Welcome to everybody and on this. It's our 5th weekly meditation and I think we, we, we're getting a sort of set little community of us that come along on a, on a Sunday. It's really lovely.

And I've got 2. Meditations to do today. And the first one is, it's, it's a new one for me that, We've only been using for a couple of weeks, but it really, really seems to fit.

For . Kind of what everyone's experiencing at the moment. And the second one came from some feedback I got from the World Congress, the webinar World Congress for Vets meeting that I did earlier on this week because I sort of did a session about sleep and, Got a fair, fair number of people coming back.

Lots of people really liked it, which is always lovely, but a couple of people came back and said they struggle a little bit with the leaves on the stream because, of the whole issue of actually visualising. And if you're not a great visualizer, the leaves on a stream, which is usually a superb way to sort of lull oneself into, into sleep, doesn't work quite so well. So I thought I would listen to the feedback I'm getting from you guys in the vet community.

And something I use when people don't do well with leaves on a stream, which is rare. Is a sort of special version of the body scan, particularly for sleep. And because sleep is becoming almost as much of a pandemic during the COVID-19 times as we're beginning to call them, because people just aren't sleeping as well, because there is so much threat about.

I thought I would record these two, as I have tried to do the last few weeks. I think last week's, I got some lovely feedback from you guys, so thank you for that, about the, the progressive muscular relaxation. But I was aware that in the background when I replayed it later, that you could hear my daughter, pontificating about something as is I want.

So my hope is that, I've just done that sort of dad warning, you know. If I hear you, there'll be deep trouble, and they both smiled at me. So that didn't work, but, we, we'll wait and see.

So welcome to everybody on this, this Sunday. I hope you're all doing as well as can be expected. It is really tough times.

Mrs. Scanlon, my wife, has had to go down to Cornwall to be with her mother, who we're pretty sure has just, she's 89, and we're pretty sure she's just come out the other side of COVID-19 . But she's terribly frail and very weak as a result of coming out the other side of it.

And so Mr. Scanlon's gone down. There.

So, I'm also experiencing a little bit of what it's like to be a bit more isolated than normal, and it's tough, isn't it? If, if, if you're not with the people that you're normally with. So, our first meditation today is, the stop meditation and I think I'd prefer, as I, as a slideshows, to call it the whoa meditation because I think stop sounds a little bit sort of silent, whereas kind of whoa, slow down.

Take a moment is much more. Applicable, but the meditation is called the stop meditation and It sort of follows the S is stop. The T is take a few breaths.

The O is moving into your observing self, and the P is right, proceed now, but proceed carefully and gently and mindfully. So, I did actually madly spend about 15 minutes trying to make the word woe fit and failed miserably. So I was going to call it the woe meditation, but that didn't work either.

So this is our first meditation of the evening, and as my slide says, I really like it actually because it's it's sort of a little bit more than a three stage breathing space, but it is specifically for when we do have an over worried mind. And as this, as the slide says, we do know that if we're able to move ourselves back into the present moment. It really does help.

And also, It's this perspective taking that feels so important, doesn't it? And if we can use this stop meditation to bring ourselves back and get a new perspective or a different perspective, particularly when we're in a real place of worry and anxiety, then I'm hoping this will be a very useful meditation, and it's actually quite a quick meditation to do. So my hope is that when I send it on to you today, this will be one.

That people can use. So it's the stop meditation. And if we can all just get ourselves into a seated position and as I always say because I just think it's so important, let's just make sure that we're looking comfortable.

We've got a little mindful half smile on our face. We have got that sense of just being rather pleased with ourselves that we value ourselves enough. To just take some time out of a, probably a busy Sunday, or a lovely Sunday, just to spend some time with your mind, and I think it's so important.

So, once you're all lovely and settled, let's get off with the stop meditation. The stop meditation. And this meditation, as I was saying earlier, is actually a really good meditation for those times when we're actually feeling really just a little bit stressed and aware that our thoughts are a bit unhelpful, and it's a very short practise, this one, that you can weave into your day.

And the lovely thing about it is, is it helps us to step into that space between stimulus. And response. And when we're in that space, we create time we create space enough for ourselves to make better decisions.

So Just ask you, please, just to stop. What you're doing Right now. And just ensure that you're in a comfortable position.

And this meditation can be done in a seated position. And it's equally as effective if we're lying down. Just give you a few moments.

Some people I really do like to just lie down for a meditate. And I'm just going to ask you to take A few deep breaths. In through the nose, initially and out through the mouth, if we're able to.

So just taking that breath in through the nose. And out through the mouth. In through the nose.

And out through the mouth. I keep breathing in that fashion. And just bring in your mind to notice that with each exhalation.

We can just soften. Just a little bit more. And as long as you're here.

With the breath right now. We can sort of begin. To allow your body.

To settle now. Into a more natural. Rhythm.

Of breathing. And as we breathe in. Let's try and really sense.

That breath coming in. And attend to it. And as we breathe out.

We just sense the breath as it leaves. Allow your body To take the breath it needs. In its natural rhythm.

Of just being alive. And present. Now let's gently.

Begin to shift. Into our observing self. Just taking our attention.

Kind of smilingly. Go explore your body. Noticing Whether there's tension or tightness anyway.

Making sure you include your face. Softening the eyes. Finding a mindful half smile.

Letting your jaw relax. And if you do notice any of that tightness. Any of that tension anywhere.

Just allow it to soften all. Mindfully Just adjust your body. In order to find that suffer.

Bring an awareness to how you're feeling emotionally. Right now. There's a sense of calm or ease.

Or maybe you find some restlessness. Perhaps irritation. May be sadness.

Or maybe what you find is a state of neutrality. But whatever you find. Just be aware of it.

Notice how it feels. Physically in your body, where is it? And as we stay in our observing self.

We notice that we're just letting things be. Noticing if our mind goes off somewhere. Wandering, gets distracted.

Perhaps the o is the observing self, but perhaps the o is also it's OK. Because it is OK. So we just Allow What is to be what is.

And if we want to, we can go and tether our attention to wherever I am. Mind wandered off too. You can just bring it back.

Settling in Emotionally. Just letting it be! And proceed That is where we're going.

And we're just drop in this question. And mindfully peruse it. What's most important for me?

To pay attention to. Right now. Or perhaps what do I need?

Right now. And allow whatever answers. Arrive to sort of percolate.

I'm just Brew and Bobble around for a bit. Just proceed with that in the next moment, whatever comes. Always remembering now.

To just acknowledge. That you spent some time to stop. Take a few breaths.

To observe And to have a sense of how you would like to proceed. Going forward, As our meditation. Just begins to get towards its end.

Make sure that you acknowledge yourself. But this is an act of self-care. Just take that final moment of this meditation.

To just acknowledge yourself with a smile or a nod. For taking this. Time.

Well done, everybody. It's a sort of shift, it's a bit of a body scan, a bit of a three-stage breathing space, and a little bit of one that I love, the bold meditation. But, I think it's quite a nice one.

Just to sort of, allow us to have a stop in our day. So my hope is that, People found that one interesting, . Always, always able to use your chat function, just to comment, see what you think.

And, the Scanlon family actually managed to be pretty quiet then. So, That was good. And the next.

Meditation we're going to do today. I just want to say to you, you know, if you drop off. During this, this next meditation.

Please don't worry. No, it really, it really doesn't matter. Because, as I was saying earlier, the real beauty of this next meditation is that, sometimes we're I'm doing a, A course like this, what I get is people just coming back to me and saying, .

You know, Mike, I'm really sorry I fell asleep during the body scan, and I suppose I ought to say that, well, you know, that doesn't, that really doesn't matter because, you know, what it is, is that, as I think I, very often say, but this meditation we're going to do now is a bit longer. But for those people that would like another meditation to actually drop off to. Then This could be the one to accompany leaves on a stream.

And I got this from the, the SEML Institute, and it's a, it's a mindful awareness research centre in the states, and they actually did some research on people that struggled to visualise and they came up with, this particular meditation, which I use. I do an awful lot of sleep therapy, 1 to 1 work. And people come to me for their sleep, and if they really don't get on with the leaves on a stream.

This is the one we go to. So before we start, I'm just gonna take a quick step. Wet the whistle.

And, we'll get ready for this next particular meditation. And as I said before, you know, if you fall asleep, really, really, really dumb. Don't worry at all.

So, With no more ado. Again, this one can be done, lying down, but today, you might want to do it sitting up, and if you fall asleep, well, do you know what, what it is. So let's just start off with the body scan to aid sleep.

So if we're all just getting ourselves. Into a really lovely. Comfortable position.

And Remembering that this is a guided body scan meditation. To help you just prepare. The sleep.

And as you do the meditation itself, you might actually find yourself drifting off to sleep and that's fine. So you can allow the meditation. To just quietly turn off on its own.

So if you notice when we're doing. This meditation that thoughts such as worries. Or concerns might arise that gently tug your attention away from our meditation.

That's normal. And when you Experience that phenomenon of our mind wandering, which is what minds do. Just see if you can redirect your attention.

Just gently, smilingly back to the body scan. Gently letting go of the thoughts that interrupted. And if it's possible.

We'll be noticing our body right here. Wherever we are, lying on a bed. Sitting on a sofa.

You'll just be feeling the body sensations that are present. Scanning the body. For any obvious sensations, vibrations.

Tingling sensations. Maybe heaviness. Maybe pressure.

Perhaps movement or heat. Or coolness. An odd job During this body scan is to just allow these sensations without trying to change them.

Or make them different. Simply bringing a mindful attention of. Curiosity.

An openness to whatever shows up. If you notice yourself starting to think about the sensation you find. Or think about something else.

Just come back. So let's just begin this meditation fully. By noticing.

The sensations at the top. Of our head. So simply escort your attention to the top of your head.

Notice what you might feel. Perhaps vibration. Perhaps a sense of pressure.

And then allow your attention. To notice your skull. As it makes contact with the back of the chair.

Or the bed or the pillow. There might be a sense of pressure there. Or wait.

You might notice some other sensation. Simply apply curiosity. Feeling.

And sometimes when you encounter a sensation. There may be some tension there. If you can, Stay with it and gently.

Bye. If that doesn't I possible. Curious about whether you can Breathe gently.

Directing your breath to wherever that tension is. Allowing it to soften. And if it still stays at 10.

She asked With the body scan. And at this moment, Just bringing awareness to the sensations. In your left shoulder.

Bring your attention there. Let your attention just ease its way down your arm. Noticing vibration.

Heat movement. When you reach your elbow from lower arm. Then your hand.

At the left hand. Just Be aware that there's often sensations in the hand, as we relax. Notice them and be curious.

Allowing the sensations that show up. Allowing your hands to soften and relax. Now take your attention to your right shoulder.

Just ease that tension and that attention right the way down your right arm. Noticing your elbow, your forearm. Once again, And to the hands and fingers of your right hand.

Lots of sensation. Sometimes no sensation. Just notice the absence of sensation when it arises.

Move your attention to the bank. And breathe. Bringing your attention down your back or sort of zig-zagging it across your back.

Left and right just moving. Scanning your body. And sometimes there's strong sensation in our back.

The sensation of touch against the chair or the bed. A sense of pressure. All right.

Can you be open? And curious in accepting. To whatever the experience is.

Bringing kindness to yourself, no matter what. Noticing the sensations in your lower back. Making sure to breathe.

Again, if worries or thought shall well. Let them be like clowns. Moving across your mind.

Scutting letting them go. Coming back to A meditation And the body scan. Taking your attention to your chest.

Down the upper rib cage into the tummy area. Finding a stunner. Breathing more deeply now.

Directing some of the breath right into your tongue. Allowing that part of your body to soften. And relax.

Noticing your pelvis. Whole pelvic area, the places where your body connects with the seat or the bed. Bringing your attention.

Just very gently. Down to the legs. Noticing the sensations in your thighs.

Maybe circling your attention gently from leg to leg, from thigh to thigh. Not forgetting to breathe. Bringing that curious attention to your knees.

And a calf muscle on the left. Gain noticing tension. Vibration warm.

Heaviness, just let it be. Just noticing the left ankle. The foot and the toes.

Often a lot of sensation in the toes. Just become aware of whatever's there for you. Now go find your right hip.

And start to move your attention down your right leg. Right thigh. Through to the knee.

Down to the car. Feeling the sensations, scanning your body. And then down to your right ankle.

But And to. Now you scanned your body. If you want to.

Go all the way back to the top of your scalp. Start working your way. Back down Perhaps you wish to start at your feet.

Work your way back up through your body. Till you get to the top of your head. Feel free to scan your body up.

And down Or as often As it's helpful for you. To stay, scanning. Well done, everybody.

So that's a slightly longer . Body scan. But we've tried to make it very, very applicable to sleep.

So I'm really hoping that you're going to find. That one useful because it just offers us another, option other than just the leaves on the stream meditation for sleep, which has been my sort of go to for quite some time. It's a real, it's a real, Lovely.

Softening body scan, you don't have to do that one to sleep. It's just another really nice one, but it's sort of designed. As I'm sure you realised as we were going through that, to just lull us and to soften us and to, get us into that really lovely sleek place.

So as always, we're just slightly over tonight, so apologies for taking you past. I'll just see if there's anyone's got any questions about either of those two. Meditations.

Or if anybody ever has any, you know, there's something you're really struggling with at the moment, and you'd like me to focus on that next Sunday, do let Dawn, Won Dawn at the webinar that know, or just, you know, send a, send something now. We've just got something coming in now. Let me just pop in.

I found that meditation a lot more soothing than leaves on the stream. Good call. Thank you very much, Catriona.

Yeah, . Yeah, I think I've been sort of resting on my laurels a little bit with leaves on a stream because it's been so helpful for so many years, but occasionally I've been using that one when people struggle for sleep, and yeah, it's, it's, it's another option, isn't it? And you know, I always bang on about choice, so .

We should offer more choice. So as I said, if anybody's got any thoughts of anything they'd like. In the next few weeks, just do let the webinar vet know.

They always come back to me. And if you've got my email, which is always banging around somewhere, then just email me and let me know. Have wonderful, lovely, evenings.

And stay safe. And hopefully, we'll see you all. And, yeah, goodnight everybody.