The Mary Christopher Podcast

How Do We Know Creation Is Conscious?

We know that Creation is Conscious.  We know this because we now have the technology that "shows us" our relationships and connections with plants and animals, even insects.  We can demonstrate the ability of Slime Mold to find its way through a maze to food!  Really … !!!  We know that plants respond to “loving-kindness”.  We know that herbs are healing.
We all know people who have amazing relationships with plants and animals.  I have been very fortunate to have known several amazing veterinarians who care for and heal all Creatures Great and Small.  We know people who are healed by “their pets” or others who are restored to sanity by gardening.  We also know that some people can "grow anything"!  They seem to have a "green thumb"!
We know people of all ages who have amazingly conscious relationships with bees, birds, camels, cattle, goats, horses, dogs and cats, chickens, and even snakes.  We know farmers who grow bountiful crops of corn, oats, wheat,  vegetables, herbs, flowers, apples, or oranges almost every year ... !!!
We don't actually need science and technology to tell us that Creation is Conscious.  We know this in our Heart and in the deepest and most ancient awareness of our Souls.
That is why we care about Creation.  This is the reason humans are so nurtured and healed by the Forests, by one Spectacular Sunset after another, by the sound of gentle rain on the roof.  We laugh at Squirrels and marvel as Hawks soar through the air.  Fields of ripening wheat are breath-taking as the wind makes wave after wave.  People sit by the Ocean for hours, calmed and restored by the sound and rhythm of the waves.
We are part of Creation.  We tend to forget this in our "high-tech" modern world.  And, we tend to forget that we need Nature much, much more than Nature needs us.  As long as we are on this delightful and amazing planet, we need Mother Nature.  As soon as more of us understand that, our lives will be much simpler and healthier as well as happier.
One of my very early spiritual teachers told me several times, "If you want to understand the Creator, study Creation."  I took his excellent advice and I am so glad that I did!
Happy New Year !!!  May you find Peace and Happiness being a conscious part of Creation !!!

Caring for Creation ~ We Are the Caretakers! December 24 2024

We are the Caretakers of this Earth.  Right now, we are the ones who are making a difference for the next generations.  This is like the game of tag.  Those of us living on the Earth right now are the ones creating the kind of world that our children and grandchildren and their children will inherit!  This is our moment to make a difference!
As you may know, I grew up in southwest Oklahoma.  We farmed and raised cattle, horses, and a few chickens.  Keeping the four-legged carnivores out of the chicken coop was always a challenge!  But we did manage to have fresh eggs during the laying season.  I learned so much from being around cattle and horses, farmers and ranchers, and veterinarians!  
Much of what I learned could not be absorbed from a book.  That learning came from experience.  For instance, cattle don’t like to be rushed.  Horses don’t like to be yelled at.  Farmers and Ranchers don’t always talk a lot, but when they do, it is worth listening to.  You can’t hurry any seeds to sprout once they are in the ground.  Wheat seeds, oat seeds, and alfalfa seeds each have a specific schedule.  An entire crop of alfalfa seeds can blow away overnight if the soil is too dry and the wind too strong!  I also learned that Patience usually gets better results than impatience.  Treating Everyone, including Animals, with courtesy and respect is a very good way to move through the world.
I learned how important it was to pay attention to the weather, and always carry extra flashlight batteries in the truck as well as extra water, especially in the summer.  I also learned not to get too close to a “dead” rattlesnake on a farm road, until you are sure it is DEAD!  I still have not heard the last of that one!
So much of what I learned growing up comes under the heading of wisdom and practicality.  We were careful not to waste water on the farm.  That water came from a well that could run dry during a Drought!  My grandparents were able to “hang onto” their land during the Dust Bowl, but not everyone was so fortunate.  Many people lost everything they owned.  They were forced to move away and usually never came back!  Trying to farm on the Great American Prairie is not a very good idea.  Crops and fields can blow away.
We are the current Caretakers of this amazing Earth.  Unfortunately, there seem to be fewer and fewer family farms.  Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream kept Vermont family dairy farms going for many years, but they were finally bought out.  We can’t all farm, have orchards, or raise bees.  But, we can support the people who are growing food or raising bees or fruits and vegetables.  They are still showing up in Farmer’s Markets and along roadsides.  
And, we can support the organizations who are preserving and expanding forests.  Every generation is going to need clean air and clean water to survive.  That is a legacy we can do something about right now.
Every tree that is planted and protected, every Old Growth forest that survives intact is our direct contribution to the Future.  We are contributing to the health and well-being of the generations that follow us.  We are “believing” in the future of Life on Earth.  Many of us live in neighborhoods where there is no guarantee that Trees will be left undisturbed for many years.  But, there are places where Trees and natural habitat can be sustained and protected.
Right now we are the Guardians and the Protectors of Creation on this beautiful little planet.  We are making a difference!  And, we can have an even greater impact by “giving Trees as a Gift” for holidays, birthdays, graduations, even as a memorial. 
Remember, every Tree counts and every gift makes a difference!
For nearly 125 years the Sempervirens Fund has protected these precious old growth forests by purchasing priority forests for permanent protection.  They have implemented extensive restoration techniques.  They manage thousands of acres of forest for resilience against climate change and wildfire, establishing a growing network of healthy, resilient redwood forests.  They are assisting a new generation of old-growth redwoods to emerge.  These amazing trees provide a critical natural infrastructure that captures carbon, filters air and water, and supports diverse wildlife.
We know redwoods are more than just local landmarks; they are global climate protectors. They are also home to countless species. Owls nest in their towering canopies, amphibians find shelter in their shade, and mammals of all shapes and sizes rely on them for survival. By protecting these forests, we preserve the rich biodiversity that makes these ecosystems so unique.  We can secure a healthy, thriving environment for future generations.
You can make a definite impact right now by supporting the ongoing work of the Sempervirens Fund.  Your contribution funds the year-round work of sustaining these precious redwood forests.  Sempervirens Fund is California’s first land trust, founded in 1900 and dedicated exclusively to defending the redwood forests and all creatures great and small that live in the Santa Cruz mountains.  
These donations make very special birthday and holiday gifts for any family or friends who care about the Redwoods and our environment.  All contributions are tax-deductible as allowable by law under IRS Code Section 501(c)(3).  
Click here to make a secure donation!

Winter Solstice Guided Meditation ~ December 21 2024

This is our Winter Solstice guided meditation and podcast for our weekly Inner Peace meditation. It is a beautiful day here.  It is cold and the Sun is shining.  I'm at a very lovely park in Tulsa.  There are parents out with their younger children. It is so good to see young children outside on scooters and swings and climbing all over the equipment rather than sitting in front of a screen!  This is a well cared for and safe park.  
We are now officially in winter in the Northern Hemisphere which means it is now summer in the Southern Hemisphere.  On the day of the Winter Solstice, the Sun appears to stop on its journey south through the sky.  Then it gradually begins its journey north over the next several days.  The winter solstice occurs at an exact time which is the time the sun appears to pause over the Tropic of Cancer.  Then each day following the Solstice, the sun will appear to be a little bit higher in the sky until the Spring Equinox.  Then we will begin our journey towards summer on the Equinox.
It is a beautiful day.  The sky is clear.  There's a breeze which is a bit cold, but not too cold for a walk.  And, I was up this morning in time to catch a photo of the Sun coming up over the house across the street.  That was great.
Unfortunately, in the midst of these holidays, we seem to have gotten ourselves into a bit of a political tangle.  That could be my understatement for the year!  I have noticed that humans tend to do this.  We tend to get into serious and very challenging messes like this when there is a problem with refugees or overpopulation anywhere on the planet.  The situation is made even worse when refugees are fleeing in large numbers from one country to another.  This has been a problem throughout our history, and we have not managed to solve it!
When we have refugees knocking at the door, and it doesn't seem to matter which country it is, we tend to get a little crazy.  Sooner or later we begin to feel threatened and then frightened and anxious.  When we feel this threatened, we have a tendency to move into very unpleasant sorts of behavior.  In order for us to solve problems like overpopulation, or refugees, or systems that are way out of date, we need to get much better working together.  
Here is the Good News!  There are people in government and in communities who know how to do just that. They have learned how to get people talking to each other, listening to each other, working together for the common good.  If we can get better at communicating rather than polarizing, name calling, and threatening each other, we could make progress.  We know from experience that all those behaviors exacerbate the problem! 
So we're in a bit of a tangle.  And, it is a very unpleasant tangle!  It has become a very difficult political tangle, primarily because we haven't gotten much better at working with each other.  And, there are people who refuse to consider any other solutions but theirs!  Now we are in a situation where
people can get hurt.  All kinds of people, young and old and everything in between, can get hurt.  This is a tragedy in the making!
This is a tragedy in the making because it is what happens when people refuse to work together for whatever reason.  There are tragedies that didn't have to happen or that could have been avoided.  And there are tragedies that were made worse because of choices people made.
A good example would be the Titanic.  This ship was supposed to be unsinkable, so the owners and builders decided not to load the required number of lifeboats!  Why bother to put enough lifeboats on the Titanic for all the passengers since it was definitely “unsinkable”.  Then there were people, immigrants, refugee people, on the lower levels, all crammed in below.  In many ways they were considered “worthless”.  Approximately 1,317 passengers died when the Titanic sank.  709 of them were 3rd class passengers. Three-quarters of those passengers perished.  It was very difficult for them to reach the upper decks where the lifeboats were stored.  The sinking of the Titanic was tragic, and it was made even more so by the decisions and behavior of human beings.
I'm not saying that life would have been any better if it had been easier for them to reach the upper decks.  The Titanic went down regardless.  What is tragic is the arrogance of the people who built the Titanic, who did not put enough lifeboats on for everybody.  And, they probably overloaded the steerage!  We keep doing things like that.  I'm not sure whether we mean to or not.  We are creating tragedies because we are not working out solutions together.
I am not intending to lower your spirits for the holiday, but I am asking for some serious consideration for ways that we as human beings can move forward together.  
What can we do?  
How can we learn to listen to each other better? 
How can we get better at coming up with better ways to solve problems.  Many people go to church, go to synagogue.  People go to spiritual retreats. People do all kinds of activities in an effort to become more spiritual.  I understand that because I've done that myself.  And, I've been very fortunate.
The reason I feel so blessed is because the spiritual teachers I have studied and worked with were very practical and very grounded.  One of my very early teachers in his professional life had been an electrical engineer. He was very knowledgeable and practical.  And, he taught from that kind of understanding.  Another of my early teachers was Murshid Samuel Lewis, the Sufi teacher who brought in the dances of Universal Peace.  He was very practical.  He was a gardener.  He was an excellent gardener.  And the plants that he put in, many are still growing at his house in San Francisco.  One thing Murshid Sam said in one of the classes was when anyone showed up at his door for whatever reason, he would bring them in, wash their feet, and feed them.  He would welcome them, and then he would try to find the best way to help them.  All of my teachers had that kind of heart.
In the Benedictine tradition, welcoming a stranger is a major pillar of that teaching and of spiritual practice.  Hospitality is a core value of the Benedictine spiritual practice.
What we have right now, what all of humanity has right now, is a big challenge to grow up a little bit, to become a little more spiritually practical. Our challenge is to close the separation between what we say and do in church, what we absorb and learn on retreat, and turn that into better listening and better systems of dealing with problems.  This is not easy for humans, especially when we feel threatened!  We can do this. We've done it before and we can do it again!
There's a place, a small town in Texas called Fredericksburg.  It is near a sacred mountain, a granite outcropping, sacred to the native people who live there.  The German immigrants arrived in 1836.  There were probably some Spanish people there already.  The German settlers were very ethical. They talked to the native people and made friends.  And, they made a treaty.  Those settlers and the generations that followed, kept the treaty.  It is one of the few treaties in the US that was kept!
Good for them.  That is an example of human being growing up, being mature!  Keeping our word!  That was a big deal in my family, keeping your word, taking care of your neighbor.  Nobody in my family was a preacher, nobody. I come from a long line of attorneys, farmers and ranchers, and school teachers.  So, I know that keeping our word can sometimes be challenging!
Being on this planet right now is a huge challenge! It is also a gift.  This is an Opportunity to Grow!  Earth is an amazing place.  Creation is amazing, every day, it is amazing.  Maybe if we paid a little more attention to Creation and how well it is working all the time, we might calm down a bit and do a better job!  Creation is amazing!  When I saw the Sun coming up over the rooftop this morning, it was just stunning!  The sky was clear. The air was crisp.  The world was gorgeous.
That is another reason I'm so glad to see children and parents outside!  Some of the parents were wrapped up, like me!  Children were taking off their jackets and tearing around.  It is a good day to be alive.  It is a good day to be on Earth!  Yes, it is challenging!  It is difficult, and we're up to it.  We have to be up for it because it is right in front of us!
I hope you have a wonderful holiday.  Hanukkah and Christmas are the same day this year.  Kwanzaa starts immediately after on the 26th.  We are incredibly Blessed and sometimes we forget.
I am deeply grateful to you, to everyone who listens to this podcast and reads my notes, and gets my emails, and makes lovely comments on Facebook!  Thank you.  Thank you for being here. Thank you for all you are doing every day to make our World better for Everyone.  
So, take good care of yourself.  Have a wonderful holiday.  And, let’s do a little better tomorrow.  Let's be a little more creative with all these challenges!  
And, remember to breathe.  Mary Christopher

Protecting the Redwoods ~ Caring for Creation

Today our redwood forests are at risk. Only 5% of the original old-growth coast redwood forests remain today.  These national treasures are in danger !!!  We know there are people who do not understand their value.  This leaves what remains of these iconic treasures, and the wildlife that depend on them, in grave danger.  However, there is hope and there is a plan, but we need your help to make it work.
These towering old-growth redwoods, some over 300 feet high and more than 20 feet wide, are nature’s giants!  They are unique to the Santa Cruz mountains and the California coast while their impact stretches far beyond.  Redwoods are nature’s champions in the fight against climate change because they absorb and transform a higher percentage of Carbon Dioxide than any other kind of tree!  By protecting these forests, we are preserving a thriving local ecosystem, as well as contributing to a healthier global climate! 
Redwoods are fire-resistant which is a great advantage for any kind of tree growing in Northern California!  In one effort by another group to establish a new forest, Eucalyptus trees were imported to California from outside the country.  Eucalyptus is not fire-resistant!  As soon as there was a drought, there was a wildland fire, and the Eucalyptus bark caught on fire.  Most of this planting burned to the ground because the bark is highly flammable!  Fortunately, the Sempervirens Fund is very knowledgeable and experienced. They have a long history of caring for these national treasures.
Right now, they have a rare opportunity to re-establish an interconnected redwood forest.  Once protected and restored, these ancient trees will continue to provide critical habitat for plants and wildlife, and continue to clean Carbon Dioxide out of the air.  They will continue to provide a robust natural defense against climate change.
For nearly 125 years the Sempervirens Fund has protected these precious forests by purchasing priority forests for permanent protection.  They have implemented extensive restoration techniques.  They manage thousands of acres of forest for resilience against climate change and wildfire, establishing a growing network of healthy, resilient redwood forests.  They are assisting a new generation of old-growth redwoods to emerge.  These amazing trees provide a critical natural infrastructure that captures carbon, filters air and water, and supports diverse wildlife.
We know redwoods are more than just local landmarks; they are global climate protectors. They are also home to countless species. Owls nest in their towering canopies, amphibians find shelter in their shade, and mammals of all shapes and sizes rely on them for survival. By protecting these forests, we preserve the rich biodiversity that makes these ecosystems so unique.  We can secure a healthy, thriving environment for future generations.
You can make a definite impact right now by supporting the ongoing work of the Sempervirens Fund.  Your contribution funds the year-round work of sustaining these precious redwood forests.  Sempervirens Fund is California’s first land trust, founded in 1900 and dedicated exclusively to defending the redwood forests and all creatures great and small that live in the Santa Cruz mountains.  
The Perfect Gift ... these donations make a very special birthday and holiday gift for any family or friends who care about the Redwoods and our environment.  All contributions are tax-deductible as allowable by law under IRS Code Section 501(c)(3).  
 
Click here to make a secure donation!

Healing Our Hearts, Healing Our Future ~ Inner Peace Guided Meditation

This is our inner peace, guided meditation for Sunday, December 15.  I am sitting in the Keystone Ancient Forest which is about 25 minutes outside Tulsa, Oklahoma.  The Keystone is approximately 1300 acres of undisturbed old growth forest.  It has not been developed or had any settlements or roads running through it.
I have stepped out of civilization and back into Creation.  It is so peaceful.  I hiked up here on the Fire Trail and I am about as close to the top of the ridge as I could get.  I sat down with this lovely evergreen, got comfortable, and immediately went to sleep.  I was sitting in Sunshine.  It was about 57 degrees and a little breezy, but I was wearing several layers so I was comfortable.  I woke up after about 30 minutes and looked around.  There were no lions or tigers or bears, so I closed my eyes and slept for about another 30 minutes.
The Sunshine was wonderful.  The colors of the leaves were amazing.  And, it was so peaceful.  Sitting here with this lovely tree, it was not hard at all to align with my Inner Peace.  What a Blessing !!!
Today I wanted to talk about something I've been meditating on for 10 days more or less.  About two weeks ago, I saw this statement somewhere online that said “Healing the Future”, and it got my attention!  We understand that Human Beings are Creators.  Whether we mean to or not, we do create our future.  Sometimes we do a better job than others, and sometimes we get all goofy and go into a major destruction mode!  We get really frustrated and decide the thing to do is just tear it all down and start over again!  Which, generally speaking, is usually not very helpful. 
When I was growing up, I would occasionally hear someone on the farm say, in a moment of extreme frustration, “Give me a big enough hammer and I can fix anything!”.  Well, we know that some things can be fixed beyond repair!  I've never found that giving someone a big enough hammer is the best of all possible solutions.  Usually, this means we are not being very creative or cooperative or even listening to each other.  We all know when we work together, and listen to each other, and get creative, we accomplish amazing things!  We all know that.  Somehow we manage to figure out all kinds of amazing solutions.
Right now we have a lot of challenges in our country and the world.  But 90% of the time, these situations are not the result of people being mean or stupid. They are usually the result of very rapid cultural change!  Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, our social, industrial, and technological systems have been changing so rapidly that we have not had any time to adjust.  Now we are dealing with systems that have not kept up with these changes!  Many of the systems have not been updated or restructured and they are just not working well for many people.
I have a picture of my aunt, who lived to be 103.  She was born right around the turn of the century.  I treasure this early photograph, because it was taken where she went to school.  She went to school in a one room schoolhouse.  The younger children are seated closest to the camera.  This would have been a big box camera.  It's easy to see my aunt since she was one of the younger children.  As you go toward the back of the room all the other children are older.  There is only one teacher for a large roomful of children, maybe 20 to 30. 
There were not enough qualified teachers to go around on the western frontier.  But they did figure out a brilliant way to solve the problem.  The older students who could read and write and do math would help the younger ones.  They would sit down with them and go over the lesson.  Or help them do a little bit of math while the teacher was working with other children.  It was a great system!  It worked!  It was like mentoring.  So this neat little system evolved.  It was a very compassionate system, where the people that needed help got the extra attention that they needed. And it worked!  Many cultural and social challenges have solutions if we can be patient and compassionate.  Problem solved ... !!!  
A week or so ago, I saw this little phrase, which was “Healing the Future”.  So I started meditating on that.  After a few days, I had an intuitive sense that if we can heal our hearts, we can heal the future.  That means, if we can heal our hearts and heal some of this frustration and angst and despair and cynicism, then we can create a better future!  We have done it before. We are perfectly capable of healing our Hearts, but we have to believe in ourselves.
So today, I would like for us to work with a simple way to heal the hurts of our hearts, to start the process, just a little bit.  This is why I'm sitting in the wilderness, or as close to pure wilderness as I can get.  I am sitting with a lovely tree, surrounded by many other lovely trees with beautiful fall colors and evergreens.  It is just gorgeous.  I'm sitting on a soft bed of leaves.  The whole floor of the forest is covered with leaves.  As these leaves break down, all the nutrients will go back into the soil to feed the trees.  It is a perfect system, as long as we, that would be human beings, don't mess with it.
So I've stepped out of civilization, and I'm sitting in Creation.  I'm relaxing. I am gently aware of every breath, relaxing, feeling my body settling down.  What I have understood is that we are not able to think our way into a peaceful state.  We can't think our way out of despair, or anger, or frustration.  This is one of the things that is so difficult for people who are doing their best to learn how to meditate.  We can't think our way into a quiet state or even into a peaceful state.  It just does not work! 
But we can go to our heart.  We can rest with our Heart.  We don't have to make our Heart do anything.  We can just rest with our Heart and breathe through our Heart.  We can let our Heart relax and be with our breath.  Let our mind ramble on wherever it wants to ramble and not worry about it.  Just, very gently, bring our attention back to our breath and our Heart.
One of the great miracles about being a human being is that our bodies, like our whole system, is always trying to heal itself.  This is built in.  When we relax and breathe gently, we begin to shift gears.  When we look at the incredible beauty around us and breathe then we are aligning with Creation and becoming more coherent.
If we can shift out of looking for what's wrong and or what we think is not working, and focus on what is working, this begins to shift our perception of the world and of the people all around us. We start to see people as whole.  If not as our brothers and sisters, at least as our cousins 3X removed, right?
We are all on the planet right now, and it's difficult.  It is extremely challenging, and scary.  At this point, we need to remember that Human Beings are programmed to have a bias for negativity.  When we were evolving and our brain was developing, we were doing our best to survive while living on the Savannah.  So, wherever we were on the world, we were looking for things that might be a threat.  If we got really good at finding those threats and escaping them or getting rid of them, we stood a much better chance of living longer and producing offspring.  So, we have a negativity bias. We're looking for what's wrong in order to survive. 
But we're no longer living in the wilderness. We are no longer living in the savannah.  We're living where there's some civilization.  It might seem like a chaotic civilization, but it is still civilization.  There aren't lions and tigers and bears and snakes. We don't have the same kind of threats, but we still have this negativity bias!  So we need to be very conscious about what we pay attention to and where we put our awareness.  This doesn't mean that we become naive!  It means that we are aware of where we are and what is happening right now, in the present.  
We need to be aware of and looking for what's working and who is helping, not harming.  That is precisely what we need to know for survival.  We need to know what systems are working. We need to know what people are capable of working with other people to build a better civilization.
This is exactly where we need to put our energy!
And we need to be very patient and compassionate with ourselves.  Because if we are patient and compassionate with ourselves, we'll be so much better at being patient and compassionate with others.  Maybe we will even get better at listening to each other.  Wouldn’t that be Wonderful !!!
In our meditation, I would like for us to do a very simple practice.  I've been doing this particular little exercise for more than a week.  I've discovered that as I allow my heart to relax, my heart seems to take a deep breath and calm down.  When I do this, it is much easier for me to find that place of Inner Peace.  Amazing … so simple and it works !!!
You can listen to the podcast.  Or, try it yourself …
This is so simple.
Just sit down or lie down and breathe, gently …
Follow your breath,
as we breathe in,
following your breath, 
all the way down into your solar plexus,
feel yourself becoming more centered.
As you breathe out,
following your breath
from your solar plexus,
from the bottom of your lungs,
past your heart
and out into the space all around you,
allow yourself to relax,
Keep following your breath.
When you're feeling centered and relaxed,
at ease with yourself,
and comfortable with your breath, 
then bring your awareness to your heart.
Allow your whole body to sink into the chair 
or the floor or the sofa or the bed, 
just wherever you are.
Let your body rest.
As you breathe in, be aware of your heart.
And as you breathe out, allow your heart to relax,
to open up.
We're in a safe space.
Or, we're with good people.
Allow your heart to open,
to relax just a little bit,
feel the power in your heart,
the rhythm of your heart.
Let yourself come to Rest 
very gently with your Heart.
Feel the unconditional love,
the compassion, the blessing   
That compassion is always there,
Moving through our hearts,
always there,
Let yourself feel with every breath
the love and compassion,
the unconditional love that moves through All Creation.
Let your heart begin to heal from anything
that has ever caused any hurt.
Very gently, stay with your breath.
Stay with your heart
for as long as it's comfortable and
and when you find that inner peace and calm,
then remember it.
Walk that feeling into your week,
remembering the goodness that lives within you,
and the goodness that lives within other people.   
Mary Christopher

What Is So Important about the Boreal Forest? Caring for Creation ~ December 10 2024

What Is So Important about the Boreal Forest … ?
Oxygen, Oxygen, Oxygen … !!!
The boreal forest, also known as the Taiga, is the world’s largest land biome and is characterized by coniferous forests.  The boreal forest is an “old growth forest” in most areas.  It is dominated by coniferous trees like pines, spruces, and firs.  Some broadleaf species like poplar and birch also grow there. 
A biome is a large geographical area characterized by a specific climate and dominant plant and animal life.  This means that regions with similar environmental conditions, like temperature, precipitation, and soil type, will have similar ecosystems and communities of living organisms, like deserts, grasslands, rainforests, and tundras.  So, the Boreal Forest is the world’s largest Biome!
Canada's boreal forest covers approximately 1.2 billion acres (485 million hectares).  It is the world's largest intact forest ecosystem, stretching across northern Canada from the Yukon to Newfoundland and Labrador!  The entire boreal forest is found in the northern high-latitude regions, mostly between 50 degrees North and 65 degrees North.  It covers areas in Canada, China, Finland, Japan, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States.
According to available information, Canada's boreal forest processes an estimated 113 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year, which is equivalent to the emissions from roughly 24 million passenger vehicles!
The boreal forest is dominated by coniferous trees that are well adapted to thin, nutrient-poor soils.  So, the coniferous do better than the deciduous trees with broad green leaves.  Because conifers are evolutionarily older than broad-leaved deciduous trees, they usually do better in these soils with fewer nutrients. 
Broad-leaved deciduous trees generally will out-compete conifers if they have more favorable soil and weather conditions.  So this relegates conifers to areas with sub-prime conditions like the north.  For some reason, conifers thrive in these challenging situations.  Because they don’t lose their leaves like deciduous trees, conifers, also known as evergreens, keep their leaves all year.  This increases the amount of time they have for photosynthesis!  
 
This means there is more time for photosynthesis!  So, more O2 (Oxygen) is released back into our atmosphere and more Carbon is removed from the atmosphere.  Removing Carbon from our atmosphere by breaking down carbon dioxide is essential for the continued health of our planet as well as All Human Beings and All Creatures Great and Small!
Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, our cars, trucks, planes, factories, refineries, as well as small engine equipment like motorcycles, leaf blowers, lawnmowers, etc. have steadily increased the amount of CO2 in our atmosphere !!!  Before the Industrial Revolution got rolling, there were 275 parts per million (ppm) in the atmosphere.  Now there is approximately 415 ppm in our atmosphere!  That is 50% higher than the “pre-industrial” levels of Carbon Dioxide!
In addition to that, we have been chopping down trees and clearing land at an alarming rate!  Unfortunately, Canada has been cutting down its forests at an alarming rate which is one of the highest rates of forest destruction in the world.  Much of the wood from this priceless forest is getting turned into toilet paper and other paper products.  
Every year, Canada clear-cuts at least one million acres of boreal forest, the equivalent of seven NHL hockey rinks per minute. From 2001 to 2017, Canada lost nearly 40 million hectares of forest !!!  This released huge amounts of carbon into the atmosphere which were equivalent to the annual emissions of nearly 321 million cars !!!
So, what can we do besides calling all our friends and relatives in Canada to make sure they are messaging their government?
We can protect all the trees in our neighborhoods and communities.  We can work with responsible and reliable Forestry Projects to plant more trees and make sure they survive to a ripe old age.  The Arbor Day Foundation is recognized as one of the most reliable and responsible organizations for planting Trees and making sure the Trees survive.  They have planted and continue to care for more than One Billion Trees worldwide!  Here is a link to their website Arbor Day Foundation .  
If you want to plant trees on your property, check with the Georgia Native Plant Society.  They are a great resource.  They are also all volunteers, so it may take a few days for them to get back to you.  But, they will … !!!  And, they are tremendously helpful !!!
Have a Wonderful Week and enjoy all the fresh air in your neighborhood.

Inner Peace Guided Meditation for Sunday December 8 2024

Group Meditation at 7 pm PST, 8 pm MST, 9 pm CST and 10 pm EST 
Happy Holidays ~ This week, Thursday, December 12, is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Her day is celebrated throughout the Americas and wherever there are people with Hispanic family roots.
On Tuesday, December 17, Sufis and Mystics around the world celebrate the passing of Rumi, into Heaven.  Jalal al-Din Rumi is considered the greatest Sufi poet and scholar.  In many places around the world, this is a very solemn as well as joyful celebration.  In Konya, Turkey, the Whirling Dervishes celebrate Rumi's passing with their amazing whirling dance.
This year the Winter Solstice occurs December 21 at 3:19 am.  Happy Solstice !!!
Christmas is on December 25. 
Hanukkah also begins on December 25 this year.
And, Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26 through January 1, 2025 !
More Good News ... Creation is working just fine !!!  The Sun is coming up every morning.  The Moon is still in her orbit.  Photosynthesis continues to work, so we all have fresh air to breathe.  We still have Bees and all the other Pollinators !!!
Humanity is still trying to figure out the common rules of engagement with each other.  We are also still rolling the dice on the health and well-being of the Earth, all the People, as well as All Creatures Great and Small.
Thank you for showing up and for all you are doing for our Planet Home.
Have a Wonderful Week,
And, Remember to Breathe ...
Mary Christopher

Seeds of Compassion ~ Caring for Creation December 3, 2024

This morning, as I was waking up, I "heard", "Seeds of Compassion".  I did my best to stay as quiet as possible and listen.  It was very clear to me this was a reminder that we need to be "Sowing Seeds of Compassion" even as humanity (that's us) is going through difficult times.
As we go through this unsettling period, we need to be doing things that are constructive and helpful.  No matter how crazy our immediate world is we can build at the same time.  We can still do many things that will create a better future. Human Beings are Creators, Builders, and Makers.  We thrive when we are creative and work together.  When we are fussing and fighting and causing chaos, not much gets done that supports life on Planet Earth.  
So, being such sensible people, those of us who pay attention to Creation can keep building a "Better Future" for Everyone!  Regardless of which political party is "in power", we still need clean air to breathe and healthy water to drink.  We still need herbs for cooking and healing, as well as all kinds of fruits, vegetables, and grains.  All these foods need pollination by Pollinators or by wind.  Most fruits and vegetables need "direct pollination", by our Insect Pollinators.
When I was living in Texas, I had 2 peach trees.  I had planted them and nursed them along.  In the Spring after the buds appeared, I would check every morning to see if they had opened into blossoms.  Once the blossom appeared, I would watch to see how many bees, butterflies, wasps, and any similar creatures were pollinating "my" peaches.  Fortunately, in my neighborhood, we had plenty of Pollinators, so I had plenty of lovely peaches!
In our "modern" culture, we take so much for granted.  We can walk into almost any grocery store and buy fruits and vegetables or foods from all over the world. Generally, we can purchase and walk out with as much food as we want without depriving other people.  That is not the case in many parts of the world.
This is an excellent opportunity for us to start a small garden, at least a Pollinator Garden.  Regardless of all the political posturing, Creation is doing its best to keep Nature functioning, all day and all night.  When we work with Creation and support Mother Nature, we are creating a better future for our children and grandchildren and their children!  When we plant Trees, we are making an investment in Oxygen production and Carbon capture for years to come.  We are investing our time and energy in a Better Future for Humans and for all Creatures Great and Small !
In the midst of all this "noise and turmoil", we can also look for a few more opportunities for Kindness and Compassion.  Most everyone I know is kind, thoughtful, and caring.  The difficulty comes when there is too much social unrest and uncertainty.  Then we may be so stressed that we miss opportunities for sharing or for compassion.  We may walk right by someone who could use a little acknowledgment.  Or, pass by someone who needs help getting their groceries in their car.
As we move into 2025, take good care of yourself.  If you wake up worrying in the middle of the night, remember that Creation is working just fine.  The Stars are shining,  The Moon is still in her orbit and I am willing to bet the Sun will be up in the morning.  If you can, remind yourself of all the good people in your life, and all the small, but important Blessings you experience every day.
Thank You for all your Good Work, for your Courageous Heart, and your Thoughtfulness.
And, remember to Breathe ... Mary Christopher