This week’s episode begins and ends with a hug, because we all need a hug sometimes, right? Dara thinks so, and he looks at the idea of self-soothing in a wellness context, arguing that it is a particularly useful practice when aligned with mindfulness.
A group that Dara suspects are not feeling particularly well are those that are protesting the arrival of asylum seekers in their community in rural Ireland. It raises the question of perceived threats and how we deal better with such things when our resilience is in a good place. That resilience is connected to a greater capacity for tolerance and compassion and coping in general.
Talking about his limited skill set in the area of construction, Dara recalls being a lot younger on building sites in London and the dubious rites of passage he was subjected to. He describes it as a ‘Jungle of Competence’ and remembers one incident in particular where he had to take a stand.
Following a friend’s suggestion, Dara tries out a brain exercise that is supposed to have a calming effect at bedtime. It involves going back through your day in reverse order and Dara can’t help but wonder if it will put the listener to sleep before him!
Also this week – annoying students, butt-scratching kittens, and a Proustian Madeleine…