Welcome to Wonderball.
Thanks for pressing play.
How are you doing?
Welcome to day two of our mindfulness in isolation course.
Keeping you company as you do your part to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
We're here to help you learn to spread calm,
Not bugs.
What are the three words you've heard a thousand times this year?
Wash your hands.
This is usually something we do quickly,
But our minds far away.
But we can transform this important task into a regular opportunity to practice mindfulness.
We know that mindfulness is all about being in the here and now.
And the research shows that regular mindfulness practice actually changes the structure of the brain to help us feel less stressed.
Because stress and immunity are closely related,
Mindfulness also improves immunity.
So let's look at how we can use our senses to tune into the practice of hand washing.
Start with the start,
Turning on the tap.
Notice the shape and feel of the tap in your hand.
And then as you turn it on,
Tune in for a second to the sound of the water running as you get the temperature right.
Both hands in the water now,
Feeling the temperature and the texture of the water.
Use your sense of sight to observe the way the water flows around your hands,
Through your fingers and into the sink.
Okay,
Let's get some soap.
It's great news that ordinary soap has the power to kill the COVID-19 virus,
Which is encapsulated by a sort of greasy film that soap destroys.
So we need to get the soap all over our hands,
Into every nook and cranny.
Take your time.
Take it in.
Enjoy it.
This is a moment for you to stop and reset and let go of thoughts and worries.
Tune in with your senses.
Feel your hands slipping around each other.
Look closely at the suds,
At any bubbles forming and popping.
Now as you're rinsing your hands,
Watch the soap run off and the water trickle past your fingers.
Enjoy the warmth of the water or the coolness.
It's a good time to take a moment to be grateful that you have access to hot running water.
There's 1.
8 billion people in the world who do not.
There's one in four people.
Okay,
Now let's dry your nice clean hands.
Let's do one finger at a time,
Enjoying the sensation of that.
And then making sure they are completely dry.
You're done.
You've taken this ordinary task and turned it into a few moments of mindfulness.
Nice one.
Did you enjoy it?
If you did,
Then a little reward center in the brain will be activated and you'll be more motivated to do it again.
This little habit could make a big difference for you and for the bigger fight to stamp out COVID-19.
One day at a time.
Thanks for being here.
