Peace is Nature: Recent Episodes
Martina
For as long as I can remember nature has been my place of solace and serenity. Join me as I invite people from all over the world to share their experience of paying attention to nature. I'm officially inviting anyone and everyone to submit an audio file for this podcast. And I mean everyone!! You don't need to be an expert or famous or a writer or a professional speaker. If you are, that's ok. The purpose is to hear people authentically connecting with nature in their own unique way. Hearing your voice as you interact with nature with your senses or your imagination will be a very special opportunity for the rest of us to witness. We all have something to share and the voice reveals our true essence. What if you don't live in nature or in the country? That doesn't matter. You could observe a tree in a city or the clouds from your bedroom window. So when you are ready to stop and notice the details in nature, send me an email with an audio file of 7-10 minutes. Also include 3-5 sentences about you and a couple photos. Think of the magic as more and more people connect to nature in a meaningful way! martinahaines@gmail.com New episodes air each Tuesday.
For this episode I recite writing I created while sitting outside during a summer evening in Maine on my door step. The practice is called nature awareness, and I have been doing this for about 6 months and bring groups into the forest to do this work together. It is about noticing all that comes to your awareness in the present moment from what you experience with your senses (sight, sounds, smell), emotions, thoughts, and bodily sensations. It's a very powerful practice in creating peace of mind. All too often we are focused on doing and achieving. This practice cultivates "being-ness." Listen to learn about more detailed instructions to do this for yourself!
I sit in my garden and notice the plants around me. I enjoy the sun and the small details around such as insects and cobwebs. I even take out my bird call and see if any birds come to visit.
This is my last episode recorded from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, Colorado at a very sacred location, called Starhouse. It's a very special and different episode because I don't speak. I simply sat under the sun and a tree and listened to the birds and watched the bees nectaring on the flowers. It is such a beautiful experience to sit in nature quietly and watch with complete presence. Nothing is more special to me! I hope you enjoy it.
Watch the episode on You Tube for the full experience!
For this episode I was visiting Boulder, Colorado for a weekend retreat. During one of our breaks I sit in a field and notice the clicking grasshoppers. Waiting for them really was exciting for me! The silence in between their noise was incredibly calming! I also pay attention to the grass and the clouds. Now that I'm home and back to my busy life, it's apparent how much nature brings me to a calm place as I watch or listen this very peaceful episode.
The video of this episode and be seen on my YouTube channel.
The next few episodes were recorded in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains outside of Boulder, Colorado where I spent a long weekend. In this episode I stop and sit on a trail in the forest. I notice some gorgeous purple flowers, the wind, and the silence. Over the weekend I had the opportunity to tap into the stillness and peace in my heart, rather than my mind.
I have also made a video version of this episode, so you can see what I'm looking at! It's here on YouTube.
I sit by the chicken cage one morning for a chance to pause. My life has been a bit crazy the past couple weeks, and these moments of sitting still in nature have been extremely necessary to keep me sane! I notice the sun shining on me, the leaves blowing in the breeze, and the chickens. I truly felt at one with nature when I sat there noticing the most subtle details.
I sit by the stream on a warm Spring day and take a pause from my busy life. I notice there are many new leaves and grasses emerging, insects flying around, and spiderwebs shining in the sunlight. What a gift to be present to this beauty!
You can see a a video of this on my YouTube channel here.
I sit out in my backyard on a beautiful Spring day noticing the new changes that have arrived!
Spring is on the brink of arrival as the ground is finally soft after months of hard ice and snow. I find joy, peace, and beauty in the midst of fog as I walk in the woods behind my house in Maine. There are subtle noises of the nuthatches calling and the drops of water falling from the trees. Appreciation bubbles from me when I notice the moss growing around the bases of the tree trunks and the green contrast of the balsam firs against the brown of the forest. When I reach the destination, I sense a deer is near. I pause and take in the silence, light, and stillness of nature.
You can view this episode in video here on my YouTube channel.
Are you ready to stop and notice the details in nature? Send me an email with an audio file of 7-10 minutes. Also include 3-5 sentences about you and a couple photos. Think of the magic as more and more people connect to nature in a meaningful way! martinahaines@gmail.com
Today I visited an old rock wall near a historic home in my area. I have been drawn to rock walls as a perfect relationship between humans and nature. In my watercolor painting class we have been learning how to paint rocks, so I have been visiting rock walls all week. Near this wall I find all sorts of interesting plants including: blueberry, wintergreen, and cranberry. There were tons of lichen and mosses around and on the rocks as well.
In this episode I take a short walk around my yard on a cold March morning 2 days into the official start of Spring. After many months the snow and ice has left to reveal the earth. I notice the sky, the leaves on the ground, the branches of the trees, and the pine tree's needles. I look for early signs of Spring, such as the red maple blossoms opening and the stream flowing. I see bright green moss on a rock and the fronds of last year's ferns. My rooster, Rooster Boy, makes a guest appearance!
Are you ready to stop and notice the details in nature? Send me an email with an audio file of 7-10 minutes. Also include 3-5 sentences about you and a couple photos. Think of the magic as more and more people connect to nature in a meaningful way! martinahaines@gmail.com
In this episode I sit by the stream in woods near my house under an almost full moon. I have a very special experience of witnessing a subtle connection with all of nature and my own being. I notice how this connection seems greater at night as I see and feel an aliveness in the darkness. The sounds of the stream trickling play an orchestra for me to relax into the peace of nature.
In this episode I sit in the woods and watch a snow cloud arrive and let loose snow into the air. I feel the snowflakes land on my face. When the snow cloud moves away a blue sky and sun arrives. I become aware of the experience sitting in nature as very comforting and safe. It's a feeling that stays with me throughout other areas of my life. A vision of mine is of people coming together to observe the beauty of nature.
Watch this episode on YouTube to see the snow cloud, forest, and sun arrive with blue sky.
Are you ready to stop and notice the details in nature? Send me an email with an audio file of 7-10 minutes. Also include 3-5 sentences about you and a couple photos. Think of the magic as more and more people connect to nature in a meaningful way! martinahaines@gmail.com
In this episode, Ann from Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada joins us again. She sits at one of her favorite spots near her house on the Bay of Fundy. She notices the birds, the water, and the rocks. I really appreciate how she shares her personal stories about losing her husband, and that nature has provided so much solace to her since then. It is extremely inspiring to me. I also enjoy her knowledge about the local area, especially the nearby island where Irish immigrants were quarantined before allowing to come to the mainland.
Are you ready to stop and notice the details in nature? Send me an email with an audio file of 7-10 minutes. Also include 3-5 sentences about you and a couple photos. Think of the magic as more and more people connect to nature in a meaningful way! martinahaines@gmail.com
Also follow me on Instagram or Facebook.
Each Thursday on social media I'll be sharing practical tips for connecting with nature. And soon I'll be offering nature walks for people of all ages in Surry, Maine where we will pause, drink tea, and listen to the silence in the forest! You can keep in touch with my offerings by signing up for my weekly newsletter on my website.
Follow myYouTube Channelto see videos of some of the podcast episodes.
In this episode I sit by the stream that has melted after 2 days of warmer weather and rain. I notice the sun shining on the moving water, the blue sky, the shadows of the tree branches on the ice, and the appearance of earth (after months of seeing only snow). There are signs Spring is on the way.
There is a video of this recording on YouTube where you can see the stream as I sit by it. Here's the link to view. https://youtu.be/s7nUcjH188M
Are you interested in sharing your experience of noticing nature? Email me at martinahaines@gmail.com for more information. I'd love to hear your voice as you share this very peaceful practice. Sharing this inspires people to pause from their busy lives and be present to the beauty of nature.
I have some exciting news for the Peace is Nature podcast. I have decided to add a video component to some episodes. Today's episode has the video! They will be available You Tube here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBIFxhn5OLd-dyS6dU8a_vA
In this episode I enjoy a warm day in February as I walk and sit in the woods. I notice the bark designs, hear bird calls, and really enjoy the blue sky behind the naked tree trunks. One cool thing is that the bird call that I thought was a Tufted Titmouse actually was. They are a sign Spring is on the way.
In this short episode, Ann from Saint John, New Brunswick in Canada shares her love for her back yard. I published this episode because the joy she receives from her garden is quite obvious and contagious. Now she really savours and truly appreciates nature as opposed to being active in it in her past. Find photos of Ann's yard on my Instagram or Facebook pages at Radiant Life Within.
Do you delight in your yard or garden? I invite you to sit or walk around your yard and share the details you notice in a 7-12 minute audio. The practice of being aware in nature is very peaceful. Email me at martinahaines@gmail.com for any questions.
Join me as I walk in the woods searching for silence, stillness, and peace during a blizzard in Maine. I find deer tracks, notice the designs on the tree trunks, and hear the wind blow during gusts of almost 50 miles per hour. On my Facebook and Instagram pages, Radiant Life Within, you can see photos of the snow and the forest on my walk. It was an enjoyable experience.
You are welcome to submit your own audio of 7-12 minutes paying attention to nature. It is a very peaceful experience that brings us to the present moment. Email me at martinahaines@gmail.com for any questions.
Today's episode feature's Jennifer Agugliaroa from New Jersey. She visits a local park with a stream and some ducks. Her voice is so meditative and relaxing. She truly enjoys the practice of paying attention to nature, and it's a joy to witness.
I invite anyone and everyone to submit an audio recording about your own experience being in nature. Email me at martinahaines@gmail.com for questions or to submit your audio file of 7-10 minutes.
Jennifer is an Ayurvedic Practitioner, Meditation Instructor, Energy Healer and Spiritual Mentor originally from western Canada. Now residing in central NJ, she is the owner of 7 Chakras Wellness where she offers holistic healing with a specialty in Women’s Health. In addition to her practice, Jennifer has created an online learning community where she offers both free and paid courses to help others heal their body, mind and spirit. Her methods are gentle, natural, and foster long-lasting wellness, peace and bliss.
You can contact her below to discover more about her healing offerings.
Website: www.7chakraswellness.com
Email: jennifer@7chakraswellness.com
Free Course on Root Chakra Healing: www.7chakraswellness.com/free
7 Chakras Learning Community: https://7chakras.dreamseedo.org
Today I ice skate on a lake and notice the clouds, the trees, and the feel of the cold numbing my face. This adventure noticing nature brought out a different perspective for me today. It made me realize that nature isn't always about peace and joy. Nature can connect us to other parts of our being; like loneliness and emptiness.
This is the first episode with a guest on Peace is Nature! I have been so grateful for Annie in volunteering to be the first! Annie lives in central New York state where she practices and teaches painting and drawing. She has been teaching art for 28 years. In this episode she describes what she notices after a snowstorm in her yard. She notices a lot of animals, which is really interesting. I have enjoyed getting to know her through her wonderful photographs, email conversations, and her kindness in sharing her voice with us! I will be posting some of her photographs of this experience on Instagram and Facebook. Look for my business, Radiant Life Within. If anyone is interested in submitting an audio with your experience noticing nature, please email me at martinahaines@gmail.com.
I'm not going to share my experience in nature with you today for this episode. Rather, I'd like to tell you all about some exciting news. I woke up yesterday with an amazing idea. Wouldn't it be wonderful to hear people from all over the world share their experience paying attention to nature. Yes, I do enjoy this practice, but I'd much rather bring people together and learn from their perspectives. So I'm officially inviting anyone and everyone to submit an audio file for this podcast. And I mean everyone!! You don't need to be an expert or famous or a writer or a professional speaker. If you are, that's ok. But the purpose of this new idea is to hear people authentically connecting with nature in their own unique way. Hearing your voice as you interact with nature with your senses or your imagination will be a very special opportunity for the rest of us to witness. We all have something to share and the voice reveals our true essence. What if you don't live in nature or in the country? That doesn't matter. You could observe a tree in a city or the clouds from your bedroom window. So when you are ready to stop and notice the details in nature, send me an email with an audio file of 7-12 minutes. Think of the magic as more and more people connect to nature in a meaningful way!
In this episode, rather than walk I sit in one spot and just be in the woods. I sit under an apple tree facing the woods at the edge of my yard. The sun has already set and it's 20 degrees Fahrenheit and windy. I almost start crying toward the end of this episode at the tremendous peace and silence washes over me. What a gift this practice of observing nature has become!
In this episode I step outside my door on a 16 degree morning before the sunrise after a snowstorm. I notice the beauty, purity, and stillness of the snow. I hear the crackling of the trees in the wind and feel the snow under my feet as I walk. The sky has a beautiful orange near the horizon as the sun begins to arrive.
I walk on the trail behind my house that my 8 year old son, Jesse, and I made to a camping spot. I see the flowing stream, turkey tail mushrooms of various stages, moss on the rocks, and much more.
I walk around my yard on a 6 degree Fahrenheit morning. I notice the oak tree, the stream, some mushrooms, the sun and more! Listen to my first episode of my experience enjoying the simple pleasures of nature.