Peace Lab 2020

Happy New Year everyone – welcome to the first episode of 2022 from Peace Lab podcast. In this episode, I caught up with the lovely Susan Pincus, National Careers Professional from the College of Law, a leading career college for lawyers in Australia and New Zealand. In her role, Susan provides specialised advices and guidance for graduate lawyers who wish to enter into the competitive legal market and also facilitates online seminars on diverse and interesting topics pertaining to the legal profession. Although COVID-19 has affected our professional lives in many ways, Susan strongly believes that it is important to find the balance between being kind to oneself in the job search process and keep charging forward with small steps each day. As Susan suggests, connecting and networking is still important, if not more important, when the predominant mode of communication is via Zoom or TEAMS in this COVID reality we are living in. So, do not feel discouraged; instead make an effort to meet new people with a curious mind and without a specific agenda. Sometime such meetings bring unexpected opportunities. Susan and I have never met in person, but her natural ability to connect led to the synchronistic meeting of us on LinkedIn. In truth, Susan's own professional path is underlined by a series of synchronicities through a deep belief in what Susan calls “planned happenstance”, which is a career theory developed by Professor John Krumboltz of Stanford University, asking one to focus less on having specific plans for the future and more about finding opportunities in unplanned events. I am grateful for Susan to share with me her story and wisdom. I certainly feel that 2022 is a great year for me to explore and practise “planned happenstance” – look forward to meeting opportunities in unplanned events and places! To connect with Susan pls feel free to connect via her Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-pincus/

In today's episode, I had the great pleasure to speak to a dear friend – Zuong Dang. Zuong and I first met at one of the well-being workshops I facilitated a few years ago for the Law Institute of Victoria, and we reconnected last year as Zuong was curious about my master studies in Applied Neuroscience with King's College London. Each guest on Peace Lab Podcast has a unique story about their mental health, and I am grateful that Zuong shared openly about her personal journey from law to neuroscience and well-being. Similar to many lawyers, Zuong was always determined and hardworking, but in her own words, she didn't take great care of herself especially in the junior years of her legal career. Until one day her body was showing her signs of chronic stress and she ended up in a gastroenterologist's office. It was the first time she listened to her body and it was then and there she recalled what her father would often say to her – your work can replace you, but if I lose you as a daughter I cannot replace you. She walked out of that doctor appointment, crying and feeling overwhelmed with a feeling of inadequacy (why cannot I be like others, just work 14 hours a day?) But luckily Zuong decided to take action to look after herself and to address her own mental health issues in a more tangible way. She moved to Melbourne from Gold Coast, began a mental health care plan, and started learning about meditation and mindfulness practice to compliment traditional means therapy. Fast forward a few years later to 2020, COVID-19 became another catalyst for Zuong' s next stage of transition. Zuong was working in a major financial service firm and completely engrossed with her work. To others, she was successfully climbing the ‘corporate ladder'; however, deep down she was experiencing bouts of depression for the first time in her life with an inability to enjoy life like before. With the wisdom gained from her past experience, Zuong brought herself back to the doctor's office – to check in with herself as to what she truly desired in life. During those moments of her reflection, she realized maybe it is time for a career change, maybe it is ok to leave law and to pursue her innermost desire and curiosity – which is mental health and well-being. Once Zuong open herself to this new perceptions and new possibilities, opportunities came to her in a synchronistic way. Today not only is Zuong busy working as a Senior Policy Officer in COVID-19 response, but also is undertaking her master in Applied Neuroscience with King's College London as well. There are so many great points mentioned during our conversation, and I will leave you one of the many great insights from Zuong, which speaks great truth to me: It is ultimately YOU that holds the power to change the mindset and to take responsibility to do something about whatever situation you are in. I hope you will enjoy this episode! To connect with Zuong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zuongdang/

Hello all,  Today I had the great pleasure to speak to Lu Ngo, whom I first met through a project involving working with international students.  Lu works as a Project Manager in the education technology space, is a Study Melbourne Ambassador supporting international students in Victoria.  Outside her day job, Lu is also a Podcast Host on the Glocals Podcast.  I was curious about Lu's journey from her home country - Vietnam to Melbourne today.  In her own words, coming to study in Australia three and half years ago was her 'big shot in life' and she was so excited to experience a new city and a new country.  As the initial excitement faded away, Lu was confronted with the reality of being an international student without any family support.  Also a natural introvert, Lu didn't participate in any networking initially.  However, it was during a period of self-reflection, she decided to do something different and made great effort to network. Through that process, she was able to meet wonderful new connections and found a new sense of self in Melbourne.  This was just the start of her journey.   When Lu finished her studies, it was at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet instead of fear, she adopted an attitude of curiosity, as she was willing to go with the flow and to be surprised by life itself.  Then synchronicity happened - Lu was offered a job to work in industry engagement for international students through the connections and collaboration she created pre-COVID.  To her, this is her dream job, as she was able to connect local Australian businesses with international students, and provide real-life working experiences for the students.  Both Lu and I agree that international students are intrinsically resilient as they are studying in a foreign country without the usual support from families and friends.  I have personally worked with several cohorts of international students through Lu's platform, and each time I have been amazed by the talents, dedication and professionalism of the students.  When asked what is Lu's biggest learning gained from the COVID-19 pandemic - "for me, it has been the best two years of my life".  From finding her first job in Melbourne at the start of the pandemic, to renting her own place and paying her own bills, starting her own podcast and continuing thriving in her job, the past two years have been like a 'rite of passage' into independent adulthood for Lu.  So, her personal experience was a great reminder how we can always find blessings in the seeming dark places.  I left the podcast feeling uplifted by Lu and by her positive spirit.  I hope you will enjoy this episode too.  - To find out about Lu's Glocals Podcast:  https://anchor.fm/the-glocals - To connect with Lu:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/linh-van-thuy-ngo/

Happy Wednesday everyone! This week I had the great pleasure of speaking to Judith Marychurch, who is the Assistant Dean of Teaching & Learning at Melbourne Law School (MLS) and her role also entails a strong focus on promoting well-being among the law students. I met Judith many years later after I graduated from Melbourne Law School. We bonded over our passion for advocating well-being and mental health in legal education. Judith also trusted me with the opportunity to run a programme of laughter workshops at Melbourne Law School for the 'serious law students' several years ago. So I was excited to catch up with Judith and to talk about her experience with the COVID-19 pandemic both professionally and personally. According to Judith, the way universities conduct teaching and learning has been transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic, whereby most face-to-face teaching has been replaced with online learning. Indeed, COVID-19 has been seen as the catalyst for digital transformation in many industries legal education included. The COVID-19 also highlighted the needs for the educators to consider the diverse backgrounds and the responsibilities (such as carers' responsibility) of the students, as the online learning platform may be more challenging if the student is living in a share-housing, or is a parent that need to home school children. However, all the academic staff and students are quite resilient and have quickly found their creative ways to adapt to this new normal. As a mother of three children (two teenagers and one 7-year-old), Judith certainly had a busy 18 months juggling her academic role whilst home-schooling her children. Judith noted (like most working parents) that whilst home-schooling could be challenging sometimes, overall it has been a rewarding experience. Oh yes, her 7 year-old has come to her for cuddles a few times during her Zoom meetings, but everyone was very understanding and considered it was a sweet gesture more than anything else. During the pandemic, Judith started knitting for her children's schools and it became a surprising way for her to relax, and to be mindful. We both agree that mindfulness comes in different shapes and forms, and meditation is not the single path to achieve a mindful and relaxed mind. It must be explored by the individual and each person may have their unique way to a calming mind and a peaceful heart. Lastly, I was curious to find out Judith's biggest learning gained from the COVID-19 pandemic experience. Her answer is simple yet profound - "human connection", especially drawing from her personal experience after losing her father in January 2021. Judith was grateful that her family was able to get together, to grieve and to heal together as there was no strict COVID restriction at the time. But it would be challenging for many other families that could not do so throughout the pandemic. Reflecting upon my own personal experience, I must agree that I have a much deeper appreciation for the preciousness and power of human connection than before. I hope you enjoy this insightful conversation and please stay safe and connected! To find out more about Judith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judith-marychurch-44973729/

Hello everyone, we are back for Peace Lab Podcast again! In today's Peace Lab Conversation, I spoke to Merv Neal from Laughter Yoga Australia. Some of you may remember Merv from last year's episode (Episode 2) and Merv is one of the most successful and skilled Laughter Yoga facilitators and teachers I know. Merv shared openly with me about his observations over the past year, especially the "blessing in disguise" of COVID-19. Although 2020-2021 has been extremely challenging, Merv found that many people have also grained great personal lessons and wisdom from this period of time. Merv also has seen a great shift in the mindset of the corporate clients that he has been working with (both in Australia and internationally) - to focus more on the well-being of their staff, and how we can work together to not only survive in the "new normal", but truly thrive in such seeming difficult times. As he said, it requires us to see things different and to find positivity even in the dark places. From my experiences, this ability to see light in the darkness, and to see the good among the bad is a true hallmark of one's resilience and wisdom. I personally feel that COVID-19 unintentionally provided a once-in-a-life time training experience for us to cultivate such capability in life. In addition, Merv mentioned that COVID-19 has highlighted the need for a new style of leadership - a more heart-centred leadership. I couldn't agree more. In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic has entered into a new phase, as we are challenged by the Delta variant and by the many opinions on vaccinations. In response, we can see a diverse style of leaderships, some of which are based in fear and divisions, instead of a loving, caring and inspiring place. I will definitely be one in support of a 'heart-centred leadership' in the near future! To conclude, we finished with a gentle 'loving kindness meditation' to set the loving intention for ourselves and also for the world! "May you find peace even in the mids of chaos; May you find joy even in the seeming darkness; May you feel safe, no matter whatever is happening in the world". To find out more about Merv and Laughter Yoga Australia and Laughter Joy Conference/Festival in October: - https://laughterwellbeing.org/; - https://laughterwellbeing.org/conference-agenda/.

In this Legal Mind Unwired episode, I spoke to the amazing Vanessa Shambrook, who is currently working as a lawyer at Women's Legal Service Victoria with women experiencing disadvantage to assist them in relation to issues arising from relationship breakdown.  In 2021, Vanessa was elected to be the 2021 President of Victorian Women's Lawyers (“VWL”), a not-for-profit organisation which seeks to achieve equality for female identifying lawyers. Vanessa and I met through VWL and bonded over our collective passionate for advocating well-being in the legal profession. In 2018, Vanessa founded the ‘Wellbeing Series: The Road to Resilience in Law', to encourage initiatives focused on self-care for lawyers, including helping lawyers find their passion and purpose. Since then, she continue to speak about the importance of wellbeing for lawyers However, Vanessa is more than just a lawyer. When Vanessa is not busy fighting justice for her clients, she is running a successful photography business as an aerial & ocean and lifestyle & brand photographer. Photography allows the world to see the full expression of Vanessa's talent beyond law.  In return, photography feels almost healing and soothing to Vanessa, especially after long hours at her lawyer job which can sometimes be quite challenging. To me, Vanessa epitomises the saying that ‘Be the Exception to the Rule'.  As you will learn from this episode, Vanessa has carved out a path that is authentic and truthful to her value and talent through her persistence, resilience and insight.  In following her heart, she is able to share the light with the world. “Don't ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive, and go and do that!”  No wonder this is Vanessa's favorite quote.  What's your take-away message for us? I asked. “Don't settle for your life and live in your truth.  Go after things that make you feel joy and fulfil your purpose.” Vanessa joyfully answered me.  I finished this recording feeling a bit emotional, because even though Vanessa was a domestic Australian student, we both shared similar struggles at law schools and during our junior years of legal practice. Yet, I am profoundly moved by her gentleness and wisdom, and I look forward to celebrating more success for Vanessa in the future. To learn more about Vanessa Shambrook: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-shambrook-0235986a/ To learn more about Vanessa Shambrook Photography: https://vanessashambrookphotography.com/

It is not often I meet another 'Elva' - that is one of the reasons why I was so excited to invite Elva from Elva Li Personal Branding and Lifestyle Studio to the podcast. Elva is not your usual branding expert, because she integrates holistic brand strategy, creative direction, and mindset work to translate the soul of a person onto screen. To Elva, personal branding is about shining the light from inside out, and her role is to guide her clients towards their inner light and make it shine! Her unique approach to branding reflects the wisdom and insight Elva has gained through her own personal development, since she left her hometown - Shanghai, China more than 10 years ago. As she shared openly with me, she had to let go of the 'good girl' expectation by her parents and family, and took a leap of faith to leave the comfort of the corporate world. In following her heart, she found her true calling and what made her smile every day. Now Elva has left some questions for the listeners. They are not just for those who are seeking branding advices, but can be applied to all areas of our lives, when assessing the level of alignment we have in our lives. Here are the questions: • Who do I need to be to inspire my audience into action and create the change I want to see in the world? • How can I channel my best self through everything I do so everyone I met can feel my passion, my energy and my inspiration? • How can I live my message and model my work in the world so that my audience can see the possibilities for themselves when they say yes? Enjoy! To find out more about Elva's work: - www.elvali.com - https://www.linkedin.com/in/elvalipersonalbranding/

We breathe in and out on average between 20,000 and 23,000 times per day on average. Yet, how much do you know about breathing and the proper way our bodies are designed to breathe? Do you breathe fast, shallow, loud? Do you catch yourself breathe using mouth? In this episode, Diana Marshall, an internationally accredited breathing expert will share with us how important breathing is really for us. This simple act of breathing "in and out" affects the totality of our well-being such as our sleep, energy levels, focus, physical and emotional health. It also leads to productivity and performance issues at work and home. However, as Diana shared with us it is never too late to change our breathing patterns. We can start this by engaging in more diaphragmatic breathing or “belly breathing,” which involves fully engaging the stomach, abdominal muscles, and diaphragm when breathing. Alternatively we can make sure that we breathe less through our mouth but through our nose, which connects directly with the para-sympathetic nervous system as well as the limbic system in our brain. This is certainly an informative session and I hope you will enjoy learning about the science and wisdom of breathing too! To read more about Diana's work, please visit: - https://www.breathingrehabilitation.com/ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-marshall-5924a5176/

Monday PJ Meditation before bedtime from 9pm to 9:30pm (Melbourne Australia). The PJ Monday Meditation recorded from 12 April 2021 from Hobart, as I have been traveling around Hobart for the past few days. Today we experimented watching one day in our life as a movie. What difference would you make in the creating of your tomorrow's movie? The unscripted meditation is guided from my home live which typically lasts between 20mins and 30mins (it varies).   Just a simple idea to connect with others at this time - as by now we are used to catch up with friends over Zoom, why not meditate together, quieting down our chatty mind, disconnecting with the external world for a short while. The act of seeking peace within at this time is an act of kindness first to ourselves.  Yet by finding solace within we are being a stable source of peace and positivity for others and the community.   So as a listener to Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, this is a bonus meditation recording from PJ Meditation. Hopefully you will benefit from it too!  If you are interested in joining us live on ZOOM, please click on the link every Monday Melbourne Australian time 9pm-930pm in your comfy PJs please.     It's an open invite, so pls feel free to share:  https://zoom.us/j/96233254368?pwd=WkMvUTBrc2htNWxVU2FuUkdKMVI4UT09  Meeting ID: 962 3325 4368  Password: 2021

Hello, I am back for a monologue to talk to myself or about myself? :) The past few months have been rather interesting, learning at a deeper level about a different way to relate to life experiences. The biggest lesson for me is the realisation that in the past I used to spend lots of time meditating in silence and in solace, yet, an equally important (if not more important practice in life) is to carry the meditating mind with ourselves in daily life. I often share with us that the greatest meditation is when we embrace every moment of life, and start meditating with life. In this sense, the chaos of life, or the uncertainty of life is no longer so overwhelming. Instead, the navigation is undertaken with the guidance of a balanced mind and heart. Yet, like all things in life, it is easier said than done. Looking back especially in the past few months with the demand of work, relationships, family (all the elements that make our life so colourful and mesmerising), I came to see that maybe for the first time I was able to truly meditate with life, not to avoid but to be in the moment of life even though they can be quite challenging and uncomfortable. This is how we truly change - not just according to ancient wisdom traditions, but also in line with contemporary psychology and brain science. When we are committed to understanding the triggers as a gateway of greater self-understanding, we can have the courage to change our perceptions of the external events, situations and people. Why courage is needed? Because as explained in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), our emotions and behaviours are mostly affected by their perceptions of events, not the events themselves. It is not a situation in and of itself that determines what people feel but rather the way in which they interpret situations rather than by the situations per se. For that reason, to challenge our perception takes time and courage. Both on the mat and off mat, both during meditation and outside mediation, both eyes closed and eyes wide open. To meditate or not to meditate is not so much the question. It is about being aware, being present with all things - the seeming negative, the positive, the good and the bad. That is the true beauty of life. "Despite knowing the journey and where it leads, I embrace it. And I welcome every moment of it."- from the movie Arrival To learn about Arrival - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543164/ To learn about CBT - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1755738012471029

Monday PJ Meditation before bedtime from 9pm to 9:30pm (Melbourne Australia). Monday 29 March 2021: the full moon is high and shining beautifully. Receiving wisdom from ourselves. The unscripted meditation is guided from my home live which typically lasts between 20mins and 30mins (it varies).   Just a simple idea to connect with others at this time - as by now we are used to catch up with friends over Zoom, why not meditate together, quieting down our chatty mind, disconnecting with the external world for a short while. The act of seeking peace within at this time is an act of kindness first to ourselves.  Yet by finding solace within we are being a stable source of peace and positivity for others and the community.   So as a listener to Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, this is a bonus meditation recording from PJ Meditation. Hopefully you will benefit from it too!  If you are interested in joining us live on ZOOM, please click on the link every Monday Melbourne Australian time 9pm-930pm in your comfy PJs please.     It's an open invite, so pls feel free to share:  https://zoom.us/j/96233254368?pwd=WkMvUTBrc2htNWxVU2FuUkdKMVI4UT09  Meeting ID: 962 3325 4368  Password: 2021

In this Legal Mind Unwired for March 2021, I wanted to speak to a lawyer who (like myself) was of an international student background. I am always curious about the journey of other international law students - whether they faced similar struggles at law school and whether they felt challenged when trying to carve out a legal career in Australia. So my talented friend Catherine Tan popped in my mind and I am so pleased that she was able to join me today - to share her story. Formally an international student from Brunei, Catherine holds a Bachelor of Laws from Monash University and currently practises in commercial litigation and dispute resolution at Macpherson Kelley. But being a lawyer was not her top career choice. In fact, she wanted to be a singer. However, she took the wise advice from her father that maybe it is prudent to have a degree and she can pursue her singing career afterwards. So in a moment of intuitive insight, Catherine decided to study law (even though her parents really wanted her to be an accountant). Although Australia was not her first preferred country of study, she was offered a partial scholarship to study law in the Monash University. In a way, it seems that Catherine was called to Australia, and she was guided by an invisible hand of life to become a lawyer. Although not overly confident during law school compared to her local peers, Catherine was determined and hardworking as a student. It is this sense of strong purpose and work ethics that enables her to create a unique legal career for herself - an Australian lawyer with Chinese speaking skill. In this way, Catherine is able to combine her legal knowledge with her unique personal skill and talent. For Catherine, she draws a lot of inspiration and comfort from that brave younger self - who came alone to study in Australia with no family and friends, and who has built a thriving career on her own since then. On this basis, Catherine has found a creative way of dealing with her own life concerns and build mental resilience. Whenever she is stressed or worried about something in the present life, she often imagines having a tri-parties meeting with the self who is 10 years younger, the self who is 10 years older and her present self. The other two selves are almost like mentors to the present self, cheering her on (what a fun way to self-sooth!) "To live life fully and experience it passionately" - this is the key take-away message from Catherine. By engaging life in such a deep and meaningful way, one can fully express the true talented self. Oh, yes, Catherine still sings and performs. Please pay attention while you walk around the Melbourne CBD, you may catch Catherine singing and busking in the city one day! To find out more about Catherine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinecytan/

As we continue to focus on the well-being of international students, this week I spoke to Catherine Simmonds and Feifei Liao, the two master-minds behind the Australia's leading international students community theatre organisation - Story IS Connection (SIC). At the core of SIC is the vision of creating diversity in action through the language of theatre. Catherine, one of Australia's leading community cultural development theatre makers, has an amazing ability of translating the ‘lived experiences' of communities through the language of art. As the Artistic Director of SIC, Catherine applies her unique creative process ‘Act in Action' to interact arts with international students' personal experiences. As such, SIC mobilises international students to connect to their own stories, to each other and to the wider community. International students who are not actors take centre stage in the ‘lead role' of their own stories. International students who never intended to inhabit such a role become the accidental activists of the issues their stories reveal. Over the past 3 years, SIC has produced multiple performances showing distinctive aspects of international students' lived experiences, including mental health, LGBTIQ+, cultural diversity, employment, and accommodation. These narratives help to bridge the understanding gap between what international students need and what service providers offer, and promote inspire new understandings beyond prejudice, stimulating a richer cultural texture. As you will learn from our conversation, Story IS Connection has gone through a few rounds of transformation in the past few years, which initially started as the Act of Translation Project funded by the City of Melbourne to provide a creative space for students to connect. The creation of such a project brought many international students together, but more importantly it provided a valuable and rare opportunity for students to explore their inner truth and a more authentic identity. As a former international student myself, I wish I had the opportunity to be part of such a creative project back then! I still remember how touched I felt when I went to watch the first live performance by a group of international students, whose personal stories were weaved seamlessly into one beautiful and moving story about love, joy, success, failure and ultimately, about the diversity of human spirit. Watching that performance felt like embarking on a healing journey for me, I left feeling being transformed and uplifted. In addition, SIC empowers and inspire international students to find their sense of self in a foreign country. The story of Feifei is the perfect example of this. From an active and passionate participant of the Act of Translation Project, to becoming the co-founder and the Managing Director of SIC, Feifei's passion, dedication and curiosity allowed her to create various initiatives focusing on innovation in mental health, community capacity with a positive social impact. Did I mention, Feifei is the first intern of Peace Lab? Yes, we were very lucky to have such a talent on our team! So I hope you will enjoy this engaging conversation about the amazing creative work these ladies are doing. Please make sure you check out the following links to find out more about the projects and them. - http://storyisconnection.com/about/ - https://www.facebook.com/storyisconnection/ To find out more about Catherine Simmonds - https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinesimmonds-4487193a/ To find out more about Feifei Liao: - https://www.linkedin.com/in/feifei-liao-59488595/

Monday PJ Meditation before bedtime from 9pm to 9:30pm (Melbourne Australia). Monday 15 March 2021: tonight we focused on exploring the NOW moment, as I find myself spending much time sometimes in the past and/or in the future - worries and concerns. So it was essentially a gentle reminder of myself to let go and stay in the present. The unscripted meditation is guided from my home live which typically lasts between 20mins and 30mins (it varies). Just a simple idea to connect with others at this time - as by now we are used to catch up with friends over Zoom, why not meditate together, quieting down our chatty mind, disconnecting with the external world for a short while. The act of seeking peace within at this time is an act of kindness first to ourselves. Yet by finding solace within we are being a stable source of peace and positivity for others and the community. So as a listener to Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, this is a bonus meditation recording from PJ Meditation. Hopefully you will benefit from it too! If you are interested in joining us live on ZOOM, please click on the link every Monday Melbourne Australian time 9pm-930pm in your comfy PJs please. It's an open invite, so pls feel free to share: https://zoom.us/j/96233254368?pwd=WkMvUTBrc2htNWxVU2FuUkdKMVI4UT09 Meeting ID: 962 3325 4368 Password: 2021

In this second episode of the March's series focusing on international students, I had the great pleasure of speaking to Coby Liew, a registered counsellor and social worker, and also works as a Senior International Student Support Officer at the Deakin University. A former international student from Malaysia, Coby is exceptionally passionate in international education and mental health practice with extensive experiences working with individuals from various backgrounds and cultures, helping individuals to identify their inner strengths, maximising their potentials and abilities to strive for success throughout their life journey. Our conversation started with Coby's own journey of leaving Malaysia to study in Australia in search of a better future for himself and also for his family. Another big reason for settling in Australia is his desire of truly accepting and embracing himself, feeling free to express who he is as a gay man, and not being judged by others because of his sexual orientation.  (Although we didn't have much time to talk about this topic, Coby is the Founder of a nation-wide initiative in Australia - My Rainbow Story Project, focusing on supporting and empowering marginalised communities through individual stories.  This is definitely a topic for another episode!). “But why mental health as a career choice”?  I was curious, knowing that comparing to commerce or business mental health would not be a very common career choice in Asian countries.  Coby shared that he experienced the power of counselling when he was going through a ‘dark phase' at the age of 17. It was then he realised that by simply talking to a trained counsellor who is willing to listen without any judgement, it could be a healing experience for others. He followed the call within his heart, which eventually led him to where he is now. As someone who has worked with international students for many years, he admitted that 2020 was an extremely challenging year for international students: to make a tough decision of staying in Australia or to return home; if you are in Australia, then the students are faced with the challenge of being completely isolated with little support with the ongoing financial pressure; if you return to your home country, then many face the uncertainty of visa conditions or the future of your study entirely. But when there is a will, there is a way. To Coby, every situation always has something bad but also something good, and it is our choice to decide which side we would like to focus upon.  This is one of his key life principles, and also the advice he would like to pass on to the international students who are going through the challenges of Covid. He encouraged the students to be resilient, be flexible and to cultivate a solution-focused mindset, instead of a problem mindset. His advice and insight does not come from his professional experiences only, but also from a place of rich lived experiences as an international student who experienced of difficulties, and even trauma. The only way out is to fully experience it, and then we will come out the other side wider and stronger. To finish, Coby reminded me that:  When there is a big storm, we cannot avoid it, but have to go through that storm. And only after the storm, we will witness the beautiful rainbow on the other side. To find out more about Coby Liew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cobyliew/ https://liveyourstory.com.au/ www.myrainbowstory

Monday PJ Meditation before bedtime from 9pm to 9:30pm (Melbourne Australia). The unscripted meditation is guided by me (in my PJs) from my home live which typically lasts between 20mins and 30mins (it varies).   Just a simple idea to connect with others at this time - as by now we are used to catch up with friends over Zoom, why not meditate together, quieting down our chatty mind, disconnecting with the external world for a short while. The act of seeking peace within at this time is an act of kindness first to ourselves.  Yet by finding solace within we are being a stable source of peace and positivity for others and the community.   So as a listener to Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, this is a bonus meditation recording from PJ Meditation. Hopefully you will benefit from it too!  If you are interested in joining us live on ZOOM, please click on the link every Monday Melbourne Australian time 9pm-930pm in your comfy PJs please.    It's an open invite, so pls feel free to share: https://zoom.us/j/96233254368?pwd=WkMvUTBrc2htNWxVU2FuUkdKMVI4UT09 Meeting ID: 962 3325 4368 Password: 2021  

In March 2021, Peace Lab 2020 Podcast will focus on the stories of international students - their struggles, their resilience, their success. So first up, I spoke to Sahil Chandan, an international student from India who is studying information technology in Australia. Sahil's story is about his experience of dealing with the impact of Covid and how resilient he was despite all the challenges he faced. In fact, Sahil adopted a positive mindset and chose to see 2020 as an opportunity for self-learning and self-improvement. Sahil had to return to India at the end of 2019, because his father fell ill. He returned home to look after his family. Then Covid hit in 2020, and he could not return to Melbourne to resume his studies due to travel restrictions. He had to juggle family duty, online studies, time differences and the financial pressure of paying school fees whilst the family business suffered loss due to Covid. However, following his own spiritual truth and meditation practice, Sahil was able to calm his anxiety and found creative solutions to the challenges. Importantly, Sahil was well supported by his group of friends he met whilst studying in Australia during 2020. Although of Hindu background, he took the opportunity to learn about other religions and cultural groups. To him, this is the true beauty of studying abroad - to go beyond the familiar and to explore and learn. As I listen to his story, I think Sahil's curiosity, open-mindedness and friendliness has paid off in unexpected way in 2020. To learn connect with Sahil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahil-chandan-330352137/

Monday PJ Meditation runs before bedtime from 9pm to 9:30pm, Melbourne Australian time.     2 March 2021: since it is the start of March, we focused on welcoming March and Autumn (for those of us who live in Australia).  We focused on 'turning off' our body switches and how we may learn something from the falling autumn leaves to let go and to surrender. The unscripted meditation is guided by me (in my PJs) from my home live which typically lasts between 20mins and 30mins (it varies).   Just a simple idea to connect with others at this time - as by now we are used to catch up with friends over Zoom, why not meditate together, quieting down our chatty mind, disconnecting with the external world for a short while. The act of seeking peace within at this time is an act of kindness first to ourselves.  Yet by finding solace within we are being a stable source of peace and positivity for others and the community.   So as a listener to Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, this is a bonus meditation recording from PJ Meditation. Hopefully you will benefit from it too!  If you are interested in joining us live on ZOOM, please click on the link every Monday Melbourne Australian time 9pm-930pm in your comfy PJs please.    It's an open invite, so pls feel free to share: https://zoom.us/j/96233254368?pwd=WkMvUTBrc2htNWxVU2FuUkdKMVI4UT09 Meeting ID: 962 3325 4368 Password: 2021  

In the last episode of this month of Love, I managed to find a lawyer who is passionate about brining more LOVE into the legal system - Virginia Warren.  Virginia got into law "accidentally" (although looking back she noted that everything happens for a reason in life), and became a parter in a law firm, specialising family law.  Then one day in 2012 as she was walking across a busy street in her suit and leopard printed high heels, she 'accidentally' fell down.  As a result of the fall, she was introduced to the world of yoga, which took her on a journey to understand and know self more.  These days, she plays with higher consciousness thinking and enjoy saying that "rules are for idiots!" (in the nicest possible way).  She held a strong belief that our thoughts, together with the choices we make in our lives, are simply the products of rules or laws that others have created for us to believe are true. Most of those rules have lead us to a false belief that we're unworthy of love.  Since that 'accidental fall' in 2021, Virginia has gradually shifted her perception of law  from an 'adversarial' basis to focus on first enquiry and review of the self, and it is her passion now to advocate for a new operating system of the legal system - focusing on love.  In law, 'time is of the essence' is a common term we see in contractual drafting.   Virginia challenged us to consider a new legal concept - 'love is of the essence', meaning every time you need to make a decision, check in with yourself whether you hold on to fear, which is essentially the lack of love?  Love is of the essence - this principle is what Virginia and the team at the Lawyers for Love are currently working on - exploring an alternate platform that supports the discovery of our authentic selves, by using conflict as a catalyst to do so.  For me, it is certainly an eye-opening chat with the brilliant Virginia and I certainly salute her boldness, courage ​and passion for advocating to incorporate love into law and to use love as a tool for conflict resolution.  I look forward to one day drafting contractual terms such as "love is of the essence in this matter".  Whilst right now it is hard for me to imagine a legal system that operates on love, by allowing us to imagine such possibility of an alternative legal platform, we are planting the seed for something different and something new.  I am hopeful that this will one day be a reality for future lawyers!  To learn more about Virginia Warren:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/virginia-warren-5284187a/ https://www.virginia-warren.com/ To learn more about Lawyers for Love:  https://www.lawyersforlove.love/

Hello everyone, after taking some time off, Monday PJ Meditation is back from tonight (Monday 22nd Feb) at the usual time 9pm Melbourne time. It's an open invite, so pls feel free to share - join via Zoom directly: https://zoom.us/j/96233254368?pwd=WkMvUTBrc2htNWxVU2FuUkdKMVI4UT09 Meeting ID: 962 3325 4368 Password: 2021 When: 9pm - 9:30pm, Monday Nights, Melbourne Time Where: from your home If you want to carve some time out for yourself, to connect, to breathe, and to listen, pls feel free to pop by! As I mentioned, contemporary neuroscience is confirming how consistent practice of meditation changes our brain structurally and functionally for good! But we must cultivate a meditative practice to help our brain unwire stress and anxiety, and rewire for more peace and acceptance. Alternatively, the live recording of the meditation will be posted at the Peace Lab 2020 Podcast.

In this episode, I spoke to Pat Armistead, the worlds' first joyologist. Often referred to as “Australasias answer to Patch Adams “, Pat embraces good humour, unwavering positivity and creativity in her being and her work. She has a rare capacity to meld her creativity and compassion to champion the human spirit leading people to find joy where it appeared there was none. In this episode, Pat shared with me her path to joy and how she became a 'joyologist' after enduring various traumas. As she elegantly said, she did not learn about joy by studying joy; instead, it is through her lived life experiences of grief, shame and embarrassment, and it is through embracing such emotions, she was able to re-integrate through initial disintegration. Pat also talked about the time when she traveled with the famous Dr Patch Adams as part of his Russia Clown Tour and visited the children in the orphanage. Having experienced first hand the power of laughter and joy, it solidified her vision and purpose of her life-long service to others. Since it is still Feb, I asked Pat what is her take on love. Love is more than just a word, but an action in practice, and most importantly it is an ability to see good in all others. Then on 2020, Pat considered it as a code for perfect vision - as a way to open eyes and to see more clearly within us and around us what works, what does not work and what we truly desire. We are faced with a shared vulnerability, thanks to Covid for the first time in modern history. So it is important for us to hear another, to connect another and to hold the space for another. Lastly, Pat left one key message for us all, and those in leadership in particular - remember that we all lead as mothers, as fathers and as parents. Therefore, lead with an emotional awareness of others so we can make the world a more connected on. To find out more about Pat: http://www.joyology.co.nz/; https://www.linkedin.com/in/patarmitstead-transformingworkplacewellbeing/

Adam Wang is not your typical entrepreneur. Oh yes, he is a Fintech Founder at Luca Plus (www.lucaplus.com/), which utilises blockchain technology to deploy accounting & auditing processes on decentralised networks. In 2020, Adam and his team won 2020 Alibaba & HSBC Jump Starter competition thanks to their passion and innovative ideas! Although I don't know much about blockchain, I invited Adam to share with us his amazing story and how his meditation practice and inner work helps him create a high state of energy - the 'Beautiful State', which has facilitated and accelerated his achievement in the external world. Adam's journey started with an ending - the passing of his father, which by a pure chance allowed him to learn about the power of meditation and energy. He felt that was a final gift from his father. That is why I call him the Spiritual Entrepreneur. Adam's mentor told him that entrepreneurship is essentially a spiritual game - a concept intrigues me. As a pattern observer and having worked and being mentored by ultra successful businessmen, Adam found that there are a few common traits shared by those who are successful and satisfied materially and spiritually: Gratitude: they are always grateful for what they have on a daily basis; Abundance mentality: instead of a scarcity mentality, they see and feel abundance everywhere. They trust that they are always provided for. Self confidence: instead of feeling self-doubt, they are confident in their own ability and in their connection with life. Apart from his professional career, Adam has been married for 23 years and has two little girls - his 'Golden Treasures'. Since we are fast approaching Valentines Day, I could not help but ask Adam - what is his secret to a long and happy family life. To him, home is where our energy should be recharged and replenished. He professed that to have a good relationship, it takes time and work. But the work start from the 'self' - when we are working on ourselves and be a better self, it is easier to be a better partner and a better father. Be ready and be prepared - is Adam's advice for 2021! I hope you enjoy this episode with Adam, feeling inspired by this beautiful state (I certainly felt that way!) This Friday 12th Feb is the start of the Chinese New Year of Ox and I wish you all a wonderful year ahead! To learn more about Adam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-wang-0a218819/ To learn more about Luca Plus: https://www.lucaplus.com/

Hello all, welcome to this new episode of Elva's Monologue.   Since we are in February, which is traditionally the month of love because of the V Day, why not talk about love? Of course, LOVE is a big topic.  Like everyone else, I have been fascinated by it - its nature, its power and its mystery.  Often we think of love as romantic love (which can be either beautiful or heart-breaking like in the move “Love, Actually”), or as our love of chocolate or as that deep bonding between parents and children. Although I am not an expert in love, in this monologue I would like to share three key aspects of LOVE, I personally find enlightening and empowering, and curious to hear your view on them.  Ancient Wisdom of Love  From the beloved Sufi poet Rumi to the yogi master Yogananda, love transcends our human need to love and be loved.  Rather, love serves as a bridge between the mortal body and the immortal soul.  The concept of love, as I understand, is the root of all positive emotions such as loving kindness, compassion and gratitude. However, what I have learned and what has surprised me is that even negative emotions such as fear also stemmed from love, as fear is the lack of love.  Fear is like darkness – darkness lacks intrinsic substance, and it is merely devoid of light.  Contemporary Neurochemistry of Love  As a lover (no punt intended!) of neuroscience, love can also be explained neuro-chemically. For example, Oxytocin, the so-called “love hormone” plays an important role in intimacy, social bonding and reproduction. It helps us relate to others, creating trust, closeness in relationships, and it can be triggered by eye contact or cuddles. A new mother's oxytocin levels (breastfeeding) is well-known to affect the bond she makes with her baby; however recent research also shows that caring for infants also stimulates the release of oxytocin in fathers, making them not just better fathers but happier human beings.  Elva's Meditation Insight - Love as a State of Being  Yet, my personal take on love was inspired by the Chinese character for love - 愛，which is pronounced as the English word “I”. This insight came to me during one of my deepest meditations that love = 愛 = I, meaning that love is the very being of I and of ourselves.  Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy some of my take on "LOVE", and if you have any comments, pls feel free to message me!  To learn more about Rumi (the great Sufi poet) : https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rumi  To learn more about Yogananda: https://www.yogananda-srf.org/  To learn more about Oxytocin: https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/oxytocin

In this episode of Peace Lab Conversation, I spoke to Nathalie Heynderickx, an IT and data governance specialist, who for many years worked as a leader for global consulting companies such as IBM, EY and Accenture.   Nathalie found her way into yoga and mindfulness when she was looking for means to effectively manage her highly stressful corporate job.  Slowly she became known among her colleagues as the well-being "go-to-person".  Then in 2015 this 'side-interest' of hers has turned into the creation of Zen High Achiever, a boutique consultancy specializing in leadership development and wellbeing programs for tech professionals. Nowadays (if you are lucky), you may also catch Nathalie lecturing on positive psychology to postgraduate students at Monash University.   Nathalie shared with me that the key premises of her work is that human potential, personal growth and that leadership starts with the SELF.  I resonate with this profoundly.   This reminded me of the famous quote by my favorite poet - Rumi, that "yesterday I was clever, I wanted to change the world; today I am wise, I change myself".  Also in ancient Chinese Taoism, Lao Zi said to his students that "the smartest man knows about others, but the wisest man knows himself." We both agreed that only when we know and understand the SELF (such as our beliefs, perceptions, judgements and values), we can make lasting changes, and we can then lead others by example.  Most recently Nathalie has started an interesting and exciting project - the Mindful AI Manifesto http://themindfulaimanifesto.org/, which advocates for incorporating human values in artificial intelligence / AI.  You may ask, but how? Ok, I guess you just have to stay to the end, and you shall find out!  I hope you enjoy this episode with the lovely Nathalie (doesn't she have a beautiful accent!), and lets go forward with a desire of knowing ourselves more every day, shadow and light, joy and sorrow.  More about Nathalie:  - www.linkedin.com/in/nathalieheynderickx/.  More on the Mindful AI Manifesto:  - www. themindfulaimanifesto.org  More on Zen High Achiever:  - zenhighachiever.com

In this episode of Peace Lab Conversation, I spoke to Dave Berman, an original New Yorker who has since left the Big Apple, travelling around the world and have been staying in Melbourne Australia since January 2020. Graduated from one of the Ivy League - the Cornell University, Dave spent his first 10 years career in radio DJ (I keep picturing Dave as Dr Frasier Crane in another dimension), then the next 10 years as a businessman in California. However, since 2011, led by the beautiful dance of life Dave has been working as a coaching expert and hypnotherapist, whereby he bridges these with intentional laughter as a useful tool to help his clients find peace, acceptable and innate joy. This led to a nearly 3.5 year daily video series, world travel, countless in-person and online laughter sessions, and many training programs, classes, webinars and the creation of a new technique called "Laughnosis" (Laughter + Hypnosis). When I learned about that Dave has been in Melbourne since January 2020, I was curious how 2020 has been for him. I thought it must be tough for him to stay alone in a foreign country. Although initially challenging, Dave has turned 2020 to be one of his most fertile years of creativity and creation! Not only that he has finished his latest book - "Laughter Lost and Found", also in 2020 he created "Laughter Gym" and was laughing daily with others online as a way to let go of our daily stresses of 2020. This then has paved the foundation of his new programme - The Principles of Laughter. As Dave explained to me, once we let go of the illusion that we humans can predict the future, we become truly free, as we can finally accept the very nature of our existence is uncertain, is unknown and is constantly changing. So, I hope you will enjoy this 2021's first conversation. For me, after my own monologue of calling 2021 as "the Year of Not So Planning", the conversation with Dave just solidified my willingness to experiment more with surrendering, letting go and just flowing! To find out more about Dave: https://davebermancoaching.com. Dave currently facilitates the Principles of Laughter membership program and recently founded the Inner Light Discovery Center: https://davebermancoaching.com/join. While living in Saigon in 2018, Dave wrote a short book called 5 Ways Laughter Will Change Your Life - https://davebermancoaching.com/5ways. Dave's first book, the 2015 collaboration with Kelley T. Woods called Laughter For the Health of It - https://davebermancoaching.com/health. Dave's newest book "Laughter Lost and Found" - https://DaveBermanCoaching.com/found.

Happy 2021! I cannot believe that 2020 has ended...  This FIRST episode of Peace Lab 2020 Podcast is a 'short' and 'sweet' monologue with a 10mins meditation on 2020-2021.  In my meditation, interestingly 2020 was seen like being in the 'Eye of the Storm' - all the scary thunders, lightings, heavy rain and wild wind.  It clears out and cleanses our personal life, our social life and even the fabric of our societal structures and establishment.  On the other hand 2021 feels like that immediate aftermath of the big storm, I can still feel the occasional raindrops on my body and face, I can see all the 'rubbish' and old 'stuff', which may be deeply buried in my psyche but being dragged out by the storm for me to reflect and review.  In my meditation, I feel like if 2020 is a year that forces us to surrender, then 2021 is the year that we apply what we have learned - to go with the flow, to surrender and to trust.  What about those new year's resolutions?  Often it is easy for me to write down my 'new year's resolution'; however, despite how many times I have tried, it has not been easy to undertake this familiar task for 2021.  On 1 January 2020, my childhood friend and I wrote down about 20 goals for 2020, but of course most of which did not come about.   So the same time in 2021, I decided to call 2021 as a year of "NOT SO PLANNING", and to experiment what if I spend 30% to 20% time on planning, and  70% to 80% time on "flowing" and "surrendering"?  Will I be able to stick with this? To be honest, I am not sure (coming from someone who is always a planner).   But at least, I am willing to try and to apply the new wisdom I gained through 2020.  So Happy 2021 - cheers to my 'plan' of making 2021 as a year of "Not So Planning" :) In the next few months, we have great plans for you all and Monday PJ Meditation will also be back on shortly.  For now, just let me 'flow' a bit more! 

In this last episode of Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, which is also the Legal Mind Unwired episode, we close this unusual and unprecedented year of 2020 with an insightful and interesting conversation - with  Lara Wentworth, THE Lawyers' Coach  Lara is a former Family Law Partner, but now works full time as a Performance and Wellness Coach who specialises in coaching members of the legal profession.  I was interviewed by Lara in April 2020 on her popular YouTube channel, focusing on well-being for lawyers.  We bonded over our similar passions and our drives to help others especially our fellow lawyers through a deeper understanding of human mind and how we can unwire and rewire our thinking for more wellness.  That is why I was so pleased that Lara agreed to join me at the Legal Mind Unwired episode, to share her loving wisdom with others, because I know her story and knowledge would offer great value not just to lawyers, but us all.   Lara shared her personal journey on why she chose a career in law,  and then how her true calling finds a way to her - to teach and help lawyers about managing stress, cultivating well-being ,but more importantly, on walking a path with aligned values and a sense of genuine success.  In early 2020, Lara transitioned out of her successful legal career in family law and estate planning, and took a leap of faith, becoming a full time performance and wellness coach mostly for lawyers.  To me, that takes great courage and trust, and Lara certainly has those qualities!  Combined with her passion to help others, no doubt she is a leading light, making great changes for the legal profession.   We discussed at length on the notion of 'success', as both of us were growing up in cultures (Jordanian culture for Lara and Chinese culture for me) which place a huge emphasis on achieving success.  Yet, through our own journey, we have to find our own version of success, independent of social conditioning.   Also, Lara highlighted the importance of value in life and why aligning our work with such values is the key to achieve a sense of inner satisfaction.  Lastly, Lara shared her unique take on the year of 2020 which is the take-home message she would like to leave us with.  Please be sure to stay until the end! It was such a joyful connection and what a great way for us to finish the first year of Peace Lab 2020 Podcast.  Again, thank you and I hope you will enjoy this episode and look forward to connecting in the new year!  More on Lara Wentworth: www.larawentwentworth.com.au  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lara-wentworth-265864b5/

Louise Hvala is my guest for this episode, and to me Louise is a power-house when it comes to create business ventures. Louise is the CEO and co-founder at Gatehouse Legal Recruitment, Founder at Alifery Freelance Legal Experts, Producer & Host of Gatehouse Insights and most recently in 2020 she started Maeja gifting. I was excited to speak to Louise, as she first invited me to be on the Gatehouse Channel to share my work with Peace Lab in 2017. She has interviewed many lawyers and successful leaders across Australia; however, having known Louise for several y ears now, but I know Louise herself has an inspiring story of self-development and self-understanding, and it would be wonderful to interview Louise for a change. In this episode, Louise shared her story of starting her professional journey initially as an accountant, and how her husband John helped her realise her true strength, which enabled her to take a career change which is more aligned with her talents. Importantly, Louise highlighted the importance of mindset especially how she is diligent and resilient in cultivating a positive mindset. On her 3 weeks trip to India many years ago, she read the book - "Your Erroneous Zones" by Dr Wayne Dyer, which empowered her to understand the key of mastering one's own thoughts and taking responsibility. Such mindset is a key principle Louise follows both in professional and personal life. And even the 2020 pandemic has not stopped her creative business ideas. This year in the midst of the pandemic, Louise started Maeja Gifting, which creates luxury gift boxes to delight, calm and uplift others. The name 'maeja' means mother in Greek, and the philosophy of Maeja Gifting is about 'unconditional love'. It was a beautiful synchronicity that Louise's mother (who is retired) now works on Maeja Gifting with Louise. Despite her busy schedules, Louise also noted the importance of physical health as well as sleep. Whilst she used to get up at 3:30am, in 2020 Louise has been able to sleep for two more hours each day by getting up 5:30am! Oh, I must say, Louise is also one of the most effortlessly fashionable individuals I know and she is also impeccably dressed (like a Vogue model) and I am waiting for the day she starts a fashion label one day. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Louise and pls be sure to check out the below information. More about Louise - check out her Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-hvala-4424612b/ Maeja Gifting: https://maejagifting.com/ "Your Erroneous Zones" by Dr Wayne Dyer: https://www.booktopia.com.au/your-erroneous-zones-dr-wayne-w-dyer/book/9780060919764.html

Grab a cup of coffee, and listen in this FUN Peace Lab Conversation I had with Dr Rudy Lopez (Rudy), who has recently successfully transitioned out of clinical obstetrics and gynaecology where he worked as a private consultant for over a decade into the challenging field of public health.  He is currently working with the Victorian department of health in the COVID response team.  Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Rudy came to Australia as a 16 year old international student.  He shared with me the beautiful experience when he was undertaking medical training that cemented his decision to specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology.   He shared openly his view as a western-trained doctor on the relationship between the Western and Eastern medicine, especially in the context of mind-body connection. To Rudy, both areas could learn strongly from each other - Western medicine should be more holistic and accept the mind's power over the body, and Eastern medicine needs to accept the rigorous practice of evidence based medicine. Drawing inspiration from his late father who was a public health physician in the Malaysian Armed Forces, Rudy ceased clinical work and enrolled in a Masters of Public Health at the University of Melbourne a few years ago, where he specialised in health program evaluation and health policy design.  As you will learn in our conversation, Rude is passionate about a prevention-focused public health system and I couldn't agree more!  We spoke at great length how a public health system that prioritise prevention is a system that focuses on well-being, in addition to treating disease.  They are both needed, but if we spend more funding promoting and advocating for health and wellness, it will also reduce the financial and social costs on treating illness.  Last but not the least, Rudy discussed how mindfulness has always been an important part of his medical practice philosophy. In the last few years he has been able to turn his focus inwards and has invested in promoting personal healing and responsibility for health. I had so much fun talking to Rudy, who provided great insights to various interesting and important topics.  Oh yes, I checked with Rudy if he is related to Jeniffer 'Lopez', unfortunately, no on that one! 

Hello everyone - welcome to December 2020. What a year we have all had. In this last Elva's Monologue of 2020, I guided a reflective meditation from January 2020 to December 2020, observing our changing perceptions of things, events and people. And to me, 2020 is the year I have learned and am still learning about perception and how our brain constructs and reconstructs perceptions based on our expectations, intentions, beliefs etc. This contemporary understanding validates what the ancient saying that "when you change your perception, the things you perceive changes too." So, what is your perception of 2020? From fear and anxiety I experienced in the first part of 2020, now I am standing at the cusp of 2020 and feel that individually and collectively, 2020 has been a great year of reset and recalibration. As someone whose health has not been affected by Covid-19 and whose job has not bee adversely impacted, I feel very lucky and feel grateful that I have had much time to connect with myself and with my closed ones. Starting this podcast is part of this reset for me and I am thankful that I have received great supports from my amazing friends, many of who are appearing on the podcast to share inspiring stories. For December 2020, please stay tuned: - Wed, 9th Dec - Peace Lab Conversation wit Dr Rudy Lopez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rudy-lopes-3951772/ - Wed, 16th Dec - Peace Lab Conversation with Louise Hvala https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-hvala-4424612b/ - Wed, 23rd Dec - Legal Mind Unwired with Lara Wentworty https://www.linkedin.com/in/lara-wentworth-265864b5/ In 2021, we will continue to grow the podcast, so please be sure to check out. Thank you for your support and see you in 2021!

PJ Meditation Since the second lockdown in Melbourne in July 2020, I (your host - Elva Zhang) started running PJ meditation on Zoom before bedtime from 9pm to 9:30pm, Melbourne Australian time.    The unscripted meditation is guided by me (in my PJs) from my home live which typically lasts between 15mins and 30mins (it varies).   Just a simple idea to connect with others at this time - as by now we are used to catch up with friends over Zoom, why not meditate together, quieting down our chatty mind, disconnecting with the external world for a short while. The act of seeking peace within at this time is an act of kindness first to ourselves.  Yet by finding solace within we are being a stable source of peace and positivity for others and the community.  So as a listener to Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, this is a bonus meditation recording from PJ Meditation. Hopefully you will benefit from it too!  If you are interested in joining us live on ZOOM, please click on the link every Monday Melbourne Australian time 9pm-930pm in your comfy PJs please!   Join us by clicking on the link below: https://lnkd.in/gDdvJCR Meeting ID: 936 6335 5349

In this episode of Legal Mind Unwired, I spoke to a good friend of mine - Darshika Bandaranayake (oh yes, I never try to pronounce her name in full - So I just call her Dash), whom I met in Geneva back in 2013 when we were both studying our masters in International Law. I still remember the first time Dash and I met - it was on a sunny Summer afternoon at a cafe by the Lake Geneva and we bonded over studying long nights at the library at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. About Darshika: Darshika is a Sri Lankan-Australian lawyer with a long-standing interest in international affairs. She's a had a varied and interesting legal career from working for the Sri Lankan mission to the UN, ANZ during the Banking Royal Commission, American Express and now for WHO. She currently lives in Geneva with her husband, but will always be a proud Sydney-sider. In this conversation, Dash and I reminisced on the challenges she faced to carve out an international legal career (the first time around) and her personal story of returning and settling in Geneva for the second time in 2019. The path to where she is now has not been a linear one with many twists and turns, because many job opportunities in the international development sector are either contemporary or contractors with less permanence. Yet, through her persistence and various learnings, she sees all was meant to be. She also shared her 2020 experiences of witnessing the unfoldment of Covid-19 as someone who is not only living in Geneva, but also working in the WHO. However, the insight she gained through this period of time is the importance of unity and looking after each other, so we can be stronger in helping us all collectively as a community. On a personal note, 2020 is an especially important year as Dash is pregnant with her first baby due early 2021 - how exciting! Dash shared openly and candidly the stress and joy of being pregnant in the mids of 2020, away from her family in Australia. "Be kind to oneself and do not compare yourself to others" are the key take-away messages from Dash, especially for those who are looking to work in international law or international development sector. It is always a joy to speak to Dash, and I hope you enjoyed this unscripted conversation.

PJ Meditation Since the second lockdown in Melbourne in July 2020, I (your host - Elva Zhang) started running PJ meditation on Zoom before bedtime from 9pm to 9:30pm, Melbourne Australian time.    The unscripted meditation is guided by me (in my PJs) from my home live which typically lasts between 15mins and 30mins (it varies).   Just a simple idea to connect with others at this time - as by now we are used to catch up with friends over Zoom, why not meditate together, quieting down our chatty mind, disconnecting with the external world for a short while. The act of seeking peace within at this time is an act of kindness first to ourselves.  Yet by finding solace within we are being a stable source of peace and positivity for others and the community.  So as a listener to Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, this is a bonus meditation recording from PJ Meditation. Hopefully you will benefit from it too!  If you are interested in joining us live on ZOOM, please click on the link every Monday Melbourne Australian time 9pm-930pm in your comfy PJs please!   Join us by clicking on the link below: https://lnkd.in/gDdvJCR Meeting ID: 936 6335 5349

In this Episode, I have the great pleasure of speaking to Annie Harvey, the creator of Still Effect, Wellbeing Educator, mindfulness teacher and laughter yoga leader. I met Annie at the Laughter Conference 2019 in Gold Coast and I still remember I was so impressed with her beautiful English accent! In today's episode, Annie shared with me about her journey as the creator of the Still Effect. The idea of Still Effect was initially planted when Annie was finding ways to manage her stress as she was caring for her mother. Her search took her to the stage of TEDxTALK in 2017, and then went on writing a book and design a signature program called THE STILL EFFECT. Annie's passion is helping people with their ‘mental wealth', in particular around preventing burnout and compassion fatigue. She spends her time speaking to teams in the workplace and teenagers in schools as Annie is also a trained teacher. The final “L” in her STILL EFFECT can be the most powerful according to her clients, so Annie will present the evidence from around the world and then take us through a hands-on session of intentional laughter, a global language that we can all share. More about Annie Harvey: Annie is a keynote speaker, author and wellbeing educator. Her mission is to reduce the symptoms of anxiety across the world and she's proud to say that her customers range from age 4 to 84. Since speaking on the famous red dot in 2017 at TEDx Adelaide, she has written a book (with another on its way very soon) and is passionate about helping the caring professions reduce burnout and compassion fatigue. She is also a teacher of mindfulness mediation and laughter yoga and will soon launch her Little Box of STILL for young children. Website: www.thestilleffect.com.au The Little Book of Still: Calm for Busy Lives https://www.thestilleffect.com.au/book or kindle version at https://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Still-Calm-Lives-ebook/dp/B077VFMHX3/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+little+book+of+still+annie+harvey&qid=1603320409&sr=8-1

PJ Meditation Since the second lockdown in Melbourne in July 2020, I (your host - Elva Zhang) started running PJ meditation on Zoom before bedtime from 9pm to 9:30pm, Melbourne Australian time.    The unscripted meditation is guided by me (in my PJs) from my home live which typically lasts between 15mins and 30mins (it varies).   Just a simple idea to connect with others at this time - as by now we are used to catch up with friends over Zoom, why not meditate together, quieting down our chatty mind, disconnecting with the external world for a short while. The act of seeking peace within at this time is an act of kindness first to ourselves.  Yet by finding solace within we are being a stable source of peace and positivity for others and the community.  So as a listener to Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, this is a bonus meditation recording from PJ Meditation. Hopefully you will benefit from it too!  If you are interested in joining us live on ZOOM, please click on the link every Monday Melbourne Australian time 9pm-930pm in your comfy PJs please!   Join us by clicking on the link below: https://lnkd.in/gDdvJCR Meeting ID: 936 6335 5349

This week I am joined by a modern guru - Abhi Rajuru!  Abhi has a fascinating story - born and grew up in a spiritual family India, and then came to study in Brisbane as an international student who cleaned toilet and slept on the floor, and then became one of the top sale representatives in one of the largest account software company in Australia.   You may think in his mid-thirty, Abhi has it all? Yet in 2019, he left his successful career and took one year off, traveling around South East Asia to search for meaning, for a deep state of happiness and peace.  He studied meditation in remote monasteries in Myanmar and volunteered to deliver food during Covid in India. And now he is back in Melbourne, and returned to the leading role in his corporate life; however, deep down, this is not the same Abhi, but  a man that has been truly transformed from inside out.  Today, apart from busy working in his day job, Abhi is passionately sharing his new gained insight and useful new skills through a beautiful project - Mental Freedom Movement, whereby he works with his team to bring wisdom & best Practices from around the world, customise them for the modern humans and utilise the power of our supportive community here. Find out more:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/mentalfreedommovement

since the second lockdown in Melbourne in July 2020, I (your host - Elva Zhang) started running PJ meditation on Zoom before bedtime from 9pm to 9:30pm, Melbourne Australian time.    The unscripted meditation is guided by me (in my PJs) from my home live which typically lasts between 15mins and 30mins (it varies).   Just a simple idea to connect with others at this time - as by now we are used to catch up with friends over Zoom, why not meditate together, quieting down our chatty mind, disconnecting with the external world for a short while. The act of seeking peace within at this time is an act of kindness first to ourselves.  Yet by finding solace within we are being a stable source of peace and positivity for others and the community.  So as a listener to Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, this is a bonus meditation recording from PJ Meditation. Hopefully you will benefit from it too!  If you are interested in joining us live on ZOOM, please click on the link every Monday Melbourne Australian time 9pm-930pm in your comfy PJs please!   Join us by clicking on the link below: https://lnkd.in/gDdvJCR Meeting ID: 936 6335 5349

Welcome to another month of Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, and to another Elva's Monologue. In the past, scientists used to think that our human brains become hardwired once we enter adulthood. However, thanks to the cutting-edge discoveries in neuroscience and the advancement in imaging technology of the past decades, now we know that our human brain is rather plastic. According to neuroplasticity, neurons that “fire together, wire together”. Repeated mental activities (sustained thinking and belief patterns) result in repeated neural activity, which eventually cause neurological changes to the brain. Interestingly this new understanding of the relationship between mind and brain has long been recognised by some of the ancient Eastern wisdom, such as the notion of a Beginner's Mind. Rather than being fixed and static, each one of us is a work in progress and has the capacity to self-transform. Essentially, we are witnessing the synergy between the contemporary science and ancient wisdom and witnessing whereby we can use our mind to change our brain for the benefit of our mind. So, if it IS possible to change your mind and your brain, why it is still so hard to change? It is important to understand the brain's negativity bias which was developed as an evolutionary bias to protect our ancestors, and to detect risks. As such, our brain seems to remember negativity more than positivity. But this does not mean we humans are doomed! It serves a reminder that we need to take in the good more than the bad, and shift our attention to see more positive not constantly on the negative. We do have this secret power to take advantage of the plastic brain and to create a beginner' mind. The Choice is in our hands! "In the beginner's mind, there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind, there are a few." - Shunryu Suzuki, author of Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind "The brain takes the shape whatever the mind focuses upon". – Dr Rick Hanson, Neuropsychologist

PJ Meditation Since the second lockdown in Melbourne in July 2020, I (your host - Elva Zhang) started running PJ meditation on Zoom before bedtime from 9pm to 9:30pm, Melbourne Australian time.    The unscripted meditation is guided by me (in my PJs) from my home live which typically lasts between 15mins and 30mins (it varies).   Just a simple idea to connect with others at this time - as by now we are used to catch up with friends over Zoom, why not meditate together, quieting down our chatty mind, disconnecting with the external world for a short while. The act of seeking peace within at this time is an act of kindness first to ourselves.  Yet by finding solace within we are being a stable source of peace and positivity for others and the community.  So as a listener to Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, this is a bonus meditation recording from PJ Meditation. Hopefully you will benefit from it too!  If you are interested in joining us live on ZOOM, please click on the link every Monday Melbourne Australian time 9pm-930pm in your comfy PJs please!   Join us by clicking on the link below: https://lnkd.in/gDdvJCR Meeting ID: 936 6335 5349

PJ Meditation Since the second lockdown in Melbourne in July 2020, I (your host - Elva Zhang) started running PJ meditation on Zoom before bedtime from 9pm to 9:30pm, Melbourne Australian time.    The unscripted meditation is guided by me (in my PJs) from my home live which typically lasts between 15mins and 30mins (it varies).   Just a simple idea to connect with others at this time - as by now we are used to catch up with friends over Zoom, why not meditate together, quieting down our chatty mind, disconnecting with the external world for a short while. The act of seeking peace within at this time is an act of kindness first to ourselves.  Yet by finding solace within we are being a stable source of peace and positivity for others and the community.  So as a listener to Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, this is a bonus meditation recording from PJ Meditation. Hopefully you will benefit from it too!  If you are interested in joining us live on ZOOM, please click on the link every Monday Melbourne Australian time 9pm-930pm in your comfy PJs please!   Join us by clicking on the link below: https://lnkd.in/gDdvJCR Meeting ID: 936 6335 5349

This is the first segment of Legal Mind Unwired, I invited my friend and fellow lawyer Zuong to interview me (instead of just me talking myself or interviewing others):  1. Why there is a dedicated segment focusing on the legal profession;   2. Why it is called 'Legal Mind Unwired';  3. What is the unique challenges faced by lawyers when it comes to well-being and how we can overcome it.  We talked about how there is an inherent stigma on mental health in general, which is even more acute among the legal profession due to the potential damage on professional reputation and image.    Zuong shared openly her personal journey of dealing with anxiety disorder and how she unwired her anxious brain.   We both agreed that how the understanding of neuroscience can help lawyers understand why the risk-focused nature of legal education and legal work may have contributed to the high level of stress and anxiety faced by lawyers.  I call this 'the double negativity bias'.   However, lawyers are not doomed when it comes to well-being! As neuroscience has shown how our brain is constantly changing, we just need to understand this scientific fact, and then make consistent practices to 'unwire' our legal mind.  The key message is that: Well-being is the precursor to success, not the other way around. My Guest - Zuong Dang:  Zuong is a Vietnamese/Australian practising lawyer and senior consultant at KPMG Law, specialising in privacy and data protection. Zuong graduated from Bond University with a Bachelor of Laws and Arts majoring in psychology and criminology. With an immense passion for and a commitment to drive mental health and well-being improvement, Zuong has been accepted into the Masters of Applied Neuroscience Programme at King's College London.  Zuong was also the founder of ‘Just Be', an inclusive mental health advocacy group delivering monthly educational programs on psychological well-being and suicide prevention awareness. She has discovered the magic of unwiring her anxious and stressed mind through mindfulness meditation which led to her fascination with neuroscience and wanting to help others (especially lawyers!) realise that magic within themselves.  Book mentioned and recommended by Zuong in the episode: ‘The Neuroscience of Mindfulness' by Stan Rodski.

Hello everyone,  since the second lockdown in Melbourne in July 2020, I (your host - Elva Zhang) started running PJ meditation on Zoom before bedtime from 9pm to 9:30pm, Melbourne Australian time.    The unscripted meditation is guided by me (in my PJs) from my home live which typically lasts between 15mins and 30mins (it varies).   Just a simple idea to connect with others at this time - as by now we are used to catch up with friends over Zoom, why not meditate together, quieting down our chatty mind, disconnecting with the external world for a short while. The act of seeking peace within at this time is an act of kindness first to ourselves.  Yet by finding solace within we are being a stable source of peace and positivity for others and the community.  So as a listener to Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, this is a bonus meditation recording from PJ Meditation. Hopefully you will benefit from it too!  If you are interested in joining us live on ZOOM, please click on the link every Monday Melbourne Australian time 9pm-930pm in your comfy PJs please!  Join us by clicking on the link below: https://lnkd.in/gDdvJCR Meeting ID: 936 6335 5349

Wesa Chau is what I would call a "master multitasker", a thought leader in cultural diversity and its impact on leadership, the Young Victorian of the Year (2010), and the Labor's Deputy Lord Mayor candidate for the City of Melbourne 2020 Election.  However, there is another side to Wesa, which is not well-known by many others - her Eastern philosophy, spiritual curiosity and her amazing sound healing ability.  In this episode, Wesa will talk about how she has grown to become comfortable to share openly about her identity as a 'healer'.  This identity is not in conflict with her political career; rather, in its broadest sense, she is truly a healer of the system, creating positive new changes replacing the old.  Pls make sure you listen the last 10mins of the show, as Wesa will guide us a LIVE singing bowl session for us.   More on Wesa Chau:  https://wesachau.com/ https://enlightenedheart.com.au/

Hello everyone,  since the second lockdown in Melbourne in July 2020, I (your host - Elva Zhang) started running PJ meditation on Zoom before bedtime from 9pm to 9:30pm, Melbourne Australian time.    The unscripted meditation is guided by me (in my PJs) from my home live which typically lasts between 15mins and 30mins (it varies).   Just a simple idea to connect with others at this time - as by now we are used to catch up with friends over Zoom, why not meditate together, quieting down our chatty mind, disconnecting with the external world for a short while. The act of seeking peace within at this time is an act of kindness first to ourselves.  Yet by finding solace within we are being a stable source of peace and positivity for others and the community.  So as a listener to Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, this is a bonus meditation recording from PJ Meditation. Hopefully you will benefit from it too!  If you are interested in joining us live on ZOOM, please click on the link every Monday Melbourne Australian time 9pm-930pm in your comfy PJs please!  Join us by clicking on the link below: https://lnkd.in/gDdvJCR Meeting ID: 936 6335 5349

Do you laugh? Do you laugh even during this year of global pandemic? Why laughter is the best medicine? In this Episode of Peace Lab Conversation, I speak to Merv Neal, who is the CEO of Laughter Yoga Australia and a laughter trainer, speaker, trainer, and researcher. He is a medically published author for his Research Study with people undergoing Kidney Dialysis, and author of the Book The Business of Laughter (Amazon). As a laughter yoga teacher (since 2015 after returning from Geneva - listen to Episode 1 Elva's Monologue to learn more about my journey), I was trained in laughter yoga by Merv. As a long-term meditator, I always find that laughter yoga complements the yin and quiet practice of meditation. Although I do not know how, but I am a firm believer that my brain has been re-wired by laughter since taken up laughter yoga - I have become more lighthearted, and definitely not as serious as I used to be! That is why I cannot wait to speak to Merv, and to share with you the amazing story of Merv. To me, Merv is the laughing master, not just that Merv's life was saved through laughter, but his passion for helping others through laughter and his unwavering curiosity in finding out why 'laughter is the best medicine'. In this show, your will hear from Merv that: How Merv, a successful businessman, almost had 'die' in the early 2000s to start laughing, which put him on his journey with Laughter Yoga. As a result, he shifted his attention from making money; Merv, a laughter practitioner and laughter expert explains the science of laughter yoga, and its demonstrable benefit on the mind and body by research and also from feedback of the participants; Merv's latest and most exciting work on the 'Laughter Quotient', which is to harness the healing potential of laughter. Hopefully this episode will empower you and bring you some new understanding of laughter. More importantly, I hope you will laugh more! More on Merv can be found: https://www.mervneal.com/laughter-wellbeing/ Laughter Conference 2020: http://laughterwellbeing.org/conference-agenda/ Short documentary - the Laughing Man: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VucUsW5N3IY

Hello everyone,  since the second lockdown in Melbourne in July 2020, I (your host - Elva Zhang) started running PJ meditation on Zoom before bedtime from 9pm to 9:30pm, Melbourne Australian time.    The unscripted meditation is guided by me (in my PJs) from my home live which typically lasts between 15mins and 30mins (it varies).   Just a simple idea to connect with others at this time - as by now we are used to catch up with friends over Zoom, why not meditate together, quieting down our chatty mind, disconnecting with the external world for a short while. The act of seeking peace within at this time is an act of kindness first to ourselves.  Yet by finding solace within we are being a stable source of peace and positivity for others and the community.  So as a listener to Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, this is a bonus meditation recording from PJ Meditation. Hopefully you will benefit from it too!  If you are interested in joining us live on ZOOM, please click on the link every Monday Melbourne Australian time 9pm-930pm in your comfy PJs please!  Join us by clicking on the link below: https://lnkd.in/gDdvJCR Meeting ID: 936 6335 5349

Each month the first episode of Peace Lab 2020 is Elva's Monologue, whereby I (your host Elva Zhang) will share valuable ancient philosophy and science information researched and collected by me broadly on topics of stress management, well-being, mindset shift and essentially on how to lead a successful life with peace, purposes and positivity in this modern age of constant change. However, in this opening episode, I will share about my own journey and what it has led to the creation of Peace Lab 2020. Hopefully this will provide some insight about me as your host, and also for you to ascertain if Peace Lab 2020 may be a podcast for you. This monologue will be divided into three chapters: 1. The Great Realisation My childhood dream was to work in law (started when I was a young girl growing up in China) especially in international law, which led me to study law first in Melbourne Law School (2003) and then to study international law in Geneva (2013). Yet, when my childhood did not manifest in Geneva, my world view collapsed and I was compelled to review the big WHY I wanted to be a lawyer in the first place. It is in this moment of contemplation, Peace Lab was born. 2. The Inner Reflection Since the creation of Peace Lab in 2016, I have been curating and facilitating workshops that synthesise ancient wisdom and contemporary science as a unique agent for well-being and mindset change, as I discover how the most ancient and the most contemporary converge on the power of human mind and brain for creating lasting change from inside out. This is where I embarked on a journey of merging the practices of meditation and mindfulness with a new understanding of neuroscience. As a practising lawyer, I particularly enjoy helping high achieving and highly driven individuals on how to effectively work with stress, and it has brought me much joy to provide a more science-based and pragmatic approach to well-being. In late 2019, through a conversion with a senior barrister at the "Emotional Well-Being Programme" delivered by me to the Victorian Bar, the seed of undertaking further studies in neuroscience was planted in me, which was ready to grow in 2020. 3. The 2020 Recalibration I had plans for 2020 but 2020 had plans for us all. Somehow, once I accept the reality of 2020 and the changes brought by Covid-19, I see the sliver-lining in this period of reflection, reset and recalibration, for myself but also for us as a collective. Lastly it will finish with a conclusion on the future show format, plus mini reflective meditation (5mins) with an inspiring poem by Leslie Dwight on 2020. Poem in the final 5mins reflective meditation is by Leslie Dwight - "What if 2020 isn't cancelled?" “What if 2020 isn't cancelled?⁣ What if 2020 is the year we've been waiting for?⁣ A year so uncomfortable, so painful, so scary, so raw — that it finally forces us to grow.⁣ A year that screams so loud, finally awakening us from our ignorant slumber.⁣ A year we finally accept the need for change.⁣ Declare change. Work for change. Become the change. A year we finally band together, instead of⁣ pushing each other further apart.⁣ ⁣ 2020 isn't cancelled, but rather⁣ the most important year of them all.”⁣ Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/CA_CXcBp7Rg/?hl=en

Hello everyone, since the second lockdown in Melbourne in July 2020, I (your host - Elva Zhang) started running PJ meditation on Zoom before bedtime from 9pm to 9:30pm, Melbourne Australian time. The unscripted meditation is guided by me (in my PJs) from my home live which typically lasts between 15mins and 30mins (it varies). Just a simple idea to connect with others at this time - as by now we are used to catch up with friends over Zoom, why not meditate together, quieting down our chatty mind, disconnecting with the external world for a short while. The act of seeking peace within at this time is an act of kindness first to ourselves. Yet by finding solace within we are being a stable source of peace and positivity for others and the community. So as a listener to Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, this is a bonus meditation recording from PJ Meditation. Hopefully you will benefit from it too! If you are interested in joining us live on ZOOM, please click on the link every Monday Melbourne Australian time 9pm-930pm in your comfy PJs please! Join us by clicking on the link below: https://lnkd.in/gDdvJCR Meeting ID: 936 6335 5349

Hello everyone,  since the second lockdown in Melbourne in July 2020, I (your host - Elva Zhang) started running PJ meditation on Zoom before bedtime from 9pm to 9:30pm, Melbourne Australian time.   The unscripted meditation is guided by me (in my PJs) from my home live which typically lasts between 15mins and 30mins (it varies).   Just a simple idea to connect with others at this time - as by now we are used to catch up with friends over Zoom, why not meditate together, quieting down our chatty mind, disconnecting with the external world for a short while. The act of seeking peace within at this time is an act of kindness first to ourselves.  Yet by finding solace within we are being a stable source of peace and positivity for others and the community.  So as a listener to Peace Lab 2020 Podcast, this is a bonus meditation recording from PJ Meditation.  Hopefully you will benefit from it too!  If you are interested in joining us live on ZOOM, please click on the link every Monday Melbourne Australian time 9pm-930pm in your comfy PJs please!  Join us by clicking on the link below: https://lnkd.in/gDdvJCR Meeting ID: 936 6335 5349