Let's Relax.......OM,,,,

People are getting a bit tetchy out there. Tempers are flaring. We have been so biddable, so good, for so looonngggg. And there is, not only no end in sight, but we are threatened with worse. There is another, and another variant, more lethal than the ones we have become familiar with that now, nearly everyone is giving out. We have been reasonable, biddable, compliant, even cheerful, but : No More.

The teachers are tired. The students are not enjoying school. The musicians, actors, film makers, singers have watched promising careers slip away. The Hoteliers and Nightclub owners see years of investment disappear. The doctors and nurses are now just plain irritated by sick people. It is incredible that professional medical personnel are unable to regulate a healthy working environment for themselves. .

Meanwhile the Pharma, Tech and Food industries are doing fine. Hey, they are even hiring.

In many ways, we , the Retired, have a lot to be grateful for and at this stage, we need to give a bit of support to our friends and families , our communities and our work colleagues. Let us not add to the chorus of woe.

Huge research is being carried out on the massive changes that this pandemic has brought about. How we live, what we eat, the illnesses we get and how we keep afloat is being studied across the globe as Futurologists predict what needs to be put in place to ensure Mankind gets to see the 22nd century. Climate change is now taken seriously. Even those who say that the melting of the ice-caps is merely the continuation of the Little Ice Age which started 10,000 years ago, (A mere blink of an eye to the Universe) agree that we have probably been the most destructive species to have ever lived on this planet and in the last 200 years alone, we , just by being short-sighted, have inflicted so much damage to the Environment, that we could actually cause the extinction of our species. The Planet will survive, but our civilisation could collapse very quickly. Remember the Romans? Not conquered by the Barbarians but collapsed from within, because moral purpose had been neglected as they concentrated on getting rich fast, disposing of their enemies, cultivating a taste for luxury, bending the rules to suit themselves and forgetting about the gods.

The vacuum left a convenient space for the growth of Christianity. For about 800 years reading , writing, drama, , Philosophy, Democracy, Medicine, Architecture, road building, clean water were left aside as societies turned inward.

But we have options. We have the tools necessary to improve air quality, produce better food, cope with disease, raise the overall standard of living.

Greta is right. We no longer need to keep ravaging out planet. We can stop digging. We should be able to produce non stop, free energy using the sun, wind and water. The technology is there to artificially produce food, locally. No live animals need to be involved. This can all be done in laboratories within 30 miles of where you live.

Mind you, the success rate with processed foods is not great and obesity is one of the biggest markers in predicting ill health, The low-fat food was loaded with artificial sweeteners, cheap sugar, preservatives and flavourings to make it palatable. Ditto the vegan food which is full of salt, sugar and chemicals.. Think of the poor people, with Heart problems who were put on BlueBand? The children being fed on cheap Pizza, chicken nuggets, pasta and processed sauce, made with whatever is left over in the meat factories. Obesity is young children is now a serious concern. One of my members was telling me stories about Meat Processing factories.....AGHH.

However the good news is that rapidly we are going to change all that.

1. Breathe clean, fresh air, taking it deep into the lungs. In through the nose and out , slowly and controlled, through the mouth. One of the reasons that sea/river swimming is so good for you is that as it is so cold when you go in, the first thing you do is take a deep breath, exhale and release all that stale air.

2. Eat fresh food which you have cooked yourself. Busy? Make a delicious stir fry , Have cauliflower and cheese sauce for dinner. Margaret Thatcher loved it. We need to eat at least 40 different things a week to keep our gut happy, stave off inflammation, ( the root of all evil , by all accounts. but we will return to this another time). Fermented foods are excellent for the gut. I like to think that a glass of wine, beer or Guinness covers me on that count.

3. Take time to Relax. One thing we have is Time. Just stopping and breathing and clearing our lungs and our minds . We can literally control our mindset. Tapping is a type of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Nick Ortner has a site called The Tapping Solution, ( Or how to earn millions teaching tapping), but this system works and you can down load a kindle version of the basic Tapping Technique for a few £$.

4. He has produced these 10 mantras that if you say them a couple of times everyday, tapping on the points as you go. Side of the hand, point at inside of eyebrows on either side of the nose, side of the eye, under the eye, under the nose, under the lips, middle of the chest, under the arms, top of the head all the time saying these mantras and you can even add in things like:

5. Even though it feels and looks silly, I am going to give this a try and see if it alters my mood, increases my energy levels and gives me focus. I allow myself to focus, How do I feel? 2 out of 10? Maybe but I continue.

1. I have the power to create the life I want

2.I choose to take care of myself and do what nurtures me

3.I have time to slow down

4,I honour my process and my pace

5. I welcome growth, learning and positive change

6. I choose to put my energy into the things that matter to me

7. I trust and love myself

8. I keep my heart open to new possibilities

9. I am ready for whatever the day brings

10. I have the power to make today, a Great Day.

11.I now allow my body to be pain free. I release the pain from my hands, shoulders, knees,

The last one I added on myself, but it works. I am now pain free.

At the end, check in with yourself. Now, let me see how am I doing. Our of 10, I give myself an...I have done this with lots of people and invariable after just about 7/8 minutes tapping, their mood has improved.

Have a go. Let me know if it works.