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Steven Webb
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How Big Is Your Circle? Let's Talk Love and Acceptance

We’re diving into the idea of our circles of acceptance today. How big is your circle of love and understanding? I’ve been thinking about how our perspectives change as we grow up, from a tiny circle in childhood to something much larger as adults. It’s fascinating to look at how our circles can expand or contract based on our experiences and feelings. I’ll be sharing some insights on this journey and how it affects our relationships with ourselves and others. Plus, I’ve got a guided meditation coming up that’ll help us explore these circles even more. Let’s get into it!

Links to Steven Webb’s podcast and how you can support his work.

🎙️ Stillness in the Storms — Episode: “How Big Is Your Circle of Love?”

A heartfelt reflection on how wide your love really reaches — and how to gently grow it.

🧭 What This Episode Covers

  • How big your circle of love, care, and acceptance really is
  • Why it naturally shrinks during stress and expands with growth
  • The six stages of ego development and how they relate to your caring
  • How to reflect without judgment on who is inside — or outside — your circle
  • Zen and Buddhist perspectives on expanding compassion

🌀 Circle Stages — Simple Breakdown

  • Pre-Egocentric – Me as impulse (pure survival)
  • Egocentric – Me as person (all about me)
  • Ethnocentric – My tribe (loyalty, shared identity)
  • Worldcentric – All humans (equal value, global empathy)
  • Planetcentric – All beings (animals, ecosystems, future life)
  • Kosmocentric – No separation (universal awareness, nondual)

We move in and out of these stages — even in a single day. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s awareness.

🧠 Quotes That Land

“Growth is always in the direction of greater wholeness and inclusion.” – Ken Wilber

“Love is a state of being.” – Eckhart Tolle

“If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it.” – Richard Rohr

“Forgive them, for they know not what they do.” – Jesus (Luke 23:34)

Takeaways:

  • In this episode, we explore the different stages of our circle of acceptance and love.
  • Understanding how to recognize and expand our circle can lead to greater empathy and compassion.
  • The podcast emphasizes the idea that our circles of caring are not fixed and can change over time.
  • We discuss how personal experiences, such as stress or busyness, can contract our circles of acceptance.
  • The conversation highlights the importance of caring for not just loved ones, but also for people across the globe.
  • We delve into deeper concepts of world centric and planet centric thinking for a broader perspective.

Feel Deeply, Suffer Less: The Unexpected Power of Emotion

Links to Steven Webb’s podcast and how you can support his work.

🧘 Host:

Steven Webb – Meditation Teacher & Former Mayor of Truro

🌀 About This Episode:

What if the key to less suffering wasn’t found in avoiding pain—but in feeling it all? In this powerful episode of Stillness in the Storms, Steven Webb explores why allowing yourself to feel deeply might be the most healing, human thing you can do.

We’re often told to “stay positive” and “chin up,” but what if the real strength lies in making room for grief, sadness, loneliness, and joy alike? Steven shares personal reflections, Zen wisdom, and practical insight into how embracing every emotion can make you more whole—and more at peace.

Whether you’re feeling stuck in your sadness, disconnected from joy, or overwhelmed by the ups and downs of life, this episode is an invitation to stop running and start listening… to yourself.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

  • Why people who feel deeply often suffer less, not more
  • The real meaning of emotional wholeness
  • How to stop identifying with your emotions
  • The ego vs. the “big mind”—and why balance matters
  • A simple shift in language that changes how you relate to feelings

✨ Takeaway:

You don’t need to fix every emotion. You just need to feel it, then let it pass. That’s where peace begins.

💛 Support the Podcast:

If this episode moved you, consider buying Steven a coffee at stevenwebb.uk. No adverts, just real conversations—thanks to listeners like you.

When You Feel Like It’s Never Enough: A Meditation for the Overwhelmed Soul

Links to Steven Webb’s podcast and how you can support his work.

Length: ~14 minutes

Voice: Steven Webb

Style: Guided stillness, compassionate reflection, deep internal release

Episode Description:

This meditation is for the quietly overwhelmed soul—the one who gives everything, yet still feels like it’s not enough. It’s for the parent who lies awake wondering if they did enough. For the artist, the leader, the healer, the helper… who, even in the applause, hears the whisper of inadequacy.

This is not a space to strive or fix. It’s a space to be. To sit in the truth that you are already whole. That you were never meant to carry the weight of saving the world alone. This meditation holds you between two truths—the longing to do more and the knowing that you’ve already done enough.

The Heart of the Practice:

From a Buddhist lens, this meditation rests in what’s often called the Middle Way. It is the space between indulgence and denial, between the ego’s hunger and the heart’s silence. In the Zen tradition, the Middle Way is not a compromise—it’s a complete letting go of the need to grasp either extreme.

This practice was born from a deep personal truth. Whether you’re a rock star or a school teacher, a politician or a quiet carer—if you carry any degree of authenticity and humility, there will always be a sense that more could be done. That someone, somewhere, needs more of you. That you’re still not quite enough. This meditation invites you to stop chasing that shadow. It reminds you that being alive, aware, and honest is already more than enough.

Why This Meditation Matters:

  • Speaks directly to the modern ache of “never enough”
  • Helps you hold both the striving self and the silent witness with compassion
  • Teaches the power of not choosing sides between ego and emptiness
  • Provides a space for deep nervous system release and emotional softening
  • Inspired by ancient Zen teachings, yet deeply grounded in everyday life
  • Accessible for those in any life situation—no background in Buddhism required

What You’ll Experience:

  • A guided settling into the breath and body
  • A gentle witnessing of the “small mind” that wants to prove itself
  • A compassionate resting in the “big mind” that wants nothing at all
  • A powerful affirmation of enoughness
  • Silence that heals not by effort, but by presence

Benefits of This Practice:

  • Reduced emotional overwhelm and performance pressure
  • Increased sense of inner worth and self-compassion
  • Reconnection with your quiet centre of peace and presence
  • A new relationship with both ambition and acceptance
  • Long-term inner stability, especially in high-responsibility lives

You are not here to be perfect. You are here to be whole.

Sit with me in the middle. You’ll find yourself again.

How to Stay Calm in the Face of Anger

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👉 stevenwebb.uk

🧘‍♂️ Episode Summary:

Anger. It hits hard. Sometimes it’s in your face. Other times, it’s in your inbox. Either way, your body reacts like you’re in danger — heart racing, chest tight, maybe even shame flooding in.

In this episode of Stillness in the Storms, I answer a heartfelt question from listener Toby Ross:

“How do you deal with conflict when it feels unbearable?”

We dive into why anger — whether it’s coming at you or rising inside you — feels so overwhelming. From a Zen perspective to real-life stories, this episode is about understanding anger, disarming it, and staying present without abandoning yourself.

This one is personal, practical, and rooted in compassion — for others, and for yourself.

🧩 What You’ll Hear:

  • Why your nervous system reacts to anger like a threat
  • How our ancient survival wiring still runs the show
  • The Zen view of anger as a mirror (not an enemy)
  • Stories about conflict, shouting, and inner shame
  • A powerful 30-second grounding practice
  • Why “toughness” isn’t strength — and stillness isn’t silence

🫶 Keeping It Real – No Ads, No Noise

Thanks to your support, this podcast is completely ad-free.

If you’d like to help keep it that way and join our private WhatsApp group, head to:

👉 stevenwebb.uk

📬 Join the Weekly Calm

Reflections, gentle reminders, and real talk when life gets overwhelming. (Sent when it’s ready, not when it’s perfect.)

🙌 Like What You Heard?

Please share this episode with someone who needs it.

And if you can, leave a rating or review — it helps more than you know.

Disconnect from Overthinking and Find Peace in the Present Moment

Links to Steven Webb’s podcast and how you can support his work.

Disconnect from Overthinking and Find Inner Peace

In this meditation, Steven guides you gently away from overthinking and helps you reconnect with a peaceful presence. You’ll learn how to quiet your mind, relieve anxiety, and find clarity amidst life’s chaos.

Why You Should Listen:

  • Quickly calm a busy mind.
  • Reduce anxiety and stress.
  • Feel immediate relaxation.
  • Learn a simple practice to disconnect anytime, anywhere.

Steven Webb, a mindfulness and meditation teacher living with paralysis, brings an authentic voice to finding peace within life’s challenges. Drawing from his own experience, Steven offers powerful insights to help you reconnect with simplicity and inner calm.

Thank you for joining this meditation. If you enjoyed it, please share it with someone who might benefit.

The Art of Slowing Down: Spiritual Timeouts

Links to Steven Webb’s podcast and how you can support his work.

Taking little timeouts can be a powerful spiritual practice. I’m Steven Webb, and today we dive into how those forced pauses in our day can help us find inner peace, even when life feels chaotic. We often think that spirituality means lengthy meditation sessions, but it doesn’t have to be that complicated. Instead, we can use everyday moments—like waiting at a traffic light or taking a breath before a meeting—to reconnect with ourselves. Let’s explore how these simple breaks can help us manage stress and stay present, making our spiritual journey a lot more manageable and meaningful.

Finding peace in a fast-paced world can be a daunting task, but it’s all about perspective. This podcast episode dives into the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh and the simple yet profound practice of taking timeouts to reconnect with ourselves. I share my own experiences, noting that while I can smile and breathe, the challenge often lies in slowing down. The message here is that spirituality can be found in the everyday moments, not just in long meditation sessions or complicated practices.

Throughout our conversation, I encourage listeners to embrace the forced pauses in their daily lives, such as waiting at traffic lights or dealing with interruptions. These moments can be transformed into opportunities for mindfulness, helping us to breathe, reset, and refocus. By allowing ourselves to take these timeouts, we can cultivate a sense of calm that permeates our lives, helping us navigate the chaos with more grace and clarity.

I remind everyone that the spiritual journey is not a straight line; it’s filled with ups and downs, and that’s perfectly okay. It’s about becoming more compassionate toward ourselves and recognizing that we’re all doing our best. By integrating these small moments of stillness into our day, we can create a more peaceful existence and ultimately allow ourselves to respond to life rather than react. This episode serves as a gentle nudge to appreciate the little pauses that life offers us and to use them as tools for growth and awareness.

Takeaways:

  • Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us to smile, breathe, and take things slow in life.
  • Spiritual growth isn’t just about long meditations; it’s about finding peace in small moments.
  • Using forced timeouts can help us reconnect with ourselves and find inner calm.
  • Compassion and self-acceptance are signs that your spiritual journey is making progress.
  • Life’s ups and downs are normal; accepting this messiness is part of the journey.
  • Each little moment of stillness helps us build a longer fuse to manage stress better.

Enlightenment in 2 Minutes: How Micro-Moments Can Transform Your Life

Links to Steven Webb’s podcast and how you can support his work.

What if enlightenment isn’t about hours of meditation or decades of study, but tiny moments of awareness you can practice anywhere, anytime? After paralysis, heartbreak, and a battle with intrusive thoughts, Steven Webb discovered that awakening thrives in life’s margins—in stolen seconds between tasks, breaths during chaos, and pauses before reactions. In this episode, he shares:

  • How to turn traffic jams, work stress, and even arguments into portals of peace
  • Why 2-minute practices work better than marathon meditation sessions (and how to start)
  • The science-backed power of “enlightened micro-moments” to rewire your brain

Why This Episode Will Help You

  • ⏱️ “Enlightenment for the time-poor” – Transform洗碗, commuting, or waiting in line into spiritual practice
  • 🧠 Neuroplasticity hack – How micro-moments of awareness compound into lasting change
  • 🚫 No altar/incense required – Stephen’s “30-second reset” for panic attacks, overwhelm, or decision fatigue
  • 💥 Breakthrough for meditation quitters – Why short bursts beat “perfect” sessions (and how to avoid self-judgment)
  • 🌱 Grow peace incrementally – Trackable daily wins vs. vague spiritual goals

Key Quotes from the Episode

  1. “You don’t need 30 minutes—steal 30 seconds. A deep breath while the microwave spins? That’s a revolution.”
  2. “I’m dyslexic, paralyzed, and once thought enlightenment was for gurus. Now I find it staring at my ceiling fan.”
  3. “An enlightened moment isn’t when you stop feeling anger—it’s the half-second where you notice you’re angry. That’s the crack where light gets in.”
  4. “Ten 2-minute practices scattered through your day? That’s 20 minutes of awareness—without sitting cross-legged once.”
  5. “I didn’t change my life in a cave. I changed it waiting for caregivers, between sips of tea, in the silence after a text notification.”

Finding Peace and Stillness in the Current Storms

Links to Steven Webb’s podcast and how you can support his work.

Gratitude meditation Link

In this episode of “Stillness in the Storms,” Steven Webb reflects on the overwhelming challenges of the modern world, from global crises to personal struggles. He acknowledges the “storm” that many feel – the constant barrage of negative news, societal pressures, and personal difficulties. However, Stephen guides listeners towards finding moments of peace and gratitude amidst the chaos. He shares his own recent struggles with illness and how he’s working to shift his focus from external turmoil to inner resilience.

Key Quotes:

  • “The storm feels like it’s worse than ever… whether it’s political, whether it’s weather, or whether it’s just the information bombardment.”
  • “How much of the outside storm are you bringing in?”
  • “How many open doors? How many times are you going to sit? Are you sitting outside in the storm?”
  • “It’s all well and good that we can blame the world for the storms, but we’ve got to ask ourselves.”
  • “We also have still so much to lose, and so much to fight for. And so much to be grateful for.”
  • “If you just learn to hold them [life’s challenges] in the right way, not too, not too tight, not too loose, music plays through you.”
  • “Life’s got to play through us.”
  • “It’s about balance.”
  • “Don’t connect with the world so much that you’re filling your mind with everything you can not cope with.”
  • “Close your door but don’t close it so tight it’s locked.”

How This Episode Helps Listeners:

  • Validation: Acknowledges the widespread feeling of being overwhelmed by current events and personal struggles, offering a sense of shared experience.
  • Perspective Shift: Encourages listeners to examine how much external negativity they are internalizing and to consciously limit their exposure to it.
  • Gratitude Practice: Promotes a focus on gratitude for the simple things in life, highlighting what we still have to lose and appreciate, even amidst hardship.
  • Mindfulness Reminder: Reinforces the importance of being present and finding stillness in the moment, rather than being consumed by future worries or past regrets.
  • Practical Steps: Offers tangible actions like limiting news consumption, focusing on what’s within one’s control (“arm’s length”), and engaging in activities that bring joy.
  • Balance: Highlights the need for balance between engagement with the world and self-care, avoiding both excessive exposure and complete disconnection.
  • Self-Awareness: Prompts self-reflection on personal coping mechanisms and encourages listeners to recognize when they might be overly stressed or anxious.
  • Community: Mentions a WhatsApp support group for those who have supported the podcast, fostering a sense of connection and shared journey.
  • Resouces: Mentions the Inner Piece Meditations, and stephenwebb.uk for further support.

Emotional Connections: The Moments That Shape Us

Links to Steven Webb’s podcast and how you can support his work.

Life is all about those little moments, and I really want to dive into that today. I recently reflected on my journey, where I covered 500 miles in Cornwall using my electric wheelchair, and it hit me how my life is just a collection of moments. Yesterday, I had a powerful encounter with a paramedic from 33 years ago who helped me during a critical time, and it brought back a flood of emotions. I realized that our experiences aren’t just a straight line; they’re a bunch of moments that shape who we are. So, let’s chat about the moments that matter, how we can cherish them, and reflect on what they teach us.

Reflecting on life’s fleeting moments can be profound. Steven Webb shares his journey of exploring the significance of moments in our lives, particularly through his experiences over the past year. He embarked on a remarkable 500-mile journey around Cornwall using his electric wheelchair, meticulously documenting his adventures. As he revisits his diary, he realizes that life is not just a series of events, but a collection of moments that shape our existence. Each encounter, each emotion, and each experience contributes to the mosaic of our lives. During a poignant moment, he reconnects with Melvin, the paramedic who flew him to Salisbury 33 years ago, triggering a flood of emotions and reflections on how interconnected our lives can be, even across decades.

Steven encourages listeners to reflect on their own lives and the moments that have defined them. He emphasizes that memories are stored not in a linear fashion but as emotional experiences. Whether joyful or painful, these moments teach us resilience and shape who we are. He shares personal anecdotes, like the time he walked his dog and how that experience became a lasting memory. These moments, whether big or small, can hold great significance.

As the episode unfolds, Steven invites us to cherish every moment, reminding us that they are fleeting yet impactful. He urges us to embrace the good and the bad experiences alike, as they all contribute to our growth. Life is about collecting these moments, learning from them, and creating new ones that define our journey. The essence of his message is clear: every moment is a gift, and it is up to us to recognize and appreciate them as we navigate through life.

Takeaways:

  • Life is made up of moments, and those moments are what shape our experiences.
  • When I look back at my life, I remember the moments that made me feel deeply.
  • Collect moments that are meaningful, both good and bad, as they shape who you are.
  • Emotions play a huge role in how we remember and store our life experiences.
  • The universe might have a plan, and every moment could teach us something valuable.
  • Cherish the small moments with loved ones, as they will be significant in the future.

A Simple Meditation for Deep Sleep

Links to Steven Webb’s podcast and how you can support his work.

Podcast Episode Introduction for Inner Peace Meditations:

🌙 “A Simple Meditation for Deep Sleep” with Steven Webb

What You’ll Experience:

Allow your mind and body to surrender to sleep with this gentle 12-minute meditation, guided by Steven Webb’s calming British voice. Soft, ambient music will cradle you as Steven leads you through a proven sequence designed to:

  • Release physical tension with a soothing body scan, melting stress from toes to crown.
  • Quiet mental chatter by replacing worry with a deep sense of safety and surrender.
  • Activate the parasympathetic nervous system, signaling to your body that it’s time to rest.
  • Fade effortlessly into sleep as the music and Steven’s voice gradually dissolve into silence, leaving you adrift in stillness.

Why This Works:

Steven’s decades of expertise as a meditation teacher shine in this session. His unhurried pacing, deliberate pauses, and soft-spoken delivery are intentionally crafted to:

  • Lower heart rate through rhythmic breath cues.
  • Distract from overthinking by anchoring attention to bodily sensations.
  • Create a Pavlovian response over time, training your brain to associate his voice with deep relaxation.

Perfect For:

  • Listeners struggling with insomnia or restless minds.
  • Anyone craving a “bridge” from daily stress to restorative sleep.
  • Those who prefer shorter, science-backed meditations without abrupt endings.

Listener Note:

“No effort is required tonight. Let the music carry you, and trust your body’s natural wisdom to take over. Simply press play, close your eyes, and drift.”

— Steven Webb | Inner Peace Meditations