The Mary Christopher Podcast

Spring Is Almost Here ~ Caring for Creation

Caring for Creation ~ Spring Is Almost Here!  
Spring is almost here!  We are having warm and pleasant weather.  Are you already planning your Spring Garden?
If you are considering a spring or summer garden, this is the perfect time to figure out what you need to get started.  If you haven’t had a spring or summer garden for a while, or ever, it is a good idea to start with a “Pollinator Garden”.  All gardens need pollinators, especially vegetable gardens!  So, if you start with a small or medium-sized pollinator garden, you’ll have pollinators already hanging around for your vegetable garden.
Remember, these gardens do not need to be large or complicated.  And, if you have a pollinator garden going, you are way ahead.  Pollinator gardens can have a variety of blooming plants.  Some plants like Butterfly weed bloom early in the gardening season, while others like Indian Blanket or Beebalm bloom midway in the summer.  Showy Goldenrod or BlueSage are late bloomers.  Having plants that flower in stages will invite Pollinators to your garden all summer!
There are so many kinds of Pollinators and we need all of them!  For instance, there are more than 4,000 species of Bees that are native to North America!  This includes Honey Bees who live in hives.  Many of the other Bees nest underground, in twigs and leaf debris, or even in dead trees!  These Bees are more often vulnerable because they are invisible!
Butterflies and Moths are excellent pollinators.  Butterflies visit our gardens in the daytime while Moths visit at night.  Hummingbirds and Bats are also reliable pollinators.  Hummingbirds prefer tubular flowers in bright warm colors, like red.  Beetles and other similar insects are reliable pollinators.  At least 40 % of all insects are Beetles!
We need to pay attention to all the Pollinators and support them because they have been losing habitat for years!  Fields and fence rows that were once covered with blooms have been plowed under for shopping malls and housing developments.  Fortunately, some very new housing developments include community gardens, and composting as well as yards planted with flowers specifically for Pollinators.  Unfortunately, there are very few developments that are this thoughtful and resourceful.  Just think, a world without Pollinators would be a world without Apples, Blueberries, Strawberries, chocolate, almonds, melons of all kinds, peaches or pumpkins !!!  That would be too terrible to even imagine!
You can help all Pollinators as well as any neighborhood gardens by putting in a Pollinator garden this Spring!  Even putting a few Pollinator-friendly plants in pots on your porch or in your backyard can make a difference.
If you have questions, look up your state Native Plant Society.  Most large towns and cities all over the country, have a Master Gardener Program.  These wonderful garden people would be happy to help you with your garden.  If you can’t find anyone to answer your questions or make suggestions, check with the Department of Agriculture office near you (USDA.gov) or go to their website.  They will know someone locally who can help you.  I know this because I have talked to all these people, asked loads of questions, and gotten excellent assistance!
Remember Honey Bees alone contribute to the production of many billions of dollars worth of crops every year !!!  This is why “We Love Bees and All Pollinators”!

Inner Peace Meditation ~ The Mystics Are Gatheri

One of my teachers from the late 60s was Murshid Samuel Lewis, one of the very early Sufi teachers in this country.  During that time he was teaching primarily in San Francisco.  Murshid Sam was my first Sufi teacher.  What I learned from him has been an ongoing blessing!  He was a mystic, a spiritual teacher, an amazing gardener, and, of course, a Sufi dancer.  So many people were blessed by his presence and his teaching.  
Somewhere along the way, I also discovered Rumi, the amazing Sufi poet.  I have used his poems in my classes for more than 25 years.  So far, I have found that everyone loves Rumi.  Whenever I am traveling, I carry a copy of The Essential Rumi by Coleman Barks.
Currently, we are in the midst of Ramadan from March 1 through March 29-30.  The followers of the Quran and the teachings of Muhammad are celebrating Ramadan.  Muslims believe the angel Gabriel revealed the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad over 23 years, beginning in 610 AD and ending in 632 AD, the year of Muhammad's death.   
During Ramadan everyone who is able, fasts from sunrise to sundown.  This fast is followed by dinner with family, and friends, or at the local mosque.  This month is dedicated to prayer, charity, and community.  I decided to support my Sufi and Muslim friends during Ramadan by using some of my favorite Jesus quotes from Rumi.  The Sufis and Muslims revere Jesus as a great prophet.  Mary, Jesus’ mother is mentioned more often in the Quran than in the Christian New Testament!  So, we are definitely on the “mystic path” using Rumi’s poetry about Jesus!
 
From The Essential Rumi by Coleman Barks 
 
“There's a strong connection between Jesus and Rumi. I'm told a Christian church in Shiraz (Iran) has a quatrain from Rumi carved in stone over its door:
 
Where Jesus lives, the great-hearted gather.
We are a door that's never locked.
 
If you are suffering any kind of pain,
stay near this door.  Open it.
 
A sweet inclusiveness and healing mercy are felt around both Jesus and Rumi. The Friendship of Rumi and Shams has no parallel in the great aloneness of Jesus' life, but the relationship with children and with society's outcasts is very similar. Rumi showed deep consideration for the least-recognized members of his thirteenth-century Muslim small town. He would always stop to bow to children and old women, to bless and be blessed by them. One day an Armenian butcher, a Christian, was passing. Rumi stopped in the road and bowed seven times to him. Another day he came upon children playing a game. He acknowledged each as he would have an adult. And there was one little boy far away running across a field. 'Wait, I'm coming!' Rumi stayed till the boy had come close, bowed, and been bowed to.”
 
I also love the humor we find in Rumi’s poems.  This is a great example!
 
"I called through your door,
'The mystics are gathering
in the street. Come out!'
 
"Leave me alone.
I'm sick."
 
"I don't care if you're dead!"
Jesus is here, and he wants
to resurrect somebody!"
(Translations and text by Coleman Barks with John Moyne)
 
All the Mystics I know or know about are working diligently to help with the current crises happening around the World.  Most of us understand that a better world is being birthed, even with all this chaos and confusion.  This is one very good reason that we do our meditations and spiritual practices.
So, thank you for all the good work you do every day and for all the Blessings you carry into the World!  
Keep it up … !!!  And, do your best to keep your sense of humor alive and well … !!!
 
Mary Christopher teaches mindfulness, breathing practices, 
and the HeartMath program for Building Personal Resilience.  
She loves gardening and meditating with Trees!

Growing Sunflowers Is Simple and Fun ~ Caring for Creation

What do Sunflowers need to grow?
Sunflowers need plenty of Sunshine, at least 6 to 8 hours of Sunlight per day!  As you know, Sunflowers are heliotropic which means the blossom follows the path of the Sun from east to west every day.  Then, at night, the blossom or head of the plant rotates back do it is facing the rising Sun next morning.  Sunflowers definitely need access to sunlight most of the day. 
And, they will also need water and fertilizer. 
Sunflowers have extensive root systems that help them reach the soil nutrients they need.  They prefer well-drained soils with a pH between 6.0 to 7.0, like clay loam and silty clay soils.  You can test your soil to find out the pH level and whether you need to add nutrients before planting the seeds.  However, if you can see organic material in your soil, you can plant the Sunflower seeds without testing.
Once the second set of leaves appears, use a slow-release all-purpose fertilizer that you would apply directly to the plants.  This will speed up growth and produce larger flowers.  Sunflowers will also benefit from applying half the recommended amount of nitrogen during planting and the second half later in the growing season.  This is known as a split application of fertilizer.
You can begin planting Sunflower seeds directly in the ground after the last frost.  Sometimes the weather surprises us by having a very late frost.  But, get your seeds in the ground when you think you have had the last frost.  Trying to out-guess the weather is usually not very productive and can be frustrating!
You can sow the seeds directly into the soil.  Just poke a hole with your finger, drop in 2 seeds (in case one doesn’t germinate), and cover the hole.  You are done.  Then thin to one plant per hole if both seeds germinate.
Spacing is important.
For single stem Sunflowers, plants should be spread 4-9” apart.  Remember, the closer the plants are spaced, the smaller the blooms.  Closer is better if you are growing the blossoms for bouquets.  Plants spaced farther apart will produce larger blooms.
For branching Sunflowers, plants should be placed 12”-24” apart.  Usually 18” spacing works well. 
There are so many different sizes, shapes, and colors of Sunflowers that it is often difficult to make a choice.  Some will grow as tall as 6’ to 10’!  These will need some kind of support.  The taller ones can be grown along a tall fence or wall, using chicken wire for support.  Shorter Sunflowers usually have strong stems that can support their blossoms. 
 If you want to use some of the blossoms indoors in a flower arrangement, be sure to cut them off the stem before the flower petals open.  They will still blossom, and the blossom will last longer this way.
If you do use most of the blossoms in flower arrangements, be sure to leave at least 10% of the blooms on their stems.  They will open, begin to produce pollen, and then seeds.
Bees love the pollen!  Birds and other creatures love the seeds!  And, you can harvest some of the seeds for next year’s crop!  You can also save seeds to feed Birds, Chipmunks, and Squirrels during winter.  A well-tended Sunflower patch or field will produce hundreds of highly nutritious seeds!
There are so many varieties of Sunflowers, in so many sizes and colors.  Sunflowers are native to the United States, as well as Europe.  Before Ukraine was invaded by Russia, they were one of the main producers of Sunflowers in Europe!  In Europe, Sunflowers are used mainly for their oil.
Here are some examples of Sunflowers.  Have a Wonderful time selecting and growing Sunflowers.  Remember, they are easy to grow as long as they have lots of Sunshine as well as enough water and nutrients!
Mary Christopher teaches mindfulness, breathing practices, 
and the HeartMath program for Building Personal Resilience.  
She loves gardening and meditating with Trees!

Being in the World and Making a Difference ~ Inner Peace Guided Meditation

News Update:  The world of humans is still not very functional and a bit crazy.  Many people seem to have lost their sense of humor, as well as their “good sense”.
Creation, on the other hand, is still working just fine.
When the world seems to be crazy and getting more so every day, I look for a way to focus my attention and do some good in the World.  For at least 3 months I have been working on a Pollinator Garden project with my friends at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church.  Part of that project is a Saturday morning program with the Oklahoma Native Plant Society, Yard by Yard Pollinator Gardens, and Okies for Monarchs.
In general, all Pollinators are having a difficult time finding enough plants for pollinating and for producing the next generation of Pollinators.  These 3 organizations are very active and committed to “saving Pollinators” and providing small or large gardens for them.
We need Pollinators far more than we realize.  And, our children and their children will need Pollinators as well.  We will always need Pollinators unless we want to pollinate our fruits, vegetables, and herbs by hand!  So, by focusing my attention and energy on increasing Pollinator Gardens, I am doing something useful for now as well as for the future.
The other advantage is gardening projects often get people working together, sharing their knowledge and resources, and getting to know each other!  That does not happen as much as it used to.  When people work together, they get to know each other better.  Also, gardeners tend to be generous, happy to share tools, produce, and their knowledge of Creation !!!  What could be better ?!?!
Also, remember the studies that were done in the last half of the last century about the Super Radiance Effect of scheduled group meditations for Peace in specific places for a specific duration.  One of the most well-known examples was the 1983 Jerusalem/Lebanon Peace Project.  In this case, trained meditators with at least 5 years experience doing meditations came to Jerusalem.  They lived all around Jerusalem and they meditated at a specific time where they lived every day for 2 months.
The data for the study was gathered from the military, the police department, hospitals, and local business associations.  They gathered numerical information from all these sources.
Here are the results during the 2 month meditation practice …
 76% reduction in crime
 Lower Death rate compared to previous years
 Increase in economic activity
This is now known as the Super Radiance Effect or the Radiating Influence of Peace Meditations.  During the past century, there were 53 similar research projects, all showing similar results.
There was a similar project done in Washington D.C. which was structured in a similar way.  That study showed a reduction in crime, as well as a reduction in cases brought to emergency rooms in the general area in and around Washington!
Our spiritual practices, our meditations, and our intentions can have a definite effect on our culture, especially during extremely chaotic times.  Also remember, we, the meditators, are the ones who receive the first benefits of these meditations!
Maybe this is one reason that Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of G~D and all things will be added to you.”  When asked by the Sadducees and Pharisees “Where is this Kingdom?”  
Jesus replied, “The kingdom of G~D is within.” (period, full-stop)
Maybe, that is a clue … !!!
In other words, the time we spend doing our spiritual practices is a pay-off for us and for others.  Remember, a rising tide lifts all boats!
 
Mary Christopher teaches mindfulness, breathing practices, and the HeartMath program for Building Personal Resilience.  Gardening and Being in Nature are among her favorite activities.

Caring for Creation ~ Following the Sun like the Sunflowers

Sunflowers are called Sunflowers because they follow the Sun! 
The “head” or the top part of the sunflower follows the Sun as it moves across the sky from the eastern horizon to the western.  All Sunflowers do this.  And, they follow the Sun before they even bloom!
Sunflowers begin their day with the top of the plant facing east.  Then, as the Sun moves from east to west, the top follows the Sun.  During the night, the Sunflower top moves from west to east, to be ready for Sunrise.  Scientists wondered what was the advantage to the plant by doing this.  After studying the plants using time-lapse photography, they discovered that Bees like to gather nectar and pollen early in the morning.  Also, Bees like brightly colored blossoms that are warm!
Bees also like to gather nectar and pollen early in the morning.  So, Sunflowers have “learned” to produce bright blossoms that are warmed by the early morning Sun.  When Sunflowers bloom, they can easily “capture” the attention of those early morning Bees.  This increases the pollination of all the Sunflowers and guarantees a bountiful crop of Sunflower seeds!
If Sunflowers are planted in pots and moved indoors under overhead lighting that does not move, in just a few days, the Sunflowers “forget” to move from east to west or from west back to east overnight.  Their movement is directly related to direct exposure to the movement of the Sun across the sky.
Science has also discovered there are specific plant cells on each side of the stem that take turns expanding.  Cells on the east side of the stem swell during the day and angle the plant in the direction of the Sun.  Cells on the west side of the stem swell at night, pushing the blossom back so it faces east by early morning.
Sunflowers have been growing and moving like this for centuries.  In many countries they are a major crop.  In 2023, the United States produced 2.26 billion pounds of sunflower seeds, down from 2.81 billion pounds in 2022.  In 2022, the world produced 54 million tons of sunflower seeds.  Russia and Ukraine produced the most sunflower seeds, together accounting for 51% of the world's total.  Argentina, China, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania are a few of the other leading producers of Sunflower seeds.  North Dakota is the leading sunflower-producing state in the United States.  In 2023, North Dakota produced 1.12 billion pounds of sunflower seeds!
Most sunflower seeds are processed into vegetable oil.  A significant portion of the oilseed harvest is used for birdseed production.  Birds love Sunflower seeds because they are rich in oil and supply carbohydrates as well as protein!  When hulls are removed from sunflower seeds, they are often burned for fuel.
Sunflowers are easy to grow and there are different varieties to choose from.  They come in many different sizes and colors, so you have your choice for planting.  They come in many heights.  The taller ones only require a simple trellis to hold them upright when they have reached their full height.  Next week we will discuss the best ways to plant, nurture, and harvest Sunflowers.  Tune in for more about these fascinating flowers.
Mary Christopher teaches mindfulness, breathing practices, and the HeartMath program for Building Personal Resilience.  
She loves gardening and meditating with Trees!

Our Inner Peace Meditation Journey for Sunday February 23 2025

Early this morning, while I was still asleep, one of the wonderful people in my advanced meditation class sent the following message to everyone in the class.  This quote is the first text I read and it shaped my perception for the whole day, in a wonderful way!
 
This quote is from the book My Grandfather's Blessings by Rachel Naomi Remen.
 
"Days pass and the years vanish, and we walk sightless among miracles.  Lord, fill our eyes with seeing and our minds with knowing.  Let there be moments when your presence like lightning, illumines the darkness in which we walk.  Help us to see wherever we gaze that the bush burns unconsumed.  And we, clay touched by God, will reach out for holiness and exclaim in wonder "how filled with awe is this place and we did not know it."
 
Quote from Willaim Shatner about his journey into Space when he was 90 years old
 
“Last year, I had a life-changing experience at 90 years old. I went to space, after decades of playing an iconic science-fiction character who was exploring the universe. I thought I would experience a deep connection with the immensity around us, a deep call for endless exploration.
"I was absolutely wrong. The strongest feeling, that dominated everything else by far, was the deepest grief that I had ever experienced.
"I understood, in the clearest possible way, that we were living on a tiny oasis of life, surrounded by an immensity of death. I didn’t see infinite possibilities of worlds to explore, of adventures to have, or living creatures to connect with. I saw the deepest darkness I could have ever imagined, contrasting so starkly with the welcoming warmth of our nurturing home planet.
"This was an immensely powerful awakening for me. It filled me with sadness. I realized that we had spent decades, if not centuries, being obsessed with looking away, with looking outside. I did my share in popularizing the idea that space was the final frontier. But I had to get to space to understand that Earth is and will stay our only home. And that we have been ravaging it, relentlessly, making it uninhabitable."
-- William Shatner, actor
 
I was deeply moved by both of these quotes and they re-enforced my gratitude for my life on Earth. This is such an amazing place.  Earth is a great place to learn about Creation, to learn about how everything works! Something like photosynthesis is absolutely amazing!  We can learn so much and have so many amazing experiences.  Even something as simple as watching the Sunrise while we are sitting on a beach!  Or, the feeling we have when we hold a baby kitten or a newborn baby girl or boy!
 
This fall I was meditating in an Old Growth Forest. I had a wonderful, relaxing, regenerating meditation resting against a very conscious Tree.  When I finished my meditation, I opened my eyes and saw bright orange leaves on bushes all around me.  They were illumined by the setting Sun coming through the trees.  They had the most amazing red/orange color, like I had never seen.  I sat there, probably with my mouth open, absolutely blown away.  Then I started taking photos before the Sun went down.  If I had opened my eyes even 5 minutes earlier or later, I would not have seen those colors or those specific leaves all lit up!
 
In Nature, we are surrounded by light and color and amazing creatures, beauty that we can hardly describe.  All too often we miss it, but we can learn to look deeper into Nature, deeper into the night sky.  We can learn to sit quietly in the forest, watching all sorts of birds land gracefully on limbs.  We can remember how to "tune in to Creation" while tuning into the very best part of ourselves.
 
Remember, we are the ones we have been waiting for ... we are the Creators we need right now.  We have the capacity to create a civilization that serves Everyone and restores the health of this Earth. Tag, we are It !!!
 
May our Journey to Inner Peace show us how to build, and how to heal, and how to restore.
 
Mary Christopher

Caring for All Creatures Great and Small

As I am writing this article and doing my podcast, the temperature is dropping rapidly, caused by cold air coming down from the North.  At the same time, moisture from the Gulf of Mexico is moving up.  That means we are going to have Snow early this morning!  And, not just a little, but potentially a lot of Snow.  All local schools are closed for tomorrow, and maybe Wednesday as well.  We are having Weather !!!
Shelters and warming centers were opened this afternoon for people without adequate shelter.  I cut up some mandarins and put them on the back porch for the Birds as well as any Squirrels.  Then I cut all the red berries off the Nandina bushes.  Nandina berries are toxic to birds and other animals, including humans. They contain cyanide, which can cause sudden death and organ hemorrhaging.  Birds usually don’t eat many of them at one time.  But, when it is extremely cold and there isn’t any other food,  Birds will eat enough of these berries to die!  I put all the berries in a plastic bag and dropped it in the Trash !!!
If you want to help Birds and any other small Creatures, consider putting out high-energy foods like suet, peanuts, and black oil sunflower seeds. Water is also essential, even with snow, so adding a heated bird bath can help keep birds hydrated.  Just remember to keep the water clean!  If you have a birdbath, you may need to use a warmer to keep the water from freezing! 
You can provide shelter for many species by installing roosting boxes or leaving dead trees that would be suitable for birds that depend on tree cavities. Planting fruit-bearing trees and shrubs can help attract species like cedar waxwings.  Always plant native species because they will do better, and usually last longer.  If you aren’t interested in fruit-bearing trees, consider planting a few evergreens on your property!
Birds can stay warm by shivering, fluffing their feathers, or crowding together.  Squirrels and other small furry creatures do their best to eat enough nuts and seeds to have a layer of fat for insulation.  Or, their fur may be thicker.  Some small creatures nest together and go into a semi-hibernation state in really cold weather.  They will survive, but they will need food before Spring arrives !!!  And, they will need water!
We can do many things to help Birds and all small Creatures survive these weather extremes such as heat, or cold, or drought.  All it takes is a little thought and some research.  I learned about the Nandina berries from a delightful and very knowledgeable botanist who volunteers with the Oklahoma Native Plant Society !!!  There is good information everywhere and many people available to help.  
The National Wildlife Federation has an excellent website.  I have found the state Native Plant Society people to also be a great resource.  Here is the link for the National Wildlife Federation …
National Wildlife Federation
Wherever you live, may you be safe and comfortable.  And, whatever the weather, remember our Feathered Friends as well as All Creatures Great and Small.

Inner Peace Meditation ~ Spiritual Practices for Chaotic Times

During this past week, I’ve been thinking about what could be the most effective means for responding to all the anger, fear, and divisiveness in our World.  We know the “craziness” is not limited to the United States, but the chaos here seems to be escalating.
I decided that I would do more “short” meditations during the day, maybe 3 or 4 that were 10 to 15 minutes.  I also decided to use “heart-focused” meditations which are simple and easy to do.  With “heart-focused” meditations all I need to do is to focus my breath on my heart, breathing in and out slowly and gently.   My intention is to allow my heart to open naturally with my breath, allowing more Love to flow into my life and spread out into the world.  This is a practice that we often use in meditation class to establish grounding and flow.
I knew this particular practice would be helpful because so many “scientific studies” have been done on its effectiveness.  And, I know specific groups who are using similar practices for their meditations on the internet.  Then, later in the week, I saw a post on FB that I had posted 9 years ago!  It was a letter Albert Einstein had written to his daughter Leiserl in the mid-1900s.  
 
Here is that letter …
In the late 1980s, Lieserl, the daughter of the famous genius, donated 1,400 letters, written by Einstein, to the Hebrew University, with orders not to publish their contents until two decades after his death. This is one of them, for Lieserl Einstein.
…”When I proposed the theory of relativity, very few understood me, and what I will reveal now to transmit to mankind will also collide with the misunderstanding and prejudice in the world.
I ask you to guard the letters as long as necessary, years, or decades, until society is advanced enough to accept what I will explain below.
There is an extremely powerful force that, so far, science has not found a formal explanation to. It is a force that includes and governs all others, and is even behind any phenomenon operating in the universe and has not yet been identified by us.
This universal force is LOVE.
When scientists looked for a unified theory of the universe they forgot the most powerful unseen force.
Love is Light, that enlightens those who give and receive it.
Love is gravity, because it makes some people feel attracted to others.
Love is power, because it multiplies the best we have, and allows humanity not to be extinguished in their blind selfishness. Love unfolds and reveals.
For love we live and die.
Love is God and God is Love.
This force explains everything and gives meaning to life. This is the variable that we have ignored for too long, maybe because we are afraid of love because it is the only energy in the universe that man has not learned to drive at will.
To give visibility to love, I made a simple substitution in my most famous equation.
If instead of E = mc2, we accept that the energy to heal the world can be obtained through love multiplied by the speed of light squared, we arrive at the conclusion that love is the most powerful force there is, because it has no limits.
After the failure of humanity in the use and control of the other forces of the universe that have turned against us, it is urgent that we nourish ourselves with another kind of energy…
If we want our species to survive, if we are to find meaning in life, if we want to save the world and every sentient being that inhabits it, love is the one and only answer.
Perhaps we are not yet ready to make a bomb of love, a device powerful enough to entirely destroy the hate, selfishness, and greed that devastate the planet.
However, each individual carries within them a small but powerful generator of love whose energy is waiting to be released.
When we learn to give and receive this universal energy, dear Lieserl, we will have affirmed that love conquers all, is able to transcend everything and anything, because love is the quintessence of life.
I deeply regret not having been able to express what is in my heart, which has quietly beaten for you all my life. Maybe it’s too late to apologize, but as time is relative, I need to tell you that I love you and thanks to you I have reached the ultimate answer! “.
Your father Albert Einstein
To me, this seems to be an excellent explanation for the “power of Love”, as well as a reminder that we can allow more Love to move through our Hearts at any moment!  We can be a Blessing, anytime, anywhere, even if we are not in the best mood or the best frame of mind.  We can be a Blessing!  We can walk anywhere in the world with an open Heart.
In the Gospels, Jesus says, “the Kingdom of Heaven is within.”  When he was asked “what is the greatest commandment … “, his answer was very clear.  "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind".  And the second is this … “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  That simplifies everything!
However, Jesus only had 3 short years for his public teaching.  Both Jesus and Buddha were spiritual teachers.  After reaching enlightenment at the age of 35, the Buddha spent the rest of his life, until his death at 80, spreading his teachings throughout India.  Big difference there … !  Buddha was able to teach people “how to develop spiritually”.  He was able to help people learn “how to go within … “.  He was able to help many people with their struggles and their meditation practice.  All this practical knowledge about spiritual development became part of the Buddhist tradition.  What we do know is that “Love” is at the core of both Buddhist and Christian teachings.  And, we can build on that.
During this week, whenever you find yourself feeling frustrated, or upset, or worried, take a few minutes to go within.  Relax as much as you can and take a few minutes using the Heart Breath.  Let your whole system rest just a bit, and allow your Heart to relax so more Love can move into your life.
For the quiet part of our meditation, I have used “rain sounds” recorded from YouTube.  Nature sounds often help us relax and feel more coherent and at ease with ourselves.  Let me know if the “rain” is helpful.  Have a blessed week and take good care of yourself … for sure.