Patrick McCurdie - The Authentic SOAP Podcast

Podcast recorded in April 2022 with my granny discussing her remarkable life.Enjoy x

I wrote this poem after the demolition of Denny's factory nearly two years ago close to where I grow up. The factory had been there for many years and had provided employment for many local people including myself when I briefly worked there part time while at school.The factory acted as a de-facto peace wall in a divided town. Its large industrial footprint physically separating two disparate and often desperate communities. A no-mans land where both sides of the community could go to work together but comfortably stay away from each other after.The demolition of the site has also created a gap and many new vistas emerged offering new perspectives on a changing town. 

Join host Patrick McCurdie as he interviews his granny in this special final episode of The Authentic SOAP Podcast!Music courtesy of Pixaby: Country Swing Band - Caffeine Creek BandGuitar sound effect courtesy of Pixaby: friendlyguitarsound j008b

Arise Is it that they arise again?The Daffodils of the Earth,or simply a seed misguided,golden weed, of no worth. Is it that they come and go?Like lucid air in the lung,or simply a static plant whose music has been sung. Is it that they mirror us?A brief flourish in time,or simply the organic orderqueuing in the line. Is it that they are eternal?Timeless with no goodbye,or simply seizing stemsas we watch them wilt and die. Is it that we love their beauty?Aesthetics from the heart,or simply a small reminder to place them in a crock. Is it that they have some meaning?Amber, spotted, dotted, gurus,or simply biologicala mirage of the mind – a ruse. Is it that they dig down deep?To crumbly, slithery, chambers,or simply a vigorous veneerthat makes us think, Who Cares? Is it that they offer hope?Of an impending promised land,or simply that they make us smileas we cup one round our hand.           Give Way Down the undulating hill and a quick ski upwardsto nestle coarsely on the faded grass and gravel.The pickle green fields visible in the near and long distance,perched and prepping against the pole,kneading its cool toughness, pitching the palm skywards. The protrusion is shallow and wonky pressing blazed black lettersfrom the outside; clasping, embracing, enveloping.A border of warning, an innocent injunction, a junction.Strange symbol but familiar, so familiar, soothingas it stands, faded, benign, just a sign, do not upset her. Lifeless but living, inanimate but ingenious, objective but ordering.The feint smell of slurry, deep in the hollow, provocative in the pit,barely flinching. Just hinging – to the left, deflecting – the squally showers,staying put, directing, conducting. The silent sentry, the burrowed box,patrolling, doting, loving, giving, gesturing, gesturing, gesturing…       Portadown People's Park Gristly hedges morphing to modern stone walls, a newBoundary, a peaceful partition, the innate chain ofEvents. Changing structures, fresh psaltery paint; crisp turf Set smoothly and heavily, slanting shallowly to the bendyRiver. Its confines beyond the old and new frontier, a permanentReminder of past and future, of present and a new Earth. Manicured lawns and fairways fuse with fenced ponds ofDucks and tiny dinky birds. Struggling to fly, they rest on soil Bored posts, staring to find their friends And Foes who used to be plentiful, congregatingDeeply near the Arena pitch. The decent pitch, where sporting Fantasy came true and where it was simple to defend. Much easier than the slope behind the field and the black steel benchWhere the bastion was loose. With one wrong word, aRebuttal could follow, did follow, slinking in ignominy to the vesicle of Sport. A trail of red water unwinding, a compassionate clue, as Claret, clotted sap of Buckfast and Mundie's floods the tonsils.The party still in full swing, the grass still growing, all is still well Until the legs become shattered by a trolley handle – a sunken relic in theBallybay River. The summer heatwave sheening and shining its m

Monday Blues -Sphagnum Recline -The Bookies

                                                                               Francie McGroryDelicate fog gently grazes the landscape. Dreamlike and dancing. The flushed lilac sky impressively contrasts the Dromara Hills, like a shanty town in South America. An old lady trots down Drumnasoo. Just a slip of a woman, vanishing in seconds. I try to recall her appearance but it was too opaque. Was she really crying? I am not so sure. I think she was flogging her free-range eggs with the mellow yellow yolks. Back into town at the roundabout, I can see Francie McGrory. He is always chopping grass, tearing away at the shears. I hope he has time to nourish himself. That roundabout has the fastest growing grass in the country. He never leaves there, and always standing on the periphery. Strange man. It is getting dark. The abrasive, winding aroma of burning coal is stinging my lungs. It looks like a Victorian postcard scene. All you need is a dozen top hats and oil lamps and hey presto! I should not be thinking like this. There is not a sinner around and I am sure that streetlight was shivering. I drive swiftly down the loaning. The main thoroughfare to the big castle. I never understood why they called the big castle. It looks more like a bridge to me. They say an ancient Irish king lived there thousands of years ago. He must have fallen badly out of favour. Before I arrive, I battle through a Waltzer of lights. My head is ponderous with the pulsing noises. I brake harshly, letting a court jester cross the road. He is freaking me out, the scallywag. I reckon he brought the king down. Encircling, I head back up the lane. Everything is sedate like a Saturday afternoon on a council estate. I need to check if Francie is still working. I drive upwards. He is still there. I park the car on a heavily weeded layby and walk to the roundabout. As I approach benignly, miraculously, he is gone, not a trace. Thank goodness. That man needs his sleep badly. Come to think of it, so do I!Patrick James McCurdie 2021

Join host Paddy McCurdie as he discusses breaking free from nicotine addiction.An engaging episode with personal anecdotes and a focus on the psychological aspect of smoking, vaping and nicotine addiction.I delve into the use of hypnosis as a powerful tool to weaken the link of nicotine addiction.Key book to help host in giving up Nicotine - Allen Carr - Easy Way to Quit Vaping.

                                                                           Diesel or Polo MintsTattered foil strewn wildly on cheap quasi-leather mats.A chalky residue stains the fabric.The window winds down effortlessly, revealing  a rusted metal phallus,resting awkwardly, on its snug, secure podium.The soles of the feet step on to the murky pitch-black tarmac.I grab the heavy nozzle, drawing it towards the car's watering hole, an intercourse of machinery and energy.The glugging commences, bringing a rare flash of presence.Standing self-consciously, a workman with thickened black hands provides a welcome focal point.He'd have been a much better man for the job!The soothing glugging liquid noise quietens. The smell is pungent.A toxic beauty scraping the nasal canal.Footering in the tight jeans pocket, I retrieve a mint of Arctic freshness.A timely temperance.I return to the car for a chugging prayer, drowning out the incoherent country drawls around me.The sinuses are clearing, like diminishing floodwater from a cavern.Perhaps the recession has been too quick though, my temples hurt, like tender splints.But I won't fooled by wrong awareness, it's not the diesel or polo mints.

                                                                                FLOATERS AND FOGA dewy mist settles on the glass-stained water. The mystical canvas creates a peculiar sense of serenity. Wildlife appears invisible, perhaps waiting for the mid-morning sun to dissipate the vapour. It feels like the calm before a phantom storm, as a pair of ducks pop up. The conjoined black outline glides aimlessly, before dropping off the face of the Earth. The mist is clearing, visibly confirmed by a flock of terns racing by. Little fissures continue to splinter the low-level cloud assisted by a leaping roach. The sun has got stronger, framing the scene as a translucent image. A brisk walk along the towpath conjures up drumlins of clouds, scattered with hints of hopeful blueness. Near the end of the pleasant part of the towpath, a car crosses an old, stone bridge. Timeless and secure, the bridge only revealed by the harsh, radiating lights that streak skywards. Finally, the mist lifts, exposing a grey-turquoise body, the outline all but vanished. Near the edge of the riverbank, a clan of tadpoles swivel around in a circular motion. Joyous as the warm rays graze their gills. The sunlight has spawned patches of light brown cloudy water barely viewable to the naked eye. You would really have to look for it or be hyper-aware of these things. Sometimes ignorance is bliss, just don't stare directly at the sun! 

Do you want to get the COVID-19 Vaccine but perhaps are afraid of injections or passing out at the sight of a needle?Do injections and medical settings in general cause you to become a little squeamish?Tune in to this episode where host Paddy McCurdie discusses the common anxiety experienced around injections and needles.Listen as I talk about my own experiences of anxiety with injections and blood injury, how early experiences shaped this and how I eventually faced up to the fear and got the job.The episode has some really good practical advice as well to help those who are perhaps nervous or anxious around injections.Happy listening!Intro Music Courtesy: Asepirawan20 - Corporate Upbeat Motivational (Pixaby)

Catch-up on this brilliant episode of the Authentic SOAP Podcast with my guest Eimear Le Blevec.Listen as host Paddy McCurdie discusses with his sister Eimear her early experiences in Portadown and how she got into Youth & Community Work.We go in-depth discussing profound early experiences working on drug awareness projects and youth exchanges in Austria and Minnesota, USA comprising Public Achievement initiatives .Eimear talks about her experiences studying youth and community work in Liverpool and the similarities and differences in social issues affecting Liverpool and her native Northern Ireland.Learn about the positive impact youth work has on our young in society particularly emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.There are also some great anecdotes from her early life in Portadown, great listening for some reminiscence. Intro Music courtesy of John Sib - Innovation (Pixaby)

Join Authentic SOAP host Paddy McCurdie as he interviews his father, Paddy McCurdie senior.We go in-depth on my dad's plastering career, how he got involved, experiences working abroad and skills helpful for the trade.Learn about Paddy's early acting career as the Station Master in Paddy and the Railway.  The production took place in 1969/70 at St. Mary's Hall Portadown and was judged by Hughie Green of Opportunity Knocks.We are keen to find out if anyone has any memories, souvenirs or memorabilia of the occassion.Not to be missed St. Patrick's Day special with amusing anecdotes and a trip down memory lane of some of the characters of his home town of Portadown!

Join Authentic SOAP host Paddy McCurdie as he delves into the Mind-Body connection.Can the mind really heal the body?In the episode, I explore psychosomatic conditions, the differing views on dualism and monism, is the mind part of the brain or vice-versa?Learn about how Science and Philosophy interpret the mind, is it non-physical or is everything in this world materialistic?I also look into how negative thinking can exacerbate existing physical conditions and how the ego can take over for those with chronic illness.A truly fascinating episode!If you would like to contact the host;Email: paddymccurdie@hotmail.comTwitter: @CatfordPatFacebook: Search for 'Patrick McCurdie' or 'The Authentic SOAP Podcast'Music courtesy of Pixaby: Meditation - Timmoor

Join Authentic Soap as host Paddy McCurdie interviews his sister Christina Greer.In an in-depth and fascinating interview Christina talks humorously and passionately about how she became a pharmacist and the diverse and critical role the profession plays in the health service. The podcast delves into her reasons for studying psychology a number of years after qualifying as a pharmacist and we discuss her thesis on attcahement theory and how this can affect the course and chances of an individual in life. The episode dicusses much more including themes of spirituality, religion, and inner transformation. Intro music courtesy of Pixaby: On The Beach - Latin Dance Party Music Artist: JuliusH

My six year old nephew Vincent Greer discusses video games, playing in the park and his recent trip to Ireland.Intro music courtesy of Pixaby - Happy Piano Intro: Irobinson sds

Reflecting on my one year of podcasting.Would be grateful if you could leave a review on iTunes if you feel inclined.Just search for 'The Authentic SOAP Podcast' on iTunes and leave a review in the 'Reviews and Ratings' section.Many thanksPaddy McCurdie

Do you face that inner dialogue of criticism so prevalent in our modern lives?Tune in to The Authentic SOAP Podcast to here host Paddy McCurdie discuss the inner critic and practical methods to disengage and observe.If you would like to contact the host, see below details.paddymccurdie@hotmail.comTwitter: @CatfordPatSearch for Patrick McCurdie on Facebook and Instagram.

This week Authentic SOAP host Paddy McCurdie interviews his mother Marian McCurdie on her new found passion for crocheting.Learn more about the benefits of crochet and how to get started in this fun, lively and insightful episode.Intro music courtesy of Pixaby - Caffeine Creek Band - Fetch me another one.To contact Marian for Crochet advice search marianmccurdie on Instagram.

Do you ruminate over the same thoughts and mind patterns?Do you recognise what rumination is?Are you finding it difficult to be mindful and present?Tune into this episode of the Authentic SOAP Podcast with your host Paddy McCurdie to learn more about rumination, how to be aware of it and the detrimental impact it can have and antidotes to rumination.Ross Deuchar Mindfulness mail mindbreathcoaching@gmail.comhttps://t.co/1n1wtPLv1t?amp=1

In the episode your host Paddy McCurdie delves into the field of technology and social media.What impact is excessive use of technology and social media having on our minds and wellbeing? Learn more in this insightful episode about how the tremendous benefits of technology can be tempered by negativity.Do tech companies deliberately design addictive apps and would we really have some of the problems we have now if we where in the 90s.

Authentic SOAP host Paddy McCurdie speaks to Professor Ross Deuchar - Professor of Criminology & Criminal Justice at the University of the West of Scotland to discuss his book Gangs and Spirituality'https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gangs-Spirit...Dr Ross Deuchar is Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of the West of Scotland. He has been conducting research into gang culture, violence and organised crime for many years and is the author of 5 books and numerous research papers. His most recent book, 'Gangs and Spirituality', documents insights from his research conducted across three continents of the world. Ross is a Fulbright scholar, an Affiliate Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida Atlantic University and is also a certified Mindfulness Practitioner and Life Coach.The episode discusses discourse around themes of gangs and masculinity and how religion and spirituality has offered gang members a way out of a life of violence. Learn about the key cultural differences between gangs in the USA, Denmark, Scotland and Hong Kong.Ross will touch on his work with Glasgow gangs, youth crime, policing, social justice and sectarian rivalry in the west of Scotland. Join us as we delve into his own personal transformation including the use of mindfulness meditation and its benefits.

Travel has evolved over the last century with the growth in global population and the insatiable aspirations and desires of humans.Unfettered globalisation and global travel has contributed to increasing stress on the planet and in light of COVID-19, this episode of Authentic SOAP examines how are innate desires for journeying will be affected.Discover how technology and influencer culture is destroying the very authenticity of places we all want to see and the detrimental consequences for local populations.Learn how overtourism has created  a generation of consumers oblivious to the true journey of life.If you wish to contact the host you can so do on the following mediapaddymccurdie@hotmail.comTwitter: @CatfordPatFacebook: Search for 'Patrick McCurdie' or 'The Authentic SOAP Podcast'

THE PECKHAM RAMBLERThe Peckham rambler treads with a light touch,surprising given the heavy burden he projects,but then appearances can be deceptive.I see him moving steadfastly towards the library.He doesn't strike me as the intellectual type,but I have been wrong many times before.Perhaps he is hoping for a gratis newspaper to study the horses,or maybe he will read, a complicated and jargon heavy Science journal;it's too easy to pass judgement,but then life gives us a keen eye for personality.Perhaps we should trust our judgement!I see him regularly standing outside the pub, drawing heavily on his cigarette.He appears thoughtful and absorbent, like a sponge soaking up bathwater.In his royal blue T-shirt and faded stonewash jeans,he's like a throwback to an era which I can't define and probably never existed.I like this man a great deal, he reminds me of someone, maybe even myself.I long for engagement, to shoot the breeze in a leisurely fashion. I believe I can learn a lot.I see him rambling towards his humble abode; another day in Paradise gone! Canary WharfImmense structures towering high yet gentle and reassuring,their retro look disguises an urban beast. Looking from Greenwich, they seem so close but distant.A partition in place, a separation of industry and the natural world. I look almost fearfully from my calm green vista wondering what chaos ensues there,relieved it's a Sunday. Cool and vibrant, it smacks of the modern world, and has an originality unbridled.I peer through a birch tree to catch another glance, what a majestic sight!             CAMBERWELL GREENCamberwell Green, where urban meets suburban,frantic crossroads and compromised air makes you crave a fresher feel. Homes old and new, some dilapidated and some proud,But each with a story to tell; I catch a tower block out of the corner of my eye,a menacing powerful structure,and a reminder that we can't all live in a sprawling green heaven. The shops bustle and the crowded pavements provoke irritation.There's people from all over the world, a reminder of community or a lack of it. The grinding noise of frequent London buses and the impersonal, callous looks as I march through the streetssets this place out as something different, but only on the veneer. I dander a few more yards past the hospital where the screech of trains greets me.Functional and gritty, they stride along the tracks laboured and uneventful.I continue to proceed, and after a lung awakening climb up a curious hill,I realise I'm nearly home!  

The Authentic SOAP Poetry CastSWASHStanchions of green metal, a desolate towpathscratches old thistles where the canal skirts the sea. As far as the eye permits, a drumlin erupts framed by picturesque houses.A headland protrudes extensively thrusting far beyond the turquoise channel. A green and navy car is perched neatly next to a disused castle as two small turbines struggle to rotate. A group of paper white swans revel playing on land. The head of a solitary deer penetrates an eroded hedgerow as an unusual precise square of water appears. A burly cyclist transcends an antiquated stone bridge, crossing at the very moment the drumlin resurfaces. A large rock looks brutally exposed in the sea swash. Three ships in a near military formation glaringly look at an erect lighthouse. A gravelly black quarry scars the landscape fittingly. McCann is working at the old power station, I wonder if he is there today?I don't envy him, what a hideous structure! The horizon is looming quickly as a field of cabbages briefly intercepts. A deep valley peppered by foreign trees disappears as does the horizon. A swallow soars high but evaporates in the glistening bluey-white sky. Guarded rock faces form a formidable barrier. Dunbar is working down at the harbour, if any man knows where the horizon has gone, it is him.  With his flat cap, arched back and hand welded cigarette, he points to a small stream, his back creaking menacingly. I think he might be leading me up the garden path. I keep looking and can see the horizon once again, a partition so defined and robust. There's a mechanical sound, it must be those turbines, I thought they only dwelled on land. I shift a few yards and sit against a mature silver birch tree. Ogling the horizon, I feel still and lonely but somehow connected. I look back down towards the harbour, Dunbar has gone. Maybe for a few pints at the Bann Eel. I think I'll join him for a sup of the black stuff. That creamy taste is so magical, it's like an awakening. Much more tangible than the horizon, but I won't be fooled by either.

What is Mindfulness and how can it benefit us?Tune into this episode where Authentic SOAP host Paddy McCurdie goes back to the meditation roots of the podcast.Learn about how we get sucked into 'Doing' mode and away from our natural 'Being' mode. Can we get out of the head and into the heart?Learn some practical ways to be mindful and hear the hosts very own experience with mindfulness and meditation.Recommended books to supplement this episode:Eckhart Tolle - The Power of NowAnthony De Mello - AwarenessAnthony De Mello - The Way to LoveMark Williams/Danny Penman - A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic WorldVenerable Geshe Kelsang Gyasto Rinpoche - How to Understand the MindBrain Lock: Free yourself from Obsessive Compulsive Behaviour - Jeffrey M SchwartzPrevious Relevant Authentic SOAP episodes:You are not your thoughts: Difficult to comprehend?? https://www.buzzsprout.com/865489/4413236 Coronavirus, Self Isolation & Being - How to make life easier and simply 'be'.https://www.buzzsprout.com/865489/3143974How to Meditate with a Guided Meditation https://www.buzzsprout.com/865489/2755165Why do people get involved in Meditation?https://www.buzzsprout.com/865489/2742358Why Choose Meditation?https://www.buzzsprout.com/865489/2694718Contact the host:Email: paddymccurdie@hotmail.comTwitter: @CatfordPatFacebook: Search for Patrick McCurdie or the Authentic SOAP PodcastApple:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/patrick-mccurdie-the-authentic-soap-podcast/id1501550244

The changing climate and damage to the Earth is the greatest threat and challenge facing humanity.Often, the problem is focused through a prism of political, legal, economic and technological solutions but how often is the spiritual dimension looked at?Discover how recognition of inter connectedness with everything on the earth and our oneness can help shift the dynamics of our natural problem.Are we able to embrace our own place in nature which is essential to survival?Listen and learn more on the Authentic SOAP Podcast.If you are interested in any of these issues and wish to get in touch, you can do through email:  paddymccurdie@hotmail.comFollow me on Facebook: Search for Patrick McCurdie or The Authentic SOAP Podcast.Follow me on Twitter: @CatfordPat

Tune into this episode, the very first interview recording on The Authentic SOAP Podcast.Host Paddy McCurdie is joined by his first guest Marta Blicharz.Marta discusses her experiences visiting Scotland including her love of Edinburgh and Glasgow street art by Australian artist Smug - aka Sam Bates.Marta discusses her experiences as a Polish emigrant to the UK sixteen years ago in the first wave of emigration after Poland joined the EU. Learn about some of her early jobs and how she improved her language skills creating greater social mobility to progress in the workplace.We discuss forms of prejudice and racism pre and post Brexit and we learn how craft based activities such as Lino Printing have helped Marta find her passion and gain some mindfulness.We also explore her reasons for wanting to return to her homeland.Doesn't miss the powerful episode of individual transformation.If anything resonates with you and you would like to contact Marta, please do so on - klussss@hotmail.co.ukYou can follow The Authentic SOAP Podcast on Apple, Google and Spotify. Just search for 'The Authentic SOAP Podcast'.You can follow me on Facebook. Either search for 'Patrick McCurdie' or 'The Authentic SOAP Podcast'.You can follow me on Twitter: search @CatfordPat

Are you sensitive in nature? Perhaps you're drawn to nature itself? or maybe you can really feel others pain and get upset and other's misfortune. If some of these ring true, perhaps you are an empath.This episode examines how empathy and sensitivity are a gift to the human character. Learn about the healing qualities of empaths and the physical pitfalls they must watch out for.Understand why empaths are vulnerable to controllers, energy vampires and narcissists and how to protect yourself. The episode goes into extensive detail on narcissistic individuals especially in the context of romantic relationships with empaths.Watch out and learn to utilise this great gift!Contact me:Email: paddymccurdie@hotmail.comFacebook: Search for Patrick McCurdie or The Authentic SOAP PodcastTwitter: @CatfordPat

What is authenticity? Is is superficially being 'real' or is it something much more primal and deeper?Join Paddy McCurdie for this special episode on finding your true self and why it is an innate human survival need.This episode explores the Jungian shadow and what really lurks deeper inside our shadow. Perhaps there is a little piece of treasure hidden inside us that we can tap into in order to become truly authentic.Learn more about projection and how it is used widely by ourselves and on a bigger scale in concepts such as the 'culture war'.For anyone learning about the shadow and shadow work, this is a must listen episodeIntro music courtesy of John Bartmann - Gameshow Brazz.

Are you helpful and willing?Are you a super agreeable person?Do you not like conflict situations or being assertive?Do you feel like you're walking on eggshells around certain people?Perhaps then you are a people pleaser or exhibit an unhealthy level of people pleasing behaviours.This episode of Authentic SOAP explores people pleasing; how people pleasers are vulnerable to narcissists, their sense of duty, putting their own needs aside and how they equate decisiveness with hurting others.Do you have difficulty setting limits or do you people please to gain control? This episode should provide the necessary insight to recognise your own people pleasing behaviours and how they are detrimental to your well being.Learn about how our developmental programming along with the emotions of fear, guilt and shame can cause a lack of self-worth that will openly lead to people pleasing.Learn how to be assertive and set and enforce BOUNDARIES...If you wish to contact me regarding this episode, please email paddymccurdie@hotmail.com.

In this episode of Authentic SOAP, Paddy McCurdie attempts to look into the mind and our thoughts, is it the case that we are not our thoughts? I know it is a difficult to comprehend so why don't you listen further?The episode examine human consciousness without thought, how meditation can help up fearlessly observe and be aware of our thoughts and being able to rise above thought, experience something deeper.I will also offer some advice on obsessional thoughts, practical tips to weaken the besiegement. What role can CBT play in all of this and how spirituality and wisdom can assist medicine?If you wish to contact me regarding this episode, please email paddymccurdie@hotmail.com.

Uncertainty is a fact of life, how do we embrace and ultimately accept it?In this episode of Authentic SOAP, Paddy McCurdie looks into uncertainty and tips and techniques for dealing with the negative manifestations that arise with it.

In this episode Authentic SOAP podcast host Paddy McCurdie attempts to shed some light on why people are so disconnected.Given the rise in mental health issues, addictions and the general turbulence in individuals and populations, a sense of some sort of disconnection seems to prevail.Are we disconnected from our higher true self or is displacement from our home communities causing problems?Is the media both social and conventional feeding a diet of non-soul nourishing information?Tune in for more insight.

Paddy McCurdie explores attachment in this powerful episode of Authentic SOAP.How do attachments negatively affect our lives and how can we recognise them?It's likely the majority of us will have attachments to a certain degree and the podcast should offer some insight into the negativity that arises with attachment.

Video launch audio of Authentic SOAP Podcast with host Paddy McCurdie.

Authentic SOAP examines the seeming familiarity of each day under lockdown.Gain insight into how host Paddy McCurdie is adapting as days literally appear to subsume each other.Maybe you will be like Bill Murray's character in Groundhog Day and eventually submit. 

At almost the three week marker of strict lockdown measures, Authentic SOAP explores the importance of holding your nerve and why patience and effort are such valuable virtues.

The COVID -19 pandemic has hit home with abrupt and unexpected force.As individuals struggle to process an almost surreal situation, the Authentic SOAP Podcast examines how we deal with the Government advice of self-isolation and restrictions?As normal social & economic constructs have evaporated, what are we left with? Simply our own existence. A manifestation of a stronger identification with the mind and negativity can form.Lets look at ways to manage...

The Authentic SOAP Podcast:In this episode, Paddy McCurdie explores whether vaping is a game changer or is creating a new generation of nicotine addicts through the back door.

Have you ever felt a sense of unease and disconnection after a major life change such as a change of location or a total shift in career?In this episode, I explore how changes in energy and vibration levels can from one situation to another can lead to this disconnection.

Top tips on how to meditate with a basic guided meditation to aid relaxation and establish presence.

In the second episode of the SHiNE podcast, Paddy McCurdie explores why people get involved in meditation.Do you really need a reason, is it just for those suffering in society or is it the beginning of a spiritual path? Prepare to open your mind and gain an insight into one of the world's oldest spiritual practices as told through the prism of a 35 year old male.

Who are those people who meditate?In this episode, I explore my own experiences with meditation and the benefits I've received.Is it only for hardcore monks or can a regular 35 year old guy like myself benefit?