Dear <<First Name>>,

I hope you have had a good summer. The days are getting shorter and autumn is upon us. It is a time to sleep longer, eat nourishing and warming food and pay extra attention to our inner lives. In Chinese medicine autumn is related to the lungs, colon and the emotion of grief, which is all about letting go. This is why we, at this time of year, often find changes in our elimination, perhaps in the form of constipation getting better or worse. As we know emotions, body and our life in general are all interlinked and autumn is an invitation to be inspired by the trees dropping their leaves in order to leave to leave room for something new. This goes for relationships, colons, cupboards, habits/routines, friendships, garages and emotions. You’ll see how one helps the other.
 
In this newsletter I have put together some ideas about how to give more attention to the present moment. This in turn will make you more productive, focused and open to the special moments life offers us. You can also read about an exciting new book about sex, watch a great talk about upstream healthcare and see dates for my next BodyTalk Access courses, and next summer’s yoga and Access retreat.  
 

Help for a scattered mind

Do you find that you’re getting more and more busy? Many of us do. We find ourselves multitasking more, and yet we don’t seem to get more done. Our attention is torn in many directions, resulting in stress and a scattered and unproductive mind. Here are a few tips to be more present:
 
Embrace mundane tasks. Start by paying extra attention to seemingly mundane tasks. For example, when you’re doing the dishes notice how different temperatures of the water feel on your skin, and pay attention to the noise the dishes make. There is no point in fighting and wishing away the things that we have to get done. Knuckle down and try to find your inner Zen monk while you are getting on with these mundane tasks.
 
Meditation. It doesn’t have to be difficult. Start with a few minutes of sitting still watching your breathing and thoughts. Don’t try to stop and control your thoughts – just let them float by without judgment and expectations. If you find yourself engaging in a thought and going off on a tangent, gently bring your attention back to the breathing. It’s really not about “getting it” or doing it right or wrong. For more inspiration listen to this TED talk by Andy Puddicombe, or to get started with guided meditations try Andy’s HeadSpace. They do a great mediation app.

There is a lot to be said for the discipline of sitting quietly in meditation, but actually everything can be a meditation. I have included another take on meditation below in the form of quotes from Jeff Foster and Eckhart Tolle.  
 
Smart use of your smartphone. Smartphones have taken the always-on-culture to a whole new level, and allow multitasking like never before. You have to put yourself in the driving seat, and let the technology work for you, not the other way around.
 
Conscious breathing. Breathing is the bridge between the body and mind, and taking deep breaths has a calming effect on both the nervous system and the mind. Find a way of working with your breathing that suits you. It could be taking three deep conscious breaths through the nose every time you wait for the kettle to boil, or it may be that you want to look into pranayama (breathing exercises). There are much help to get online, for example here for videos (not quite sure why he hasn't got a t-shirt on, but the videos are short and helpful) here for an article. My favourite is kapalbhati or shining/cleansing skull.  
  
Last but not least: Having BodyTalk sessions. Most of my clients report that they feel more focused after having BodyTalk, and as a result are more productive and more comfortable in their own skin.  


I hope to see you soon,