The Mary Christopher Podcast

Did you know the root system of trees is the most important part of the Tree?  Roots “grow” underground, spreading away from the tree trunk.  Most root systems tend to be shallow and may spread 25 to 35 feet out from the base of its tree.

This podcast is all about Tree Root systems, how they work, and what they do !!!

"If we want to understand the Creator, we can study Creation!"

Mary Christopher

Did you notice the world just got more chaotic and a bit crazier this week?

I am sure you did.  And, you may be finding it more difficult to think clearly, understand your feelings, or even meditate. 

The main reason is that chaos in the "outer world" can throw our Brain function into a form of panic.  Technically this means that our brain waves may be fluctuating in what is known as high or medium-high frequencies. 

When our brain waves look more like static, we are usually in a state of survival.  We may believe that the sky is falling.  We may feel light-headed.  In extreme cases, people may feel they are having a "heart attack".

So, what can we do about these chaotic frequencies ... ???

One thing for sure we can is to breathe slowly and deeply.  We can also take a walk outside in Sunshine and fresh air.  Creation is usually much more coherent than our brain!  When we are feeling calmer, we can sit in our favorite place and breathe our way back into our special place of Inner Peace.

Deep within is where we find Peace and Calm.  We can get there.  When we get to that place, we have shifted out of high beta, and are moving into more coherent frequencies.  When we are in low beta or alpha brain waves, we are more relaxed and can function much better in our crazy world.

Then we are saner and safer.  And, we are a Blessing to ourselves and others!

Thank You for showing up and for all the good you are doing every day. 

Take Good Care of Yourself, and

Remember to Breathe

Mary Christopher

What does our Heart need?  What does our Brain need?  What do our Blood cells need?  All these cells need Oxygen to work happily and efficiently.  We know we need O2 and we know that it needs to circulate to every cell in our bodies for us to be happy, and healthy, and resilient.

The Happiness part is more important than we realize.  Oxygen fuels all of our cells and keeps our Heart and Brain functioning at optimum levels.  Why is this important?  Because if our Brain Cells are not getting enough O2, the Brain goes into its “distressed” mode and immediately begins signaling that “something is wrong”!  Or, signaling “danger, danger”!  This signaling can sometimes be triggered even when there isn’t any “danger”, just “cellular discomfort”.

In other words, if we are sitting most of the day, either deeply engaged with our laptop or telephone, we are not moving very much.  So, our circulation begins to gradually s-l-o-w down.  Our brain may begin to feel sluggish since there is less O2 circulating.  In addition, we will have a gradual build up of Carbon Dioxide in our whole system due to all systems slowing down.  We may begin to feel drowsy or disinterested in whatever we are doing.  Our attention may wander and we lose our ability to focus.

When you first notice these feelings, it is a good idea to get up and move around.  Even better, get up and move around outside!  Being out of doors can provide Sunshine and Fresh Air being produced by Trees and green plants!  Remember, human Beings are designed to move, even if it is just wiggling our fingers and toes!

As we know, Sunshine is an antidepressant as well as Fresh Air!  In Japan where they still have many forests, people practice Shinrin-yoku, also known as Forest Bathing.  Japanese scientists have done numerous studies and have established the many benefits of Forest Bathing.  Often office workers, teachers, and students will take a walk in the woods on their lunch break instead of going to get fast food or noodles!

We know we are made to move.  All we have to do is watch an action movie or a baseball game or try-outs for the Summer Olympics in Paris!  Young people and seasoned athletes are running faster, swimming longer faster, leaping higher and doing everything better every year.  This is amazing and wonderful to watch.

However, most of us are not aspiring for the Summer Olympics and may find ourselves sitting longer in front of our larger-than-life watching all these amazing athletes.  Maybe we should do more exercise now so we can enjoy sitting with the Olympics!

Unfortunately, our current “modern” society is structured to keep us sitting during the day.  We are either sitting for work, or sitting in a car or truck or bus.  And, sitting for entertainment.  We have gotten too used to sitting.

So, whenever you have the opportunity, or you are feeling bored, or just generally dis-satified with life, get up and move.  Seriously, clean the kitchen cabinets, the closet in the hall, or the neglected flower beds in front.  You will feel better.  All your systems will function better.  Your memory will probably respond faster.  And, you will be pleased with your accomplishments!

If you are not able to move around like you used to or you are recovering from an accident or surgery, then wiggle your fingers and your toes.  Wiggle your nose.  Then smile at your toes, your feet, your legs and knees.  Keep smiling at your tummy and all your internal organs, especially your wonderful Heart.  Remember to smile and appreciate your mouth and jaw, your nose, your eyes and ears and all the sensitivity of your skin.  Pat the top of your head and tell yourself, “Good Job” just for being on the planet.

Then take a few deep and slow breaths, feeling the air moving in and down into your lungs.  You will begin to feel better and your whole body will begin to function better.  All those system alarms related to a lack of O2 will begin to fade.  If you can find something to laugh about, even better!

It is warm outside, but if you can find a way to go out when it is cooler, you will find it is very pleasant and often calming.  Have a wonderful week as you find more ways to move, including your ears!

Finding Our Way Through the Maze ...

With certainty, I think we can say, “This world is a mess right now … “!  I doubt anyone connected to the “modern world” would dispute that! 

So, what do we do?

Well, we could do what Noah and his family did.  They built a better boat, loaded it up, and floated away when it rained for 40 days and 40 nights.  This Old Testament project was based on “divine intervention” and excellent note-taking on Noah’s part.

Probably a better option would be for us to light our candles, get comfortable, find our Inner Peace place within, and create a very coherent field of Light all around us.  One of my favorite sayings is “A rising tide lifts all boats”.  Together we can generate a “rising tide” that can move through and dissipate confusion and darkness.  We have been there and done that.  We know it works.

I also think “We are the ones we have been waiting for …”!  

See you this evening at 7 pm PDT, 8 pm MDT, 9 pm CDT, and 10 pm EDT.  

Thank You for showing up !!!

Mary Christopher

Did you know that People who garden are usually happier, healthier, and are often saving money at the grocery store !!!

So, how do we know that People who Garden are usually Happier, Healthier, and saving money?  Some of this is just common sense.  People who garden are usually more physically active.  They are outside more, soaking up Sunshine and breathing fresh air.  We know that Sunshine can easily be an antidepressant.

Gardeners tend to be problem solvers and are more engaged with gardening friends and neighbors who are then blessed with fresh produce.  We know that people who are active and engaged with other people are usually more cheerful and less prone to depression.

A good example is Will Allen, the original urban farmer.  Some people consider him the “modern” George Washington Carver.  After Will retired from professional basketball and a corporate job, he became the director of Growing Power, an urban gardening project in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  He developed this project by getting neighborhood young people involved with gardening.  At first, they were just curious about this “crazy guy” who was trying to grow vegetables in the city.  Then they started helping.

As their efforts at gardening began to pay off, these young people started taking their produce home.  And, here is the best part … if they grew it, they would eat it!  They were eating vegetables that they would not even touch before! 

Amazing … !!! 

And, their families were getting healthy food even living in or near an urban “food desert”!  Not only that, these young people were showing up to work in the garden every day rather than hanging out on the streets being bored and getting into trouble!

So ... gardening is good in so many ways and for so many reasons.  Give it a try even if it is only 1 or 2 pots of Tomatoes or Peppers.  You too can become a famous "famous" Urban Gardener in your neighborhood !!!

Have a Wonderful Week,

Mary Christopher

Some days it seems that Inner Peace Place is almost impossible to find.  And, we are tempted to give up, abandon our efforts and go do something else. 

Totally understandable ... !!!

However, there are ways to move "thru" most emotional log jams.  Our emotional log jams are difficult for many reasons.  For one thing, emotions or emotional states tend to be "sticky"!  When we try to fix anything that is "sticky", we usually get stuck!  So, if we can resist the urge to try to "fix it" and keep our fingers out of our emotions, we may be able to move on and leave the logjam behind!

There are other ways of getting beyond our emotions which I mentioned in this podcast.  Sometimes simply finding a way to shift our perspective may work well.  Regardless of any outcome, remember that our focused intention and making a consistent effort builds better neurological pathways!

Thank You for showing up, for doing this spiritual work, and for everything you do every day to make this world a better place for Everyone!

Have a Wonderful Week and

Remember to Breathe ...

Mary Christopher

Photosynthesis is an amazingly efficient chemical process that takes place within Leaves and Grass, any kind of plant that contains chlorophyll.  This chemical process uses energy from photons to run the process.  The photos come from Sunlight!  And, the plant is also absorbing CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) from the air through its leaves!

In this process, the plant produces glucose (a sugar) by breaking down CO2 into Carbon and Oxygen.  The O2 is released into the atmosphere and the newly formed sugar helps to feed the plant.

This is an amazing process that is happening around us all the time, and has been happening for thousands and thousands of years!  All creatures get fresh O2 and the plant gets Food!

Another great mystery is the similarity between chlorophyll and blood or hemoglobin.  There is only 1 atom difference between the 2 ... !!!  You can learn more about that in the podcast.

Creation is Amazing and Wonderful !!!  We are so blessed in so many ways on this Planet and often we are completely oblivious!!!

So, this week, slow down, take a look around you, and discover all the amazing miracles that are happening every day.

Thank You for Being here and for all you do to make this World a better place for Everyone.

Many, Many Blessings,

Mary Christopher

"According to Dr. Karyn Purvis, the late Director of Texas Christian University's Child Development Centre, scientists have discovered that it takes around 400 repetitions to create a new synapse in the brain. However, if the repetition is done through play, it only takes 10–20 repetitions. Play can be a key factor in language development, and can also help children develop cognitively and emotionally. When children play, they are often more relaxed and open to learning."

• Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul, by Stuart Brown and Christopher Vaughan, M.D.  I am just getting started, and so far I am pleased with the content and the way it is written.

In many parts of the world, we live with Trees.  We live next to or in the middle of Trees.  If we are really fortunate, we live in a neighborhood where the streets are lined with Trees!  Any time that we are able to live in the same neighborhood with Trees, we are Blessed!

Did you know there are numerous scientific studies showing that there is less crime in neighborhoods that have Trees compared to neighborhoods where there are very few or no Trees at all!

“Neighborhoods and homes that are barren have shown to have a greater incidence of violence in and out of the home than their greener counterparts. Trees and landscaping help to reduce the level of fear.  Also the different shades of green from Trees and Plants are calming and restful!”  (Tree People)

How far down into the ground can Tree roots grow … ?

In general, most tree roots can grow anywhere from two to six feet deep. However, there are some tree roots that have been known to grow much deeper than that. The world's deepest tree root was found in South Africa, and it reached a depth of 24 feet!

Did you know that the pattern of growth for Tree roots resembles the branching pattern in our lungs?  The Bronchia in our lungs form a pattern that starts with the trachea and ends in tiny air sacs called alveoli.  This is how Oxygen (O2) gets to all our cells and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is removed and exhaled!

How Large Is the Area of Our Lungs ... ?

If an adult’s lungs were opened and laid out flat, it would cover an entire tennis court!  This is one of the main reasons we benefit by walking or jogging or being active outside in fresh air.  Any time we are working or playing outdoors, we are exercising and strengthening our lungs.  We are also expanding our lung capacity or, at the very least, maintain a healthy lung capacity.  This is very important as we age!

We also know from our own experience as well as from scientific studies that exercise functions as an antidepressant!  That is because exercise usually causes our bodies to produce Endorphins!  Human Beings have our own in-house pharmacy.   

Our bodies are simple and complex and amazing.  Usually, we go through the day without giving a thought to the elegance and sophistication of our lungs, or our heart and circulatory system.  We seem to take Creation for granted, missing all the amazing systems that allow us to be here and survive.

Often, when I think about our human bodies or learn how well our bodies are designed, I am in Awe of the Creator.  And, I am deeply grateful for Being here on Earth, even with all the challenges!

Take Good Care of Yourself and

Remember to go outside and Breathe, Breathe, Breathe ...

Mary Christopher