presence Archives | Ed and Deb Shapiro

Let’s Make Compassion Fashionable

October 1, 2020 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

If we genuinely want to end hatred, bigotry, racism and abuse, if we genuinely want to bring real change to the world, then there is only one place to begin. We have to stop the war within ourselves by opening our hearts to ourselves and to all others, equally, for there will never be peace […]

Filed Under: awareness, happiness, inner life, joy, meditation, mindfulness, presence Tagged With: awareness, compassion, happiness, inner life, inspiration, joy, kindness, meditation, tolerence

Making Friends With Panic

July 6, 2020 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

Making Friends With Panic Through Covid-19 we have been launched into the great unknown. It no longer seems relevant or even practical to make long-term plans, as everything is subject to such indeterminable change. The truth that all things are impermanent and can change in a flash has never seemed so real. But for […]

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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, […]

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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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MINDFUL RELAXATION: The Coolest Way To Release Stress

September 10, 2018 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

Ever wondered what the biggest problem in life is? Yes, it’s the inability to relax! This is a true story: I met John at a stress-release workshop I was teaching in Scotland. He was a schoolteacher in a run down area of Glasgow. As if that wasn’t hard enough, he was a history teacher, a […]

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Dinner with Monica Lewinsky or How to Make Friends With Yourself

April 1, 2018 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

Monica Lewinsky has been in the news recently, which reminded us of the time we met her at a friend’s dinner party in London, England. As we left we thought about how tough it can be to move on in life beyond difficult or challenging times, such as Monica had experienced when her life played […]

Filed Under: awareness, happiness, inner life, joy, love, meditation, mindfulness, peace, presence Tagged With: awareness, fearlessness, freedom, happiness, inner life, inspiration, meditation, mindfulness, tolerence