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The dynamic, of the group changed, became trusting and transparent. ‘This is the first time that anyone has given me care, as a head teacher, for all the stress I carry from my job,’ one said.

In my research I came across a very insightful model of spiritual experience in a paper by Tobin Hart. He suggested that spiritual experience could be usefully characterised in four different ways. These ways are: Wonder - Wondering - Wisdom - Relational empathy, which I prefer to label Love & Compassion.

I am looking out of a window on the 7th floor boardroom of an office building overlooking Saint Paul’s cathedral 50 yards away, and reflecting on the contrast between the two types of temple. One dedicated to love and devotion, and one to money.

There are two types of meditator:
Those who require a silent mind.
And those who do not.

She is still independent and currently shows no signs of dementia though she does get a little muddled at times. (I wish that is my only complaint as I age.)

. . . . This is why the discoveries and theories of scientists such as Candace Pert and Steven Porges are so crucial. They give us grounded, evidence-based maps for how physiology and psychology, body and mind integrate. . .

I shuffle across to allow an elderly gent to sit next to me
London Bus.
He looks suitably scrubbed for an outing . . .

At some point during my childhood my mum received a facsimile edition of a medieval Book of Hours, and, under strict supervision, with only mum allowed to touch the pages of the book, she pointed out the beautiful illustrations of how medieval people spent the hours of their day on different aspects of prayer and contemplative work.

Self-care as preventative medicine is not of course a new model. Indeed in classical Chinese medicine the art of being in a friendly clinical relationship with your own body is considered the foundation of good health.

Yet in this past week I lie down and all I seem to get is emptiness, it feels like my spiritual connection has vanished. My body feels heavy.