Some have revealed their dream that all the progress of the last 100 years would either no longer function or be lost – no computers no trains no cars.. I think however that is more a false anger than a real dream: technology is here and will improve. The way we use technology will change drastically though.

The UK is in the middle of the solar power revolution . My village like the rest of the UK is starting to have panels on most roofs. This is I think a great change – people generating their own power.

In meditation the main issue is getting to the state of mind which is open to suggestion and is essentially ‘switched off’.  No insistent thoughts, no shopping lists, money woes, love woes… no thought.

To get to the state of ‘no thought’ there are a number of techniques to use, few people can close their eyes wipe all thoughts from their mind and begin meditation.

Initially the guide must remember that they are no longer talking to a group of people, they are talking to minds, minds that for the most part will refuse to turn off. A mind believes it controls the body and is solely in charge. The mind in western society is allowed and encouraged to dominate every action and reaction. The more discipline that has been applied to the mind the easier the meditator will find meditating.

The mind reacts much like a small child; if you say time to turn you off (much like time for bed) it rebels. Everything the guide says initially must address this.

Meditation, I would tell the meditators, is a way of rejuvenating the mind. The state we are trying to create is one that you should enter before going to bed (though there will be no snoring or sleeping). Allowing the mind to take a nap allows the bodys functions to perform better, muscles to relax, restoring the balance inside. Often after a meditation meditators have a much deeper sleep. Addressing problems with a clearer head often is the solution.

Once we have got everyone comfortable and their minds are also comfortable we can start a physical exercise that will slow the body down and induce a deeper state of relaxation. It’s called breathing.

put your hand over your stomach. Take a breath and see if you can feel the rise and fall. If not you’re using your upper lungs more than your lower lungs. Upper lungs are useful when running a marathon however right now your trying to enter a semi dream like state and the lower lungs are optimum for this task.

3 or 4 breaths in and out making sure you can feel the rise and fall with your hand on your stomach should be enough to begin the first phase of relaxing. Meditators should continue to use this form of breathing throughout. its an anchor point, if at any point thoughts materialise then they can guide their mind back to thinking about the breathing.

Next I take the meditators’ minds through all the big muscle groups in their bodies, Starting at the feet and moving up to relax and let go of each muscle. Letting go is the main part – its getting the mind to let go and release all these muscles from its 24hour grip. Meditating when stressed is meditating with all the muscles tight and that is more difficult.

Next, there’s a group of words that get repeated to bring the meditators into the space they need to be to get to the head space necessary.

One of the most common is to imagine you are in a lift. The doors close. Your on the 10th floor. The lift descends, taking you deeper and deeper into your self, the core being. You can feel safe and secure and you descend further and further, deeper and deeper, relaxing more and more. You have reached the 9th floor..

and so on – much the same effect as when the doctors count you down (or up) after drugging you…

Every year on this planet for the past 8 years we hear the words “since records began”. The worst storm, the worst flood, the driest month the hottest month, the list continues.  Change like it or not is upon us and its effecting everyone.

With great destruction comes great new growth.

Cinema no longer hold such a hold as it did in the 60s and 70s and possibly the 80s and 90s: not long after a film is released dvds of the film also come out and many now have large screens at home to watch the movie in greater comfort.

Movie writers seem to weigh great emphasis on the action, the computer generated imagery – that though good does nothing to compensate for terrible acting, poor scripts and bad camera detailing.

This lack being entertained has led to alternative sources sought; many children spend hours inside focussed on computer games – so much so that there is a slight rise in rickets (caused by lack of vitamin D) in some “advanced” nations. The use of computer games then isolates the children (and the adults) from their community and effectively destroys some aspects of the community.

Another strong entertainment factor up to recently was the English/Scottish/Welsh/Irish pub.  However with the rise of tax on alcohol many feel disinclined to go as often or at all. Added to that pubs that not near villages or cities feel the pinch because of the rise in fuel prices. As a consequence pubs in general are suffering.

It seems we will be wholly and utterly dependant on the generation of electricity. Which is fine though the means by which we generate this vast amount becomes the essential question.  Initially as well as the wind turbines and dams and other “free” and for the most part eco-friendly methods there will very likely be increased nuclear plants.

The panic and or levels of concern that attach to these problems hide the real energy crisis which is much simpler a problem to solve: our energy within our bodies have become mostly detached from the land in which we live.

To reattach we must learn to listen to our bodies and then to know what we really need to eat rather than what we “want to eat” . Eating any food that makes you feel sluggish, or highly emotional or dangerously should be avoided. As you increase the right foods your energy inside will increase – you may also find curious positive external effects.

People need to refind and reconnect with the community, computers have brought many things to the world, connections between people can span vast space and timezones, however nothing truly can replace a community that look after and communicate regularly with each other. Communication that restricts to words or speech is very limited. Energy sharing through this communication then is also limited. For a much more stable energy in the community it is necessary for groups to bee within physical reach of each other so that energies can meld.

Most interesting is the english approach to winter. recently its become fairly common knowledge that the englishman has sick days, holidays, bank holidays and finally snow days. A snow day is that increasingly less rare day when it snows in southern England and the chance to scive off work pretending you cant get in because of “the immense amount of snow”

The other interesting factor – controlled less by the english laziness and more by the virus is the sudden outbreak in the cold months of coughs colds flu and general illness among the rat raced commuters ferrying back and forth from the big cities.

To capture the past few years would be a daunting task – a mixture of terrible emotional upheaval and distress, ghosts, poltergeist activity, immense internal DIY on houses, various girlfriends, and lots of gardening camping and outdoor stuff with friends.

The past few months have been a dive into a different pool, I’m working for yoodoo.biz, who are a great little organisation dedicated to providing everyone with cool info about setting up their own business – and lets be honest even if your just setting one up for making a few pence on Ebay its worth the free videos and info these guys provide.

my addiction and love of chocolate has gone on unabated since 2000 or so, I’ve not really made any good effort to stop it so I only have myself to blame. My favs are Milka and the Border chocolate gingers…