from GOD, collected and arranged by Daniel Ladinsky.  These are lovely mystical poems written by a selection of mystics from different traditions and cultures. 
I read several for today.  I hope you enjoy these poems at least as much as I do.
Have a lovely week.  Take really good care of yourself.
And, remember to breathe ~ Mary Christopher
 

Sunday Meditation Podcast ~ August 14 2022 ~ Magic, Mystery and Consciousness

When I first went outside and sat down in the yard to do this podcast, a small bird flew into the Trees on my left side and started chirping.   Every time I turned my head to look for the little bird, it stopped chirping!  After about 5 minutes it stopped chirping and flew away!  So then I started the podcast.  
For me, being in Nature is magical and also a mystery.  I never know who will show up or fly by or what will drop in out of the trees.  Could be an acorn or a feather or a leaf.  I am always amazed by the beauty and magic and mystery of Nature.  For me, being in Nature is very calming and can be very healing if I allow myself the time to slow down and let my nervous system re-calibrate and restore itself.
The longer I am outside, I remember that Nature is alive and conscious and responsive.  I like to remind myself that I am in the midst of so many Blessings, such as Sunlight, fresh Oxygen, amazing colors, interesting mushrooms, tiny flowers, and soft breezes.  We can remember that Creation is amazing if we just pay attention !!!  
Nature is Calming and Healing, something we all need, given the state of the world.
Have a Wonderful Week.  Spend some time outside in the Real World if you can.
Thank You for listening.  And, Remember to Breathe ~ Mary Christopher

Sunday Meditation Podcast ~ August 7 2022 Creating Emotional Stability and Coherence in Nature

During the past week, I have been researching and writing for a new eBook.  It is about the effects of technology and all our digital devices on the neurons that make up our nervous system.  So many of us are spending more and more time indoors rather than outdoors.  We are also spending more time in front of our screens absorbing more digital information than we can even begin to imagine.
And, we expect our Brain, the processing center for all the information we absorb, to somehow manage this constant inflow.  We assume that this "digital input" has very little impact on our nervous system, our emotional stability, or our sleep patterns.  However, underneath our hopeful assumptions about the effects of digital input, we know we are putting pressure on our whole system.  We are upsetting our circadian sleep patterns as well as overstimulating certain centers in our brain, such as the Amygdala which scans our emotional responses and visual input for potential threats.
So, what can we do to help create more balance and relieve some of the stress on our whole system, including the brain?  I have found one of the most reliable solutions is to combine being in Nature with Meditation.  Over many years I have learned that I become calmer and more centered faster being outside rather than inside.  This is the main reason that so many of the guided meditations that I do are related to Nature!  And, there are even scientific studies that have established the relationship between Nature and our sense of well-being!
Have a Wonderful Week.  Take really good care of yourself by spending some time out of doors, if you can.
Thank You for listening.  And, Remember to Breathe ~ Mary Christopher   

Sunday Meditation Podcast ~ July 31 2022 Being Grateful for What We Often Take Forgranted

Beautiful morning here in the Atlanta area.  We had rain yesterday so the air is clear and fresh.  I love being outside in the morning when it is still quiet.  This is a great time for our meditation to get our day off to a great start.
During July in Meditation class, we have been focused on Gratitude, specifically being grateful for some of the very essential things we often take for granted.  Among those would be our little toe, very essential for balance, our opposable thumbs which allow us to use tools, and our amazing Heart.  
Our Heart has its own nervous system, its own circulatory system, and pumps gallons of blood through our entire circulatory system all day and all night without any thought on our part.  Amazing !!!
If you are interested, I have included 2 links for YouTube videos about the Human Heart (that is us).
The Fascinating Relationship Between the Heart and Brain
Human Circulatory System
Have a Wonderful Week.  Take really good care of yourself.
And, Remember to Breathe ~ Mary Christopher