Welcome to people for today. And I was thinking about what to do for tonight and I've decided to do. To.

Really workable short meditations. Both of which I have a, URL for that I will send, certainly one of them, I, I know I do, which I will send on to Dawn if they want to stick that up on me as part of the. Webinar that's on, on the, internet so that people can access it again, which is the drop anchor meditation.

But I was thinking about where we are and sort of what's happening in. In the UK certainly at the moment, and I think that. We go, we've all been, more busy than ever because of that sort of catch up phase that we've all been as we came out of lockdown, and then everyone trying to catch up, everyone almost trying to like cram life into a short period in the hope that we won't all be entering another lockdown or anything like that in the future.

And again, it just does feel. I feel like I've said this many times, but it feels precarious again. And as Christmas comes, and hopefully most of us will be taking a break of various lengths, I should think, but certainly, we, we will have an opportunity to take something of a.

A break, and in that break, I just thought we could practise tonight. Finding the present moment and using it well, actually stopping, finding the present moment, and two meditations just aimed at kind of recharging the batteries, recharging ourselves emotionally, connecting with that present moment, and, allowing ourselves to move into that observing self and just have these sort of mindful check-ins. And there was a new paper.

Based on the resilience of coming out of, COVID, and the point that it made. Was very firmly that It feels like the future as we move forward, and is, is, there's going to be such a need for finding that present moment, because we're, we sort of live in this constant state of, you know, what's what's just around the corner. And if we're not careful, we find ourselves leaning into what's around the corner too much and we topple.

Literally topple, you know, our, in the way that you would if you physically leant forward and forward and forward, and eventually, you know, you would just fall flat on your face and, and unfortunately, from a metaphorical stance, I think, as humans, we keep falling flat on our face, and sometimes it's because we aren't attending to the present moment and we're rushing around preparing for what hasn't actually arrived yet or and sometimes never will. So, the first of the meditations we're going to do tonight is is the bold meditation, and those of you who know me know that I actually advocate. As a personal practise.

Just trying to think about whenever I stop and have something to drink or something to eat. Not at a main meal, but just sort of stop and, you know, grab a biscuit or, a carrot. Or a glass of water or a cup of tea during the day, especially at work, is using that as a cue to carry out the bold exercise.

And one of the best ways to instil it and for you to really feel and properly feel just how useful it is to stop in this way is to, merge that process of the bold process into a meditation. So Let's try that one first, and then what we'll do is we'll shift over to another meditation that has a similar aim. But a slightly different sort of way of going about it.

So with no more ado. As we sit here on a Sunday evening. Let's just take the opportunity to get ourselves into a position.

Where We are comfortable. Not too comfortable. And as always, if we were looking in a mirror.

We would smile at ourselves and say, Yep, I look dignified. So let's just find that dignified stance. And allowing our eyes now to just close.

They don't need to close tightly, they just need to rest shut. Or if we feel uncomfortable closing eyes, just rest them on the spot. Just somewhere in front of you.

Just getting a sense of that. OK. And let's start.

By just connecting. With your breath. That's it.

And just for the moment observing. Being with you, bro. That's it.

Noticing The rise and fall of your chest and your tummy. And just slowing down. In readiness to take one very mindful breath.

And we take that breath now. So we breathe in And we let go. And with that breath We have deliberately Made a decision To make contact with that present moment.

Because with each breath that we take. We enter a new. Moment in our lives.

Brand new Sparklingly new. Full of whatever potential life brings. Full of that sense of And Next.

Rather than but It's a real and moment. So let's take another breath in. And let it go.

Move into the present moment. And now move into. Your observing self in this.

Present moment of now. The power of now. And we move into our observing self.

And Observe yourself. Right now Are you relaxed. Are you present?

Are you Engaged in This exploration of Yourself Mhm And from that observing self. Maybe just very gently mindfully. Have a think about today.

Just observe the you. It is Populated this Sunday. Almost like watching her.

A film of your Sunday. Hm. Now lean in Leaning with real curiosity.

Real curiosity. And just ask yourself. Right at this moment now.

Is this the version of me? I like Is this version of me. A version of me that is living life.

As I want to live life. All that curiosity and. Have a gentle peruse.

Of your Sunday Just lean in there. No judgement Just looking Leaning in Just curious. Yeah.

Do we like what we find? If we do, we just smile at her. And if we don't like what we find, we smile at that too.

We don't go judging. And then we Move to The place of making a decision. Right in this moment now.

Deci What am I gonna do? This evening And what I do this evening. Can I Act in a manner That moves me towards.

Human being I want to be. And for a moment. Allow yourself to lean in.

To your evening Just gently, not toppling over. Just with a smile and a curiousness. And think about the you you want to be.

How are you with the people around you? Do you rest this evening? Do you smile more than you frown.

And move back into this present moment and right now. Make a decision Sit in the way that the. You you want to be sits.

Find the smile that for you you want to be. Places on their face. Allow your shoulders to drop, yeah.

And that's bald. You've taken a breath. You've moved into your observing self.

You've leaned in with curiosity. You've made a few decisions. Well done.

And gently open your eyes and come back to the room. Now, if we're doing a bold during the day, it takes 30 seconds. You know, Take a breath.

Slide into your observing self. Do I like that version of me? Does that work?

And Lean in, have a look. Make a decision, get on with your day. Really, really a great way to bring mindfulness to every day, and we forget to do it if we don't cue ourselves in.

So maybe now have a think about, you know, if I'm gonna be using this bold, breathe observing self leaning side. Shall I do it every time that I actually stop and make myself a drink? Yeah, that'll do.

So have a think, that would be for me, probably 6 bowls a day, and that's the way I like to do it. And it can be a real voyage of discovery, this. We really do, and it's a great opportunity to sort of, .

To, to contact, to make contact and become aware of whether you're living your life as as you want to live your life, and I think that's. That's rather splendid. The other skill that I think is a really important one to do if we're properly gonna take a break and stop this Christmas is to actually .

Make sure that you properly stop. And you drop anchor. Because in this festive season.

That's about to descend upon us. I don't know about you guys, but sometimes I come out the other side of Christmas, I invariably get some sort of . Viral infection, just a cold or a chest infection or something.

And I come out the other side of Christmas, almost more frazzled than when I went in. And I'm determined this year to stop lots. And to use the bold and to definitely, definitely make a commitment.

I mean, I meditate every day, but that doesn't matter. We need to keep stopping throughout the day, dropping anchor. Connecting with ourselves properly and the next meditation is literally called the drop anchor.

Meditation So Once again Just ask you to. Sit comfortably to begin with. And very gently just allow your eyes to close or just half close.

Let's begin. So we take our attention outside of the room. That you're meditating in.

And you listen For whatever you can hear. And you quietly name what you hear to yourself. You bring your attention into the room.

And you listen once more. What can you hear? In the room Where you're meditating.

And make sure that we do this without any judgement. Just name it. And smile.

Then take your attention right in. To you And listen to the sounds that you make. Quite often sounds from the tummy.

Maybe even that Almost that incredible silence that we sometimes get and if we strain and listen carefully. We can just get a sense of. An underlying sound there.

And Silently And kindly Go check in with yourself. How are you doing? Silently.

And kindly And push your feet. Into the floor As you sit and meditate. And Just allow yourselves to.

Straighten your back. If you're sitting. May be sitting Ensuring that you look dignified.

And Either press your fingertips together. Maybe stretch your arms. Maybe bring your shoulders up to your ears and just let them drop.

Just create some space. And now I just want you to acknowledge. Whatever thoughts.

Emotions You're sitting with In this Present moment. And also notice that there's a body. That holds those thoughts.

And those emotions. And this is a body that you can move and control. So notice your whole body now.

Your hands. Your feet. Yeah.

Maybe stretch. And press your feet down again. And now Open your eyes very gently.

And look around the room. That you're sitting in And quietly to yourself. Notice and name Just 5 of the objects in your room.

To yourself quietly. That's wonderful. And Close your eyes.

And now listen And listen and see if you can just hear. Three distinct separate sounds. Inside the room.

Outside the room. Maybe even outside of your home. Just 3 sounds.

And now notice. Once more The thoughts and the emotions. That you're sitting with.

And Bring attention to the fact that. In this present moment. There are thoughts.

And there are emotions. The physical feelings. Maybe even memories.

And doubts. And this is all going on. All the time And this incredible mind of ours.

And once again Bring your attention to the physicality of you. And just notice your body. That sits in the chair.

Move it. Gently find a stretch. Wherever feels comfortable.

And notice that your body. Holds the thoughts and the feelings and the memories and the doubts. And your body is in a room.

The room is around you. And very gently Bring attention Once more to the fact that you have stopped. And you have attended to yourself.

And the day has Been in a moment of stasis and calm. And Think back to what you were doing. Before you sat down to meditate.

And what you're going to do next. And Make a commitment that. Whatever you do For the rest of this Sunday evening.

You're gonna do it fully. And connectedly. And you're gonna be Present This evening And take every moment of joy.

And pleasure And peace That your life has to offer you. And when you're ready, Very gently Just gentle back. To the room Well done, everybody.

I think that . Tonight is, is, is, is been about finding meditations that you can do almost . Between clients, between visits, because we relaxed into them and took a bit of time today, but it takes 30 seconds to a minute to do a very efficient, bold, to just bring yourself back into your observing self and into the present moment.

And a drop anchor meditation, of which there's a few takes literally 2 or 3 minutes. And sometimes just making sure that we actually stop. And we connect with ourselves and the world around us.

And Ourselves and and and. Our own Thoughts, feelings, the machinations of the mind. And just sitting and allowing that.

Making more of each present moment is such a wonderfully healthy. Thing to do And I would just recommend that. You Take the opportunity.

This Christmas In the holidays to stop more often, look after yourselves better, and come back to work. Feeling Rejuvenated maybe certainly rested. And I'm gonna send Dawn as well, a really lovely .

A, a, a really lovely. Hand out it's by a guy called Russ Harri, and he, Harris, and he calls the drop anchor meditation the single most powerful technique for extreme fusion. And what by by that he means for connecting with you.

And I think it's a really useful. It's a very useful document actually, but I think if I can send that through and, and I'll send through the drop anchor meditation as well. And.

I would just ask cover Have a lovely, lovely Christmas and make sure that you stop and take a good break. Ah, Or feeling philosophical from Catriona this evening, mixed emotions and sadly it's the last of the monthly meditations. And very excited to see, well, there will be something in the new year.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, Christmas is a religious time, but New Year is a more emotional time.

Yeah, me too, actually, Catriona. It is a, it, it, it is a time to really connect with the stuff that really matters to us, doesn't it? So.

Yeah, thank you, Kaya and . Yeah, have, have really great Christmases. In whichever way you do, thank you, everybody.

And see you in the new year, I hope. And we've got that course starting in the new year for anybody, if you know anybody that struggles with . That struggles with pain, physical pain, and .

I suppose with your vet. With the webinar that members of the family, I would guess, would be able to access the, the, the, the course as well. So if you know colleagues that are struggling with physical pain and they are over, they're, they're, they're over attending to that physical pain, or that physical pain is, is demanding more attention than is healthy, then the course that we're doing in the new year, which is, a, a, a real look at how we look after ourselves better, but also how we live well with ongoing issues of pain.

So, a big thank you to everybody that's been part of these, meditations. I always love the Sundays, meditations. They're very good for me too.

And hopefully we'll see you in the new year. Say goodbye everybody.