Track Record

This is where it is usual to detail all the professional qualifications of the person who is selling their services or product on their website. My qualifications would be my long life experience, and the learning I have done over those many years. What follows will give you some idea of that, and help you make up your mind as to whether you should consider what I have to say, or decide not to waste your time. I’ve learned to know myself, and it would be my greatest pleasure to help you know yourself.

Growing up in Scotland, as a willing student, I was exposed to the worldview and thinking of the Reform Presbyterian Church of Scotland. The main idea I gathered was that there is a Higher Power whom we can tune into, and who accepts me with unconditional love. This idea has been the foundation of my life, and it has given me the self-confidence to live life to the fullest, wherever I found myself. The follow-on from that idea is that the Great Spirit expects us to show the same unconditional love and respect to everyone else. This has been a keystone in my dealings with others. My rational, open mind is fully aware that this idea may simply be a construct of the human mind, but it has helped me mould my life and achieve my dreams. The Life Force is my friend and companion.

Another key idea that the church gave me was that the Bible is an open book, and that we must go to the source material, read it for ourselves, and make up our own minds about what is being expounded. This developed in me an open mind and a lifelong passion to pursue so many fields of learning.

The Scottish educational system instilled in me a love of learning. It introduced me to reading, writing, and arithmetic, along with English grammar, great literature, history, geography, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Here, again, was the idea that we are “standing on the shoulders of giants,” an image evoked by Isaac Newton in 1675 in a letter. We first have to learn from the masters who have gone before us, before we can build something new ourselves. Go to the source! Why reinvent the wheel? 

When I first began to talk politics with my father, I still remember him telling me that he and my mother were liberals in the classical sense. He explained that this meant that they supported the rule of law, under which everyone was equal. Everyone was free to live life as they wanted within the law, and there should be freedom of speech. Government was by consensus, and the elected representatives were in Parliament to further the welfare of the country and its people. This seemed reasonable to my young self, and I agreed with him. I, too, was a classical liberal. There should be no dictators, and no ideologies. Of course, this is the ideal: the reality has become something different. Even then there was a polarisation in society between the people who had money and power because they had created businesses, and those who worked for those businesses. This division my father deplored but could understand. 

My parents were of their times, and their parenting style respected the autonomy of their children and gave us great freedom. We were left to develop our own thinking, and do what we liked, within a loose framework of expectations. This has left me very grateful for them, for the Church of Scotland, for my schooling, and for Scotland. I consider myself very fortunate to have grown up in a society that encouraged individuals to value learning, to explore themselves, to open their minds constantly to new ideas, to think for themselves. The Scottish Enlightenment didn’t come out of nowhere!

Step 01

Where to start is always the big question. I suggest that you first of all read my book, Mindfulness Together. This is a guide to leading a group in exploring their inner selves and learning what is a mature human being. It gives the big picture which will let you see where you fit in. How mature are you, and what areas need work?

Step 02

Once you have seen that big picture, you could return to the beginning and apply the lessons to yourself. It’s one thing to know about a subject, to really know it one has to work with it.

Read books on the many facets of the subject, listen to podcasts, explore groups who are working in the many different areas. As you do this, your knowledge of yourself will grow. You will have many adventures and meet fascinating people along the way.

Step 03

Perhaps run a group yourself? It could be done in your own home, or anywhere else suitable. To teach is to really learn any subject. To run a group is to make many friends and experience the joy of sharing.