inner life Archives | Ed and Deb Shapiro

The Myth of Freedom

March 11, 2020 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

Ed was part of the flower power love generation of 1960’s hippies, the essence of which was the freedom to be ourselves. The explosion of yoga and meditation began then, as Ed and others headed to India to learn with Eastern gurus. In the process, we learnt a very important lesson: no one else can […]

Filed Under: awareness, happiness, inner life, joy, love, meditation, mindfulness, peace, presence Tagged With: awareness, fear, fearlessness, freedom, happiness, inspiration, meditation, self-imrovement

The Amazing Wisdom of Mindlessness

December 2, 2019 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

Where mindfulness is all about being aware, being present in the moment, noticing and paying attention to thoughts, feelings, behavior, and everything else, mindlessness is anything but, dominating all those moments when you are least aware. As such, mindlessness is the most amazing teacher ever: become aware of when you are unaware and hey presto, […]

Filed Under: awareness, inner life, mindfulness, presence, Uncategorized Tagged With: awareness, compassion, inner life, inspiration, mindfulness, mindlessness

Are You A Monk, A Frog, Or A Scorpion?

September 12, 2019 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

After extensive travel in India and Australia we came back to visit with Ed’s family in New York. At dinner we were relating a story of a train journey we took across India. It was a very crowded train so Ed put his arm around Deb in order to sit as close together as possible. […]

Filed Under: awareness, happiness, inner life, joy, meditation, peace Tagged With: awareness, compassion, happiness, inner life, inspiration, kindness, self-imrovement

If There Is No Solid Me, Then Who Am I?

July 16, 2019 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

The future is a concept—it doesn’t exist! There is no such thing as tomorrow! There never will be because time is always now. Alan Watts When Deb was a teenager in London, her mother was editor of The Middle Way, the journal of the British Buddhist Society. As a result, Deb met some fascinating people, […]

Filed Under: awareness, happiness, inner life, meditation, mindfulness, peace, presence, radient emptiness Tagged With: awareness, change, ego trip, freedom, inner life, inspiration, meditation, mindfulness, self-imrovement, transformation

Why Meditation Can Appear So Challenging

May 28, 2019 by Ed and Deb Shapiro 1 Comment

What is it about something as simple as sitting still and watching our breath that evokes panic or even fear? No matter how much information there is proving the mental, emotional and physical value of meditation, there seems to be as many people who resist giving it a try. No doubt meditation can be challenging, […]

Filed Under: awareness, happiness, inner life, meditation, mindfulness, presence, relaxation Tagged With: awareness, compassion, ego trip, fear, freedom, happiness, inner life, inspiration, meditation, mindfulness, self-imrovement

What’s The Big Fuss About Mindfulness & Meditation?

May 11, 2019 by Ed and Deb Shapiro 1 Comment

It’s really happening! Mindfulness and meditation are infiltrating our lives like old friends. But this poses a conundrum. With health reports saying we would all benefit practicing mindfulness and meditation, and with classes easily available, why do many of us ignore this or find excuses not to try? How ironic that the best things for […]

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Is There A Difference Between Mindfulness and Meditation?

April 18, 2019 by Ed and Deb Shapiro 1 Comment

Nowadays, mindfulness and meditation are often used to mean the same thing, which can be confusing, while not many of us are clear on what ‘mindfulness meditation’ is and how it differs from either of the above. So here’s our version: Mindfulness is being aware. It’s noticing and paying attention to thoughts, feelings, behavior, and […]

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If Nothing Ever Changed There Would Be No Cherry Blossom

March 4, 2019 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

There is nothing more certain and unchanging than uncertainty and change. — John Fitzgerald Kennedy Do you notice how one moment you can be ecstatically happy and then, just as easily, you can be depressed or sad? Or how something is good and then turns sour, like a delicious mango that becomes rotten? The world […]

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Mindfulness Stops Negativity from Sticking Like Glue

February 9, 2019 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

Did you ever get into a heated argument with someone over a meaningless issue, only to find it constantly replaying itself in your head, as if it’s stuck to you like glue? You don’t want to think of the other person yet now you’re attached to them; despite the situation or encounter being over, it […]

Filed Under: awareness, inner life, mindfulness Tagged With: anger, awareness, happiness, inner life, inspiration, mindfulness, negativity, self-imrovement, stress

Mindful Relaxation Will Change Your Life

November 14, 2018 by Ed and Deb Shapiro 1 Comment

Our human life is the means we have to be deeply at peace and to realize our true nature. Yet it can often appear far too full of problems, disappointments and suffering to realize such truths; we get too preoccupied with self-survival and self-preservation to reach for a greater meaning beyond ourselves. And although we […]

Filed Under: awareness, inner life, mindfulness, peace, relaxation Tagged With: awareness, fearlessness, freedom, happiness, inspiration, mindfulness, peace, relaxation, self-imrovement