Mountain Zen Den Podcast

“If I had influence with the good fairy… I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life.” ~ Rachel Carson (Nature writer and conservationist) Happy New Year and Welcome to the Mountain! Come on in to Mountain Zen Den, where we inspire you to connect with Nature for mindfulness and Personal Transformation, naturally! The holidays are winding down and it’s time to get back to the routine and ruts of life as we know it.  Or is it? One of my favorite things about starting a new year, (and in this case, a new decade), is the opportunity to look back, assess what worked and what didn’t, and then to look forward, ask what is it that I want, and then make new choices, plans and decisions to get there...a fresh start, so to speak; or maybe just a fine-tuning adjustment.  Either way, a new year offers us another reason to be mindful.  And that’s a very good thing indeed. Over the last several weeks we have been exploring the concept of Cultivating Your Garden of Well-being, beginning with Presence and Awareness, Hope and Faith, Love and Simplicity, Joy and Tranquility, and even cultivating a sense and appreciation of Beauty, and all that that means. Today being the beginning of a new year, we are going to talk about developing and cultivating a sense of Wonder.   When was the last time you truly enjoyed a feeling of mystery, reverence and awe?   As a child, I remember Christmas in particular had this fascinating effect on me.  It wasn’t just the presents and the decorations and the lights…it was much more!  The magic of possibility – gravity defying reindeer-sleigh antics and chimney escapades, ghosts of Christmases past, present and future, snow gently falling on a silent night, truly making all calm and bright, and the Christmas story of a Divine Baby born in a manger, visited by shepherds and lambs and donkeys and angels, and wise men following a star.  Here was true mystery and wonder; God becoming a man?  How can this be? And then I grew up.  In many ways science, technology and travel have made the world a much smaller place.  If there really is a Bigfoot or Loch Ness monster wouldn’t they have been discovered by now?  Declining biodiversity and shrinking habitats for our beloved wildlife have made it even smaller. In his book “Feral – Rewilding the Land, the Sea, and Human Life”, author George Monbiot speaks of the human psychological need for the presence of large animals, and in particular, cats.  We’re talking mountain lions, tigers, jaguars and such. One of the most exciting memories of awe and wonder I have of being in the wild is on a horseback ride where we startled a mountain lion at a drinking hole at dusk. Another is encountering a large cinnamon-colored black bear while I was hiking alone in the woods, in the evening. Yet another is of encountering a very large animal in the woods in the Rockies.  Melissa and I had recently bought a new camera, and I was excited to try it out.  We had just crossed a small stream when our horses suddenly stopped, lifted their heads high in the air, ears straight up, nostrils flared, and they wouldn’t budge.  Less than forty yards in front of us, a huge “dark horse” with very skinny legs and a funny looking nose, (otherwise known as a cow moose), crossed our path.  She totally ignored us and continued walking into the other side of the forest.  Our horses, on the other hand, were totally unnerved and it took several minutes before they would move on.  I looked over at Melissa and she looked at me.  Both of us were holding our cameras, mouths wide open in awe and a bit of fear.  Neither of us had the presence of mind to snap the shot, so let’s just say this was the one that got away… Each of these experiences are forever etched in my memory, where I can revisit them from time to time, knowing there is a much larger, and somewhat dangerous world out there just waiting to be explored and enjoyed as an adventure. We don’t just experience awe and wonder, we enjoy it.   I liken it to a feeling of bliss.  You get lost in it.  It envelops your entire body like a blanket of goodness, and you can feel its warmth and chills spreading down and outward from your head and heart. Why can’t this be a daily thing? It can, if we purposefully show up in the right places at the right time.  This isn’t to say that there’s not a place for serendipity.  That is one of the greatest things about being awe-inspired.  You don’t usually see it coming.  But as we place ourselves in the Way of Nature, we naturally increase our chances of experiencing a sense of reverence, awe and amazement. A flock of Canada geese overhead on a crisp autumn day, seems to do it for me every time. The hoot of an owl in the nighttime forest, the lonely cry of a loon on a placid lake, the bugle of an elk echoing through the high Montane meadows of the mountains, and the song of the whippoorwill in the evening woodlands, all bring their own unique voices to the Song of the Earth. The starry skies, galaxies, constellations, nebulae, sun, moon and even fireflies offer the deepest magic on an otherwise ordinary night.  But most beautiful and mysterious of all is that still, small Voice that speaks to the deepest part of your soul when you need it the most - speaking light, love and wisdom into your heart. All of these simple and profound gifts are wondrous beyond words.  The important thing is that we show up to experience them.  And this begins with presence and mindfulness.  So if you’re ready let’s open our entire being to a sense of awe and wonder through today’s meditation.

“…If you’re down to your final dime, can’t decide what else to buy to be happy You don't need a credit card to give your heart the beauty of the world..." ~ Peter Mayer Well the hustle and bustle of Christmas has come and gone, and it’s the end of another year.  Snowflakes are gently falling outside.   The presents have been opened.  The children are happily playing in the other room, and you sit with the one you love, sipping hot chocolate reading from a book with Currier and Ives prints, in front of the crackling fire, and breathe a deep sigh of contentment.  Sounds like a Netflix Christmas special doesn’t it? So your world doesn’t look like this?  What is it about this scene that appeals to us?  Aside from the peace and quiet that is finally here, what about this setting draws and attracts us like moths to a flame? Is it the beauty?  Beauty is an interesting thing. The preferences and specifics can vary and change to a certain degree, but I think it’s safe to say that we all long for and appreciate “Beauty”. Sunsets and rainbows, scenic landscapes, ocean views, rich forests and placid lakes all speak to us in a language of the soul. Music and nature sounds, like gently falling rain, babbling brooks, whippoorwills, chickadees, crickets and spring peepers all soothe and calm us with their beautiful melodies. Story and song, paintings, quilt-work, sculptures and woodwork, jewelry and even finely designed clothing are all a reflection of the natural world around us and, help bring purpose and meaning into our every day lives beyond just making a living so that we can put food on the table and a roof over our heads. As best selling author Joyce Carol Oates says, “Art is the highest expression of the human spirit”, and if that’s true, as artists, and appreciators of art, if you will, when we create and enjoy beauty, we are leaning into our highest selves and therefore transforming into better human beings.  There’s so much we could discuss about the power of beauty to help us transcend to new and glorious heights, but for the sake of time today, let me just encourage us each to take time to seek, express, appreciate and cultivate more beauty into our lives. The journey begins by recognizing the beauty of the world, and in truth, the entire Universe before us.

“Work when there is work to do.  Rest when you are tired.  One thing done in peace will most likely be better than ten things done in panic…. I am not a hero if I deny rest; I am only tired.” ~ Susan McHenry So how are you holding up this holiday season? Are you tired of being told there’s only so many shopping days until Christmas? Maybe the stress of finances, (or lack thereof), the burden of work deadlines and family obligations are wearing you down.  Finding the “perfect” gift for everyone on your holiday shopping list can be so stressful. Or even worse, for many the holidays can be a very depressing time.  Health struggles, past memories, and the sadness of loss of relationships and loved ones make it especially hard to endure when everyone else around you seems so happy, alive and in love. What is so sad is, this is supposed to be the season of “Peace on Earth and good will toward all”, a time of “Joy to the World”, and at times it feels like anything but. We all long for a place we can retreat to from time to time for peace and quiet; a retreat for relaxation and tranquility.  As the stresses of life take their toll on us, body, mind and spirit, it becomes more important than ever to take time for ourselves to just breathe and “Be”.  Some call this meditation.  Others call it introspection, reflection or “quiet time”. Whatever you call it, the good news is you can take this gift, this place of inner calm and tranquility with you wherever you go. I know it’s a drastic statement, but it’s true!  Studies show that only a few minutes a day spent in mindful meditation, and in Nature can lower your blood pressure, significantly reduce your stress levels, elevate your mood and outlook on life, improve your cognitive functioning, and add years to your life. We have distanced ourselves from nature – the smell of wildflowers sage and pine, the feel of natural grass between our toes, and the texture of bark and sand and dirt, the scent of freshly fallen rain, the gentle gurgle of flowing forest streams, and the breath of wind through the trees.  We’ve lost touch with the natural world all around us; the calm azure sky filled with white dreamy clouds overhead.  We’ve lost touch with our truer, deeper selves found in Nature and reflection; cutting off our ties to the Original Source of joy, security, tranquility and well-being. As we have been learning to cultivate our garden of well-being, perhaps one of the most important, if not the most important stae of being for our health, and well-being is that of Tranquility. Being able to come away and just detox from stress on a regular basis could be the difference between a long and healthy, happy life, and that of a shorter one filled with sickness, sorrow and disease. So in today's meditation let's seek to cultivate Tranquility. ...Need a little more downtime to cope with and recover from Holiday stress? Stick around after the end of today's show for a few more minutes of quiet reflection for another song from "A Simple Christmas". 

"When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you. A joy." ~ Rumi How are you doing today?  Are things going the way you want them to?  Are you living the life of your dreams?  Are you happy and content with your present state of being?  More importantly, is your life filled with joy in this very moment? If you can answer “Yes”, to this last question, then you are a very blessed individual indeed.  If not, no worries.  Join the other 99.9% of people on the planet.  That’s why we’re here today. We are going to explore some very practical ways to cultivate joy in your life and “Garden of Well-being. Have you ever really spent much time pondering how you might be able to be a happier person and live a more joyful life? Thich Naht Hanh points out, “The present moment is filled with joy and happiness.  If you are attentive you will see it.”    Well this bit of good news is truly encouraging…If we can learn to stay in the present moment. We would do well to remember however, that Joy and Happiness are two very different animals. Happiness is fleeting.  It is capricious, and depends on outer circumstances, events and situations which and can come and go at a moment’s notice.  Just so you know, there is nothing inherently wrong with happiness.  I hope you are filled to the brim with happiness in this very moment of your life.  On the other hand, let us consider Joy.  Where Happiness is a feeling which comes and goes, Joy is an underlying state of being.  Unlike Happiness, it cannot be contrived or captured.  It is like beautiful bird or butterfly: wild and free. You can’t catch it and take it captive.  You have to allow it land to on you.  You can’t try to hold onto it or it will die or fly away. Unlike happiness that can be “contrived”, joy is a state of mind, a reveling in the goodness of the present moment.  When you have learned to cultivate Joy you are filled with deep satisfaction, pleasure and elation in the now.  This means being content with whatever your situation, and recognizing a higher state than that of Happiness. So how does one go about cultivating Joy in one’s life? Well, at the risk of sounding like I am contradicting what I just said about not being able to contrive or capture or “make” Joy happen in one’s life, there are some things you can do to put yourself in Joy’s way. You are probably here today because you love Nature and spending time outside. Depending on where you live, as the days are getting colder and shorter, it can grow more and more challenging to step outside our comfort zone and get outdoors.  Spending time outdoors is so vital to a sense of well-being.  One of our favorite outdoor activities when it’s cold outside is to bundle up real warm in layers, and take the dogs, (all three of them), and the horse, (if there’s not too much snow on the ground), for a nice brisk walk down the lane and out along the trail by the lake…  The clear, cold air and the tranquil scenery with the snow-covered mountains in the background is so invigorating and brings such a feeling of euphoria that I can’t help but experience a deep sense of joy.  No matter what else is going on in my life at the time. There is something about connecting with the natural world that boosts everything that is good within in us another notch higher.  It is Vitamin N for the soul.  This, in conjunction with Meditation is the miracle drug.  We know from clinical studies that meditation has been shown to offer a plethora of natural health benefits, including lowered blood pressure, better sleep, a reduction of stress, headaches, chronic muscle fatigue, aches and pains and even depression and coronary artery disease.  When you combine the two, the effects can be phenomenal. So, if you want more joy in your life, put yourself in the way of this dynamic duo of natural goodness… Again, remember what Thich Naht Hanh said, “The present moment is filled with joy and happiness.  If you are attentive you will see it.”  It is time for us to intentionally focus a few minutes on our day in being attentive, and awaken to joy.  The more we practice the better we get at it, and the more time our lives will be filled with this wonderful state of well-being But before we begin, I just want to share a story Mark Nepo tells in his classic, The Book of Awakening.  “It is said a great Zen teacher asked an initiate to sit by stream until he heard all the water had to teach.  After days of bending his mind around the scene, a small monkey happened by, and, in one seeming bound of joy, splashed about in the stream.  The initiate wept and returned to his teacher, who scolded him lovingly, ‘The monkey heard.  You just listened.’” So today as we practice in our meditation and listen, be sure to not just “Listen”. Make it your intention to “Hear”. And when you do, jump all the way in and splash in the stream with joy…

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” ~ Lao Tzu Are you finding it a challenge to keep up with everything that is on your to do list?  Do you ever feel tired and exhausted, overwhelmed, under-satisfied and overworked just so you can pay the bills and find a little happiness in life?  Like Henry David Thoreau, I love a broad margin to my life. Simplicity can mean so many different things to people.  We go searching for it in exterior things.  - “If I could just de-clutter and get rid of all this junk in my life”.  Or, “If I just didn’t have to work two jobs to keep up!”  Or my favorite, “If I could just get away from all this madness to a cabin in the mountains for a weekend.” All of these longings and remedies are wonderful temporary solutions, but the truth is, Simplicity can be had right here, right now, and begins on the inside… Let me ask you, when was the last time you felt the joy of true simplicity in your life?  Was there ever a time when life felt calmer, less demanding, and more meaningful? Some of my favorite childhood memories are of visiting my grandparents in West Virginia.  It was about a two and a half hour drive, full of anticipation and beauty along the way.  I knew we were getting close when we would drive through Berkley Springs, pass the old haunted Berkley Castle and cross the Great Cacapon River.  From there it was only a few more miles down a country dirt road through the woods with no other houses in sight of it.  It felt like it was out in the middle of nowhere, and I loved it!  It’s where I learned to drive a car as a ten year old.  In fact, one of my favorite memories of visiting my grandparents was the time my father stopped the car in the middle of the road  about a half a mile before we got to their place.  I knew something big was up when he and my mom got out and he leaned in and said, “Go surprise Grandma!  We’ll see you there in a couple minutes.”   I couldn’t believe it!  This is a ten year old boy’s dream come true!  And yes, I believe Grandma was quite surprised to see her ten-year old grandson pull into her driveway driving a 1960-something black Chevy Corvair…  But then again, maybe not.  Times were simpler then. I treasure those memories of seeing Grandpa working in his workshop, and I'd walk in, and he would look up and ask, "What do you want?" "Nothin'!" I'd answer. And with a twinkle in his eye, in his characteristic humorous Grandpa fashion would say, “Well get it and get out!"  I also have fond memories of helping Grandma go out to the garden and pick green beans for dinner and making blackberry pie. And in her precious, Southern Virginian accent, would exclaim, "We're gonna have 'pah' for dessert!"  Sitting on the front porch at dusk listening to the whippoorwills’ lonely call, gazing at the soft candlelight emanating from my Great Grandmother’s cabin in the woods across the dirt road.  Bats would come out and swoop for insects performing a night-time aerial show. I loved shooting cap guns and BB guns, and playing with my uncle’s plastic army men, and cowboys, Indians and horses in the dirt.  I don’t know why but it would upset when I found so many among his collection that had heads and arms and legs missing because he wanted them to look “realistic”.  No matter.  Everything was an adventure!  And everything was simple. As I look back, I realize it’s not that life was easy for us.  There were still bills to pay, school to attend and jobs to show up for, doctor’s appointments, and meals to make… it was just simpler.  I don’t think I am just being nostalgic.  I treasured it then and I treasure it now. We take so many things for granted.  Face it, in so many ways today, we have it good.  No we have it great!  Especially compared to our grandparents and ancestors – those pioneers who faced unbelievable challenges to make way for new opportunities and a better future.  And what are we doing with that future?  Squandering it on things, and the pursuit of more and more, all while feeling less and less.  Less joy.  Less tranquility.  Less purpose and meaningful moments in life.  Less Simplicity. There, I said it.  Less Simplicity. Leonarda da Vinci said, “Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication.  All of our technology, knowledge and experience has actually dumbed us down and made us less sophisticated, not more.  Have you ever read the stoics, Aristotle, Plato and Socrates?  How about Shakespeare, Emerson and Thoreau?  These great minds, without the “benefits” of technology, TV, smart phones and all the comforts of life that we feel we can’t live without, lived superb and meaningful lives.  Their philosophy and observations, and ability to convey them were nearly super human!  Their minds and lives weren’t cluttered with superfluous, and meaningless drivel.  There was meat in everything they thought and spoke.  And there was simplicity. Ok.  I’m done preaching.  Can you tell I’m a bit passionate about this?  Not that I practice what I preach everyday.  I just long for simplicity and broad margins in my life.  I seek to perfect the art of slowing down, and that’s what we’re going to do in today’s meditation.  So as we seek to cultivate Simplicity in our Garden of Well-being, ask yourself today, “What areas in my life are keeping me from living in simplicity?”  “How can I downsize and de-clutter my internal as well as external life?”  This begins with meditation. So if you’re ready, whether you are a true Minimalist, or just want to just slow down, simplify and de-clutter your life a bit from the inside out – let’s begin.

“I believe three of the most important words anyone can say are not ‘I love you”, but I hear you’.” ~ Oprah ~ ~ ~ If you want to be your absolute best and function at top performance levels, you need time to pause, reflect, meditate and restore.  If you want to be present and give your absolute best to the ones you love and are depending on you, you can’t afford NOT to take a few minutes of mindful meditation to sharpen your saw and create a strong and healthy internal state that is able to handle any obstacles and stressful, difficult situations that may show up today. Meditation, (in nature especially), helps build your emotional immune system, strengthening it as a shield against knee-jerk reactions to unexpected problems and situations that can cause harm in our relationships.  Regular, daily meditation helps us emotionally disconnect from the problem, rising high enough above the situation to be able to think clearly and react calmly. How many times have you done or said something that you immediately regretted, all because you felt overwhelmed, over-stressed and under prepared?  Think how much pain and regret could have been avoided if we had just taken 10 or 15 minutes in the morning to fortify ourselves through silence, prayer and meditation.  Think of the relationships that could have been saved or protected from hurt and long-lasting damage if we had taken the time for ourselves to breathe, reflect, strengthen and nourish our spirits. This is why we are here today, and every day.  We set aside the time it takes to do the important things in our lives.  Prayer and meditation should be at the top of the list.  Especially if our desire is to cultivate Love in our personal "Garden of Well-being". As we prepare to do this, it helps to recognize the difference between like and love.  Love is over-promised and under-delivered.  It is an extremely overused word.  But more importantly it is confusingly misused.  Way too often when we say we Love something, we actually mean we Like it a lot. I can say I love pizza, I love watching movies, I love my dog and I love my wife.  Really?!  I love pizza like I love my wife?  See what I mean? Think of a garden of beautiful flowers.  If you Like these flowers you will probably lean down and smell them, and pick them to take home, and put them in a vase to enjoy for a few days.  But if you Love them, you will want to care for them, water them, weed around them and care for them.  You will do everything you can to protect them and help them grow. This is the way it is with Love. As Jay Shetty points out, perhaps it would be better to equate love with service.  True Love is a verb, a “doing” word.  Service is the action.  When we love someone, we live to serve them. Here is a thought to keep in mind as we seek to cultivate Love in our meditation today - People will most likely forget what you said, and maybe even forget what you did.  But they will never forget how you made them feel.  Remember that our currency in relationships is that of emotion.  So the best way to cultivate and share love in your life is to go about your day giving encouragement to all around you.  Not just to the ones you love, but to everyone you meet.   One more thing: As you give encouragement, it is even more important to stop and LISTEN to them.  Listen not only to their words, but listen to their heart.  What is it that they are saying?  What is it that they’re heart is crying out for?  This is how you leave people feeling loved and cared for.  This is how you show kindness and empathy.  Love equals Listening. As you make this your daily practice you will soon discover that you have a lovely, healthy, Garden of Well-being filled with Love and Kindness, Empathy and Understanding.  And it will come back to you one hundredfold. So let’s begin. 

“The capacity to trust and so live with inner peace, contentment, and joy, is a Divinely endowed capacity written into the genetic code of your DNA.” ~ Dr. Steve McSwain Have you ever wished you could live every moment of every day like in joy and simplicity?  What would that feel like?  Well the truth is, you can.  Now some people will say, now wait a minute that’s just not realistic.  And I have to ask, “Why not?” I love the picture of the clock that shows, in place of the numbers 1 through 12, the word “Now”.  It is always “Now” and in this moment, this very moment, there are no problems, only situations.  It is the perfect time to be present.  So, welcome to this moment. If we are living in the moment of perfection, and stay in this moment without straying, (and that is the goal), we will always find peace and joy, and be living the perfect life, now, in the moment. Now in order for this to happen it requires a bit of faith and belief that it is even possible, but faith can be nurtured and grown.  We all have been given “a measure of faith”, but it’s what we do with it, and how we cultivate it that is important.  Last episode we talked about “Hope” and how it is a “feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best”; that is, something we “look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence”. So what is the difference is between hope and faith? Hope is the mother to Faith.  When cultivated, this feeling that what is wanted can be had, (that is – Hope), gives birth, awakens consciousness and opens the possibility for Faith to appear. Faith is defined as “confidence or trust in a person or thing… a belief that is not based on proof”.  The book of Hebrews in ancient scriptures says, “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…”.  It is a substance just as real as any substance in the Universe.  Like the wind, you can’t see it, but it is there.  I can’t help but find a correlation between this substance spoken of in the Bible, and what author Wallace Wattles calls “thinking stuff” in his book, The Science of Getting Rich.  He says, “There is a thinking stuff from which all things are made, and which in its original state, permeates, penetrates, and fills the interspaces of the universe.  A thought in this substance produces the thing that is imaged by this thought.  You can form things in your thought, and by impressing your thought upon formless substance, can cause the thing you think about to be created…” Wow!  That’s a pretty heavy statement.  Really?!  You can form things in your thought, and cause the thing you think about to be created!?  That’s powerful!  And scary! If this is really true, it sort of puts the burden on you to be really careful what you are thinking about, doesn’t it?  But is this really true?  I guess it depends on whether you have believe that it’s true. Speaking of faith, Jesus gave a powerful visual when He said, “If you have faith even as small as a mustard seed, (and that’s pretty darn small), you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move.  Nothing would be impossible.” When Jesus says, “as small as a mustard seed”, the importance is not on the size of the seed, it’s on the truth that it can grow from something very small into something very large. So how does one cultivate faith or trust? Is it something we can really cultivate or grow? Here’s a thought.  You have been genetically programmed to have the capacity for faith or trust.  The more that trust or belief is reinforced, the more it grows.  By seeking and finding evidence of goodness and love and beauty and kindness and health and abundance everywhere we look, we are nurturing and cultivating our faith. This capacity for faith, or belief, or trust, if you will, is programmed into the very fabric of our being, and, like a mustard seed, needs to be watered, nurtured and cultivated into something greater. And that is what we are doing here today.

“Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words And never stops at all.” ~Emily Dickinson   Today we’re going to talk about hope.  What is hope and why is it important? Hope can be a bit complicated in today’s complex world.  Too often when asked if something good or positive is going to happen, we hear people say “I hope so…”, as if it probably won’t, but they’re going to wish for it anyway.  In context of what we are talking about today, wishing and hoping are two very different things.  Wishing is simply a sort of passive desire for a thing or state of being…   Wishing and and Hoping are two very different things. Hope is defined as “the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best”.  Another definition is, “to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence”. Hope is a positive expectancy, a proactive desire to receive.  It is a persistent emotion for the best.  It prepares the soil of the heart to receive all the goodness that it deserves, and when that goodness comes into being, Hope says, “See, I knew it all along!  I told you it would happen…” This is just a natural response when one has cultivated hope within. So how does one cultivate hope? One way that I have found to overcome hopelessness, which is obviously the opposite of hope, is to read stories of the struggles and victories of others who have been challenged. The greater the obstacles and challenges, the greater the victory.  Reading these kinds of stories and dwelling on the victories of others in the face of opposition can bring great hope and persistence into one’s life. Listening to uplifting, positive stories, songs and podcasts and watching inspiring movies and TedX talks can have the same effect.  Hope is like a muscle that can be developed.  The more you work it, strengthen and cultivate it, the greater it increases.  So in today’s meditation, let’s set an intention to cultivate more hope in our lives…

“Acknowledging the good you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” ~ Eckhart Tolle   It’s a great day to be alive, and it’s a great time to slow down a bit and practice presence and awareness. With Thanksgiving only a couple weeks away, I think it’s appropriate that we revisit the concept of Gratefulness and Appreciation; that we practice cultivating Gratitude.  When we slow down enough to get out of autopilot, and actually stop and look around – while there are probably lots of things we would like to change in the world and especially in our lives - there is way more to be grateful for than to complain about.  It’s all where you put your focus. Having just celebrated Veteran’s Day here in America, I think of these incredible war heroes who come back from serving their country with only half the body parts they left with, and their attitude and focus is on gratitude for being given the opportunity to serve.  They’ve decided to concentrate their energies on what they can do vs. what they can’t.  Their focus and determination, and especially appreciation for all the wonderful, and truly important things in life are so inspiring.  These are my heroes.  The ones who give their all…and I mean ALL so that we can have a safer, more humane world. I never really thought of it before, but I find it very appropriate that we celebrate Veteran’s Day just before we celebrate Thanksgiving. If you are vet, and happen to be listening to this today, I want to say, “Thank you”!  From the bottom of my heart I am grateful and inspired by your sacrifice and giving spirit.  You make this world a better place and we truly appreciate it. Gratitude isn’t just a state of mind or of being, it is a Gift.  The spirit of Gratitude comes with its own blessings.  The more we appreciate, the more we are able to receive.  Gratitude opens our hearts for an abundant harvest of goodness in all areas of our lives.  The Universe naturally flows towards a grateful heart because that heart is open and receptive to receiving more. So, with that in mind, what are you grateful for today? Don’t worry if nothing immediately comes to mind.  Gratitude, like any other discipline requires practice and focused energy.  When we ask a question, it sets the brain into motion to try and find the answer.  So ask yourself often and sincerely, “What am I grateful for?” For your health?  For a chance to draw another breath?  How about your senses; the gifts of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch?  What about a place to live?  The simple pleasures and comforts of life that we daily take for granted, things like shelter and warmth and running water, HOT running water, and food, pets, books, and education. Do others in your life know how much you love and appreciate them?  These are just a few thoughts to help get you started as you search your heart for what you are grateful for.  Like hitting oil or digging for treasure, the deeper you dig, the more you will find. It seems counter-intuitive, but as I mentioned Gratitude, like any other quality or state of being requires practice.  So let’s practice.

“The whole essence of Zen consists of walking along the razor’s edge of Now.” ~ Eckhart Tolle   So how are you doing today? Are you in a good place? In spite of circumstances or any situation you may find yourself in. Even when things are going well, do you sometimes find yourself experiencing an underlying unease or restlessness? Sometimes we find ourselves feeling a certain level of unexplainable anxiety, boredom or nervousness, a background static that is always there. This is our minds in a habitual resistance to the present moment. It is like the hum of an air conditioner or machinery that, when the sound ceases gives enormous relief. The reason our mind doesn’t want to live in the present has to do with our ego, which lives only in the past or the future. The ego, or false, illusory sense of self, as we call it, is often intimately connected with problems as a form of identity. And these problems can only be in the past or in the future, never in the present moment. How crazy is that? Wanting to identify with problems versus just Being in the moment certainly sounds like a mental disorder. So in our daily living, and in particular, our meditation, we choose to live in the present moment, because there is no ego attached to the present…to the Now. Tell me, what problems do you have right Now, in this present moment? Sure, you may have what we call a situation that needs to be dealt with, but that is not a problem. It is either something you deal with, and it’s taken care of, or…you learn to accept it, and forego the suffering that comes from identifying with the “Problem”. Suffering and problems need time, they cannot live in the Now. I love the way Eckhart Tolle puts it in his classic book The Power of Now. He states that the reason the mind habitually resists and denies the Now is   “Because it cannot function and remain in control without time, which is past and future, so it perceives the timeless Now as threatening. Time and mind are in fact inseparable.”   By the way, this is why we practice meditation, to distance ourselves from time and our minds to better realize the fact that we are not our minds…only observers of them.   Tolle goes on to say, “Imagine the Earth devoid of human life, inhabited only by plants and animals. Would it still have a past and a future? Could we still speak of time in a meaningful way? The question ‘What time is it?’ or ‘What’s the date today?’ – If anybody were there to ask it – would be quite meaningless. The oak tree or the eagle would be bemused by such a question. ‘What time?’ they would ask. ‘Well of course it’s now. The time is now. What else is there?’”   At first, this concept of living only in the Now can boggle the mind because for eons we have learned to only live in what we call “Clock Time”. But once we grasp this concept of letting go, and learn to be present, we begin to become free of “Psychological Time”. Of course we need to be able to function in “clock time”, being peripherally aware of it, as we meet our daily responsibilities and interact with the world, but we don’t have to be trapped in “psychological time”. That is why we begin cultivating our Garden of Well-being with Presence and Awareness. It provides the space and rich, fertile soil for all of the other states of well-being that we are going to cultivate as we learn to grow and manifest positive change in our lives.   So let’s begin…

"A seed, dropped into the ground, springs into activity, and in the act of living, produces a hundred more seeds.  Life, by living, multiplies itself.  It is forever becoming more; it must do so to continue to exist.” ~ Wallace Wattles   As you’ve probably begun to notice, this inner tranquility doesn’t just happen automatically.  You’ve got to show up and put yourself in a place where you can receive the benefits of meditation which lead to restoration and relaxation we all so desperately need and deserve.  But the BEST part of mindfulness and meditation, is that it leads to a renewing of the person doing the meditation.  It helps us grow and become a more complete individual, capable of contributing to the world around us in big and small ways to help others and make it a better place than it would be if we had never been awakened and become aware and alive.  Sort of like George Bailey in It’s A Wonderful Life, who gets a chance to see the difference he made in the lives of those he loved, and the community around him.  If you think about it, it’s a pretty amazing thing to be invited into this adventure called “Life”! I believe that each of us have been given a task, a mission, and journey, if you will, to discover our life purpose, and then pursue it with (everything we’ve got), with our whole being. I’ve got to believe that this is the reason for our self-inflicted addictions, and for the restlessness of the soul, the emptiness that we try to fill with so many meaningless and even harmful (things).  We have this God-given, universal need to grow and become more, to pursue and obtain Personal Transformation, in order to realize all that we were meant to become for the good of all mankind, and the Earth, and Universe we inhabit. In his book, The Science of Getting Rich, (don’t let the title fool you), Wallace Wattles declares, “The object of all life is development… The purpose of nature is the advancement and development of life.”   The apostle Paul put it another way, when he said,   “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Maybe if we can initiate this renewal, and tap into personal development, we will begin to realize the kind of change that leads to growth greater than our boredom, pain, addictions, fears and frustrations. But where to begin? Ah, we begin by stilling the mind long enough to Listen. It’s simply called…wait for it… Meditation! To the Greeks the original meaning for the concept of Meditation meant – “To Cultivate.”   Cultivate: - verb (used with object), cul-ti-vat-ed, cul-ti-vat-ing. to prepare and work on (land) in order to raise crops; till.   to promote or improve the growth of (a plant, crop, etc.) by labor or attention.   to develop or improve by education or training; train; refine: to cultivate a singing voice.   to promote the growth or development of (an art, science, etc.); foster.   to devote oneself to (an art, science, etc.). Even devoting oneself to personal growth.   If you have ever grown a garden, or even an indoor houseplant, flower or bonsai, you will understand the concept we are talking about. Growing a living thing requires focused intention and preparation. It requires a bit of time, sweat, and focused energy, consistency & upkeep, especially when it comes to weeding… The entire process is what we might refer to as “work”. But the reward waiting at the end of the harvest yields an abundant crop of desired results. It’s the way of Nature; the way things were designed to work. I hope this concept helps in our meditation, giving you a visual today, as you picture yourself cultivating your “Garden of Well-being” as I like to think of it. Your Garden of Well-being is filled with things that, when focused on help bring into your life, the qualities that will promote a beautiful Being; qualities like Love and Simplicity, Joy and Tranquility, Beauty and Wonder, Health and Abundance and even Wisdom and Transcendence. We dig deeper into cultivating this Garden of Well-being in future episodes of MZD, but for today, I’m just going to ask you to plant something. A few weeks ago after fall had official arrived and we had gotten our first snowfall here in Colorado, I found I wasn’t quite ready to give up the growing season of summer and decided to plant some herbs in a pot inside our breakfast nook window. It took a little time and attention, ensuring proper sunlight and watering, but before I knew it, little green shoots started sprouting up, showing new signs of life in our home. It was a simple pleasure, with huge ramifications – if you plant it in good soil, and carefully tend to it, it will grow. It’s the way of Nature, doing what it was meant to do. And it’s the same for you and me. Enjoy today's meditation, and grow!  

"Energy and persistence conquer all things." ~ Ben Franklin   Would you like to have more energy for even being able to keep up with your daily tasks? Do you find yourself too tired to enjoy life or even be able to think clearly or keep up with your simple, ordinary everyday tasks? Then it’s time to meditate. Every day you and I are faced with so many energy drains that just tend to suck the ever-lovin’ life out of us, leaving us feel weak and drained – unhealthy relationships, deadlines, traffic, health concerns, budgets and financial worries, and the list goes on.  While much of this is a normal part of everyday life, there are areas where, through taking  initiative and responsibility to affect positive change, we can avoid some of these energy drains altogether. And then there are those other challenges that we just have to deal with, and this takes reserves of energy we may feel we simply don’t have at the moment. This is where time spent relaxing, or exercising in nature, combined with meditation, can have a wondrous affect!  The more we spend time in nature meditating, the more we become aware of the energy that surrounds us. It is a known fact that time spent meditating and connecting with your “Energy Center” deep within can help bolster your energy levels.  This all begins with awareness.  Aware of how you are feeling, thinking and behaving.  This energy, sometimes referred to as Qi, Prana, or Kundalini, is our God-given life force that lives  and moves throughout our physical body. When we meditate, we begin to become aware of and cultivate this natural life force and boost our energy from the inside out and even increase our over-all health.  We are building up our nervous system stamina, so that we are not so reactive to circumstances and events happening around, these things that are so apt to drain our energy if we allow them. A word of advice here though.  Proper exercise and diet are a mandatory place to start.  Also, if you find yourself falling asleep as a normal part of your meditation practice, you need to get more sleep! If you’re having trouble falling asleep, there are many things involving nature you can do that will help, such as opening a window for fresh, cool air, going for at least a 20 minute walk outside, or listening to relaxing nature sounds on YouTube, iTunes or Spotify, etc.  But that’s a subject for another episode. Today, we are going to assume that you have caught up with your sleep, at least long enough to do this meditation.  If not, hit pause, go take a nap, and come back and start from here… I’m serious!  We won’t go anywhere without you, I promise… Or…you can lay down and listen and fall asleep to this show.  That’s cool too! Now...let's meditate!

Let’s get back to the basics. Today we’re gonna learn how to meditate. You may be thinking, “This is the 79th episode of MZD and you’re just now telling us how to meditate?! Too often people make a really big deal about meditation, complaining that it’s just way too hard, or discouraging, or that they don’t have enough time to meditate. So we’re going to take a few minutes to squash those objections and then…we’re gonna meditate. J So what is Meditation…really? Well, broken down to its simplest form for our purposes, Meditation is an intentional pause in your day to simply stop all doing and enjoy Being. We do this by simply breathing. “But wait you,” say, “Isn’t that what I do all the time? I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t breathing!” Yes, but are you AWARE of your breathing. Can you slow that busy brain of yours (sometimes called “monkey mind”), down enough to separate yourself from the constant barrage of thoughts long enough to just observe them and allow them to go by without being attached to them? Reminder here – You are NOT your thoughts. “Thank goodness”, I hear you say, “’cause if I was, I’d be in big, BIG trouble!” Me too! No, meditation is a good tool and reminder for us that we are not our thoughts. In fact, mindful meditation gives us the opportunity to simply “Observe” our thoughts, ruminations and busy brain activities, long enough for us to get a much needed reprieve from them and to be able to look at them objectively. In fact, when meditating, the goal is for you and I to acknowledge them without judgment and simply say, “Hmmm, that’s interesting.” There are also numerous health benefits to meditation, such as lowered heart rate, blood pressure and clearer thinking, but the end result is always a higher quality of life. It’s about “Self-Awareness” – Your body, your thoughts and motives and energy and state of being. And finally, to those of us who feel that we don’t have enough time in our day to meditate, relax. You can meditate for any reasonable length of time. In fact, you can even do one- minute meditations throughout the day, or even once a day, in order to help lower your stress, restore your balance and clear your thinking. Bottom line – You can’t afford NOT to meditate simply due to the jump in productivity you will receive as a result of meditating.

You again?! How do you like being greeted like that? Don’t take it wrong, I’m glad you showed up! In fact it says a lot about your heart and character, your desire to be present, and hunger for personal transformation – that is, making positive changes in your world. The time you take to consistently, show up and start your day with intentional, focused mindfulness, presence and awareness is the most important ten minutes of your day. This sets the tone and direction for your next 24 hours, and the more you show up, and consistently, purposefully spend time meditating in Nature (so to speak), creates new neural pathways in the brain and helps you form new habits, that over time literally change you from the inside out. This is so crucial in being able to handle tough situations and day-to-day stress and anxiety. In my meditation practice, I’ve noticed over time, when rough situations arise that normally would stress me out, now often feel a bit more removed and manageable, as if I am observing them from above, rather than in the middle of the smoke and fire of battle. I don’t tend to take things so personal. It’s a good feeling. This is a result of growing as a part of a consistent meditation practice. It’s called personal transformation, and begins the minute you show up! So congratulations on doing something 99% of the world doesn’t do, and isn’t even aware of – being present.

Welcome to the Mountain! Have you ever heard the term Quantum Creating? It is what you and I are doing when we basically “visualize” something into existence. What is Quantum Creating?  Now don’t worry. We’re not jumping off the deep end here into Woo Woo Land. What I’m about to share here dates back to DeCartes, Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Steven Hawking. It is so exciting to learn about the recent studies of what science has been discovering regarding the nature of reality.  The evolution of the understanding of Quantum Creating has taken giant leaps within the last decade or so.  You see, there is a Universe of infinite possibilities whereby we can create the world of our dreams.  The concept is extremely deep, and yet quite simple.  When we begin using our (subjective) mind to have an affect on our (objective) world, we are “Quantum Creating”. Where it really starts to get good is when you learn to focus on what you want, instead of what you don’t want.  In his book “Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself” Dr. Joe Dispenza points out, “The observer effect in quantum physics states that where you direct your attention is where you place your energy.”  And that means basically that you get what you re looking for.  Do you see why just a little earlier I asked you to stop and focus your energy and attention on the natural world around you?  When we begin to understand the science behind quantum creation and apply its truths to every area of our everyday lives, we almost immediately begin to see change for the good. That is, if we set our focus and intentions on “the good”.   Let’s take this into the world at hand. For instance, say you want to learn how to play a new instrument, lose a little weight, gain a little muscle tone, or even learn to lower your heart and respiratory rates a bit. There are measurable, definable actions you can take to create the end result you are looking for.   For most of us, the problem isn’t the one-time change. The problem is maintaining the change that gave us the positive results.   Why is this?   Dr. Dispenza posits that we can use our minds to create our reality. He says,   “Over time, (this could even be decades for many of us), our “mind-bodies” have created a chemical cocktail that is set and maintained by a complex system of neural pathways that are wiring and firing, without us having to even think about it.   This chemical cocktail is our “mind-body’s” normal state of being and makes us feel comfortable and familiar – at home – so to speak, even if it is a negative setting or unhealthy state of being.   Unhealthy states of being such as guilt, anger, fear and helplessness are all habits we have learned, owned, cultivated, allowed and maintained as a way of “being” and even identifying ourselves by. The ego loves these mindsets and will go to great lengths to hold onto them. Even if it means our long-range demise.     In Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself Dr. Joe Dispenza, discusses how Quantum Physics works. In the chapter called “The Quantum You”, he shares how, if you want to change yourself, you have to overcome what he calls the “Big Three”: Your Environment Your Body, and Time  He reassures us that “with willful attention, sincere appreciation of new knowledge, and repeated daily efforts, you can use your mind, as the observer, to collapse quantum particles and organize a vast number of subatomic waves of probability into a desired physical event called an experience in your life.” Now that is a big mouthful, but it basically means that in doing so you can influence the appearance of any possibility, or desired outcome you desire in life.  Remember, these studies are backed by scientific facts and research that don’t have to be completely understood in order for them to work or be true, any more than you have to understand the law of gravity to keep from floating away. However, if you find this sort of information fascinating, or need a little more proof before being led down the garden path, I highly recommend you give it a read. When discussing the environment Dr. Dispenza says that in order to make material a reality of our own choosing, or to “enter the field”, we have to enter a similar state. As a nature lover what better state can you imagine being in than one that is wild and natural and beautiful? This is one of the main premises of Mountain Zen Den ~ Personal Development for Nature Lovers. If you can attract what you want when you are in a state greater than your environment, why not place yourself in the greatest environment you can possibly think of? Nature. Now I realize that most of us can’t just up and teleport to Glacier National Park, the Grand Canyon, the Redwood Forest, or a tropical coconut island filled with palm trees swaying in the gentle breeze framed by incredible sunny blue skies. That is where these meditations set to nature sounds come in. They are meant to help inspire and facilitate a relaxed, natural Theta and Delta state that will help create the desired changes in your brain that are necessary for you to slow down, destress, and visualize your ideal self and life. Join us for today's meditation.

On my writing desk sits a plant I named Emerson. He’s just a little guy not even a foot tall, including his pot. He’s a Pachira aquatica, also known as the money tree, Guiana chestnut, or saba nut. Emerson comes from Miami, Florida, a place much warmer than where he now lives.   The two things I love most about him, (not trying to be sexist here, he could be a her, except I named him Emerson), is that, first of all, he has four miniature trunks that have started to be molded into a beautiful braid, ending in beautiful green lanceolate leaves that grow in clusters of 3 to 5 leaves per stem.   The second thing I love is that due to the fact that he is a tropical tree thriving in wetlands and swamps, he is virtually kill-proof – pretty much immune to over watering. These dudes love water so, if you’re like me, you don't have to worry about any over watering disorders you may have, due to the fact that you underwatered all the plants you tried to grow in the first half of your life.   The reason he sits on my desk is that he has a job; and that is to inspire me and help give me a “Nature Fix”. Especially on days like today when it’s literally 12 degrees outside and my dogs look at me like I suggested they jump off the deck of the Titanic when I open the door and ask them if they want to go for a walk.   Emerson sits on my desk next to the books that I am currently enjoying, and he doesn’t seem to mind when I touch his leaves whenever I have the impulse or need to get a little nature-fix.   We all need Nature. It’s just that some of us feel the need more urgently than others. If you are looking for a way to feel close to nature in the dead of winter, you might consider buying a few indoor plants and studying and learning more about them. (A favorite hobby of mine is growing and killing bonsai trees. Not that I particularly enjoy killing them, or purposely try to neglect them – in fact I love them and think that they are so inspiring and beautiful. It just seems that as a collective, most bonsais are really particular about their owners, and would rather commit suicide than put up with an ignorant and irregular watering schedule. Still, I do have a particularly good relationship with a large Juniper named Mr. Miaggi that has seemed pretty happy in our household for the past couple of years. So I haven’t completely given up hope yet for my life as a bonsai caretaker!)   Here are a few other ideas for getting your “Nature-fix” on a cold winter’s day –   Taking a trip to your local library, Barnes & Noble, or other cool bookstore and hanging out in the Nature section. If you have a good collection already, you might try studying a field guide or reading a great nature book or novel set in nature. (A few examples include – “The Nature Fix” by Florence Williams, “The Nature Principle” by Richard Louv, any book by Annie Dillard such as “Pilgrim at Tinker Creek”, and of course Henry David Thoreau’s brilliant contribution, “Walden”. Right now my wife and I are enjoying “The Dog Master” by Bruce Cameron, (the same guy who wrote “The Dog’s Purpose”. It takes you back in time to the first relationship between wolf and man, and how it evolved into the relationship we now enjoy with our canine companions. It’s a pretty coo read.   You could get your fix by studying hiking trails and travel maps you plan on doing or exploring in the next year. Melissa and I set aside sometime yesterday to just get away to a coffee shop and plan our hikes, travels, nature adventures, and 14ers we plan on climbing this year. It’s a great way to set an intention and have something to look forward to at the same time.   Try revisiting your old nature journals, or sketching in a new one. This can have a calm relaxing effect on your spirit as it takes you on a virtual journey into the natural world.   Watching inspiring movies set in nature such as “A River Runs Through It”, “Dances With Wolves”, “The Call of the Wild”, “Never Cry Wolf”, “Into the Wild” and “Fly Away Home” just to name a few of our favorites.   Create your own Nature Zen Den filled with natural inspirations such as a Zen Garden, a beautiful water fountain, wind chimes and nature sounds, plants, Nature pictures and artwork, as well as pine-scented candles and lavender oils, patchouli incense, and so on. The key is to try to appeal to all the senses for the full Nature effect, which is so good for relieving stress and creating feelings of well-being.   These are just a few suggestions for helping you get you Nature fix on days when you can’t get outdoors. Try being creative and come up with some ideas of your own. You’ll find it’s well worth the effort!  No go get your "Nature Fix" for the day!

Happy New Year! Welcome back! Yes, it’s been quite awhile since we last met here at Mountain Zen Den. And while a lot has happened, I’ll save some of the details for upcoming shows, but just so you know, all is well, we’re back and better than ever, broadcasting from the foot of the Rocky Mountains in beautiful snowy Colorado here on New Year’s Day.   I’ve heard from so many of you thanking us for creating this mindfulness in nature podcast. I really appreciate the gratitude you’ve expressed, and all the encouraging messages and stories about how you’ve been inspired by the meditations and insights offered here. I can’t tell you how much that means to me. Thank you!   For those of you who’ve been asking if we were going to be doing more shows? The answer is, Yes. We are picking up where we left off with even more of a focus on helping you tap into Nature for mindfulness and personal growth in your life – Naturally!     But first off, more than ever before, we really want to emphasize, inspire and encourage you to become the best version of yourself. Imagine what the world would look like, and how we could impact our families and friends, our community, our country and the planet if we all made the decision that in 2019 we would choose to become the best version of ourselves, whatever that was!   In his classic, “The Road Less Traveled”, psychiatrist and best-selling author M. Scott Peck opens with this enlightening statement –   “Life is difficult. This is a great truth. One of the greatest truths.”   Sounds discouraging doesn’t it? But he gives hope in the very next sentence.   “It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it.”   And that’s the point of today’s episode – transcending the difficult by purposeful decision making. Learning the difference between making Decisions vs. setting Goals. So let’s jump right in.   How do we transcend the road blocks, difficulties and tough situations that seem to suddenly appear once we have set a goal to be or accomplish something? Have you ever noticed that? This reality has caused millions to give up before they even start, or just as bad, to not set any goals at all.   But there’s good news. Rather than set a goal, why not make a decision?   Life coach and best-selling author Tony Robbins points out that “the minute you make a new decision, you set in motion a new cause, effect, direction, and destination for your life. You literally begin to change your life the moment you make a new decision.”   Whereas, on the other hand, New Year’s resolutions and goals have come to be associated with failure after the first month, week or even day after they have been made, a decision is a done deal when you have absolutely committed to achieving something. Once you’ve decided, truly decided, and are persistent and relentless in pursuing your decision, nothing can stand in your way.   So the question is, what do you want to do, achieve, learn, accomplish, experience or become in the New Year? In what areas do you want to grow?   Don’t be put off by this simple question. It doesn’t matter if you’re 12 or 102, we all have dreams and ideas of what we would like our ideal life to look like. The fact is, anything that is alive is either growing or dying.   As Wallace Wattles says in “The Science of Getting Rich”,   “Every living thing must continually seek for the enlargement of its life because life – in the mere act of living must increase itself.”     So with all of this in mind, let’s enter the first meditation of the new year with a passionate pursuit of growing to become the very best version of ourselves.   Mountain Sunrise...  

“The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the Universe, to match your nature with Nature.” ~ Joseph Campbell There’s no denying it. One of the best qualities about Nature is its ability to inspire. Think about it. Things don’t inspire Nature. People don’t inspire Nature. We can affect and impact Nature, but all inspiration comes from the Design and the Designer. Not the other way around. It is the Original. Why is this? Why are we so moved and potentially transformed by the natural world? What is it about Nature that is so stirring and uplifting…? When you find yourself in a wild and beautiful, natural place like the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Napali coast of Kauai, or maybe even a wildlife preserve or national forest closest to your neck of the woods, you cannot help but find your mind and spirit elevated several notches higher than usual. It’s like the lid has been taken off of your old self, and you are able to see the world and the entire Universe for what it truly is – a place that has been designed for us in which to enjoy and grow in, and reach our full potential - an endless incubator of creativity and expansion, advancement and personal improvement. If you find yourself drawn towards the healthy, inspiring, restorative benefits of God’s great creation, you’re not alone. Here’s a reminder of a few well-known people down through the ages who were inspired by Nature – Aristotle, Isaac Newton, Thomas Jefferson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, John Muir, Teddy Roosevelt, Einstein, Darwin, Monet, Ansel Adams, Jacque Cousteau, John Denver, and even more recently writers and celebrities like Cheryl Strayed, Mariel Hemmingway and Oprah Winfrey. Not only does Nature inspire people, but it has inspired inventions and architecture.   Some inventions inspired by Nature include – Velcro from burdock burrs with their hooks and catches Natural water filters through biological membranes Adhesives from gecko feet Highly efficient wind turbines simulating wake vortices produced by schools of swimming fish Bacteria-repelling surfaces for hospitals, bathrooms and restaurants from shark skin LED’s (light emitting diodes) from fireflies, and The Japanese high-speed bullet train gets it’s design inspiration from the highly aerodynamic kingfisher, just to name a few.   Architectural wonders that have been inspired by Nature include – The Beijing National Stadium – Nicknamed the “Bird’s Nest”, this inspiring structure will once again host the 2022 Winter Olympics. New Delhi’s dreamlike Lotus Temple with it’s 27 marble petals arranged in groups of three to form nine sides opening to heaven. The spiraling Helix Bridge in Singapore, inspired by the double-helix structure of a DNA molecule. The Tapei 101 – Modeled after a bamboo stalk, this 101 story Chinese structure with tinted green glass was the tallest building in the world when it first opened in 2004. The Sagrada Familia, an incredibly intricate Roman Catholic Church in Barcelona, which depicts the relationship between humanity, nature and religion.   If in your journey of personal development you find yourself in need of creative inspiration, rejuvenation and renewal, step outside. Get into the real world and find your center and inspiration once again. Author, Catholic priest, cultural historian and ecotheologian Thomas Berry reminds us, “Our species once had two sources of inspiration and meaning - religion and the Universe, the natural world. But we have turned away from nature. The great work of the 21st century will be to reconnect to the natural world as a source of meaning.”   So glad you're here!  Join us for today's show and be Inspired by Nature...

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” ~ Robert Swan Welcome to the Mountain… Here at Mountain Zen Den, as a community, we’re all about living a beautiful, fully-present, healthy, natural (Nature-based) Lifestyle - not only getting back to the Earth, but giving back to the Earth as well. Nature is the most generous and giving friend when fully appreciated and taken good care of. If you had your choice, would you rather live in a stagnant, man-made plastic world or a healthy, vibrant, clean and natural one?  Sort of a no-brainer, I know. Astonishingly, we humans have become weapons of mass destruction. Why do I bring this up right now?  Well, this Sunday, April 22nd is the 48th birthday of internationally celebrated Earth Day! This year’s Earth Day Theme is “End Plastic Pollution”. From the Earth Day 2018 website: Plastic pollution is poisoning our oceans and land, injuring marine life, and affecting our health! Help End Plastic Pollution by finding out how many plastic items you consume every year and make a PLEDGE to reduce the amount. Earth Day 2018 is dedicated to providing the information and inspiration needed to fundamentally change human attitude and behavior about plastics.”   Here’s a few statistics to blow your mind and bring you up to date: According to the American Museum of Natural History, since the first Earth Day in 1970, our population has doubled from 3.7 billion to nearly 8 billion people on the planet. We are emitting 2.4 times more CO2, causing temperatures to rise. Sea ice has melted 13.3% decline per decade causing sea levels to rise 10.8 cm higher worldwide. Sadly, wild animal populations have shrunk – Land animals by 38%, marine animals by 36%, and fresh water animals by an alarming 81%! Since 1970, over 170 animal species have been declared extinct. And we are currently losing over 15 billion trees each year.  That’s 56 acres of forest every minute! But there’s hope.  On the flip side, in many ways our world has also changed for the better. President Richard Nixon signed the clean air act in 1970.  Even as we’ve used 44% more energy, driven 184% more miles, and seen our economy grow 246%, key pollutants have decreased by a whopping 71%! New cars, buses and truck are 99% cleaner. And unleaded gasoline means over 90% less lead in children’s blood since 1970. In 1972, the U.S. banned the chemical insecticide DDT. Since then bald eagles have returned from the brink of extinction. In 1987, the world banned CFCs, (Chlorofluorocarbons used in aerosol sprays), which were depleting Earth’s ozone layer.  As a result, ozone-depleting emissions are now down 98%, and the ozone layer has stabilized and begun to recover, preventing an estimated 2 million skin cancers per year. And finally, in 2015, 197 countries agreed to dramatically reduce CO2 emissions, and the ozone layer is projected to return to 1980 levels by 2050 – 2070.  Each year more than 1 billion people participate in Earth Day activities. So what can we do?  You and I? First of all, as a committed and mindful “Citizen Naturalist”, that is, one who cares about Nature and preserving and protecting our planet, we can educate ourselves. Found in the show notes to episode is a link to the Earth Day website where you can sign up, make a pledge and participate in the Earth Day activities taking place in and around your community. As an individual, you can learn about and act to end plastic pollution, one of the most important environmental problems facing us today.  Plastics are not only destroying the beauty and aesthetics of our planet, but they are killing the wildlife as well.  This is due mainly to the fact that they are un-biodegradable by nature, creating challenges for properly discarding them. But disposing of plastic isn’t the only issue.  The production of plastic, which is a petroleum product, releases harmful gas emissions into the environment including carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, ozone, benzene and methane.  Sounds like the makings for a terrifying SyFy thriller on a world gone bad!  I’m telling you, the problem is huge! “But plastic makes our lives so convenient!” someone might say.  I’m glad you brought this up.  You are here today because you are a mindful, nature-loving person, who cares about little things like the natural world around us.  Rather than take the time in this show to explain what you can do as a concerned citizen of planet Earth, we’re just going to send you to the show notes for today’s show (found below), have you click on the link provided there for Earth Day 2018.  Or you can just go to www.earthday.org. Also, you can share this podcast with everyone you know… Yes, we’ve got work to do, but we also have something to celebrate today!  We are more aware than we were in the past, and awareness mixed with mindfulness leads to a better world for all of us.  Be the change you want to see happen! Until next time, Happy Earth Day to you! For more information visit Earth Day 2018

“We can never have enough of Nature.” ~ Henry David Thoreau Welcome to Day 21! If you've been following along, congratulations, you did it! For the past 3 weeks we have been on a journey of discovery; one of mindfulness, inner peace, personal growth, and health and well-being through time spent in and with Nature. This is only the beginning. The purpose of this 21-Day Challenge has been to encourage you to create a new habit of getting outside everyday, viewing the natural world through new eyes. You’ve learned to daily cultivate “Beginner’s Mind” for the purpose of renewing your outlook and restoring your soul. Hopefully it has helped open your eyes to some things you may not have noticed before and given you fresh perspective on life and the natural world around you -a world full of life and hope, inspiration and encouragement, beauty, and limitless possibilities! If you weren’t already, perhaps without realizing it, you are becoming a mindful "Citizen Naturalist". I kind of like that term. It means that you love nature, care about the planet, and are actively looking for opportunities to take personal action to protect and participate in nature. You tend to do things like join organizations like the World Wildlife Federation, the Sierra Club or the Rocky Mountain Conservancy. Whenever possible you walk or bike rather than taking the car. You recycle, have bird-feeders in your yard and may even participate in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Basically, you’re a passionate fanatic about Nature! Great! Me too! So other than that, what does a day in the life of a Mindful "Citizen Naturalist" look like? If you’ve been following the challenge on a daily basis, you pretty much already know! Here is a general outline of what that life may look like. (Yours may differ a bit, but the principles remain the same). Wake up with intention. Shower and get dressed and ready for the day with gratitude and mindfulness. Spend 5 to 20 minutes meditating. (Morning and evening) Prepare your coffee, tea, breakfast and lunch with Beginner’s Mind, fully-present and enjoying each moment. Enjoy at least twenty minutes outside walking, running and living in the moment, noticing, observing, appreciating and sharing the experience with others. Work, study and play with gratitude and mindfulness. Take mini-breaks during your work time to get up and move around, do a 5-minute meditation, think of something you are grateful for, and regularly ask yourself, “Am I present in this moment?” Spend time with family and friends truly listening and being fully present and in the moment. (This means all screens, including the TV, should go “Bye-bye” for at least a significant portion of this golden time together.) Read, listen to or watch something inspiring to educate yourself and grow your soul. Before falling asleep, reflect on the day, asking, “What went well?” “What blessings and even challenges am I most grateful for?” “What can I improve on tomorrow?”, and finally, always be making plans for your next big Nature Adventure/Outing - Hiking, camping, exploring, fishing, hunting, birding, cycling, swimming, trail-running, etc…?” Thank God for the gift and opportunity to live such an amazing life! Sleep at least 7 to 8 hours knowing that tomorrow brings another day filled with wonderful opportunities to connect with Nature and enjoy the life you've been blessed with… What a world we get to live this life in! Planet Earth = Planet Wow! ~ providing everything you need to live a happy, healthy, successful, joy-filled life… One more thing. You are committed to spending more time outside, and this is fantastic, but there is also a place for bringing the outside inside. For the full Nature effect, it’s good to surround yourself with signs and symbols and reminders of Nature, and things that lift your spirit in your home and work settings as much as possible. Creating your own Nature Zen Den ~ a place where you can go for meditation, stillness, thoughtful reflection, inner healing and exercise or yoga. If possible, find a place in your home and/or workspace where you can get a little privacy and create a sanctuary of beauty and tranquil simplicity. It should be a place where you can’t wait to go to read and relax, meditate, and just breathe and be… Set it up so that it brings you a sense of peace, filled with natural things like plants, flowers, stones, pine cones, nature-scented candles, and even a water fountain. It should have plenty of natural light and, again if possible, the ability to open the windows or doors as much to let in fresh air and even birdsong if you are fortunate enough to host wildlife in your yard or neighborhood. You may also want to include a Bluetooth device or stereo system so you can play nature sounds or your favorite meditation music. One of my all-time favorite living things to include in my nature zen den is bonsai trees! These living works of art provide so much joy and pleasure and help you stay present because they are generally sensitive and respond to TLC and daily light watering, trimming etc. You can check out our website for resources and more ideas on setting up your own Nature meditation space at Mountain Zen Den's Shop page. Between getting outside on a daily basis, and having this indoor retreat center in your home and place of work where you can go for meditation and relaxation, your life will be set up for amazing success in dealing with stress and challenges, and just being overall healthier physically, mentally and emotionally. That’s it! Get outside again today for the sheer joy of it! But don’t stop there!I encourage you to keep on keeping on because there’s a whole Universe out there awaiting you with open arms, filled with wonders and beauty and blessings galore! Meet you on the trail! Checklist for Day 21 ☐ MEDITATION: Day 21 – “A Day in the Life of a Mindful ‘Citizen Naturalist’” (Listen on iTunes or here at Mountain Zen Den.) ☐ NATURE WALK: Enjoy 20 minutes in Nature today as a mindful Citizen Naturalist. ☐ JOURNAL: What did you discover as a result of taking the 21-Day Nature Challenge? How will you continue the habit of spending mindful time in Nature for inner peace and personal growth? ☐ Email us at Mountain Zen Den and share your experience for a chance to win a free Mountain Zen Den T-shirt! What did you like best about the program? What could we do differently to improve it for future 21-Day Nature Challenges? Thanks again! Brett & Melissa