Instant way to be powerfully centred in the midst of events

Watching the DVD of Down with Love the other day – brilliant sets and wardrobe – a parody retro pointing back to about 1966 according to my own naked eye, though might have been ’67 – and it afforded the most wonderfully stylized glimpse to the world before mobile telephony (and internet). Glorious scenes of people doing things people do – walking, talking, working, shirking and all the rest and not a single one talking on a mobile or thumbing plastic to send a message.

And it certainly didn’t look as if anyone was feeling deprived or bereft of instant communication.

And yes I know it was just a movie but I was there in the pre-cell phone days myself – I remember them well. I remember the stress of being late for a date and not being able to let them know and I may be biased in this but am sure, it was less stress than the stress of being constantly available and even more crucially being expected to be constantly available.

I remember those times waiting on a corner for a friend I’d arranged to meet, who was late and having to use telepathic power to discern when they’d be arriving, without then having recourse to the distraction of being able to message or call other people or do emails or whatever else on screen to pass the time. And it was good.

Obviously I’m not saying let’s go Luddite and throw the technology away – heaven forbid – we’d most likely all go deranged from culture shock, or reality shock. But I do suggest – and I often do this myself – switching the little f*cker off for an hour or so every now and then and watching what happens in the distraction-less silence.

Meanwhile it always pays to have a fast way to centre yourself in the midst of a mad, mad world, so how about this wee nugget, culled from the ancient Taoist pantheon, millennia before normal fixed line phones, let alone smart ones, when presumably the world was mad anyway hence why they developed the techniques, so I guess what the hell: stretch your right hand round behind you and press your forefinger lightly onto the tip of your tail bone, the tip of your coccyx to be official about it and as you lightly press, be aware of a fine feeling travelling up your spine and all about from there. Remember the sensation and as you go about your business henceforth, as you work, rest and play your way through today and beyond dear reader, keep at least a quarter of a thought on the tip of your coccyx all the time.

Increase this to a whole thought whenever feeling scattered or in danger of same.

This will keep you eminently centred, which in turn will completely alter your experience of reality from deep within.

I wish you unshakable centre and a marvellous day and/or night ahead.

Love, B