Tami Roos - 24 Hour Live Stream

Tommy: The Daily Talk Show. It's The Daily Talk Show, Episode 717. Georgie Boy here going through all the interviews from the 24-hour livestream, and this one is with Tammy Ruse, an author and meditation teacher. It was so good to have her on the show. She took us through some guided meditation. There were some slight internet connection issues at the start of the show, so we switched to a phone line, but stick with it because I think you'll enjoy it.

Josh: Tammy, welcome to the Daily Talk Show.

Tami: Tammy, hello, thank you for having me.

Josh: You're already saying— you're already giving us a calm, a calm vibe, which is exactly what we need at the 8, uh, with 18 hours to go.

Tami: That is amazing. That is just a huge effort on your part. So yes, well done.

Josh: Thank you. And so Tommy's been bragging about your meditation ability, TJ.

Tommy: Well, I mean, I, I just— as I, I spoke to you, Tammy, a couple of days ago on the phone, and I said I, um, have been able to incorporate meditation into my life every day, and I use the Sam Harris app, and I haven't missed a day. And I wanted to make sure that we got a meditation session in for the, the people watching and us, so so that we can be seen through to the other side. So I'm hoping that at the end of our chat, Tammy, you'll run us through a bit of a guided meditation. That'd be all right.

Tami: Yeah, not a problem.

Josh: And so how—

Tommy: and so I guess— sorry, I just— Josh, um, I guess you, we— you and I have talked about meditation a lot, and, and there's those early day questions that come up around meditation. I feel like you'd be one to sort of ask that question that a lot of people would have on their mind around starting a meditation practice.

Josh: I reckon, um, I guess that question around, uh, being worried about what's going to happen if you, if you do it, if you actually like sit still for a few minutes, not being able to be prepared for the, for the shock, uh, that comes with it. I don't know if that's a common question, but is that something that you hear?

Tami: No, that's actually a fantastic question. I was actually only speaking about that this morning with someone else. And it is interesting because if you start to engage in a practise that you've never done before and they're asking you to be still, sometimes there is that shock to the body of like, oh my gosh, I actually don't know how to sit still and geez, my mind is really busy. So it comes as a surprise if it's something new to you and you haven't done it. And that's where I think with meditation, you have to give yourself the benefit of the doubt and understand it's a journey and you need to go slowly and not have expectations. If you set yourself up with an expectation, then it's a lot harder to really find that success with it because it's like you're almost thinking, well, I'm going to fail. Or do you know what I mean? You have this preconceived idea around it. So if you can allow yourself just like, you know, look, I'm going to give myself the best shot. I'm just going to try it. Let's see how we go. And understanding— it's just like, um, if you were going to run a marathon, you're not going to go run a marathon without ever having learned to run first. So understanding that there's a process and it's a journey and you get better the more that you do it.

Josh: Figuring out that, like, when you were doing meditation, when you sort of— when you were discovering it all, um, has it changed a lot? Are people, uh, going for different reasons now in, in 2020 than when you when you sort of found it all?

Tami: Absolutely.

Tami: I think because first and foremost, there's so much more awareness around meditation now. And you've got, you know, apps and you've got advertisements and you've got a lot of athletes talking about it. You look at Calm app on TV and you see LeBron James is a bit of the face of that. So there's just a lot more awareness. And I think the dialogue that's happening is that it's just such a requirement now, a need of the hour. And Obviously, we're all going through this tremendous change, and this, this change that's happening oftentimes makes people very uncomfortable. So I feel what's happening is that there's more governments and there's more, um, you know, companies and individuals and people reaching out saying, what are we going to do to actually help combat the stress that people are feeling or the anxiety? And we do know from the research and the scientific validation behind it that meditation works. And is fundamentally critical in terms of having a natural solution to quiet the mind, reduce the stress and anxiety, to bring more balance back into your life and clarity. So it really is that all for optimal performance.

Tommy: Can you tell us about when you first started meditating and the experience and the things that you started to become aware of and the change you started to see in yourself?

Tami: Yeah. So the first thing I started noticing, number one, was that I was, I really didn't know how to sit still. So I had a lot more thoughts going. I was busier in my body. And that created a little bit of discomfort because you're telling yourself it's gonna go for X amount of time. And to be honest, the modality that I learned, it was 20 minutes of meditation in each session that you sat. So sitting for 20 minutes was just really— it was persisting with it and realising I could relax and give myself permission to actually— it was with the idea that there was going to be a greater gain towards the end. So it helped me actually sit there, which, number one. But the big thing I started to notice was that I actually was starting to feel better myself. My energy levels definitely did increase and I felt calmer. I was definitely more present. The other byproduct that happened though was that I started to crave it. Um, so it sounds funny, but it was like this became my non-negotiable. It was something that I decided right then and there I couldn't live without it anymore. So it had been this missing link because then all areas of my life were improving. And I think fundamentally every human being on the planet wants to just feel happier. We all desire to feel happier and You know, not, you know, most people don't enjoy having some of the negative emotions, but that is life. However, if you have tools at your disposal that can actually help you navigate it and go through it smoother, then that does actually lead to more happiness and contentment because you feel like you still have that sense of control. I can control what Tammy's doing or anyone else who's learning for themselves. So that's why you start noticing these big improvements. And so, yeah, and, and from that it was, um, There was a very big aha moment when about 3 months into the practice, a neighbour actually stopped me and said, "What are you doing? You're so different." And I said, "Nothing." And I really was racking my brain, like really racking my brain thinking, you know, I'm still a mom, still a wife, I still, I'm doing the same routine, I'm, you know, the kids and getting, you know, going to the park with them or doing my exercise, all these things. And she goes, "No." And it wasn't until she said, you look so much calmer. And ironically enough, she said, you've got this glow. And I went, oh my gosh, the only thing that I've done differently is meditation. That's the only thing that's changed. And it went back to a comment that a teacher had made saying that you might not notice what's happening because all the changes you start experiencing are on the inside, but it'll be when someone else notices it and that's gonna be your aha moment. So then I had that click. Wow, aha, people are noticing this difference in Tammy. And, but I just knew that I had more energy. So I really fundamentally started to understand that I didn't realise I could be living my life any differently than what I was and that I could have greater energy levels, but more happiness, sense of balance, calm, patience, and all those other attributes that I was mentioning.

Josh: I definitely noticed it with Tommy. Like Tommy and I are business partners and there was a clear transition of like all of a sudden now blow-ups were different. You know, would have arguments and then it would sort of— it was a different— it wasn't just a one-for-one, it sort of changed and we were able to work together. I think like obviously it's a very personal journey and then you've gone ahead and written a best-selling book. What was the sort of catalyst to say, oh, you know what, like I want to share this, you know, a whole thing to other people?

Tami: Oh, I think, I think, you know, it's, it's funny. I don't think there was any one thing, and that's a great question, but it was the culmination of many things together that really led me to saying, um, I want to share what I've been learning in this journey. Because really, meditation for me ended up being, um, a transformational piece to a certain extent. It was very much about the personal development space and I learned what it really meant to be in this moment or that present moment. So for me, the journey started, people started noticing, I then started teaching. So I was teaching in 2003 and literally started teaching from home. Um, and then it got to a point where I thought I really need to back this up with some scientific validation because I was so passionate about the benefits that I was experiencing. I'd witnessed the benefits in Paul as well. And it was around the same time too that I started working with the Sydney Swans. So I went in and started working with the club, which definitely they were the first AFL club in the competition to start working with meditation.

Tami: Hello.

Josh: Hello, Tammy. There we go.

Tami: Okay.

Tami: I'll just do that better.

Josh: Yeah, thank you for being patient with us.

Tami: This is actually quite amusing. I'm laughing. But this is a great illustration though, just to be adaptable. Yeah, it's a great illustration, honestly, for your audience because things happen and you just have to adapt.

Josh: Where do you find it now, like being sort of, um, uh, you know, it's a lot further on your journey than many people who are doing things like, uh, you know, practises of meditation or, you know, awareness. Have you noticed any moments, especially within sort of isolation and things like that, where you, where you catch yourself?

Tami: In terms of being frustrated or worried or clarifying that? Yeah. I think the big thing is it was more of a— the thing that I became really aware of was just this sense of uncomfortableness that I wasn't allowed to, you know, like get on a plane and go back. Like one of our sons is in Hawaii right now and I'm like, so you mean I can't actually get over to him and I can't get to my family in the States? And so it was more that really I found at first. Quite like, how have we gotten to this point? And then I realised I just had to like surrender because the whole world's in this. And yeah, and just I really came back to my tools, made sure I think the biggest thing that I did and made a firm commitment to was not going away from the habits and my daily habits being I meditate, I make sure I'm drinking enough water and I exercise. And as long as I'm doing that, setting my intentions, and sticking to my routine, then I was— I knew I would be fine. Because like anything, you know, it's that comment, 'So too this shall pass.' I know that tomorrow's another day, or even in 2 hours' time, things have shifted and moved. So we're in that constant state of flux or change, and I knew that things were going to move. So from that, I don't think I— you know, to be honest, I haven't been too overwhelmed by it other than that initial this feels uncomfortable. I can't get on a plane and go do what I want to do. So, and obviously, yeah, just more like it felt a bit like the Twilight Zone. We're going back the same day. I get up and after we do our routine, Paul and I, you know, we then go for a walk and go grab a coffee. So it's, you know, but I think there's things in it though too that I've just— there's always silver linings. I guess I'm obviously a very I tend to look at things— I'm a half-full person. I tend to have a positive outlook on— and I started noticing that, wow, you know, look at the sky, look how blue it is. And I said to Paul, I think we're seeing birds around here we haven't seen before. And I started really noticing how— and then looking at the parks, and then I was noticing all these dads out with their kids and some really positive byproducts of what we were going through. And that connection piece, which I just thought really, you know, for, you know, I think for the time being, probably a lot of us have gotten really carried away with the idea of being busy and that whole, you know, I'm busy, I'm busy, and kind of waving that as the badge of honour when in reality it's actually, you know, not an ideal way to live.

Tommy: It makes sense. When it comes to mindfulness, a great explanation that I'd heard around it is that implementing mindfulness practises like installing an alarm system for suffering so that when things come up, like the fear, like the doubt, like the anxieties, it's rather than being absorbed and eaten by that emotion, it's a chance to say, hey, this is now happening, stepping back from it. Um, what's your sort of, uh, I guess, understanding from a scientific point of view about the benefits of a practise like mindfulness?

Tami: Look, it's actually— there's a lot of dialogue out there actually about meditation and/or versus mindfulness. And for me, I know personally, and this is— I'm just speaking for myself, we, you know, there's science behind it is we know the average human being has 70,000 thoughts a day, which means that if when you really start to think about it, and so, I mean, you're trying to do this 24-hour, you know, live live streaming podcast, you think about 70,000 thoughts, right? And you start counting 1, 2, 3, 4— 70,000 thoughts the average human being.

Josh: And you should have a thought, we should have a thought, uh, sort of clock, like we should have how many thoughts we've had, because I reckon I'm about to have a meltdown. Tell me.

Tami: But yeah, exactly. So all of a sudden you think, well, if I'm having these 70,000 thoughts a day, and if I haven't implemented a strategy or a tool to start slowing down in a natural way the number of thoughts that I'm having, which is exactly what you're doing with meditation. So I— my definition of meditation, for anyone who may not meditate or aren't sure about it, is I really simplify it by saying it's learning to relax the body and quiet the mind. So it's a form of relaxation. And so once you learn to— you're learning to meditate and you you keep practising by just sitting and being still, and there's obviously different forms of meditation, but you're doing the practice, that's when I believe you become more mindful. Because with going back to the number of thoughts that we have, if your mind is racing and you have the monkey brain going, you're not going to be aware of what you need to be aware of in that moment because your mind is racing. So it actually requires, in my mind, a meditation practise to learn to slow down the number of thoughts that you're having, to learn to really quiet the mind so then you can become the observer and practise mindfulness.

Josh: Yeah, the, um, I mean, meditation, I guess, like, when it comes to that sort of, um, definition, is the— is just going for a walk or doing those types of things can we get the same sort of benefits?

Tami: Ah, thank you so much for asking that. Look, I guess because I'm a true believer in there's, you know, there is no right or wrong practice, there's no good or bad. However, the science has shown the meditation that is really truly of great benefit, that makes the big difference is when you're sitting and you're still, so the body's not moving, and then you quiet the thoughts, which allows your body to go into a healing state by going into a heightened state of awareness, so you're alert. Heightened state of awareness, your body then starts to heal and you can go into a recovery state. And that's why it was always, it's really interesting when you look at the number of athletes across the world in various sports, or even Olympic teams, one of the big things that when you talk to anyone that's played professional, say football, I'll use that as the example because I've worked with two teams, the big thing that they talk about is their ability to recover after games. But if you're hyped up because you've just been in this really intense fight or flight, you know, it's like war when you get out there on the ground, then to relax naturally and get a really deep where you're going to get that, that ability to recover, that's compromised because of all the adrenaline and it takes hours and a lot of the players used to say to me, especially say at night games, they couldn't go to sleep until 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning and sometimes again, with all honesty, they might have to have a couple beers or something because they're just trying to calm down and that's why meditation became such a powerful tool because it allows the body to go into a state of recovery. So back to your original question, it's when you're still, so you're sitting and you're being still, that you're able to really reap the benefits of the meditation practice. Now I've been someone who's exercised my whole life and I know that when I go for a run, there's those moments where I feel like, oh God, where was I? I'm at the end of the run and I don't remember running. And you kind of go, oh, that was, you know, like what just happened? Where was I?— at some point, like, yes, I went elsewhere, but my body was still in motion. So what I'm talking about, though, is the benefits physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually that occur physiologically when the body is still. Again, this is all science-backed. The body is sitting, and you have a straight spine, and you're meditating.

Josh: So the sitting bit, I find that interesting because whenever I hear those Headspace apps or whatever, I'm normally lying down and then I get frustrated because they're like, oh, make sure you're sitting up, and then I completely get out of the zone. So is the, is the sitting bit actually important to me?

Tami: Critically important.

Josh: Okay.

Tami: So, and that's, and that's, and you know, and again, because if you lie down, number one, um, a lot of times because we are in this state of rush, rush, rush, and we really haven't learned to recharge our batteries, okay, and we're going. Oftentimes if we lie down and try to— we're listening to something or we're concentrating on a mantra, oftentimes we will go to sleep because we're just tired. When you're sitting up with a straight spine, what actually happens is with the straight spine, it's called the meditative flow. It's like there's There's a transference of energy that's kind of like going from the top of your crown, which is at the top of your head, straight down your spinal column that allows you to go into that space that you enter into when you're really going down into that meditation. And people think— and so I want to clear this right now because I don't want people to think that, oh, you have to have been meditating a year for that to happen. I've seen people who have never meditated before, and I can see them start to drop into it. Even in one session. So, but it's really critical that it's about having a straight spine, allowing yourself to relax, you know, really staying away from the expectation, closing your eyes, your palms are upward. So, and the other thing that people don't understand, they say, oh, but why can't I have crossed arms? And the whole idea is you're supposed to have a relaxed body. Crossed arms means your muscles are engaged.

Josh: What about like having a sore back? Like, I feel like part of it for me is like I'm just trying to keep my core, like I can't engage my core What are you doing?

Tami: You know what? Absolutely. I did for years. Our meditation was in bed up against the backboard with a pillow at the small of my back.

Josh: That's a good idea.

Tami: 100%. And you can have your legs straight out in front of you, or if you wish to have your legs cross-legged, not a problem. But as you said, that tends to be really challenging for people. The lower back gets sore, the hips start to burn, and that's not an ideal space to be in to, to really relax, obviously, because you're in pain. So having— just using, you know, I tell people, sit on the floor, find a wall, use a couch, you know, the backboard of your bed, whatever works for you. Or you can sit in a chair, have the same support in a chair, have a pillow at your low back if you tend to get sore lower back, and but have your feet flat on the ground. You can meditate that way as well. It's just having a straight back. That is critical. And then your arms are uncrossed, but that will allow you to actually not have the pressure on your lower back. Does that make sense? And if you have absolutely no ability, and so somebody's listening to this saying, I'd love to do it, I'm in a park right now, and you know, I'm sitting, you know, there's nowhere to put my back, you can actually fold up a towel or your sweatshirt, something you've got. Sorry, what do you call it? Jumper? And sit on that. So that your hips tilt slightly forward. That takes the pressure off your back. Your knees fold open naturally. Does that make sense?

Josh: Mm-hmm.

Tami: As it's very hard to actually just, you know, or your legs are straight out in front of you, but it would be easier if you were going to have zero support on your back to have something to sit up on, sit in that cross-legged position, and the knees fold open more naturally. Yeah. So the downward gravity of the weight of your legs pulls it down, so it takes that, the, the pressure off of your lower back.

Josh: It makes sense.

Tami: Yeah.

Tommy: Um, Sammy, does that make sense? Yes, it does. Get a pillow, JJ. Hit that back of the, back of the, uh, and get around that. Yeah, it can help. Like the, if, if your, um, bed's too soft at the, as you're hitting the wall, it can be a bit hard sometimes. Um, Tammy, when it comes to self and I guess there's the, um, you know, the training we do over the years of our lives, you know, working on our self-confidence or our image, and it's very much attached to self. How do you view the term self now after years of practise in meditation?

Tami: Oh God, I've never been asked that. I love that. Um, self is really itself for me now, again, after I've been on the journey for a while, is my relationship with my inner world, meaning what makes me tick, what do I like, what don't I like. It's having a really, really, like a clear awareness of Tammy. So what are my triggers? You know, what's my passion? What are some of the things I'm desiring to do? But you don't ask yourself those questions in that really quiet, deep space often when you're just doing life, do you? Because you're busy doing everything else, to be perfectly honest. You're not sitting there really reflecting or contemplating those things at that deep level. But what I found is in meditation, oftentimes— and the beauty of it was I didn't consciously— and this is what I really think is important— I didn't consciously go out when I began this journey to say, that this is my aim game, you know, like this is my end game, because again, that's an expectation and might set me up for failure. I was just literally saying I want more energy, like, you know what I mean? Like, I was starting off at a really base level going, I just want to feel calmer and have more energy. And it was actually— the evidence shows you the longer you meditate, it's the subtle bodies that get impacted. So you actually transform formed without knowing it. Does that make sense? It's unconscious. And I can give you an example. I remember something happened when the boys— this is probably 3 or 4 years into the practice— and something happened at their school. I went to do pickup or something. Something happened at school and somebody said something to me, and I remember thinking at the time, I have zero reaction right now. I'm not mad. I'm not, I'm not I'm not happy, I'm nothing. Like I had a literally, it was almost like this, I have no reaction. And it was the first time I felt this response and I thought, oh my gosh, if someone had said that to me a year ago, I think I would have blown my top. And now I have no reaction. And I literally was saying to Paul, maybe something's happened, something's gone wrong, what's happened? I have no reaction. And then I realised that it was literally, I was shifting on the inside and realising Some of the things that I thought were so important really weren't that important.

Josh: And so the detachment side of, of things, I guess, like, um, is there an area that you can get into where you're emotionally unavailable? What's the difference between sort of detachment and what you're talking about and just being a brick wall?

Tami: Yep. So no, it's not about being emotionally unavailable because I think what does happen is you tend to realise that that really with this practice, because you're embracing more of who you are and you're feeling more supported in that, because you are filling your tank up, you're nurturing yourself, that you actually, your heart is more open. So it has nothing to do with being detached. You're actually there for others with a space of more empathy, and again, there's actually a lot of the evidence coming out now which is really just fabulous, is showing that people who meditate, their EQ is much higher than those that don't. So the, you know, so emotional intelligence is being impacted. We know that your— the, the front prefrontal cortex, the frontal lobe on the left-hand side, which they call the side of acceptance, okay, that actually starts to physically change shape the longer you meditate. So it's like you find more acceptance in life, more peace. And so from that, this is where you're getting all these more altruistic, I guess, ideals, more empathy and compassion. So it's not about being a brick wall. The difference that you're asking about is you're detached from having whatever may be being said. You're not taking it on personally anymore and it's not impacting you. Okay, because really, if you think about it, when you get angry because someone says something, it's because you've been triggered. Then you allow that anger to build, and then that anger that you're feeling— take for instance, somebody cuts you off driving. I know this is a really easy example for most people. Some people get really angry. They're cut off, and the dialogue starts, and then it keeps, and then it continues. I should have done this, and I'll remember when that happened, and I'll, you know, a month 'Oh, years ago this happened as well,' and then it just goes on this tangent and you get hijacked and you realise that you go down this spiral of feeling angry and then more of the negative emotions come in and you've really gone out of the present moment, but you've also allowed yourself to be impacted negatively. So when you're in a detached space and you realise this has just happened, you realize, 'I've got the power to choose how I'm going to respond.' So I— does this require something from me right now or not? And that's the difference.

Tommy: Yeah. And I think, um, the— it's understanding what the truth is, right? Because it's very convincing when you feel an emotion. The car story, the flow-on effect in the storytelling that happens from it, it all feels so real. And at what point are we distinguishing? And from what you say is like that sitting back from what has happened, are you making the conscious thought to decipher what is real, what is the pattern, or is it just dropping back of it all and sort of letting it be and letting it settle? What's the— what's it for you now, Tammy, after your years of practice?

Tami: Yep. So I think initially, when again, and I will, I will answer that, but initially when this would happen to me I feel that perhaps I would have said, okay, why did this happen? A bit like your question, why did this happen? Is there a pattern here? Why did I react this way? And so I used to question that so I could really, really fine-tune and go through that so I could really understand what was going on in that moment and why I reacted the way I reacted. Whereas now, from that space, I can actually sit there and say it's more from a space of being really in balance, I guess is the right word, or an impersonal state, which means at this moment it doesn't require anything from me but just to let it pass through me. Like, I can actually let it go through me, so I don't have— it's like not a requirement from my end that I need to do anything or say anything, because sometimes there's great wisdom in actually saying nothing. You know what I mean? Like, you know, there's times when you say something, you think, I wish I didn't say that, or you've reacted and you realise that probably wasn't appropriate or necessary, and it was me reacting. So I've found now that I'm able to just let it more move through me. But originally, you know, initially— sorry, not originally— initially I used to look at it and go, is this a pattern? Why was I triggered? But there was such a wealth of knowledge that I gained from that because it made me understand more what some of my triggers were and where they were stemming from.

Josh: Talking about the passing through you, I'm sorry, Tammy, I'm busting to do a wee because it's been 24 hours. So Tommy's gonna stay on, but after I get back, I'll only be like 1 minute. It would be great to do the mindfulness, like some sort of mindfulness practise for 10 minutes. Is that okay? So, but Tommy will keep talking while I go, and Mr. 97 as well.

Tami: Thank you. No problem.

Tommy: Tammy, for some people that might, you know, sit on the mat and feel feel like they've just transitioned from one part of the house to another part to think. What's that? What's your sort of advice or, you know, um, words of encouragement to somebody who feels like their meditation practise at the moment is them just thinking in a different space?

Tami: Hmm. So I actually talk about this in the book that I wrote, Creating Your Own Sanctuary. So in my home, I've created a space that for me is the space that I go to. So I've actually have a defined area that I meditate in every day. And that, you know, it is hard because everyone's home and you've got more people in the house and you're in this lockdown situation. If you're able, I would suggest— this just has worked very well for me— is finding that space in your house that you think this is where I'd like to go, or quote unquote retreat to, that is going to allow me to meditate so I can bring myself back to balance and do something that's kind to me. So that practise of nurturing or the self-love, self-care. If you meditate exactly where you're working, it's never going to feel really any different. Yes, you're taking a pause, that's great, but if you truly want to feel like I need to actually create a, um, a pause or disrupt the cycle, I mean, or whatever is going through my mind, then it is obviously beneficial to move to another room and to sit in that space that you can meditate in. I never suggest, you know, like again I say to people, look, don't probably meditate in a room that you consider as work, like your kitchen or the laundry room. It's not exactly relaxing. And that's what people have to start understanding is when you meditate there is as much importance about how you set it up before you meditate as it is in the practice. And what I mean by that is, you know, I make sure that if it's especially like today— today's freezing in Melbourne— so I would say make sure you're warm enough when you meditate. So because how, how well are you going to be able to relax physically if you're cold? Your body then is working to keep you warm and you're not going to be able to physically unwind like, you know what it's like for— or a lot of people know what it's like, the difference if you go in to say have a massage someplace, they have the heaters on, and you're like, oh, this is so good, I'm gonna get this massage, you feel your body relax. Or you go for a run on a warm day versus a cold day. On a cold day, it takes so much longer for your body to warm up. And half the, you know, the first 5 minutes of your run, it's like, my arms are cold, my feet are, you know, my hands, my feet, whatever it is, my face. Then you warm up. So in meditation, though, the core body temperature drops when you meditate. So what you really need to do is make sure that you're setting yourself up to have the best meditation possible because number one, and I acknowledge and give credit to everyone who's giving themselves this time, because if you can't prioritise yourself now in this situation, I'm not sure you're ever going to really learn to do that. Do you know what I mean? Like, it's because you've got the perfect opportunity, everyone is going through so many emotions right now. You are in a lockdown space, so we know you use much time in the, in a car or on planes or even on a train commuting. We also know that, that the latest findings have been that the average person is spending 2 hours a day on Facebook and social media. That's the average person. I'm not saying every one of your listeners are doing that, but if you are spending 2 hours on social media or just flicking through things or liking or just watching everything. You can, if you truly value your health, if you value it, which means you have to choose because your health is your responsibility, it's no one else's, you have to choose to then set aside the 5 to 10 minutes. So there's a big distinction there. So it's like, so once you've made the choice, I'm gonna step away, I'm in this home environment, there's a lot of people here, But I now have a space, and maybe you can even agree with whoever you're in the home with, if it's your kids, your wife, your husband, whoever it is, your partner, and you say, you know what, this area, can we actually kind of designate this as a no-work zone, or a zone that we can relax in? You can have a candle there, you can have a throw or a blanket to keep you warm, whatever it might be, you could have some cushions. You know, it could be something again, like, so just a space that you enjoy. Does that make sense to you?

Josh: Yeah. Definitely.

Tommy: I mean, we've, um, I hope that people listening live, and if you're listening to this back, you can go to your room. We're at our computers for 24 hours, so I want to get the most out of a small practise from you, Tammy, as possible. I will milk it for all it's got.

Josh: I want to be woke in 5 minutes. Can you do it, Tammy? That's what we've got.

Tami: Yes. So I'm going to suggest for both of you, because you can obviously hear me talking, just turn your chair around so your back is to the computer. So don't look at the screen. So for all of you, understand even when your eyes are closed, if you've got a screen with bright light from that screen, even though your eyelids are shut, it's the same as when you're in a room and you may become aware that there's clouds passing by, yeah, or you might become aware, oh, it's getting lighter, I can tell through my eyelids. So that's just showing you that your eyes are still reacting. So turn your backs to the screen. Okay, and then make sure your phones are on silent. And what I'd like all of you to do is just find a nice comfortable place to sit. And just make any adjustments you need to right now to feel comfortable. So that just might be readjusting where you're sitting, shrug your shoulders up and down, move your neck, whatever it might be, just feel comfortable in that moment and take a nice deep inhalation. I want you to audibly hear yourself breathe in, so inhaling and exhaling. And I want you to do that one more time, really audibly inhale and exhale audibly. And you're going to feel your body and the muscles just begin to unwind. Bring you in, into the room. That you're sitting in and take a nice deep inhalation and exhale. Allow your muscles to unwind and just allowing yourself to settle into the chair that you're sitting on. Deeply relaxed. Deeply relaxed. Nowhere to go. And giving yourself permission in this moment just to be. And inhaling and exhaling, bringing the awareness now into the centre of your being. And just placing your right palm gently on your heart, connecting back in with yourself, continuing with your breath, inhaling and exhaling. Become aware of the warmth of your palm on your chest, becoming aware of your heartbeat. Just as you continue to inhale and exhale, feel the support that is there. Through this connection back to your body, sensing the strength that is there and a deep sense of calm. Continuing inhalation and the exhalation. Inhaling, there is calm. And exhaling, there is There is calm. Inhaling again, there is calm. And exhaling, there is calm. Allowing yourself to relax further. Now with your hands still on your chest, I just want you to think of something that you're grateful for in this moment. One thing. There's no right or wrong. Whatever comes to mind that you physically feel a response in your heart, an expansion. And from this state, more positivity comes into your life, more positive emotions, and you're in the present moment. And now that you have one thing that you're grateful for, Gently place your palm back down on your thigh. Continue with inhalation and exhalation, sensing how you're feeling in this moment. Supported. Relaxed and connected. Now just gently bringing your awareness back to the room that you're sitting in. Wiggle your toes. Just feel the energy coming back up through your feet. Up into your calves and up into your thighs. Bring the energy back up through your hips and into your abdomen. Feel the energy rise up into your chest and now into your head. And if you wish, move your shoulders frontwards and backwards. And when you're ready, just gently opening your eyes and coming back to the room, fully awake, alert, and re-energized. Welcome back.

Josh: That was great, Sammy. I feel like I, um, feel good, feel good. Yeah, it feels really good. The gratitude stuff is so like, I think after, like, you've got the gratitude practice, but then doing it after getting into that state, um, I did, yeah, like, I feel like it had more impact. I did turn around premature, I think, like when you said open your eyes and wiggle your toes. Arisa started moving around, so I've got a little bit of work to do. But I— it's, it's a little bit confronting too, because the, um, when you do it in a group setting, you sort of open your eyes and realise everyone else is still going. I guess it's quite easy to get a bit sort of judgmental on yourself about, I was hoping to be more woke, but you know, I understand that it's a journey and I'm happy to— I think I, I need to, uh, take this practise and start doing it myself more regularly. That was awesome.

Tami: Oh, well, that would be so good. I think your body and mind will thank you for it. Let me tell you, I just, you know, it is fundamentally so important right now that we look after our mental health. It's not, you know, you don't learn to meditate because anything's broken in you. You actually do it so that you can reach your highest potential. And we all have mental health, so it's not a negative. Just like physical health, we have mental health, each and every one of us. Yeah, it's a practise that's going to just really bring so much benefit to your life.

Josh: Thanks so much, Tammy. It means a lot that you've spent the time with us today, and thank you for working through all the technical stuff.

Tami: No problem at all. And can I just say too, just in light of the situation that's going on, I did develop— and this is, again, this is not a sales pitch, but this is just for anyone, I think, If you're looking to embark on the journey, there's obviously a lot of apps out there. There's different meditation CDs. There's avenues that you can go down, but it's first and foremost just really, just starting to do a little bit of investigative work for yourself and embark on the health and well-being that meditation can bring you, this practice, because you won't regret it, and I think everyone around you will really be thankful as well. But I did create two new programs. Love Your Mind, it's very introductory, but there is one 3- and 5-minute meditation in there as well, which is quite— it's been, I think, the common thread that everyone has been saying to me is, look, I really don't have time to sit for 10 or 20 minutes. So there was a definite, I guess, you know, I guess response from me in that I designed these meditations to be 1, 3, and 5 minutes to actually help people just start them on their journey. So there's a few things on my website that you can cheque out. There is free meditation as well. So again, it's in those blogs and those different podcasts, different things, yours of course, which I'll get the link and make sure I get up there. So the more— I guess the thing is, is right now I think that everyone can come together as community and support each other. You know, it's this collaborative, collaborative approach that's going to help everyone get through and get through a lot better than, you know, than if we were trying to do this by ourselves.

Josh: Definitely. Awesome. Thanks so much, Tammy. It's been great.

Tami: Thanks.

Josh: Loved it.