Welcome to everybody. I mean, Dawn and I were sort of wondering whether there would be anybody sort of coming in tonight, and I think there's a few of you tonight, but, we're going to keep doing it weekly, whether it's Easter Sunday or not. I've done.

So many for the NHS. Quite a few webinars for the NHS frontline staff this week. We did one on burnouts.

We did a And another mindfulness when we're doing a lot of those and But I think the time for webinar seems to have come because, you know, at this point, we do need, whatever we can get our hands on really to keep ourselves. OK, and I was listening to, the It was a Scottish, it was a Northern Irish health minister who was talking about how their projection was that when this finishes, lots and lots of health workers will need treatment for and will need help with a sort of trauma response, but I think it's going to be much wider than that. I think that you guys out there in Betland.

And must be experiencing incredible sadnesses and huge turmoil to your lives, and I think we're all going to really need to look after ourselves. So tonight's sessions are really supposed to be, I've sort of designed tonight around that whole that whole sort of sense of let's let's restore ourselves, let's find ways to be in charge of the anxieties that are doubtless showing up. And I think we're doing it that way to to actually see if we can't.

As a sort of preventative measure, I think. And the first one I thought we would do tonight, and what I was going to do is record this, live as we did it and then send the recording. Straight over to, Dawn afterwards so that she can put the recording up if you find this useful, because this is one I use with a lot of my clients.

It's called the Drop anchor. Meditation and I use that for people that really struggle with anxiety, but so many of us are struggling with anxiety at the moment that it just felt that this would be a really good one. It's quite a short one, and then our second meditation is just the most peaceful, restful.

It's a lovely meditation. I've done it with you guys before, but this is a slightly different version. It's a bit longer, but it's called the lake, a bit similar to the mountain, but it's, it's about feeling and using the imagery of the lake to allow us to find the ebb and flow of the waves, but also allow us to find the stillness and the depth and the tranquilly of the lake.

So my hope is that tonight will really, really help. If people have got anything they, that they feel that they need to share or any tips for themselves or anything going on in their lives that they feel might help others or you just want to get it off your chest, then tonight is also, a really good opportunity to do that. So That's just So we do need to drop anchor when things get rough.

And this first meditation tonight is just looking at how we might. Drop anchor. So we just ask you all please to just smile that lovely mindful, half smile.

And to sit with your back. Kind of a straight and looking dignified as always with his shoulders relaxed but down. And just put your feet.

Flat on the floor. And in order to get a sense of Stability, just push your feet. Into the floor.

As you push your feet. Into the floor. Just take your time.

And reflect On your 5 senses. What can you smell? What can you hear?

What can you taste? Just getting a real sense of the primary senses that we use all the time. And feel your feet on the floor!

Feel the weight of your body in the chair. And your hands on your lap. Or by your sides.

And then really take your concentration. What else can you feel? Bring your hands together.

And press your fingertips. Together. And gently move your elbows.

And your shoulders. Just Curiously moving them. Very gently.

Very slowly. Taking a moment to notice and acknowledge. But there's stuff that you're struggling with.

And you can acknowledge that struggle. If you know what it is. If you know what it is you can say to yourself.

He is there. His sadness. Is emptiness.

And what can you see? Even with their eyes closed now. You might see different colours depending on the light.

Or even what can you see around you? And if we've got our eyes in that lovely half-closed place. What colours or shapes?

Showing up. And then listen to the sounds around you. Notice what you can hear.

Can you smell anything? And what can you taste? What have you eaten today?

Can you taste your toothpaste? Any other tastes there? I notice that.

There is difficulty around at the moment. But at the same time that you notice that. Notice your body in.

This seated position. And press your feet down. We're getting into the ground.

Press your fingertips together. And open your eyes. Look around you.

Now just take a moment to stretch your arms. Out in front of you up above you. And exhale.

Inhale And as you exhale just stretch. And feel that and hold it. And relax.

What you can do now. You can just ask yourself. Am I less caught up?

In the emotional storm. Because I Spent time with all 5 of my senses. Are you less hooked?

By difficult thoughts and feelings. And is it easier to engage with your surroundings? More able to be present.

More able. To focus. And if we are, And just notice that that short.

5 senses meditation. The drop anchor meditation. It took only 6 minutes.

To achieve Just notice that. Congratulate yourselves. And what we do with this one is where, as I'm sure you've realised, is we use this meditation.

At times when we kind of find ourselves A bit loose in the plot, maybe. You know, when we find ourselves. In a maelstrom, in a storm, and when we are in a metaphorical emotional storm, just like if we were out at sea, I guess we just sometimes need to drop anchor.

And find our sense of stability and stillness and Touch base with what is. And a really good way to do that. Is with the drop anchor short meditation.

And so I'm hoping you guys can see the utility of this one because it is so short. And I decided. Record it tonight.

So I've recorded what we did as well, because this might be one that you'll, you'll need in the workplace. So, or, or even at home, when you find that you just need to stop and Kind of regain your sense of balance and OKness. And it's a version of an exercise I do.

If I'm in the middle of trauma therapy, psychological trauma therapy, and I feel that my client is still stuck in the old memory or still stuck in a different place. Then I'll do the drop anchor, 5-minute meditation just to kind of help them feel safe and back in this present moment. So perhaps you'll be able to use that in a very similar way.

And, you know, I, I, I know, I, I, I did some yoga earlier, and, that was really wonderful. But I was already thinking about tonight's meditation because This is one of my absolute, faves, really. I love it.

So, the, the The late meditation is a John Cabotzin spesh. This version I'm going to do with you tonight is slightly longer. But I'm going to record it again so that I'll send this one to Dawn.

Obviously, these aren't quite the quality of the other meditations that are on my YouTube site, because they are not recorded in a studio. But hey, it's mindfulness, so you know what it is. So my hope is that you'll find the lake to be as enormously.

And peaceful and as restorative as I always find it really. So this is one that's really nice to do lying down. And if you're able to, I'll just give you a few moments to sort of get yourself into a position where you are lying down.

But you might find that you, you can also do this obviously, in a, in a seated position. And so maybe you want to do that. So my guess is that They're all kind of Just about ready.

So I'll press record in a few moments. The lake Meditation. Finding peace.

In a frantic world. So just notice. As we start this meditation.

And pay attention To the actual sensations of contact. And support As you lie, Or you sit. In the room where you're meditating.

Paying particular, mindful, non-judgmental attention. To where your body is making contact. Taking your attention to the places where Your weight is distributed on the floor.

And the sofa, the recliner. Actually, Sensing into your body. Noticing The feet.

The legs The hips. Your lower and upper body. And your arms.

Your shoulders. And your All the parts of your body where. You might find that you have contact.

And those sensations of support. When you're ready, Just ask you to bring Some awareness to your breath. The actual physical sensations of breathing.

Feeling each breath as it comes in. And it goes out without changing it. Just breathing.

Allowing it to flow easily. And naturally, with its own rhythm and place. No judgement, because you know.

You're breathing perfectly well right now. So there is nothing for you to do. Allowing a sense of being complete.

A whole human being. In this very moment. Just letting your breath.

Be your breath. And as you rest here, Just let an image form in your mind's eye. Of a body of water.

Large or small? Ali And this lake is held. In a receptive basin.

By the earth itself, just notice that. Almost like holding a Very, very delicate chick. Nothing in the mind's eye.

In your own heart. But water likes to pool. In low places.

Asks to be held. Contained When it seeks its own level. Where's the water?

Fills that basin. But the image gradually come into greater focus. Even if it doesn't come as a visual image.

Allow the sense of this lake. Feel its presence. Get a sense of whether this lake that you're invoking.

Is blue or green? Or clear There's no wind. So the surface is flat.

And it's mirror-like. Reflecting Everything In itself. And sit with that stillness.

And then noticed that the wind. Comes and stirs up waves. Causing those reflections to distort.

The sunlight sparkles in the ripples. When night comes. It's the moon's turn to dance on the lake.

When the surface is still. To be reflected in it. As you rest here now.

As you establish this sense of the lake in your mind's eye. Just ask you to, when you feel ready. To bring that sense of the lake inside you.

Completely. So that all your energies in this moment are held in awareness. With openness.

And compassion for yourself. Noticing that This mirrors the lake. On the way that the lake's waters are held by the receptive basin.

Of the earth herself. Now take your attention to your breath. Breathing As though you were the nave.

Feeling its body. As your body. Allowing your mind.

And your heart to open and receive moment by moment. To reflect whatever comes near. Experiencing moments of complete stillness.

And moments when the surface of our lake is disturbed. Choy. And through it all As you lie here, Simply observing the play.

Of your own mind. Noticing your fleeting thoughts and feelings. Your impulses which come and go.

Just like ripples. And waves. Noticing the effect of your thoughts.

Your feelings, do they disturb your leg? Do they muddy the waters. And isn't it?

Just part of being alike this rippling. And perhaps, we can identify not only with the surface of your lake. But with the entire body of water.

So that you become the stillness. Below the surface. And in the same way, In your daily life.

Can you be in touch not only with the change in content. An intensity of your thoughts, your feelings. But also with the vast unwavering reservoir.

Of awareness itself. Residing just below. The surface of your mind.

You, like the lake, can find stillness. The lake can teach us this. The lake reminds us of the lake within ourselves.

And if you find this image of the lake in this practise to be of value. You may want to use it from time to time to deepen and enrich. Your lives You might invite this lake image to guide your actions as you move.

Through the unfolding of each day. Having a sense of being held. On a reservoir of mindfulness within your own heart.

So as we dwell here now. In the stillness of this moment. We ask you just to sit and wait for the bells, which will bring this meditation to an end.

But we ask you to be like the lake in silence. Affirming your ability to hold and be held. So in the time that remains before the bells.

Just continue to sustain that sense of being your own. How Lake in silence. Moment by moment.

Allowing the lake. To have its storms and its ripples. But also finding the depths.

And the moments of peace. The late meditation. Well done.

And my hope is that You found that as Peace invoking and as Relaxing as As I do. And did just then actually it was really pleasure to do. I've got Billy the mindful dog sitting next to me on the sofa, and, you know, he really helped today because I could just feel him gradually going into that, really lovely deep sleep that Only dogs can, you know, when they, their paws start going and.

That was rather lovely. He does like to meditate. So My hope is that you all are able to remain safe.

My thoughts are with you this Easter. And If there's anything, I sent a couple of films over to the webinar that I've just made a couple of films of some, techniques that might help people through these really difficult times. And I think Dawn was going to put them up or send them out or something wonderful and I've got to do a big shout out to Dawn.

We did a We had a new webinar going out to, the frontline NHS staff, staff locally this week, and it was their first zoom, and they didn't have a clue. And in the end, Dawn, I asked Dawn to help and, she actually set it up for them. So it was a wonderful case of the webinar that reaches out to the NHS and saves the day.

And, I think. You know, big clap for Dawn for that because it helped enormously. And so there's a bit of Synergy between us now, isn't there?

So thank you all so much for tonight, for participating. I hope it was useful for you. And we'll be back, next weekend, next Sunday.

And that brings us to the end of tonight. I'm going to send these two meditations over the dawn when I've finished and just hope that you. Carry on meditating, using mindfulness to Take us through because this time and what's happening, this will pass and we will get to a better place.

Good night now.