When It Happens in NYC Then It's a Happening

As a prisoner in a Chinese jail, Kirsten Westby was able to find solace by sitting quietly in contemplation. Deeply affected by walking on the moon, astronaut Edgar Mitchell went from exploring outer space to discovering the vastness of inner space. Coping with HIV, New Yorker Mark Matousek found healing through group meditation. Seane Corn used her yoga and meditation expertise to work with child prostitutes in LA.

In the last few decades, people in all walks of life have begun to realize the profound benefits of meditation. While this ancient practice is personally transformative by calming the mind and reducing stress, awakening the heart, and deepening insight, can meditation also change the world for the better? Now, in a new book, some of today's most notable voices explore this issue -- including 16 authors from New York City -- reflect on how looking within has resolved issues such as anger and fear, inspiring them to work toward a more caring and peaceful future.

BE THE CHANGE, How Meditation Can Transform You and the World was conceived in response to a need to make sense of what was happening in the world at large. We both wondered, "Could something as subtle and understated as meditation also have an affect on business, conflict resolution, or politics?" And on an even wider scale we asked, "What change could happen if something so simple were to become a global movement?"

Interwoven among our own thoughts on the subject are the words of more than one hundred meditation practitioners from various walks of life, from Ellen Burstyn -- Oscar award-winning actress -- to Jon Kabat-Zinn -- director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society, from Marianne Williamson -- bestselling author and renown inspirational speaker -- to Richard Davidson -- Professor of Psychology at Wisconsin University.

The Dalai Lama humorously says: "I strongly recommend anyone interested in meditation not to simply read what these people have to say, but to try it out. If you like it and its useful to you, keep it up, and if it isn't, just leave it. Treat this book as you would a cookery book. You wouldn’t merely read recipes with approval, you'd try them out. Some you’d like and would use again. Like cookery, meditation only makes sense if you put it into effect."

From running an orphanage to being a political advisor, from being held in a prison cell to living in a crowded city, meditation has changed people's lives. BE THE CHANGE is a fascinating exploration of how meditation can not only awaken our latent potential, but also transform the world, creating the foundation for a caring and compassionate future.

You can order a copy of our book at: BE THE CHANGE, How Meditation Can Transform You and the World. 

 

Come join us for a booksigning: Nov 16th at Barnes & Noble, 150 East 86^th St., NYC with special guests Ellen Burstyn, Robert Thurman, Andrew Cohen, Cyndi Lee and Mark Matousek; and Nov 17^th at Gasoline Alley, 250 Albany St., Springfield MA, with guests Bernie Glassman, William Spear and Chloe Goodchild.

 More details at: www.EdandDebShapiro.com

 

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Ed and Deb Shapiro’s new book, BE THE CHANGE, How Meditation Can Transform You And The World, forewords by the Dalai Lama and Robert Thurman, with contributors such as Marianne Williamson, astronaut Edgar Mitchell, Ellen Burstyn, Michael Beckwith, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Jane Fonda, Ram Dass, Jack Kornfield, Byron Katie, Dean Ornish, John Gray and others will be published Nov 3rd 2009 by Sterling Ethos. Deb is the author of the award-winning book YOUR BODY SPEAKS YOUR MIND. Ed and Deb are the authors of over 15 books, and lead meditation retreats and workshops. Enjoy their 3 meditation CD’s: Metta - Loving kindness and Forgiveness; Samadhi -- Breath Awareness and Insight; and Yoga Nidra -- Inner Conscious Relaxation, available on their website: www.EdandDebShapiro.com

 

Follow Ed and Deb Shapiro on Twitter: www.twitter.com/edanddebshapiro

Comments

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi dear dear HuffPost community

we have been on our book signing tour

from Boulder, Colorado, Portland, Oregon, Seattle where we were with wonderful HuffPost blogger Cara Barker and are now in the Big Apple my home town.

It has been a great success as our book

BE THE CHANGE

IS THE # 1 HOT NEW RELEASE on Amazon.com under Meditation, Dalai Lama, and Robert Thurman

Thanks for your support

Join us on Monday Nov16th at Barnes and Noble 150 East 86th St., NYC with special guests Ellen Burstyn, Robert Thurman, Andrew Cohen, Cyndi Lee, Linus Roache and Mark Matousek.

Joyfully,

Ed

[Kiri Westby - Huffpost Blogger]

Yes! I'm so excited to see you two in your element in NYC...and humbled to be part of this amazing piece of work. May the message spread far and wide and create, in turn, a saner and more compassionate world.
You can't miss!

Wooohooo!
Kiri

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Kiri - you are so humble

as you are a featured contributor to our book

BE THE CHANGE

Ed

[CaveatMagnusFrater]

HuffPost's Pick

Hello Ed and Deb,

This is great: Dalai Lama humorously says: "Treat this book as you would a cookery book. You wouldn’t merely read recipes with approval, you'd try them out" That remindes of of the Italian Cooking magazine my wife subscribed to. She' peruse it for hours and then one day she made ravioli from scratch. It was delicious. I have my own recipes for pizza sauce and spaghetti sauce but looked through her magazine and used some of the ideas and improved my own recipes. It's kind of like when I first tried meditation in the 70s. I didn't get it. I kept on trying and trying but since I was doing it wrong, I felt it wasn't for me and I left it. Now that I understand what I was doing wrong, (thanks Ed) it does work for me. Thanks for inspiring me and pointing me in the right direction. I'm spreading hte word. Not emphatically but in my own way. i just mention that I've started meditating and it's really helped me .

Lotsa love,
little brother

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

hi Little Bro

When the HH the Dalai Lama sent us his foreword I just cracked up ... how true and practical

Thank you for your comment you always have something worthy to say.

BE THE CHANGE

Ed

[Caitlin Price]

May "Be The Change" message run free in the city streets of NYC. So excited for you both!

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Caitlin - LET IT BE!

Ed

[katzimmer]

As you know, I can't wait! I'm sure Monday's event will be amazing: I'm looking forward to a huge crowd; stimulating discussion; and, of course, Ed and Deb themselves.

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Kate - thanks for your comment

This is real fun as John Lennon said:

* IMAGINE *

LET'S IMAGINE BE THE CHANGE

touching, the hearts of people in NYC and everyone being kinder

Ed

[WDHorden]

.

Have a wonderful time at the NYC booksigning, Ed & Deb! You have such a fantastic group of folks coming out to support the need for calming our mind and body!

It's a timely book & deserves all the success it is receiving!

Talk Soon,
William

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi wonderful William- you make me feel so good. Thank you for being you! Ed