Gee, how things can change in a week! What has been my emptiness practice over the last 9 months is what now a lot of people have to do daily. Monk life! How are you holding up, fellow nomads? What are you up to?

Constant news reading, empty supermarket shelves and growing number of cases around must be impacting everyone’s mental health. In times like these I remind myself that positive action – deepening or establishing a spiritual practice, helping others, physically or online, creating and sharing positive messages is what we can do.

A local Buddhist centre have been streaming their meditation sessions online. Ram Dass’s team made his meditations available online (for example, his talk on fear). “Tricycle”, a Buddhist magazine, have put online tools to help cultivate the right mindset. Other than rewatching all BBC versions of Jane Austen novels (my reliable anti-depressant), I have doubled on my meditation and yoga practices and I chant with Krishna Das (free on Amazon Music or Youtube).

I see chanting as a type of sound healing, an emergency mental aid – I chant when I am worried, stressed, afraid or in need of re-centering. I’ve tried kirtan (chanting) with Jahnavi Harrison (you can find her on Youtube), Wavepaths sound therapy (free sample here), various Third Ear’s meditations and I am finally heading to a gong bath. Well, I was, before the pandemic.

Which is why it was a joy to discover the above documentary on chanting on Amazon Prime. Check it out. The beautiful remixes of Lama Gyurme that are mentioned there, are below. Dial up the volume and bathe in the healing energy to stay strong mentally and nurture your spirit. I am here to chat, if you feel lonely or isolated or lost, just leave a comment.