Hi, I’m Piers, living in London, England.

I share the insights I wish I’d learned 25 years ago. My years of struggle might save you from the same—and help you act on your own inner wisdom.

👉 Writing to help spiritual seekers transform stress, overwhelm, anxiety, and depression into calm & self-acceptance.

I don’t pretend to have all the answers nor do I presume to know what suits you best. I do know what it’s like to be in the trenches and how encouragement makes a big difference.

Major Accomplishments

📌 Survived growing up with an alcoholic father

📌 Overcame debilitating anxiety & depression—now helping others do the same

📌 Tried (almost) every drug under the sun—now teetotal (save a sip at Christmas)

📌 Have lived in Buddhist Monasteries in Asia & UK—nearly became a monk

📌 Completed 2 marathons & a 100km endurance hike for charity

📌 Qualified nutritionist, thriving medication-free at 52

📌 25+ years with my wife (all kudos to her supporting me along the way)

When I’m not exploring spiritual practices, I enjoy a quiet life in suburban London with my wife and our cat, Mumu. It’s simple, and it brings us joy.

Mission

At Mind the Zen, our mission is to guide spiritual seekers struggling with anxiety, stress, depression and emotional overwhelm toward inner peace and transformation.

We explore self-inquiry, mindfulness, and practical techniques within a spiritual context.

We help you overcome doubt and confusion, clearing mental, emotional, and physical blockages to foster clarity, healing, and personal growth.

Vision

We envision a world where spiritual seekers confidently navigate life’s challenges with wisdom, clarity, and resilience.

Mind the Zen is more than a blog—it’s a community for those who seek connection, self-awareness, and meaningful transformation.

By blending spiritual insights with practical guidance, we help people cultivate emotional well-being, align with their true selves, and step into a life of purpose and peace.

My Journey (A Brief Story of Growth)

Lost & Searching

In my early 20s, I felt like I was walking through life in a fog.

I had no sense of purpose, couldn’t relate to the world around me, and often wondered, What’s the point of all this? The weight of it all pushed me to the brink of despair.

Family Struggles

Let’s be honest—family dynamics can be a minefield.

My dad, an alcoholic, spent more time at the pub than at home.

My mum, drowning in anxiety and exhaustion, held our crumbling family together as best she could.

But, inevitably, the wheels came off, and our lives splintered in different directions.

A Lifeline in Books

Amidst the chaos, I stumbled upon books that hinted at something beyond my limited perspective—esoteric wisdom I barely understood. Yet, something in me knew these ideas held a deeper truth. They planted a seed.

Buddhism: A New Path

By my late 20s, I craved escape. Asia became my refuge, a place where life felt expansive and free.

For 15 years, I immersed myself in Vipassana meditation, traveling through Asia and Europe, diving deep into silence and introspection.

A Buddhist pilgrimage across India and Nepal, a six-month retreat in a Burmese monastery, and an 80-day retreat in Myanmar—all of it leading me toward one question: Is this the path I’m meant to follow?

I was ready to commit fully. To shave my head, take robes, and live a monastic life.

Spiritual Bypassing: The Wake-Up Call

Then, in 2015, everything unraveled.

Back in the UK, away from the safety of retreats and monasteries, I felt lost again. Doubt crept in. Had I been running from real life all along?

Stripped of the identity I’d built, I had to face myself in a way I never had before.

I saw how I had used spirituality to bypass difficult emotions rather than working through them.

It was uncomfortable. It sucked. But it was necessary.

The Work Begins

No longer seeking escape, I turned toward growth.

Through workshops, books, and incredible teachers, I explored everything from shadow work and the Enneagram to the law of attraction and 5-Rhythms dancing.

Each piece added to my understanding, but no single solution existed—just trial, error, and persistence.

Lessons From the Journey

🌀 Connection is everything. We live in a world starved of real connection. No practice or philosophy replaces the need for genuine human bonds.

🌀 Happiness is universal—but we go about it in messed-up ways. We chase external fixes when the real work is internal.

🌀 Change is brutal, which is why we resist it. Growth often comes with discomfort. That’s part of the process.

🌀 The mind is the ultimate trickster. It convinces us of limits that aren’t real.

🌀 There is a way through. The messy, tangled path eventually leads to clarity.