Mountain Zen Den Podcast

"You must learn a new way to think before you can master a new way to be." ~ Marianne Williamson

"Perhaps the Earth can teach us, as when everything seems dead and later proves to be alive." ~ Pablo Neruda

Do you ever feel stuck? Like a rodent caught in the rat race or the proverbial hamster wheel?

We all get stuck from time to time and need a little shaking up to get out of the rut. We sometimes need a blast of fresh wind to clear the leaves and debris out of our yard, and to cleanse the impurities and stagnant air out of the atmosphere of our minds, so to speak.

For today's show, we offer a short list of things you might try to help yourself get unstuck and move and grow more intentionally.

Ever find yourself feeling stressed and anxious and not even really knowing why?

You know that feeling that your mind is racing back and forth just trying to find something to worry about? I know there are plenty of things, real problems and issues that cause stress, but at the same time, there is this constant hum or buzz of anxiety that just continues like static in the background of our minds, no matter how good or bad things are going currently in our lives.

As a form of self-preservation, the human mind is conditioned to remain alert and look for dangers and problems. This is how we survived since time began. But in today's world, other than crossing traffic or watching out for the other driver, there are way less life-threatening situations to cause a hyper-state of constant alertness and adrenaline release. Yet, we very seldom give ourselves a break. So many of us are dragging ourselves around in an exhausted stressed-out state of anxiety, worry and even panic - most of it totally uncalled for.

The good news is, there is a cure and it is free, (or at least very affordable), easy to find, and just outside your front door. Or maybe even inside if you've created your own nature zen den or meditation room in a home setting filled with plants and water fountains and relaxing colors and aromas and such.

Research has shown, and continues to teach us that Nature helps relieve our stress and lower our cortisol levels in very tangible ways. v When truly present in the natural world we can learn to separate our real problems from the static – that background hum of noise we were talking about. What is really important tends to rise to the top and everything else just floats away.

Today we visit the river and release all our stress and anxiety, allowing them to wash downstream. Join us for a few moments of "Ahhh..."!

"Mindfulness isn't difficult, we just need to remember to do it. ~ Sharon Salzberg

Every sunrise is an opportunity to show up for your own life. Every sunset does the same. All the moments in between these two events are opportunities to just open up and enjoy the wonders of the world, and this miracle we call life. If we don't respond by showing up mentally and emotionally, it's like watching a beautiful and sometimes scary and riveting movie, filled with action-packed scenes as well as tender and inspiring moments, and then either falling asleep, or being bored to death.

Life is short. That's why it is so important to practice presence throughout the day in little chunks of time - "Mindfulness Minutes".

A great time to practice a mindfulness minute is during the transition points in your day. When you wake up, when you are eating breakfast, when you get in the car, just stop for one moment as you put the keys in the ignition and be present. When you sit down at your desk, when you break for lunch…you get the idea. And of course just before you close your eyes to sleep.

When you are alert to the moment and the world around you, in an open and receptive way, most of the time, life takes on a friendlier, more hopeful and meaningful outlook. Even in our suffering we find things that we can be grateful for, and the practice of presence helps add meaning to our situation.

Join us today for a lesson in the practice of the Mindfulness Minute!

There is something so wholesome and alluring about seeking the simplicity found in Nature, and escaping the craziness and cacophony of the man-made, synthetic world.

Simplicity comes in many forms, but every one of these forms involves one thing – "Presence".

When there is worry and clutter and unresolved details in your inner and outer world, it's easy to begin to lose a sense of presence, and be tempted to either, fall back into the past, filled with a sense of guilt, loss and regret. Or, we tend to jump ahead into the future, surrounded by fear, anxiety and wistfulness –a longing for what is not yet here. Both directions steal your joy by taking you away from the moment, and placing you where you can never be.

When Thoreau went to the woods to live simply, he confirmed the truth that every one of us have all that we need to live and to be happy in what has been provided by the Creator of the Universe.

By returning to nature and the wild, his heart's desire was to return to simplicity and true happiness. So why would we ever look elsewhere? Even back then in the mid-1800's he observed the mass of men "leading lives of quiet desperation". Way before the internet!

Technology isn't the problem. We are the problem. We lose our minds – become "unmindful" as we clutter, and try to fill our lives with a host of things we do not really want or need.

Let today be a wake up call to take some time to do a personal life assessment and decide to unburden yourself of all that is unnecessary for your happiness.

Welcome to today's show!

"Where focus goes, energy flows." ~ Tony Robbins

Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed, overloaded with more than you can possibly handle or accomplish, and weighted down by a lack of motivation or energy to get it all done?

Are you struggling with falling asleep at night and waking up in the morning?

Do you wish you had more energy, just to enjoy life and be there, fully present for your family and friends and loved ones?

We're all aware that Nature provides us with the resources we need to generate energy for running our homes and places of work, our automobiles, machines and technology. We rely on things like – Coal, Wood, Petroleum, Wind, Solar, Water for heating and sources of power.

But how often do we think of turning to Nature for energy and renewal in our personal lives?

The good news is that Nature has an answer for every one of our energy problems and for giving us the get-up-and-go we crave and need in our lives.

Join us for today's show to find out how!

Do you ever feel like you're caught on a merry-go-round, seeing the same old places, taking the same route to school or work, eating the same food, watching the same shows, thinking the same thoughts…rarely finding the element of joy or surprise in your life?

There's a saying that true happiness is when you can be on a detour and enjoy the scenery.

In a world that is constantly accelerating faster and faster, we need to heed the call to learn of the Art of Slowing Down, and find the goodness and benefits that Nature has, just waiting for us to discover, partake in and enjoy.

When was the last time you took the long way home? Stopped and watched a butterfly? Listened to the rain patter on the tree leaves or windows? Paid attention the the way the wind felt blowing through your hair?

We need a wake up call to get back off-track and into the wild again, where we belong.

Join us for today's show as we get lost in the beauty of Nature, and in doing so, find our way back home...

From time out of mind, we as human beings were a part of the natural world, living off the land, connecting with nature on a day-to-day basis, sometimes fighting against it for survival, but always depending on it for sustenance. Without it we wouldn't have been able to survive.

And neither can we now. We just don't realize it. That's because we have fallen asleep.

Over the past few hundred years or so, as the Industrial Revolution rolled in, we slowly migrated farther and farther away from our beloved Mother Earth, and began relying more and more on technology for making a living and making a life.

We lost the art of reading the land, listening to the rhythms of nature and basking in the beauty and benefits of the natural world.

We forfeited the native wisdom that comes from being an indigenous people, and have begun relying solely on technology instead of terra firma. Falling asleep to the hum of radios, ringtones, and robots, we've cast away the beautiful whir of the wild and our true inner being.

As a result, we've become numb and dull to the moment. We are easily distracted and find it hard to stay focused for any given length of time. We check our phones and Facebook and emails like a hunter checks his traps, waiting for the next big catch.

The end result? In a word, we have become mindless.

Join us for today's show to learn more...

Meditation has hit the mainstream big time as a primary way to deal with all the pressures, stress and anxiety that comes with life. It is also a great tool for achieving and enhancing relaxation, focus and even productivity. It helps optimize the brain and gives it a state of restful alertness.

But I believe the best thing about meditation is it's ability to help us be present and in the moment.

How often have you gone through your day and at the end of it can barely recall what you did, who you were with or what happened that day?

Life goes by so fast and before you know it, if you aren't paying attention to all the moments that make up life you've missed it!

I'm reminded of Kenny Chesney's song "Don't Blink", where he says, "Don't blink, just like that you're six years old and you take a nap, and you wake up and you're twenty five…trust me friend, a hundred years goes faster than you think, so don't blink…"

We've all been given the same 24 hours a day, but the practice of presence not only helps us be more productive in those 24 hours, but actually enjoy, remember, and frame them as meaningful moments.

A great way to be present is to simply ask yourself, "Am I present?" The moment you do you become present. Try it and see if it's not true. It's a great little habit to get into!

Welcome to Walden Wednesday! Come on in...

There have been so many recent findings and much scientific research on the topic of nature and our overall health and well-being. Scientists are studying everything from how noise levels in our workplace and communities affect us, to what colors are the most effective psychologically for calming our spirits, and creating a sense of wellness in our lives.

There have also been studies on the benefits of forest bathing – how trees affect our health, lower our blood pressure and cortisol levels, and help reduce stress.

So we shouldn't be surprised by the findings that Nature is definitely good for our health, emotions and mental state, and that it can now be backed up by scientific evidence. But what is really intriguing, is the new research that is proving that exposure to the living world, and being in the outdoors can actually make us smarter. It's been proven that we have greater mental acuity after taking a Nature walk.

Probably the best reason you can give for why Nature can make us smart is because Nature IS smart!

Let's face it. Nature knows what it is doing. It has been programmed for sustainability and success. This is good news because it reminds us that a sustainable world already exists.

Throughout the ages wise men and women, great thinkers, writers, philosophers, musicians and artist have tapped into Nature for wisdom and creativity.

Listen to today's show to find out more...

There is a place you can always go deep inside your heart and mind. A beautiful place you are cultivating deep within your being. And the more time you spend there putting in good thoughts and gratitude and images of nature and health and well-being, the more beautiful and helpful this inner retreat center becomes. Like a beautiful, tranquil garden that is daily tended with love and purpose, you will find that in your times of stress and difficulty you will have a beautiful place to retreat to.

There is nothing more important that you can be doing than taking care of yourself. If you are not in a good place yourself, then neither you can you be helpful or there for anybody else – not your children, your spouse, your friends and neighbors, coworkers, church or community – you are helpless until you get yourself grounded and healthy.

Just like the oxygen mask they tell you to put on yourself first in case of emergency when flying, you have got to take some time each day to put on your mindfulness oxygen mask and breathe deeply the pure, sweet life-giving air of stillness and simplicity. This is how we cultivate a life of true meaning and purpose. A life that is healthy and able to give immensely to others out of abundance and not lack or need.

With this in mind, we are going to take a little hike today to a high mountain lake. So put on your most comfortable hiking shoes and clothes, maybe your favorite flannel shirt, your camel pack with snacks and water and your favorite walking stick.

Glad you're here!