Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 105 – Cultivating Courage

Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 105 – Cultivating Courage

Courage, Meditation, Personal Development, Personal Growth, Personal Transformation, Podcast, Well-being
Photo Brett Wilson MZD Podcast - Ep. 105 Cultivating Courage What are you grateful for today?  What’s the first thing that comes to mind that you are thankful for? This is always a good place to start our meditation practice. On Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, we celebrate the gift of Courage, for which I am truly grateful. If it weren’t for the courage of leaders like Dr. King, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and a host of unnamed others, so many of the freedoms and benefits and pleasures we enjoy today would not be available to us. Did you know that “Fear not!” is the most repeated command in the Bible?  366 to be exact; one for every day of the year plus leap year!  This should be encouraging.  Literally!…
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Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 104 – Stay the Course (Lessons from a Mountain Climb)

Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 104 – Stay the Course (Lessons from a Mountain Climb)

14ers, Inspiration, Mountain Climbing, Nature, Personal Development, Personal Growth, Personal Transformation, Podcast, Self-Development, Success, Uncategorized, Well-being
Mt Elbert 14,440' above sea level - Colorado's highest peak MZD Podcast - Ep 104 Stay the Course "A pot is filled drop by drop.” ~ the Buddha Great to have you here on a Fireside Friday at Mountain Zen Den. We’re almost half way through January!  So how are you doing with your goals? Today we discuss the concept of staying on course with your dreams, goals and New Years’ resolutions.  Here are a few tips and lessons learned from our mountain climb on Mt. Elbert – 14,440’ above sea level, Colorado’s highest peak. A few of the points that came up: Plan aheadPack and Prepare wellEnjoy the JourneyKeep the Goal in Mind but remember, ultimately, the Journey is the GoalIt’s about “Who is the person who attempts and…
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Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 103 – Cultivating Transcendence

Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 103 – Cultivating Transcendence

Personal Transformation, Podcast, Self-Development, Uncategorized, Well-being
Photo Brett Wilson MZD Podcast - Ep. 103 Cultivating Transcendence “The awakening of consciousness is the next evolutionary step for mankind.” ~ Eckhart Tolle´ “The key to growth is the introduction into higher dimensions of consciousness.” ~ Lao Tzu It’s good to have you here for another Meditation Monday.  I know you probably have a very busy schedule, like most of the planet…  Thanks for showing up. So how’ve you been? Are you having a good start to your New Year? Or are you finding it difficult to maintain or keep up with your New Years’ resolutions? If so, I’ve got good news.  You’re not alone.  You may find today’s show quite helpful.  We are going to be talking about the concept of Transcendence. Continuing on with our series here…
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Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 102 – Getting Your Nature Fix on Ridiculously Cold Winter Days

Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 102 – Getting Your Nature Fix on Ridiculously Cold Winter Days

Nature, Personal Transformation, Podcast, Well-being
Photo Brett Wilson MZD Ep 102 Getting Your Nature Fix On Ridiculously Cold Winter Days Great to have you here on a Fireside Friday at Mountain Zen Den! Winter is definitely here!  Today Melissa and I discuss and share some tips, thoughts and ideas on how to connect with Nature on really, really ridiculously cold winter days. A few of the ideas we talk about include: How do you define “Nature”?Grounding/EarthingThe benefits of simply looking at trees and other NatureStarting an indoor herb gardenCreating a Nature nicheReading Nature booksWatching Nature moviesPutting together nature puzzles as a familySetting up a tent in your house for “indoor camping”!Listening to the sounds of NatureTaking a “Nature Memory Walk”Do Nature sketches, artwork and journaling Forest-scented incense and candlesStudying Nature Field GuidesBe in the moment with…
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Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 100 – Ten Things You Can Do To Improve Your Life Right Now

Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 100 – Ten Things You Can Do To Improve Your Life Right Now

Lifestyle, Mindfulness, Nature, Personal Development, Personal Growth, Personal Transformation, Podcast, Self-Development, Success, Uncategorized, Well-being
Photo Brett Wilson MZD Podcast - Episode 100 Hey Gang, so glad you have joined us today, because this is an exciting day for us here at MZD!  Not only are we celebrating our 100th episode, but it is also our first Fireside Friday where we sit back here in the Zen Den, as we like to call it, and have a chat with writers, and naturalists, artists, musicians and great thinkers and lovers of Nature, all for the purpose of personal growth through connection with Nature. And I’m especially pumped to be introducing a very special person in my life, the only other person I know personally who is as crazy about Nature and wildlife as much as I am, and who I am crazy about – my Best…
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Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 97 – Perpetual Morning

Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 97 – Perpetual Morning

Lifestyle, Personal Development, Personal Growth, Personal Transformation, Podcast, Self-Development, Simple Living, Simplicity, Well-being
Photo Brett Wilson MZD Ep. 97 -Perpetual Morning Great to have you here for another Walden Wednesday, here on a Friday due to technical issues.  The flip side is, every day can be a Walden Day thanks to technology!  You can listen and absorb any time you like and enjoy these passages from classics like Thoreau’s Walden and others, highlighting the beauty, wisdom, and simplicity of the natural world, found in the writings of some of the most influential thinkers, writers, philosophers and poets of our past.  It’s all about intentionally carving a few moments out of your day in a relaxing nature setting in an effort to affect the quality of our lives.  We do this by slowing the heart and mind, down enough to absorb the thoughts, ideas,…
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Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 96 – Cultivating Abundance

Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 96 – Cultivating Abundance

Abundance, Meditation, Personal Development, Personal Growth, Personal Transformation, Podcast, Self-Development, Well-being
Photo Brett Wilson MZD Ep 96 - Cultivating Abundance In Episode 82 we introduced the concept of Cultivating Your “Garden of Well-Being”.  Those qualities in your life that you desire to have more of, and that would help make you a better person.  Things like Presence and Gratitude, Hope and Faith, Love and Simplicity, Joy and Tranquility, Beauty and Wonder, Health and today’s subject – Abundance. Today we’re talking about cultivating a spirit of abundance and What Nature Teaches Us About Wealth & Abundance. Money is generally the first thing that comes to mind when people think of wealth and abundance.  But having riches, that is, being wealthy and having abundance in your life is so much more than having a lot of money in the bank and accumulating things.…
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Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 94 – Cultivating Health

Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 94 – Cultivating Health

Podcast, Uncategorized, Well-being
Cultivating Health in Nature (Photo by Emma Simpson on Unsplash) “Walk in nature and feel the healing power of the trees.” ~ Anthony William Welcome to the Mountain! How are you feeling today? Are you the picture of health you always dreamed you would be? Today we’re going to talk about cultivating one of the most important aspects of your being – Your Health. Our bodies are tied into our entire being and affect not only the way we feel, but our mind and the way we see the world and interact with everyone around us… that is, our relationships. Have you ever been “hangry”?  Then you know what I mean!  You’re not necessarily mad at the world or angry at the people around you.  You’re just hungry with low…
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Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 93 – What Do You Really Need?

Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 93 – What Do You Really Need?

Inspiration, Meditation, Mindfulness, Nature, Personal Development, Personal Growth, Personal Transformation, Podcast, Self-Development, Simple Living, Simplicity, Uncategorized, Well-being
photo Brett Wilson Welcome to Walden Wednesday on the Mountain! I want to reward you with something a little different than what we typically experience during our traditional meditation time. In past episodes we have occasionally shared passages from Walden and other great writings and literature, relating to cultivating the rich wisdom, mindfulness and simplicity found in Nature. In 1845, American naturalist, poet, writer and philosopher Henry David Thoreau decided to try a grand “experiment”. In his own words, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” We’re going to offer more of these classics set in nature…
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Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 92 – The Drift

Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 92 – The Drift

Inspiration, Meditation, Mindfulness, Nature, Personal Development, Personal Growth, Personal Transformation, Podcast, Self-Development, Well-being
The DriftPhoto courtesy Derek Sutton @dereksutton Unsplash Welcome to Mountain Zen Den! It has been a while, and much has happened since we last met here.   The entire world has changed.  Dramatically!  Yet, while there have been a multitude of anxiety producing events and uncertainty, if you zoom out and look at the big picture, you can see it has actually been a season of opportunity, of renewal, self-reflection, ad growth.  The possibility of change and revision… A “Re – Vision”. Today we're going to talk about what happened.  We are not going to get into pandemics or politics or world events, or even masks, or viruses and vaccinations, or anything else that has occurred in the world over the past year.  We’ve all had enough of that, and there’s…
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Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 89 – Cultivating Tranquility

Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 89 – Cultivating Tranquility

Nature, Personal Development, Personal Growth, Personal Transformation, Podcast, Self-Development, Well-being
“Work when there is work to do.  Rest when you are tired.  One thing done in peace will most likely be better than ten things done in panic…. I am not a hero if I deny rest; I am only tired.” ~ Susan McHenry ~ ~ ~ MZD Podcast 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,…
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Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 88 – Cultivating Joy!

Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 88 – Cultivating Joy!

Meditation, Mindfulness, Nature, Personal Development, Personal Growth, Personal Transformation, Podcast, Self-Development, Simple Living, Well-being
"When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you. A joy." ~ Rumi ~ ~ ~   MZD Podcast - Episode 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.…
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Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 86 – Cultivating Love

Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 86 – Cultivating Love

Meditation, Nature, Personal Development, Personal Growth, Personal Transformation, Podcast, Self-Development, Well-being
“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…
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Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 84 – Cultivating Hope

Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 84 – Cultivating Hope

Meditation, Mindfulness, Nature, Personal Development, Personal Growth, Personal Transformation, Podcast, Self-Development, Well-being
“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…
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Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 83 – Cultivating Gratitude

Mountain Zen Den ~ Episode 83 – Cultivating Gratitude

Meditation, Mindfulness, Nature, Personal Development, Personal Growth, Personal Transformation, Podcast, Self-Development, Well-being
“Acknowledging the good you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” ~ Eckhart Tolle It’s a great day to be alive, and it’s a great time to slow down a bit and practice presence and awareness. With Thanksgiving only a couple weeks away, I think it’s appropriate that we revisit the concept of Gratefulness and Appreciation; that we practice cultivating Gratitude.  When we slow down enough to get out of autopilot, and actually stop and look around – while there are probably lots of things we would like to change in the world and especially in our lives - there is way more to be grateful for than to complain about.  It’s all where you put your focus. Having just celebrated Veteran’s Day here in America,…
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