relaxation Archives | Ed and Deb Shapiro

Seeing With New Eyes

March 21, 2017 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

By paying attention you see all things just as they are. A monk asks, ‘Is there anything more miraculous than the wonders of nature?’ The master replies, ‘Yes, your awareness of the wonders of nature.’ Angelus Silesius We lived in Devon, on the south coast of England, and each day we would walk along the […]

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The Art Of Patience

March 8, 2017 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

On a recent trip to India we had tea with Mary and Don, a devoted couple from Texas who, for over twenty-five years, had been running a clinic for disabled and handicapped children, for the poorest of the poor, in Chennai, South India. We wondered how, when they first arrived, they had coped with the […]

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Why Saying Yes To Yourself Is The Most Important Thing You Can Do

March 4, 2016 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

I have too much to do! My boss is so demanding! My mother-in-law always needs my help! I have so many meetings / orders to be filled / classes to teach / deliveries to be made…the list is endless. But in the midst of everything that is being asked of you, what happens to you? […]

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Why You Can Never Have Too Much To Do

January 26, 2016 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

Having too much to do is our most common moan. We get overloaded, overworked, over everything and don’t see a way through. Deb was just 18 when she attended her first Zen meditation retreat. “It was taught by a somewhat formidable Jiyu Kennet Roshi, a large Englishwoman in a floaty grey robe well established in […]

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The Amazing Relationship Between Your Mind and Body

January 8, 2016 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

In Woody Allen’s movie, Annie Hall, Diane Keaton is breaking up with Woody and wants to know why he isn’t angry. “I don’t get angry,” Allen replies, “I grow a tumor instead.” We tend to think of our bodies and minds as separate systems and believe they function independently. Yet can you remember the last […]

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Are You Jealous or Joyful?

November 12, 2015 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

With the impending Presidential election it’s become an onslaught of one-upmanship, with no concession that one or the other might actually be right or have something to offer. It’s an endless battle of my ego versus yours, my opinions versus yours, my brilliance versus your stupidity. Which is a great example of how not to […]

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Do You Have Stress Or Does Stress Have You?

October 31, 2015 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

Imagine you are trying to squeeze some toothpaste out of a tube but you have forgotten to take the top off. What happens? Deb actually did this in one of her most unaware moments and the toothpaste soon found another way out — through the bottom of the tube and all over her. Now imagine […]

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Why Without Inner Peace There Is No Outer Peace

October 17, 2015 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

When you find your peace there is one less person suffering. Swami Brahmananda Why is there so much discord, unrest, and uncertainty, in both our own lives and in the world at large? Why are so many of us dealing with depression, unhappiness, or discontent? We undoubtedly need more kindness, more consideration for each other, […]

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The Hidden Enemy of Yoga: Self-Doubt

September 6, 2015 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

What’s the big buzz about yoga? Does it really help us? In it’s truest form, yoga is a uniting of body, mind and spirit. Its purpose is not just to become physically fit and mentally relaxed but also to deepen our spirituality, inspiring us to become more aware, wise, and loving, culminating in self-realization. It […]

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What Are You: A Bhogi Or A Yogi?

August 23, 2015 by Ed and Deb Shapiro Leave a Comment

Yoga, now closely followed by Mindfulness, has become totally mainstream, with more varieties of a theme appearing every day. Many who attend a yoga class come away from it feeling more energized, yet relaxed and calmer than before, which is one of its great benefits. Originally, yoga has its roots in ancient India. However, while […]