The Mary Christopher Podcast

Inner Peace Guided Meditation for the Whole Wide World ~ September 8 2024

Group Meditation at 7 pm PDT, 8 pm MDT, 9 pm CDT, 10 pm EDT
Thank You for showing up and joining in for this meditation!  If you are not able to meditate at the exact time, just do your meditation when it works for you!
This weekend I am in Fayetteville, Arkansas visiting friends.  As you may know, the University of Arkansas is here, home of the Razorbacks (if you follow football).  Fayetteville is nestled in Ozarks with all kinds of hiking and biking trails.
This morning I discovered the Kessler Mountain trail which runs back and forth all the up this small mountain.  The trail is used by Bikers and Hikers.  I found a wonderful oak tree that was just perfect for sitting and resting my back against the trunk.
Sunshine was coming through the trees all around me.  I was sitting in sunlight, breathing fresh air and relaxing all over.  Bikers and hikers going by on the trail, but they were so quiet I hardly noticed them  I was sitting by this wonderful oak tree with my back to the trail.  My clothing blended in with the trees so I am not sure anyone saw me sitting there.
I make a serious effort to get outside and meditate in the Woods or at least with a tree because it is so much easier for me to get centered and coherent when I am out in Nature.  Being out helps me remember that Creation is orderly and coherent. 
When I am out in Nature, I remember that I am part of Creation and I can feel myself calming down, relaxing, and becoming more coherent.  When we are more coherent, it means that all our systems are functioning well together, just like a vehicle that has had a TuneUp!
As you may have noticed, Humans tend to get all wound up about all kinds of Stuff.  Then we may have difficulty "gearing down" and becoming calm, and coherent.  We also know that we function much better, make better decisions, and are more intuitive when we are calm and centered.  
So, being in Nature, walking in the Woods, sitting by a lake or a stream is a definite way to return to Coherence!
Have a Wonderful Week.  Take really good care of yourself, and ...
Remember to Breathe 
Mary Christopher
 

Being Grateful for All the People Who Produce and Gather Our Food!

More than 30 years ago I was back home in Oklahoma for a visit.  One of my friends, who was a full-time farmer, was harvesting his first cantaloupe crop.  He had a bumper crop.  The soil was good.  Rains came at the right time and the crop was ready to harvest.  I don’t remember how many acres of cantaloupe he had, but it was a large field.  It was a good summer day to harvest and it was hot and dry.
By the time we drove out to the field, the temperature was in the 90s and climbing.  My friend had hired migrant workers to harvest these rapidly ripening cantaloupe.  He had hired this particular family because they were highly recommended.  They knew how to harvest cantaloupe!  Apparently, there is a specific way to cut it off the vine and handle it so it doesn’t bruise.
I looked out across the field and realized there were 3 generations of this family out in the field, gathering the fruit and handling it carefully!  Grandmother, Grandfather, Mom and Dad, and 2 children, somewhere between 7 and 12 years old were in the field.  When we drove up and got out of the trucks, they all looked up, waved, and went right back to work.
My friend was a good farmer to work for.  He made sure they had plenty of water and checked in with them during the day.  I decided I would try harvesting a few cantaloupe myself.   I got one of the large, and very sharp knives and walked out into the field.  It was hot!  The field was a bit sandy and the sand was very warm.  I bent over to cut the cantaloupe from the vine and discovered it was not so easy.  It took several tries for me to cut that fruit loose.  And, it was heavy!
I managed to cut 3 fruits off the vine and then stood up.   My back hurt!  I had sand on my jeans and only 3 cantaloupe.  I looked back at the trucks, then around the field at the Hispanic family steadily working their way down the rows.  They were all wearing loose clothing with long sleeves and long pants.  And, they were all bending and cutting and stacking cantaloupe as they moved through the field.
I suddenly realized how much time, effort, and know-how it took just to get cantaloupe out of the field and into the big trucks!  I was hot, and tired, and thirsty! I only had 3 medium-sized cantaloupe to show for my effort. I was amazed by this family, all together, in the field, in the Sun, working all day.  From that time on, almost every time I see a cantaloupe or a watermelon, I think of that family.  
I know my friend was a good boss and took care of all the people he hired for plowing, or seeding, or harvesting.  I also know he was probably paying the going wage.  I always hoped that family had a good home somewhere across the border.  I hoped their children were able to go to school every year.  And, I hoped they were always safe and healthy.  
I began paying more attention to the people who were harvesting our fruits and vegetables, working hard to get crops out of the fields and into the grocery stores.  Now, when I sit down at the dinner table to eat, I do my best to remember to bless all the people all around the world who plant, tend, and harvest the food we buy in the grocery store.  Working in those fields is real work and can be dangerous, especially for children.
On Labor Day, I am again reminded of all those families who tend the land, the crops, the cattle, the sheep, the goats, gather the eggs, and milk the cows.  I know from experience that farming is not easy or simple.  It is work, every day.  Yes, we have much better equipment and technology, but someone has to take care of all those high-tech combines and tractors.  The farm equipment we have now cannot be fixed with a strand of bailing wire and a bit more oil in the crankcase.  Parts and highly-trained mechanics are very expensive!  And, farm equipment tends to break down just when you need it the most!
So, this week, not just on Labor Day, whenever you are shopping and pick up fruits or vegetables, remember someone, somewhere picked that for you.  Let’s remember those folks whenever we buy food.  A lot of people, around the world, have worked hard to produce the food we eat every day! 
God Bless Them All !!!

Inner Peace Guided Meditation for the Whole Wide World ~ September 1 2024

Group Meditation at 7 pm PDT, 8 pm MDT, 9 pm CDT, 10 pm EDT
We do our "group meditation" at a specific time each week because by working together we amplify the field and strengthen the overall effect.  Most of us have experienced this effect either during group meditations that happen in the same place.  Or, we have felt it in group meditations that are online using a Zoom room.  However, if you are not able to join us at that specific time, just do your meditation when you can.  It still counts!
When we were dealing with the "covid epidemic", I had 2 mindfulness/meditation classes meeting weekly in Austin, Texas.  We combined those 2 classes into a Zoom class on Wednesday evenings.  We followed our regular format of a "mindfulness"  discussion followed by our meditation.  The first time we met online and did our meditation, several people commented that it felt like we were all meditating in the same room, as usual!  Everyone was amazed and delighted!
I was doubly delighted and pleased that most of the people in the class could "feel" the oneness or sense our group oneness!  And, I know most of us with mindfulness training and meditation practice have experienced what is known as "group coherence".
Of course, many of us had plenty of practice during the 60's with all the “rock” concerts.  I was invited to a Janis Joplin concert in San Francisco and had a great time.  The atmosphere was a bit smokey, and the music was fantastic!  There was definitely group coherence and cohesiveness!
There are many examples of "group coherence", including political and sports events.  But, when any of us come together with a specific focus such as an  "Inner Peace Meditation", we are able to create a strong "field effect" whether we are in the same location or not.  Even if you are not able to meditate at the exact time, your intention and your effort still adds to the field!
We are learning more and more about the power of our Heart.  Studies by the HeartMath Institute have shown that the electromagnetic field of the Heart if 5000 times stronger than the electromagnetic field of our brain.  When most of us were growing up, "the brain was the thing"!  But now we know that the field of our Heart is much stronger.  And, that is good news!
One of the simplest ways to move out of stress is by using Gratitude or Appreciation.  It is amazing to me how well this practice works.  When I catch myself getting all ramped up about anything, all I have to do is remember someone or some experience that warms my Heart.  I can feel the difference.  We don’t need to walk around feeling “all ramped up” or “out of sorts”, even in the midst of these challenging times.
We are so Blessed in so many ways and have so much to be grateful for.  Usually, all we need to do is Remember those Blessings !!!
Thank You for showing up, for everything you do every day to make this world a better place for Everyone !!!  Take good care of yourself this week, and …
Remember to Breathe!
Mary Christopher
 
 

What Is "Coherence" and Why Does It Matter by Mary Christopher

If you watched any of the Olympics, or either one of the Tour de France races, you were watching “coherence in action”.  Those athletes are great examples of “humans performing coherently”.  As you know, being an Olympic athlete or even qualifying for the Tour de France takes years of training.  Actually, it takes years and years of training!
So, what are all these Athletes training for?  They are training “to win”.  At least that is what it looks like on the surface.  What they are specifically training for is “coherence”.  Because, the better any athlete is at sustaining coherence, the better their chances of winning.
So, what is coherence?  It is the ability to sustain the most effective and energy efficient processes possible with all the amazing systems they have.  In other words, all their emotional, mental, and physical systems are working together in balance and harmony.  Our cars and trucks are usually the most coherent after having an oil change and a tune-up.  A well-tuned and well-designed vehicle seems to purr when we are driving.
Human beings need to have all their systems working together to have coherence.  This means our heart, mind, and body all need to be in sync with each other.  We know it is usually much easier to get cars and trucks in sync than it is for Humans.  We often struggle with mental distractions, losing our focus, or experiencing emotional ups and downs.  We can easily go up and down emotionally 20 times in 10 minutes!  Our wandering minds and our emotional roller-coaster rides can keep us out of sync as we move through the day.
However, that doesn’t have to happen.  Just like any serious athlete, we need to work with ourselves to move back into coherence.  A good example would be worrying about something in the future which of course has not happened yet.  Worrying like this causes anxiety.  When we become absorbed in worry, we generate stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline!  These chemicals produced by our bodies are very useful in specific situations, but not usually in our everyday encounters.
If we catch ourselves judging others or fussing at ourselves for our lack of “perfection”, we can lose our internal balance and equanimity.  Our coherence begins to slip.  We might wake up in the morning, feeling all calm and centered and ready to jump into the day.  Later, we might realize that we are not feeling so great or we might even be feeling discouraged!
So, what can we do?  How can we shift back to the Present and into more equanimity?  We can do it the same way prize-winning athletes do it.  They usually pause, take a few breaths, gently restore their focus, and start again.  This is a process that most athletes and their coaches use all the time.  And, it is the reason that Simone Biles stopped competing during the Olympics in Tokyo.  She had lost her focus and ability to concentrate which greatly affected her coherence.  She was criticized by some people for withdrawing.  It was a very intelligent move on her part!  And, I am sure her coaches agreed with her decision.
Because Simone lost her focus and her inner coherence, she could have been seriously injured.  Fortunately, Simone had the intestinal fortitude as well as confidence in herself to do what she needed to do!  She also had great coaches who stood by her.  Good coaches know how essential coherence is for health and well-being.
We all have days when everything seems to flow, time slows down, and we can think and feel effectively.  Those are great days and we usually get things done as well as have a good time.  When that happens, it means all our systems are in sync.  But, because every day is a different configuration of timing, energy, and expectations, we need to be better at “training ourselves” for coherence.
It helps to remember our heart is the key to greater coherence.  If we can remember to rest with our Heart, or even check in with our Heart during the day, we will create greater coherence.  Our Heart sends more information to our brain than our brain sends to our Heart.  If we are calm and centered with our Heart, our brain will be signaled to stay calm.  And, we will be more coherent.  It has become way too easy to allow the chaos of the world to “grab our attention”!  We can catch ourselves finding fault, blaming, becoming cynical, frowning, and getting all ramped up in a few seconds!  
Anytime you catch yourself getting all ramped up and taking an emotional nose dive into “them and us”, just remember … in Jesus' world there is “no them and us”.  It is all Us, including those “awful money changers” in the Temple!
Have a very Blessed week, be gentle with yourself and that will flow out to others.  As you become more coherent, you will find you are making better decisions, being more intuitive, and even sleeping better!
Mary Christopher

Inner Peace Guided Meditation for the Whole Wide World ~ Sunday August 25 2024

Inner Peace Meditation ~ 7 pm PDT, 8 pm MDT, 9 pm CDT, 10 pm EDT
You may have noticed that the United States is in a political flurry right now, following the DNC convention in Chicago.  One of the obvious problems with politics is that it is polarizing.  People are encouraged to take sides and see people who don’t agree with them as the “other”.  This does not generate “peace and tranquility” in the nation or the world.
Add to that all the restlessness and upheaval in the world and we have a very messy situation.  Fortunately, there are hundreds and thousands of people all around the world who are doing their best every day to create a better and saner world.  Scientific studies of Buddhist monks and nuns who have a specific meditation practice have shown that they are usually less stressed, have more coherent heart rhythms, and often have a smaller amygdala.  The size of our amygdala is related to how stressed or fearful we tend to be. (very minimal explanation)
We know, just by searching Facebook or YouTube, there are so many groups doing all kinds of spiritual practices to be more centered, calm, coherent, compassionate, and healthy.  There are also many groups doing coherent heart meditations for the World.
My experience is that every bit of our effort to raise consciousness does make a difference.  In most situations we are not able to measure “this effect”, but our technology is getting better and better.  One early study was done by Rene Peoc’h, a French researcher who wanted to study the possibility that “intention” might have an effect in our world.  In 1988 he started with a computerized robot set up as a random event generator.  He set it loose in a small arena and it turned left half the time and right half the time.  This established that it was generating “events” randomly.
Then he allowed newborn Baby Chicks “to imprint” on the generator.  After that the chicks were placed into a cage so they could see the generator, but were not able to get to it.  Over time, the pattern of movement for the robot random generator changed. Its moves were clustered near the chicks’ cage !!!  The robot was no longer moving randomly.  It had gravitated to be near the Baby Chicks !!!  The other great thing about this “study” is that it was easy to replicate and the results were the same!
If Baby Chicks can influence a random event generator, then might it be possible for focused groups of Human Beings to influence the “mind of the world”?  Or, put another way, “a rising tide lifts all boats” !!!  That’s us as well as other groups.  Our Intention combined with our Practice plus all our efforts = greater coherence and calm within us that creates a strong resonance for the Whole Wide World.
Thank You for Showing Up !!!
Have a Wonderful Week, and …
Remember to Breathe.
Mary Christopher

How Are Our Thoughts Like Seeds ... ???

As our thoughts move through our consciousness and through the tiny neurons in our brain, the structure and intent of those thoughts can change the way we feel.  The way we “feel” can change our perception of our experiences as well as our perception of the world.  In other words, our repetitive thoughts can “take root” neurologically creating subconscious patterns.  
This is like practicing a golf swing or learning a new language.  We practice our golf swing in order to play better.  We rehearse a new language by listening, and then speaking or repeating phrases or whole sentences.  Over time, we create neurological pathways that become stronger and more responsive.  Then, seemingly all at once, we have a better golf game or we are speaking a new language.  This process is known as “neuroplasticity” and is the reason we can improve our golf game and learn a new language regardless of our age!
When we plant a garden, we usually choose our seeds with care.  We know whether we want tiny tomatoes or large ones.  Do we want cucumbers or zucchini?  Do we prefer mild peppers or seriously hot ones?  Then we usually make an effort to sow our seeds in fertile moist soil with enough Sunshine to grow.  If we do our planning, and pay attention to our garden, we will have a good crop of vegetables, and herbs, and even flowers.  This same practice applies to our thoughts!
We now know that our thoughts affect the way our brain is wired.  In general, this depends on our intent, how often we repeat specific thoughts, and the emotional charge we put on our thoughts.  Neurological research shows “neurons that fire together, wire together”.  With our repetitive thoughts, the neurological connections grow stronger.  This is a good thing as long as we are staying centered, coherent, and focused on what is good in our lives.  However, if we slip off the trail of clear and coherent perception, we may find ourselves dragging our feet through a swamp of negative emotions.  Yikes !!!
For instance, as we “grow older”, we may find ourselves making judgements about current experiences based on our “past experiences” of a similar person or event.  I know several people who do this often. I have watched them become more and more cynical!  This is potentially a tragic situation, because it leads to viewing the world through the lens of their past negative experiences.  
This is a sure pathway to cynicism.  I have also noticed that people who become “cynical” tend to be “hard-hearted” and quick to pass judgment.  The unfortunate result may be that over time, these people become more cynical, primarily due to their repetitive “negative” thinking.  It is way too easy with all the “craziness” in the world, to feel that we are on a downward path.  Plus the overwhelming amount of “negative news” from so many sources contributes to this slippery slope.
At the same time, most of us know many people who are doing their best every day to make the world better for everyone.  I am very blessed to know 100s of people making an effort every day.  For the most part, they are not in the news!  Everywhere I go, people are polite, and often very thoughtful and respectful.  We live in very challenging times that can feel overwhelming and chaotic.  But, the people I know care deeply about the welfare and wellbeing of others.
If we spend too much time watching or listening to the “news of latest disasters”, we may begin to believe in that version of reality.  It is not true!  So many people on this planet care deeply about others.  They volunteer, making consistent contributions of time and energy and money.  This is what makes the World work.  It doesn’t matter whether we consider ourselves to be Christian or Jewish or follow the beliefs of Islam.  We may belong to the Native American culture or we may share deep beliefs in the Wonder and Beauty of Creation.  Regardless of how crazy the world seems to be, we all have something to offer.  All of us are gifted in many ways.
If you catch yourself going down a dark and difficult path, remember all the goodness and beauty in Creation.  Shift your focus and “rewire” your neurons.  You will begin to feel better.  Your perception will begin to shift and you will see the world with greater clarity and compassion.  You will begin to see all the good in others and within yourself!  You will be planting “seeds of compassion and understanding” in your life.

Inner Peace Guided Meditation for the Whole Wide World ~ Sunday August 18 2024

Meditation at 7 pm PDT, 8 pm MDT, 9 pm CDT and 10 pm EDT
We have a Super Moon this Monday.  Super Moons always seem to be Brighter and look closer to Earth.  Usually an awesome sight as long as we don't have any cloud cover.  Be sure and look for this month's Super Moon!
We know that being calm, centered, and coherent is better than being "wired and tired"!  We function better.  We can think and reason better.  Our digestion and our immune system work much much better.  And, generally, we are happier.
One reason we tend to be happier with that kind of internal harmony is because our endocrine system produces endorphins such as dopamine.  Endorphins function like a reward in our system, affirming that we are doing something that works. 
One of the Taoist exercises that I like to do is called the "Inner Smile" practice.  It is really simple and just takes a few minutes once you get going.  One of the reasons that it works so well is because "smiling" produces endorphins.  Very Interesting !!!
So, we could say that even the "intention" to do an "Inner Peace" meditation can initiate a positive response within our whole system.  Then if we decide we want to do a group-focused meditation, we are plugging into the coherence, energy, and intelligence of everyone participating in the meditation.
We are also contributing our coherence, energy, and intelligence which amplifies the effect for us and the group.  I have done in-person group meditations with groups as large as 1200 people in the same space.  Often the effect is amazing.  And, I have done coherence meditations "in space" with people and these were just as amazing in their way.
Intuitively we know that the more coherent, grounded, and centered we are, the better we can function.   And, the more of us who are walking around being coherent, calm, grounded, and centered, the greater the effect for our human collective!  Studies have shown this to be accurate ... !!!
Thank You for showing up, for doing your spiritual practices, and for being on the planet right now !!!
Have a Wonderful Week, and ...
Remember to Breathe,
Mary

Understanding Heart Coherence ~ Tuesday August 13 2024

When we stop and think about our Hearts, we often realize how Blessed we are.  Because of our amazing Hearts, we can function in this world and do all kinds of amazing things.  The 2024 Olympics are a great example of what our hearts, bodies, and spirit can do.    Even if our Heart isn’t working perfectly, we are still able to participate in life.  Maybe not at the same speed, but we can still be present and be a Blessing.
In general, our Heart beats 60 to 100 times per minute, moving blood through arteries, veins, and capillaries to keep us going.  The beating of our Heart moves blood through approximately 60,000 miles of blood vessels every day!  Our blood carries red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in plasma which is mostly water.  
Red blood cells carry Oxygen (O2) to all the cells in our body through the arteries.  White “blood cells” are part of our amazing Immune system.  And platelets are small cellular pieces that heal cuts, or abrasions by coagulating and forming a barrier to prevent germs from getting into our system and giving the tissue time to heal.  Whenever we are impatient with the speed of healing, it helps to remember that all healing begins within and moves outward.
Our Heart has its own very specialized nervous system that even has a short-term and a long-term memory.  When we have an ECG (electrocardiogram), we can see the graph showing the electrical activity of our heart.  The more peaceful and calm and centered we are, we will usually see a more regular and rhythmic pattern.  If we are frustrated or angry, we may see an irregular rhythm.
Our Heart has 4 chambers and 4 valves that usually work in a steady rhythm, pumping 1.2 - 1.5 gallons (5 liters) of blood through our body!  When we are calm and centered, our Heart maintains a steady rhythm.  But, if we are too stressed or stressed for too long, our Heart rhythms may not be as steady and rhythmic.  This would be like a car engine that needs a tune-up to function effectively.  Fortunately for us, we can learn how to slow our breathing, relax our muscles, rest with our Heart, and return to a peaceful and centered state.  When we do this, we are moving from stress to Heart Coherence and our whole system begins to calm down!
Our Heart also sends signals to our Brain.  Our Heart actually sends more signals to our Brain than the Brain sends to our Heart!  For many years, people thought their brain was managing all our systems.  Now we know, based on scientific studies, that our Heart is the main focal point.  This is the reason we can calm ourselves by slowing our breathing and bringing our awareness to our Heart.
Our Heart also has an electromagnetic field that is 5000 times stronger than the electromagnetic field of the Brain!  This is another reason we can shift out of high stress or emotional distress by slowing our breathing and resting our awareness with our Heart.  Amazing how simple this is.  We just need to be mindful enough to recognize when we are “stressed out”!
Also, if we realize that we are worried or anxious or “too tired and wired”, we can shift into gratitude or appreciation as we rest with our Heart.  Gratitude and appreciation or Being out in Nature are simple ways to restore inner peace and harmony.  This is especially important to remember when the world seems to be “going bananas”!
If you are feeling anxious or depressed after paying attention to the “news of latest disasters”, just pause, take a few slow, deep breaths, and remember all the wonderful blessings you have in your life.  Then check your feelings … you may find you are beginning to feel much better and possibly much calmer.
This is the reason that most religions and so many spiritual practices include appreciation, compassion, gratitude, or loving-kindness.  Because these practices can work quickly and efficiently to restore our Inner Peace and Balance!  This also can shift our perspective from dismal to hopeful.  There is always time for us to remember the Blessings in our lives.  Those Blessings didn’t go away, we just forgot.
Have a very Blessed and Beautiful week, remembering to be compassionate and kind to yourself.  This is the simplest way to grow your capacity for compassion and understanding.