Mountain Zen Den Podcast

Welcome to the Mountain, and another Fireside Friday here at MZD where we meet with guests and share heart-to-heart the joys and benefits of the natural world for mindfulness and personal transformation, naturally!

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…

Minnesota singer/songwriter Peter Mayer writes songs for a small planet--songs about interconnectedness and the human journey--songs about life on earth and the mysterious and wondrous fact of our existence. He also writes songs about dress hats, pumpkins and pajamas, and other important stuff.

But I love the fact that he writes insanely beautiful songs about spiritual awakening, oneness with the world, and deep connection with Nature.

His music has been performed by artists like Kathy Mattea, David Wilcox, and Darryl Purpose, to name a few. His work has been included in songbooks, church hymnals, and folk radio playlists across the country, and he is the recipient of fellowships from the McKnight and the Bush foundations. He has eleven plus albums to his credit, and to date, has sold over 100,000 of them.

Today, I am so excited to be sharing a conversation Peter and I had recently, discussing Nature, Spirituality, and everything in between. His Nature-inspired imagery, music, and the stories he tells, so resonate with my heart, and reflect what Mountain Zen Den is all about. You are in for a very special treat, and I don't want to make you wait a moment longer, so lets just jump right in, C'mon!

SHOW NOTES/LINKS:

Peter Mayer - https://www.petermayer.net/

Peter's New Releases on Bandcamp - https://petermayer2.bandcamp.com/

Ursula Goodenough – Religious Naturalism - https://religiousnaturalism.org/ursula-goodenough/

Rev. Marc Anderson – Buddhist Chaplain at the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life

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

Here at MZD we talk all the time about the beautiful healing powers of Nature and the importance of connecting with Nature for mindfulness and personal growth…

Well today we're going to take you on a beautiful Nature trail in Letchworth State park about an hour south of Rochester, New York. Shaped like an ant from a bird's eye view, this trail offers a first-of-its-kind experience in nature designed for visitors on the autism spectrum – but appropriate and enjoyable for all abilities and ages. It is designed to encourage inclusivity and skill-building, combat isolation, and provide a connection to the natural world in a deep nature setting that is welcoming to all.

We had a delightful conversation with Gail Serventi, who along with co-founders Susan Hernstein and Loren Penman tirelessly nurtured the ANT to life as it' three "aunties" and champions in planning, fundraising and seeing it through to completion.

What makes this trail so unique is that it was specifically designed with those on the Autism Spectrum (ASD) in mind. It is no secret that Nature has been clinically proven to have a powerful effect on the mind, body and spirit, and the ANT has taken full advantage of her natural and holistic benefits.

A little more information about autism, and how this trail benefits not only those on the spectrum, but the neurotypical as well. It is fascinating stuff, bringing hope and practical application to a world of beautiful human beings who are struggling to be heard and understood.

Perhaps the first introduction to autism many of us had was through the movie "Rainman" starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise, where Cruise, who plays a wheeler-dealer, meets his older brother, played by Hoffman, who is an autistic-savant living his life in a mental institution. What follows is a heart-warming story where two very different worlds collide on a cross-country trip that will change their lives forever. It is said that this breakthrough Hollywood film established a new standard for the realistic representation of autism.

It is important to understand that not all individuals on the spectrum are savants who demonstrate extraordinary abilities with math and memory. But classic autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by challenges with social communication, and by restricted and repetitive behaviors. Disrupted routines and things such as loud noises, certain foods and even textures can rapidly bring about aggression, agitation and an intense meltdown to those with autism. The good news is, Nature has been shown to have a beautiful, calming affect on these individuals. Thus, the significance and beauty of the ANT, (Autism Nature Trail).

So now with that in mind, on to today's show. Just a heads up… As you probably know, sometimes in the world of podcasting, (as with life in general), "schtuff" happens, and we lost the first minute or so of our introduction with Gail Serventi, so we'll just dive right in to how the Autism Nature Trail got started.

Come on in…

"He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still."

~ Lao Tzu

The ancient philosopher, teacher and Stoic, Epictetus said, "Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not."

It takes wisdom and the habit of thoughtful effort to discern the difference. The things that are within our control are simple and few, but powerful!

1. Our own opinions and behaviors (basically, our responses to outside events and stimuli)
2. Our aspirations and desires
3. The things that repel us

He goes on to say, "It is only after you have faced up to this fundamental rule and learned to distinguish between what you can and can't control that inner tranquility, and outer effectiveness become possible."

We are all likely, familiar with the AA Serenity Prayer – "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

Serenity, courage and wisdom; three powerful and effective self-mastery tools we can all learn to use to sharpen and apply to every area of our lives. If you a were person who could practice living this prayer from moment to moment to moment, you would be an extraordinarily wise and happy person who has attained self-mastery. Whether you want to lose weight, learn to control you tongue, or even start a business, self-mastery is the key.

Believe me, I know this is no easy feat! Thomas a Kempis asks, "Who is forced to struggle more than he who tries to master himself?" And then he goes on to assert, "This ought to be our purpose, then: to conquer self, to become stronger each day, to advance in virtue."

I mentioned the ancient stoics, men like Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius. These extraordinary human beings grasped this concept and lived it in their daily lives. They knew and understood what it meant to struggle. They were warriors of the mind (vs. librarians of the mind). They were super engaged in their society and dealt with struggles and challenges beyond what most of us have to face.

The Stoic, Epictetus was born a slave, and had his leg broken by his master. He remained crippled for life, and obtained his freedom somewhere in his twenties or thirties, after the death of Nero. He acquired a passion for philosophy and received permission from his master to study under the esteemed Roman philosopher Musonius Rufus. Epictetus lived a life of great simplicity and eventually founded a Greek school of philosophy. It was a strenuous curriculum, more like a gymnasium of the mind than an exercise in rhetorical studies.

He was a huge influence on Marcus Aurelius, who went on to become the emperor of Rome, and a highly influential Stoic philosopher in his own right. During turbulent times, Aurelius ruled with wisdom and justice. His philosophical work "Meditations' is still studied by philosophers all over the world today.

Another Stoic of the time, Seneca, was a Roman statesman, playwright, and adviser to the Roman emperor, Nero.

What significance do these ancient, outdated sages and Stoics have to do with you and me today?

All three were deeply involved as leaders in their community and culture. They experienced, felt, and understood the day-to-day outer struggles and challenges of dealing with difficult people and situations, as well as the inner battles and opposition to achieving personal self-mastery. And, all three understood the importance of living in harmony and balance with Nature. They lived what they taught.

Epictetus and Seneca were banished from Rome for their influential teachings and beliefs. And Seneca was later forced by Nero to take his own life. Hard core stuff.

Why do we want to study and emulate them? They personally grasped, and taught the timeless secrets of Self-Mastery that you and I can apply to live a richer, happier, more fulfilling life, day to day to day. They were all intently pursuing becoming the best version of themselves.

Today we are just scratching the surface of attaining the virtue of self-mastery to cultivate in our personal Garden of Well-being. There is so much more we will cover in upcoming episodes that will be helpful in our practices. Such as, developing habits that will help us overcome the obstacles that get in the way of our personal best.

In today's meditation, keep in mind, we want to focus on becoming a Warrior of the mind vs. a Librarian of the mind. This means approach it with an earnestness and intensity of a warrior, who will put these principles into practice, not just a student of philosophy.

Welcome to another Walden Wednesday, where we spend a few precious moments of our day to reflect on the beauty and goodness of Nature through some of the most enduring Classics ever written. Literary gems by naturalists, philosophers, poets and thought leaders, like Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Muir, Enos Mills and Henry David Thoreau.

In honor of the change of seasons, today, we revisit Thoreau's Walden in one of his thoughtful discourses on Life in the Woods; the chapter titled "Spring".

So put on a light jacket, and join me once again on the shores of Walden Pond…

Welcome to another Fireside Friday here at Mountain Zen Den, where we take some time to share heart to heart the joys and importance of connecting with the natural world for mindfulness and Personal Transformation. Naturally!

Do you smell that? That's the scent of fresh mountain air here in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado in the spring.

In today's episode we meet up with an awesome human being, my fellow Rocky Mountain Tour Guide, Ron Francis.

Ron has a heart of gold that just shines his love and passion not only for Rocky Mountain National Park, but the real joy that comes from being able to share it with others. Together we revisit some memories of a few of our favorite mindful moments spent with others in Nature, and share a typical day in the life of a Rocky Mountain Tour Guide.

Ron is fast becoming a dear friend, and I am so grateful for his heart for others and for the beauty of the wild places. It's a great joy for me to welcome him to Mountain Zen Den, and to introduce him to you today.

Come on in and buckle up…You're in for a fun ride!

Welcome to another Fireside Friday here at Mountain Zen Den. Come on in…

Today we meet with veterinarian Dr. Michael Suit and author of the books, "Finding James Herriot" and the sequel, "Monkey Bars", as he shares his love for people and animals, along with how he got started as a veterinarian. He enjoys connecting with people and animals and shares his observations of how animals continue to keep giving back to us humans.

He also shares the importance of having faith in yourself and of listening to your head and your heart in your journey of pursuing your dreams. Finally, he discusses the importance of being brave, not comparing yourself with others, finding your happy place and going for it.

I really enjoyed hearing his passion for history, reading, connecting with animals, and why he decided to become an author and write about his experiences as a veterinarian.

Michael is an encourager with a great heart and all-around great human being. I know you'll enjoy this episode as much as I did!

"Creativity is intelligence having fun." ~ Albert Einstein

In the art of living a full and beautiful, meaningful life, there is an element we don't talk about nearly enough, or put appropriate value on, or even attribute to personal growth, and dare I say, "Success". And that is, the art of "Playfulness".

We see it in the natural world all around us — puppies and kittens, calves and goat kids, otters, beavers, dolphins, and children on the playground at recess, running and jumping, skipping and laughing — carefree and jubilant.

I hear it every morning; our dogs begin each day with a stretch and a shake of their bodies, collars jingling, sending fur flying in the morning sunlight. They then begin mouthing each other's necks and ears and muzzles, growling, barking playfully, whining and making the strangest guttural grunts and groans; expressions of happy play.

The horses in the pasture will suddenly transition from gently nuzzling each other's withers and manes to nodding and bobbing their heads, raising their tails, shaking their manes, and rearing up as if on the battlefield, bearing a fully armored knight in combat, then finally breaking into a wild gallop, charging around the field, hooves thundering, sending clumps of grass, mud, rocks and dust flying everywhere. It is truly a wondrous sight to behold!

Here in the Rockies I have seen full-grown Elk and Moose splashing and jumping in puddles and lakes in the most carefree and playful manor you could ever imagine.

Melissa can rarely sit on the couch to write or journal, without out Pippin, our orange tabby, wanting to snuggle and snatch and grasp her pen as it moves across the page. The urge to play is just too strong.

Yesterday, while helping our daughter set up her new six-foot high cat tower for her kitten Zooey, we witnessed a hilarious and expressive display of playfulness. No sooner had the parts been taken out of the box and the first of four levels partially assembled, when she went absolutely bonkers, scrambling up, over, in and around every corner and level she could find, only to be distracted by the dancing reflection on the wall and ceiling created by a cell phone being used to capture her antics on camera.

But playfulness isn't only for kittens and puppies and children.

I am so blessed and grateful to be surrounded by friends and family who understand the value and importance of light-hearted playfulness. Both of my grandfathers, my Dad, Uncles and Aunt, my wife, and numerous friends all have shared a loving spirit of playfulness as a serious part of life. Synonyms for playfulness could include friskiness, high-spirited, and good-natured.

I have a writer friend who, at least once a week, will reach out and send me an amusing and witty, playful text just for fun, as a way of staying in touch and making my day. He will say things like –

"My kids said they want a cat for Christmas… generally I fix a turkey, but whatever makes them happy."

Or this one –

"My dog ate a bunch of Scrabble squares. We had to take him to the vet. They said they think he will be okay, but no word yet."

But back to Nature…

I think one of the most fascinating displays of playfulness I have ever witnessed in the wild was on a mountaintop.

A hiking buddy and I had just summitted Lily Mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park. Standing at 9,786 feet above sea level, we could feel a steady wind picking up. Looking west we gazed at a magnificent panorama of some of the other, higher peaks in the park, including Taylor, Otis, and Hallett Peak. Suddenly, the dark shadow of a very large bird soared effortlessly, not far overhead, breaking the intermittent song of the wind. He literally just zoomed us, only a few yards over our heads. It was a Raven, broad-winged and black. Then, there appeared more of them hundreds of feet out, almost at eye level; maybe half a dozen or so just riding the wind and looking so magnificent.

We noticed one of them carrying something in its talon. It turned out to be an icicle, three or four inches long. Without warning, one of the other ravens swooped down, trying steal the prize! Soon the others joined in, displaying unbelievable aerial skills, performing acrobatics akin to those of falcons and hawks. They brought to mind a scene from the movie Top Gun, like fighter pilots showing off and putting on an amazing demonstration of speed, accuracy, and skill. It was incredible! We stood there, jaws opened, fascinated and amazed!

A few minutes later, the show moved on to another mountaintop, and we smiled in gratitude. I could have watched this marvelous game all day long.

Notice that playfulness nearly always seems to be accompanied by movement of some kind. It's as if the body wants to join in with the fun of the mind and soul.

Play not only adds pleasure and joy to our lives, but it is beneficial in relieving stress, improving creativity, increasing productivity, super-charging your learning, and even helps connect you with others and the world around you. It is said that "Playfulness is the key to adaption and evolution".

We can easily surmise that Jesus had a light-hearted playful spirit by the fact that He loved children and they loved Him. So much so that as He was surrounded by them, his disciples tried to send them way and keep them from bothering him, so that He could be attending to more "important" things. He told them, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 19:14)

(Blessed are the playful, for they shall be light-hearted…) and "a cheerful heart is good medicine. But a broken spirit saps a person's strength." (Proverbs 17:22) Just one of the many benefits of playfulness.

We fail to remember and place enough emphasis on the importance of imaginative play, recreation and hobbies in successful, healthy and dynamic living. It helps us "outcompete" worry and anxiety with curiosity and passion.

In today's complex, chaotic and competitive world, there is a desperate need for healthy diversions, hobbies and recreational activities. All of the great leaders, teachers, philosophers and thinkers knew this.

Socrates found joy in playing with children.

Winston Churchill enjoyed painting, reading, bird-watching and bricklaying.

His predecessor, William Gladstone, prime minister of England, enjoyed chopping down dead and dying trees, and planting new ones in their place. The process was so consuming to him, he had no time to think of anything but where the next stroke of his ax would fall.

For Albert Einstein it was playing his violin.

St. Teresa of Avila had a passion for dancing.

And for Fred Rogers, you know, Mr. Rogers of the "beautiful day in the neighborhood", it was swimming.

So what is your playful pastime and leisure? What do you enjoy doing for recreation?

In today's meditation, we want to open our hearts, minds and souls to the light-hearted spirit of recreation and play, and explore how we can incorporate a habit of playfulness.

MEDITATION

So when you're ready…

Invite the spirit of Playfulness into your entire being…your world…your life…

Be free to explore and question your sensory world. What are your earliest childhood memories of play?

What were some of your favorite childhood stories? What elements of creativity, imagination and playfulness did they evoke?

Where have you felt the most playful and alive? Maybe it's the swimming pool or favorite swimming hole. Maybe it's the mountains. Perhaps it is Disney World or a favorite theme park.

What is one thing you can do today, this very day to incorporate play, leisure, and a light-hearted spirit into your day and improve the quality of your life?

Now, just imagine it and play there…

"Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity." ~ John Muir, Our National Parks

For this Fireside Friday we talk about why we love the mountains. And about our "Disorder"

There is something so invigorating, soul-awakening, renewing, restoring, refreshing and healing about being in the mountains for us. (That's not the disorder). The disorder we have is the let down and sadness we feel as we head down out of the mountains. For both of us, it is actually physically depressing – altering our moods and making us long and ache for them. It seems that no sooner have we left them, that we then begin planning our next trip high up into the mountains to camp, climb, hike, or just simply Be...

Perhaps you share the same disorder, and wonder exactly what the draws is to this beautiful topography. Today we share a few of the countless things we love about the mountains, and hopefully help make you feel like you're there.

Today on Walden Wednesday we continue reading Enos Mills' classic, Wild Life On the Rockies.

Mills was a huge nature lover and nature guide who lived in the late 1880's, early 1900's. He wrote his experiences and observations of the West, and mostly about his beloved Rocky Mountains. I love the chapter we are visiting today called, "The Beaver and His Works". Here, Enos points out the antics, and importance of the beaver, a keystone species that supports the entire biological community. Without this industrious creature, our streams, rivers and landscapes erode and dry up, leaving an ugly, dry, barren land. Something to chew on for sure. Dam straight. Beaver dam that is!

So sit back here by the stream and enjoy, "The Beaver and His Works" from Wild Life on the Rockies, by Enos Mills.