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Ep 136 Horses and Eating Disorders with Lisa Whalen

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Ep 135 Wild Embrace

Welcome to the Mountain!

The end of winter and the onset of summer has brought a beautiful lush, green world to us here on the eastern slope of the Colorado Rockies.  With more rain than usual, followed by cool mornings and incredible sunny days in between, Nature has given the gift of Paradise for us to embrace, explore and enjoy! 

I recently had the privilege of narrating and producing an audiobook for my friend Erik Stensland, a well-known and loved, highly respected nature photographer and author, who owns a gallery here in Estes Park, Colorado, as well as one in Abiquiu, New Mexico, north of Santa Fe.

He has spent the last twenty plus years celebrating the beauty of the natural world through his photography and books, encouraging all of us to listen to the whisper within that calls us to a deeper life.  A gentle soul, and deep spiritual thinker, Erik has written several books, including "Whispers in the Wilderness".  As a nature-lover and mountain addict, it’s one of my all-time favorite books.  

In it, he explores the longing we have for the wilderness, suggesting that it is the trailhead for a journey to wholeness.  Erik does a superb job of offering short, daily reflections on the natural world paired with his gorgeous photos from Rocky Mountain National Park, where he encourages us to go deeper within ourselves and discover the healing that nature offers.

Today, I’d like to share the first chapter called “Wild Embrace” from his audiobook of “Whispers in the Wilderness”.  I invite you to find a comfortable setting where you can relax and close your eyes and absorb the sounds of nature, peaceful music and Erik’s words of wisdom and comfort.

Chapter 1 – “Wild Embrace”

“Between every two pine trees there is a door leading to a new way of life.” 

~ John Muir

I invite you to go and find the door and the new life to which it leads you.

I want to thank Erik for being such a humble and observant vessel, both in his words and nature photography, and especially for allowing us to offer it to you here today.  If you enjoyed today’s show, and the message you heard, you can find out more about Erik and his incredibly inspiring books and photography at RockyTrailPress.com.  Also, if you are ever in Estes Park, you will definitely want to visit his gallery there — Images of Rocky Mountain National Park.  It is featured as one of the top things to do in Estes Park by Trip Advisor and others.  Who knows, we may see you there!

Be well my friends.  Remember, Life is a gift.  Nature’s a gift.  And YOU are a gift back to the world.  We’ll see you back here again soon!

SHOW NOTES:

RockyTrailPress.com

ImagesofRMNP.com

Erikstensland.com

“Whispers in the Wilderness”

"Whispers in the Wilderness" Book Trailer on SkyDance Mountain Audiobooks

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Ep 134 Awaken to Mindfulness in Nature

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Ep 133 Nature Immersion Through Art Therapy with Sherri Phibbs

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Ep 132 The Big Quiet with Lisa Stewart

Can you hear "The Call" to a Great Adventure in your life? Something you know you were meant to do?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in a setting where it was just you and Nature for an extended period of time?

Imagine yourself as a woman, alone on a horse, 500 miles from home…

At age 54, Lisa Stewart did just that.  She set out to regain the fearless girl she once had been, riding her horse, Chief, 500 miles home.  Hot, homeless, and horseback, she snapped back into every original cell.

On an extraordinary homegoing from Kansas City to Bates and Vernon Counties in Missouri, Lisa exhausted herself, faced her past, trusted strangers, and stayed in the middle of her frightened horse to document modern rural America, the people, animals, and land. The result was a compelling and uplifting memoir, The Big Quiet—One Woman’s Horseback Ride Home.

Today we visit with Lisa Stewart, author, adventurer, horsewoman, as she shares some of the details of her journey, and experiences of connecting with the Creator through Nature.

You are in for a special adventure today!

Come on in…

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Ep 131 Calm and Bright

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Ep 130 - Mirrors in the Earth with Asia Suler

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Ep 129 Happy Thanksgiving!

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Ep 128 - The Forest of Faith with Chris Highland

What does it mean to be a “Freethinker”?

Today, we meet with one who calls himself  “The Friendly Freethinker” — Chris Highland.

A skilled presenter, Chris Highland has given public presentations, taught classes and led retreats for congregations, business groups, high schools, universities, social service workers and youth leaders.  He has taught in Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Pagan, Unitarian, secular and other settings.  His educational style is engaging and inspiring, drawing students or audiences into an active participation in the subject.

He is a deep and thoughtful Nature-lover and author of two dozen plus books inspired by writers like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and naturalist John Muir.

In this episode Chris shares the concept of the “Forest of Faith” and “The Landscape of Belief” inspired by the Wild World of Nature all around us.  He also discusses the importance of being present with animals and people alike, and encourages us to truly listen, not just with our ears but with our hearts.

Finally, I believe you will love how Chris beautifully reminds us through the writings of Emerson, Muir and Thoreau, that because we are Nature, no one can ever be completely disconnected from Nature.

 C’mon in…

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Ep 127 - Living an Awakened Life on Planet Earth with Peter Mayer

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Ep 126 Finding Your Purpose

Welcome to the Mountain!

Hey Friends, Brett Wilson here – your host and Trail Guide at Mountain Zen Den, encouraging you to connect with Nature for mindfulness and personal growth – naturally!  Come on in…

How are you?  I am so excited to be back with you after an extended hiatus, where we have taken some time to get away, plan, and restructure things at the Den.

There is so much to tell you, and I cannot wait to share with you all the incredible human beings and resources we have been meeting and curating just for your well-being and personal development.

We are starting a new season here at Mountain Zen Den.  Can you believe it?  Season 6!  Over the past few months I have had the opportunity to face some personal challenges, (aka personal growth opportunities — as do we all), doing some deep thinking, strategizing, re-purposing, and making new friends with some truly wonderful and inspiring people.  We’ll be introducing them to you in the next several episodes — musicians, writers, documentary wildlife filmmakers, deep thinkers and spiritual healers — all beautiful souls who are deeply in touch with the natural world.  Stay connected… you are in for a real treat!

The challenges, struggles and processes over the past few months have helped me realize more than ever how very short life is, as Michael Singer, author of Living Untethered points out – and I quote,

“Sitting on a planet through vast outer space for a handful of years — in the broadest sense, this is the human predicament.  Earth has been here for 4.5 billion years, yet each of us is limited to roughly an eighty-year ride on the planet, give or take a few years.”

Well, I have committed to using what’s left of my eighty or so years to not only Grow to become to become the very BEST version of myself, my inner Daimon, to use the Greek word for it, but to take a whole bunch of like-minded folks along for the ride — in fact, on a Joy-ride, a Hero’s Journey through Nature.  So if this sounds like you, and you haven’t already, I invite you to join the Mountain Zen Den Community by subscribing at mountainzenden.com.  You’ll get updates and information, and a whole mountainful of resources in our Blog Cabin newsletter.

There is so much goodness and positive things happening out there that we’d like to share with you to help you in your journey for Personal Growth and well-being.  I’ll just mention a couple of them today, and you can learn more and find the links to them on our resources page at MountainZenDen.com/Resources.

Finally, I’m excited to share some personal news.  Over the past couple of years I have been writing a book based on some of the nature-based life lessons learned, insights and personal observations I have made relating to Nature and Personal Growth.  The working title is,

Grow You  — Cultivating Your Garden of Well-Being (Transform Your Inner World, Become Your Best Self and Enjoy Life to the Fullest).  It presents Practical nature-based guidance and meditations for becoming the best version of yourself through Personal Transformation — featuring stories, practical ideas taught by experts, and daily meditations you can use on your journey of well-being. 

Super excited.  So stay tuned!

Now, on to today’s show.  In the past, I have often found myself feeling like I am just barely able to keep up with the seasons; always rushing from one holiday or event to another, never feeling prepared or truly able to live in the moment and enjoy it.  So today, I thought we could get a jump on New Year’s goals by getting a running start in November — before the holiday season begins, before all of the running around, shopping, parties, and bad-for-you junk food binging, before setting traditional New Years’ goals on New Years’ Eve, or the beginning of the new year…

Can you imagine what a huge advantage you will give yourself by getting a headstart on next year by starting several weeks earlier?

So hopefully we can make some forward thinking plans and resolutions that will be well in place by the time New Year’s rolls around, and avoid having to undo some of the damage that has been done over the holidays, making it harder to get a running start on the new year.  New Years’ goals are great, but new days’ goals, lived day by day, lead to a life of excellence.  And isn’t that why we are here?  I hope so!

Today, let’s take some time to explore the concept of “Finding your Purpose” (with a capital “P”).  After all, if you don’t know your purpose, how do you know how to make new years’ goals and plans?

So what do we mean when we say “Purpose with a capital ‘P’?

Your Purpose should be your highest goal in life.  Different from your Mission, which evolves and morphs at varying stages of life, your number one Purpose is to nourish your soul.  As Abraham Maslow points out in the hierarchy of needs, “What one can be, one must be.”

Now if this sounds selfish, or narcissistic, we need to remember the oxygen mask on the airplane example.  If you don’t first take care of yourself, and aren’t healthy in every area of your life, how can you help or be of any service to those around you?

We all have the same purpose, and as I mentioned, that is to nourish our soul; to discover our unique calling and gifts.  To grow to become the best version of ourselves, actualize our potential and then turn around and help others.  When we find our Purpose and discover our Mission, and are on the path to being all that we can be, (as Maslow reminds us), we naturally give of ourselves, our greatest gift, in service to the world. 

So once we discover our Purpose, how do we continue giving our greatest gifts in greatest service to the world?

I love the way Brian Johnson, creator of Optimize, and Founder and CEO of Heroic puts it:  He says, we do it by closing the “Gap” between who we are and who we can potentially become by living with Arete.  That is A-R-E-T-E, Arete - the Latin word the ancient Stoics used that can best be described as “Virtue” or “Moral Excellence”.  When we live to our fullest potential from moment to moment to moment, we are living with Arete, thus fulfilling our Purpose in life.  I’ve found that the most practical way of doing this and to stay on track is to, all throughout the day ask myself, “What would the best version of myself be doing right now?”  And then, most importantly, do it!  Easier said than done.

So what is the difference between our Purpose and our Mission?

Your Mission is your unique purpose.  What is it that you, and only you can do?

It’s important to understand that we have many missions in life, depending upon where you are and what stage of life you are in.  For example, if you have children, only you can be a Dad or Mom to your kids.  Your Mission, or “Calling” if you will is to be an extraordinary father and husband, or mother and wife, and a present member of your family.  Something I wish I understood better when my kids were younger…

Nature in the wild, and on the farm gives lots of great illustrations of what this looks like – Cows give milk, chickens lay eggs, horses pull plows and give rides, and bees pollinate flowers.  Each of them offers a different product, or service to the planet that only they can fulfill.  And it’s the same with people as well.  Only, even more individualized.

So how do we find our unique purpose?

Your unique purpose comes at the intersection of four areas or circles in your life.

1. What is it you love to do?
2. What is it that you are good at?
3. What is it that you and only you can do best?
4. What does the world need?

At the point where these four circles converge is where your unique purpose shows up.

Now for some people, it takes nearly a lifetime to discover their unique Purpose.  Sadly, for a great portion of the world.  They never discover their unique Purpose.  And for a very lucky few, they find it very early in life.  But no matter.  It’s not a race.  It is a Journey.  A Hero’s journey, if you will.  It is your unique Journey that you are called to, if you are still enough to hear, and wise enough to follow.

We will talk about this a lot more in episodes to come, but for today, let’s just take a little time in our meditation, to ruminate and chew on those four questions.

1. What is it you love to do?
2. What is it that you are good at?
3. What is it that you and only you can do best?
4. What does the world need?

As we seek our Purpose and unique Mission in life, if we are on the path of True Love and service, every step we take will be a step in the right direction.  Trust the process.  Trust the calling…

SHOW NOTES/LINKS

Heroic + Optimize with Brian Johnson

Living Untethered by Michael

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Ep 125 On the ANT (Autism Nature Trail) with Gail Serventi

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Ep 124 Cultivating Self Mastery

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Ep 123 Spring

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Ep 122 The Adventures of a Rocky Mountain Tour Guide

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Ep 121 Finding James Herriot

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Ep 120 Cultivating Playfulness

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Ep 119 Why We Love the Mountains

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Ep 118 The Beaver and His Work

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Ep 117 Cultivating Humility

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Ep 116 Listening to Your Inner Guide

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Ep 115 Story of a Thousand Year Old Pine

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Ep 114 The Mindfulness Journey

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Ep 113 Cultivating Patience

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Episode 112 - The Joy of Journaling

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Ep 111 Colorado Snow Observer (Part 2)

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Ep 110 Meditation Made Simple

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Ep 109 Cultivating Compassion

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Ep 108 Why Mindfulness? Why Nature?

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Ep 107 Colorado Snow Observer

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Ep 106 Human Hibernation

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Ep 105 Cultivating Courage

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Ep 104 Stay the Course

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Ep 103 Cultivating Transcendence

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Ep 102 Getting Your Nature Fix on Ridiculously Cold Winter Days

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Ep 101 Happy Bird Day!

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MZD - Ep 100 Ten Things You Can Do to Improve Your Life Right Now

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MZD - Ep 99 Cultivating Wisdom

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MZD - Ep 98 The First Principle in the Science of Getting Rich

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MZD - Ep 97 Perpetual Morning

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MZD - Ep 96 Cultivating Abunda

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MZD - Ep 95 The Meeting of 2 Eternities

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MZD - Ep 94 Cultivating Health

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MZD - Ep 93 What Do You Really

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MZD - Ep 92 The Drift

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MZD - Ep 91 Cultivating Wonder

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.

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MZD - Ep 90 Cultivating Beauty

“…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.

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MZD - Ep 89 Cultivating Tranquility

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". 

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MZD - Ep 88 Cultivating Joy

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…

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MZD - Ep 87 Cultivating Simplicity

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.

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MZD - Ep 86 Cultivating Love

“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. 

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MZD - Ep 85 Cultivating Faith

“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.

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MZD - Ep 84 Cultivating Hope

“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…

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MZD - Ep 83 Cultivating Gratitude

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.

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MZD - Ep 82 Cultivating Presence

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MZD - Ep 81 Plant Something

"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.

1. to prepare and work on (land) in order to raise crops; till.

2. to promote or improve the growth of (a plant, crop, etc.) by labor or attention.

3. to develop or improve by education or training; train; refine: to cultivate a singing voice.

4. to promote the growth or development of (an art, science, etc.); foster.

5. 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!

Listed in: Health

MZD - Ep 80 Meditating For Energy

"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!

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MZD - Ep 79 - How To Meditate

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MZD - Ep 78 Showing Up

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MZD - Ep 77 The 3 Soul Questions

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MZD - Ep 76 Quantum Creating

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MZD - Ep 75 Getting Your Nature Fix on a Cold Winter's Day

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MZD - Ep 74 New Years Decisions Vs. New Years Goals

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MZD - Ep 73 Inspired By Nature

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MZD - Ep 72 Happy Earth Day To You!

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MZD - Ep 71 A Day in the Life of a Mindful "Citizen Naturalist"

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MZD - Ep 70 Energy & Abundance

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MZD - Ep 69 Tranquility

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MZD - Ep 68 Joy!

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MZD - Ep 67 Simplicity

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MZD - Ep 66 Living Love

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MZD - Ep 65 Walking for Your Life!

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MZD - Ep 64 Growing Your Nature Knowledge

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MZD - Ep 63 Finding Beauty in Everything

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MZD - Ep 62 Signs of Life

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MZD - Ep 61 Just Breathe

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MZD - Ep 60 Creating A Matterday

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MZD - Ep 59 Practicing the Art of Slowing Down

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MZD - Ep 58 Doing A Nature Count

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MZD - Ep 57 Knowing (Intuition)

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MZD - Ep 56 Putting It All Together (Full Awareness)

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MZD - Ep 55 Taste & See

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MZD - Ep 54 Touch

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MZD - Ep 53 Wake Up & Smell the World

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MZD - Ep 52 Listening

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MZD - Ep 51 Beginner's Eyes

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MZD - Ep 50 Get Outside ~ Now!

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MZD - Ep 49 - Self-Development Through Nature

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MZD - Ep 48 Accomplishing More By Doing Less

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MZD - Ep 47 Getting Unstuck

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MZD - Ep 46 Releasing Stress

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MZD - Ep 45 The Mindfulness Minute

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MZD - Ep 44 Seeking Simplicity

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MZD - Ep 43 Tapping Into Nature for Personal Energy

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MZD - Episode 42 Finding Your Way By Getting Lost

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MZD - Episode 41 A Nature Awakening

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MZD - Episode 40 Practicing Presence

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MZD - Ep 39 Can Nature Make Us Smarter?

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MZD - Ep 38 High Mountain Lake Meditation

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MZD - Episode 37 Winter Animals (Part 4)

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MZD - Episode 36 Connecting With Animals (Part 2)

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MZD - Episode 35 Connecting With Animals (Part 1)

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MZD - Ep 34 Tree-Mend-Us Trees!

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MZD - Ep 33 Struggling With Stillness

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MZD - Episode 32 Winter Animals (Part 3)

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MZD - Ep 31 Creating Your Own Nature Zen Den

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MZD - Ep 30 Trusting the Process

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MZD - Ep 29 Starting a Nature Journal

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MZD - Ep 28 Winter Animals (Part 2)

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MZD - Ep 27 The Gift of Mindfulness

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MZD - Ep 26 Taking A Multi-Sensory Nature Walk

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MZD - Ep 25 Winter Animals (Part 1)

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MZD - Ep 24 Skywatching 101

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MZD - Ep 23 Schtuff Happens

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MZD - Ep 22 Practicing Just Being

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MZD - Ep 21 Happy New You!

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MZD - Ep 20 Hibernation

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MZD - Ep 19 Listen

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MZD - Ep 18 Beginner's Mind

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MZD - Ep 17 Nature On Demand

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MZD - Ep 16 Special Christmas Edition of Mountain Zen Den

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MZD - Ep 15 The Beauty of Silence

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MZD - Ep 14 Snow!

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MZD - Ep 13 - Conquer Yourself

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MZD - Ep 12 The Power of Intention

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MZD - Ep 11 Reinventing Yourself Every Day

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MZD - Ep 10 A Rocky Mountain Christmas

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MZD - Ep 9 The Joy of Now

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MZD - Ep 8 Finding Your Ahhh...

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MZD - Ep 7 The Mountains Are Calling

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MZD -Ep 6 The Art of Slowing Down

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MZD - Ep 5 The Power of Persistence

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MZD - Ep 4 Finding Your Focus

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MZD - Ep 3 Be the Mountain

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MZD - Ep. 2 Developing a Nature Awareness

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MZD - Ep 1 Welcome!

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