OK and welcome to people as we start to come in on this Sunday evening and . Yeah, it seems to me like the need for our Sunday meditations and the ability to choose and to use that toolbox as you see on my slide is, is really coming back into focus, isn't it, as. We enter yet another phase in this such difficult time for so many people, and Dawn and I were just chatting earlier and saying that for both of us, and I'm sure for you guys.

There is this sort of sense that now we're beginning to meet people and know quite a number of people who have succumbed and struggled and or even just had the virus. And I suppose as as we're beginning to see for those of you working in the veterinary profession where, you know, you're another one of those professions where, you know, you're you you're, you're probably going to be as busy as ever, if not busier. And still having to make all of these concessions and all of these new ways of working and if anything like me, because I'm, I'm coming to you from Cornwall today because I managed to take time off to go on holiday.

I didn't think we were gonna get here, but I'm coming to, I can see the sea in the, in the distance where I'm sitting overlooking the sea, and it is rather lovely and . I've got to say that I think tonight's meditation is, I, I thought, I thought about it, I thought, I'm sure you're all having the same experience as me, because I didn't realise quite how exhausted and tired I was. And that's, that's worries me because as someone who purports to be a mindful, human being, someone who does deliberately pay attention, who stops and meditates on a daily basis.

I kind of realised that I have been running on, sort of fumes as opposed to real fuel because as soon as I stopped, I've just got absolutely exhausted. And I suppose I would say to you guys, tonight, let's let's use tonight as a way of saying, well, don't you fall into the trap that I fell into, you know, maybe today I wanted to look at two things, how we might maintain our resilience, how we might. Get through this marathon that I think.

This COVID-19 is proving for all of us. And so the first meditation I wanted to do was something I'm going to do a lot more of when I get back, is just let go, because, and the and and and the second meditation. Is one about just meeting with curiosity, because I think the letting go is a wonderful way.

Mindfulness can really help us, connect and let go. And I think that's what I haven't been doing, because when we got down, my wife probably said to me, 15 times, Mike, why are you on your phone, you know, are you looking at work stuff? And it's, it's almost been, you know, I haven't been as mindful as I normally am, and I think that comes it's hard to be mindful when we're tired.

So my real hope for everybody tonight is that you'll find this really, really useful. I think I've got two cracking meditations. The first one, is, is, is one of letting go.

And I think it's a really important meditation, and it's quite a quick one as well. And I know you can get the recordings from this one, but the . The, the, the sort of key phrase in this meditation that I do use a fair bit for myself.

I, I actually don't call it the letting go meditation. I call it my just for a moment meditation, but it's real, it's not the name it's a letting go meditation. And then after we've done that, I'm going to do meeting with Curiosity, but I've updated this one, we did this some time ago and it's called the main meditation because the RA stands for Re, allow, investigate your inner experience, and then non-identify.

And it's a sort of strategy for taking it one step further than just letting go, when letting go isn't enough. So we're, we're on the same theme, we're looking at these two. Different meditations today.

So this first meditation is one which I hope you're really gonna enjoy, but I'm gonna hope that you're gonna use it too, because like me, I think I'm guessing that many of you are going to really benefit from finishing your day at work, you know, finishing. Yeah, 11 clients. Thought process, one finishing with one client, one pet, 11 owner, one animal, and then before you launch into the next one.

Just let go, you know, have a very brief moment of just. For a moment, let go. Wait.

Feel it and move on, you know, and and. Got to start doing this stuff because I think it's. Otherwise, I think many of us are gonna get into a real place of struggle, and, I think they're talking about long COVID now, and from my perspective, I think long COVID might be a psychological issue as much as a, as a, as a physiological one for many people, because the Shias, those of us who are continuing to work really hard, as everybody on this webinar is, I think, and I don't think I've ever worked so hard or so much as during this period, .

And for those, those of us, I think it is going to be a long time. So we, you know, we fuel ourselves with all the right physical fuels, you know, I'm taking my, and I would heartily recommend everybody else do it. I'm, I'm being back in the NHS, I'm seeing the evidence base.

So I'm seeing my, I'm taking my very high dose of vitamin D. I'm trying to eat really healthily. I'm doing my yoga.

I'm trying to stay fit. I'm drinking water, trying to sustain the body, but we've got to sustain the mind as well. So let's start with our first meditation.

And as always, on a Sunday evening, these are sitting meditations, meditations that can be done either seated or lying down, but I can see you guys perhaps, shutting the door behind a client, just for a moment, moving away from your computer, closing your eyes, and just for a moment, letting go. So maybe a seated meditation would make sense. So let's just get ourselves into a position where we're comfortable.

But not so comfortable. And just make sure there's nothing gonna disturb you. Hopefully your room is warm.

And comfortable. And when we're ready, Letting go. So we just ask you, To take your attention.

And to go find a branch. Without changing it. Without manipulating it.

Just go find it and follow. Recognising That this breath is breathing. Can be an anchor, all of us.

It's we can attach to. It's something that can pull us back into each. Present moment.

And as we find this. Present environment. We just take Attention.

And we just begin to check out our bodies. And as we do so. When we come across this.

As I just have a shoulder. When we come across badness. When we come across.

Any tightness in our body. You just don't. And find the brand.

Open up our awareness. And just consider Perhaps Your life. My mind is filled with too much business.

Perhaps too much hurry. Too much. Stressed even.

Just for a moment. Let go of all of them. And if we struggle with that, will you hear me say, let go, put away.

Let go That they As we say that, most, as we're doing this in meditation tonight. We hear those words let go, just experiment perhaps with your hand or right or your left. And as we say, just let go, just flex your fingers as if you're.

Wing away Just very gently with. Let's try that first part of the meditation. When I get to just a moment.

As you let go, just flick your fingers as though you were just letting go of drops of water. It's not a physical movement. So let's start again.

Let's just consider. Me, your life is filled with too much business. Too much hurry.

Maybe even Too much stress. We sit with that. Just for a moment.

Let go of all that. Maybe, like me. There are too many devices.

Too many machines. Buying your attention. With ring OK.

With flags and messages. OK. Just for a moment.

Turn them all off. And Let go. Flem.

Don't need this Oh, now we do. Maybe your body is. Tends Maybe there's too much.

Anxiety. Too much of a sense that you have to move and move. Be busy.

Just for a moment. Let go of all that. Just said Quiet.

Just you Algebra And the universe. Just sit quiet. Maybe like me.

Emotion moves through. Each emotion seeming. Crucial and compelling.

These emotions. Physical sensations perhaps. Maybe We don't need to pay attention to them.

Right now. Just for a moment. That's our emotions be just let go.

Maybe, like me. Thoughts rattle around in the head. Seeming to be A stream of words and pictures.

And maybe these thoughts are nothing. Sounds in your mind. Words and pictures.

Maybe We don't need to do anything about them right now. So just for a moment. Let them be too.

Maybe you Finding an urgent sense. Do, do. But there are actions.

That things need. I don't. You don't need to do anything about.

Right now in this space. So just for a moment. That that Just flick them away.

Just open your minds anything else that arises. In your experience as we sit here tonight. On this Sunday.

If anything else, pushes its way in. Sounds, smells, thoughts, feelings. Mm Thou shalt Should ought not.

Anything that shows. Just for this moment. And they Just content.

You don't need to do anything. Other than saint And breathe and just be. And if any insights or visions.

Or feelings or memories. All right, that's fine. It's just content.

You don't need to do anything about them. Right now I Just for a moment. Just let that stuff be.

And if at any point, During this meditation. You feel like you're doing something on purpose. Let go of it.

And just a moment. That And let things Just Let it be. Well done, everybody.

There is real power in her in letting go. Sometimes in my therapy room, my client's eyes open wide and a bit worried as I reach for this length of sort of rope that I keep in the therapy room and sometimes they, they, you can see them beginning to think I've I'm really mad. And the rope over to them right, hold on.

Hold on and start fighting, start pulling. And usually I, I sort of struggle and they call and they call. Keep trying to win this tug of war, and eventually when I see they're getting a bit tired and I am too, I say now let go of the rope.

The moment they let go of the rope, their shoulders, and they inevitably smile, and they say, oh God. And it does feel good, you know, to just let go. So even if you don't have time.

In your busy surgeries in your busy jobs in your lives. Maybe every now and then. It's worth just stopping.

Quietly saying, come on. Just for a moment. That guy And flick.

And feel that sense of relief. And breathe. I'm white.

And get back on with your day. But if you're able to actually use the letting go meditation. How fantastic is that.

Well done, everyone. So our second meditation is using a technique called names earlier. And Rain is something that you don't need to do as a meditation.

It works beautifully meditation. Sometimes we just need to Stop in the day and recognise what's happening. You know, I'm too busy.

I'm stressed. And then just allow that experience, allow it. To be just as it is without judging it.

And then this is where the curiosity. Investigate what's happening. Investigate your inner experience.

And then Then and only then use this process of non-identifying to once again let go, but this time we're letting go, being, being mind. Different process, but also entails letting go. But it's one of those meditations, I think you can stop and you can just say right, recognise Mike, allow.

Investigate it for a little bit. Oh, I know what this. And quickly take my attention to what I'm doing before this.

In the moment of taking my attention there I've not identified. Rain. Now let's brain into a me.

What that's So, Once again, That close our eyes so that they have. Let's find our space. That And When we're ready, That's meditation of the evening.

So we ask you to just. Quietly paying attention to your breath. Finding the silence.

In the room You me Just a Allowing Our sales permission. Other than to sit. And a 3 And to enjoy this.

Finding space. In a frantic way And Just think for a moment. About Our workplaces.

And some of the stuff in our work. Brings about Strong Possibly difficult. Just fine.

A task that you do. Part of your work. Part of your role.

That brings on a feeling of. And when we're ready, Just take a moment. To recognise.

That a strong emotion has shown up. And rather than push away from it or try not to have it. That's trust in the process, that process.

And lean in as we recognise. This emotion That attaches to Whatever the cue is that borders on this. And move towards it.

Yeah. Nonjudgmental. Making space to just have whatever this difficulty is.

And into this. Present moment experience now. And find the curiosity.

Explore what's actually. In your body. Right now was We recognise that we've connected.

This Maybe if you can. Just quietly label it. Mentally na.

Well this is in. This is This is fear of. This is overwhelming.

This is so stress. And at this stage of the meditation. We're recognising.

We're opening up. We're bringing ourselves full contact. With ourselves.

And let's see it's. Present moment. So we connect with.

That emotion. And we just move on. And rain Stands for a lab.

And allowing means to. Just let it be. As it is.

It's the acknowledgement. And the. Present moment reality.

Doesn't mean we like it. Does mean, however, the game. To soften Any mental resistance.

To the difficult And we noticed. Rather than engage in an inner circle. I just.

By allowing All right. Yes. Yes.

I can allow it. To our present moment. And the moment you just.

This thing that was causing us. Difficult emotion in the moment you say. Yes.

You like me almost immediately a sense of softening and ease around the emotion. Now we start to curiosity. By shining a mindful night on the.

The rain and the stands for. And that's the case. So now that you've recognised and allowed And I Can you investigate it.

Hm. So we can mentally. Inquire With questions like, why does this make me feel this way?

-huh. Why does this make me Feel this way. And What do I really need?

Right now. Other actions I could take? To nurture I support myself.

As we investigate curiously. We can choose a conscious response. To just foster a more meaningful one.

This investigation may even resolve. Or dissolve that. Although that's not.

Sometimes that's what we find. So we've recognised. We've made space and we've allowed it.

And we've leaned in and we've. Now, we want to non-identify with it. And this is our way of Just Skillfully.

Not identifying and letting go. By simply realising that you. Are not your mind.

You are not your emotions. Yeah Are the awareness that is always there. Underneath Or above.

Emotion. Perception A non identification. Means that your sense of who you are.

It's not fused with what we find. By thoughts and emotions. You want the awareness.

It is always there. Underneath the thought. The, yeah.

And this brings a natural sense of freedom and ease. No matter how intense and painful. The emotional rates.

There is always a part of you. Which is still Silent. Untouched.

It's that. So we find that sense by non-identifying with. This stuff.

And then. An awareness But you are not your mind. You I'm not your emotions.

You can use this rain method anytime. You're feeling overwhelmed. That's really powerful way.

I've just home. In a challenging And difficult time. Right.

Recognise Allow Investigate. Non-identify. Well done, everybody.

I hope you found that useful tonight. I do believe that what we were saying earlier was so true. We are really gonna have to.

Helps because I think. We gotta, we gotta recognise. That this mindfulness that we're developing on Sunday evenings is more important than ever now because I think we're all beginning to feel the that that that sense of Oh goodness This is going on, beginning to drain.

And so meditation and their part of the importance of letting go and meeting curiosity is what. Can really help us out the other side of this very difficult time. So thank you all so much for joining me this evening, .

And as a Sounds a little odd. I think it might be. The This room in Como.

I'm meditating and there's a real sort of It's a great big room. And there's glass everywhere overlooking the sea, and I think it might be that. So apologies if the sound's a little off.

Yeah But I hope you enjoyed the meditation. And have really good couple of weeks. Look after yourself.

Feel yourselves emotionally, psychologically. And of course, physiologically as well and everybody. And good night.

Oh, thank you, Henry, these sessions really helped. And now at work if any of us start doing we breathe fantastic music to my ear is worth doing it for. Have wonderful evenings.

Enjoy your Sunday and Well, good night now.