Ed and Deb Shapiro

Let’s Make Compassion Fashionable

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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 […]

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A Letter From Santa: Oh Yes We Can!

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We consider Santa to be the greatest mindfulness practitioner, given his powers of awareness. We have said before how Santa is multi-talented: He makes us to do good and feel good. Now that’s a big one, as many of us often act selfishly and badly. He gives to everyone, all over the world, all at […]

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The Art of Mindful Relaxation And Why We Need It

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I was discussing stress at a mindfulness retreat when Joe, an attendee, shared how he didn’t get stressed over any one thing because everything was stressful to him, so he would wake up already stressed. Sound familiar? We have all experienced stress and anxiety, its close companion. In small doses stress it can heighten awareness, […]

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Love Works – But May Need Some Help

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Every one of us, both directly and indirectly, affect each other. Yet relationship can create such untold problems! Sitting in solitary bliss with our heart wide open and love pouring out toward all beings is relatively easy, but as soon as we come into direct contact with another person then how easily all our good […]

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Why We Look For Happiness In All The Wrong Places

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Our search for happiness becomes ever more urgent in our increasingly crowded and competitive world. An article on the HuffPost stated there are “over 75 million Google search results for the term and 40,000 happiness-related books available for purchase on Amazon… And it’s not necessarily helping us to become any happier.” Maybe that’s because happiness […]

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5 Ways To Enhance Your Relationship

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Shortly after we were married, we went to India and spent our honeymoon in ashrams and monasteries. We were fortunate enough to have a private meeting with the Dalai Lama at his residence in McCleod Ganj, in the foothills of the Himalayas. “After some thirty minutes of talking I was feeling so moved by this […]

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

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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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10 Ways To Embrace Your Uncertainty in 2016

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It’s hard to see what’s happening around us and not wonder what is going happen in our own lives. The big picture is we know we will face huge weather changes with the forecasted El Nino, will need to know what to do with thousands of refugees seeking a safe life, and be confronting the […]

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Are You Jealous or Joyful?

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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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Why Without Inner Peace There Is No Outer Peace

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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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