you are amazing!

Published by Sirius Communications

14 Julian Terrace, Aberavon, Port Talbot, SA12 6UG, South Wales, UK

First published 2013

Copyright 2013 by Sirius Communications

All rights reserved. This entire PDF document may be freely distributed in any medium, so
long as it is not changed in any way, and no charge is made for its distribution or use.
No part of this publication may be otherwise reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by
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storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

CONTENTS

You are miraculous

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You are amazing

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You are unique

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You are important

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11

You can be healthy

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15

You can be wealthy

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17

You can be wise

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19

You can be happy

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21

Links

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25

you are miraculous

If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly,
our whole life would change
[Buddha]

Do you think that life arose on this Earth by accident? According to the late Professor Sir
Fred Hoyle the chances of this are about the same as the probability that a tornado
sweeping through a junk yard could assembly a Boeing 747 from the contents therein!
The likelihood of life arising by chance has also been compared to the chances of 1050
blind people each solving a Rubiks Cube at precisely the same moment!
Mathematicians say that any event with an improbability greater than one chance in 10 50
(10 followed by 50 zeroes) is in the realm of metaphysics: a miracle. But the physicist
Harold Marowitz has calculated that the odds of even the simplest bacterium arising by
chance are only one in 10100,000,000,000 (10 followed by 100 billion zeroes)!
In the face of such evidence, how can even the most sceptical of us doubt that there is
something very special about life? Francis Crick, the Nobel Prize winner, suggests that ...
An honest man, armed with all the knowledge available to us now, could only state that in
some sense, the origin of life appears at the moment to be almost a miracle.

And faced with such a miracle, surely we should take time out to contemplate it? As the
Welsh poet William Henry Davies (1871 1940) so aptly put it:

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

you are amazing

People travel to wonder
at the highest of mountains,
at the huge waves of the sea,
at the long courses of rivers,
at the vast compass of the ocean,
at the circular motion of the stars;
and they pass by themselves without wondering.
[St. Augustine, 399 A.D.]

Did you know that the average adult human body is made up of between 75 and 100
trillion cells... and that each of these has between 6 and 8 feet of DNA (the chemical
blueprint, or set of instructions that determines what kind of being you are)? The brain,
alone, has over 100 billion nerve cells, which make it more complex than the most
powerful computer ever built. And many believe that we use only a small percentage of its
potential computing power.
While you are reading this sentence, 50 million of the cells in your body will have died and
been replaced with new ones! Every second, around 2 million new red blood cells are
created. Dead cells go to the kidney for excretion.
In one square inch of your skin there are 12 feet of nerve fibres, 9 feet of blood vessels
and around 3 million cells. The smallest blood vessels capillaries are so tiny that red
cells travel through them in single file: ten capillaries together only equal the thickness of a
human hair. On the other hand, the largest blood vessel (the aorta) is almost the diameter
of a garden hose. Five and a half litres of blood circulate through this system, three times
every minute in one day, your blood travels a total of 12,000 miles. To achieve this, your
heart beats around 100,000 times per day. In one hour it works hard enough to raise
nearly a ton weight by three feet from the ground.
The average human produces a quart of saliva a day. Our bodies consist of around 7075% water. Your body gives off enough heat in 30 minutes to bring half a gallon of water
to the boil, and your brain generates more electrical impulses in a single day than all of the
world's telephones put together.

We each have over 600 muscles. You use 200, just to take a single step. The face has
around 60, and more than 30 of these are used for a smile, while around 45 are required
for a frown. If all the muscles in your body were able to pull in one direction together they
would create a force of 25 tons.
Humans are born with 300+ bones in their body, but by the time they reach adulthood they
only have 206, because many have joined together to make single bones. Fifty-four of
them are in your hands. Your face is composed of fourteen. Your thigh bone is the
strongest bone in your body: it is stronger than concrete... and it is hollow.
The average person takes 5 million steps per year and walks the equivalent of twice
around the world in a lifetime.
Your feet contain a total of a quarter of a million sweat glands and together they are likely
to have around 2,000,000,000,000 bacteria on their surface. Around 10% of the dry
weight of the human body consists of bacteria, many of which are essential to the body's
healthy functioning. The colon (large intestine) generally contains 400 different types of
bacteria. Your mouth contains more bacteria than the combined US/Canadian human
populations.
It takes food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach. Your stomach
produces a new lining every two weeks otherwise it would digest itself. The acid in your
stomach is strong enough to dissolve razor blades.
Maintaining body functions accounts for 60-75% of your daily caloric expenditure.
Your liver is known to carry out at least 500 different functions. Up to 2,000 litres of blood
flow through it every day. It is the only internal organ that will completely regenerate itself
if partly damaged. Up to 25% can be removed and within a short period of time it will grow
back to its original size and shape.
Your brain generates as much energy as a small light bulb even when you are asleep.
In fact, your brain is more active at night than it is during the day.

You need sleep as much as you need food. The record for the longest period without
sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes. The record holder reported hallucinations,
paranoia, blurred vision, slurred speech and memory and concentration lapses. Women
may need up to an hour's extra sleep a night compared to men, and not getting it can
make them more susceptible to depression than men.
Dreaming is the succession of visual images experienced during the stage of sleep when
our brains are most active. It occurs several times a night and can last anywhere from a
few seconds to three-quarters of an hour.

The higher our I.Q., the more we dream.

Everyone does it, but some simply dont remember, on waking. There are various theories
about why we dream it's generally believed to have some role in memory organisation
and consolidation but we still don't fully understand its true purpose. Other species are
also thought to dream.

One apparently unique characteristic of the human species,

however, is its ability to consciously 'dream'... i.e. to entertain visions of what might be, and
to make long-term plans. To have a sense of direction in life.

Indeed, Rabbi Zadok

Rabinwitz suggests that A man's dreams are an index to his greatness. And in Proverbs
it says, Where there is no vision, the people perish.
All of this, of course, is fine just so long as dreaming doesnt become a substitute for
action. Or as Henry David Thoreau said, If you have built castles in the air, your work
need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.

you are unique

Know that although in the eternal scheme of things you are small,
you are also unique and irreplaceable,
as are all your fellow humans everywhere in the world.
[Margaret Laurence]

As someone has said, Think what a remarkable, unduplicatable, and miraculous thing it is
to be you! Of all the people who have come and gone on the earth, since the beginning of
time, not ONE of them is like YOU! No one who has ever lived or is to come has had your
combination of abilities, talents, appearance, friends, acquaintances, burdens, sorrows
and opportunities. You are absolutely unique!
This is scientific fact. For example, all living things come with a set of instructions known
as DNA. Whether you are a human, a rat, a tomato, or a bacterium, each cell will contain
an entire copy of the same set of DNA instructions... the blueprint for that organism. But
although each of us is 99.9% the same as the next individual, small variations occur, which
make everyone unique this is the basis for DNA fingerprinting. Despite the fact that this
technique takes immense shortcuts, in order to be within the limits of practicality, it still
achieves matches that could occur by chance only once in 5,000,000 cases.
For many years fingerprints have been recognised to be very accurate as a way of
differentiating individuals: no two identical fingerprints have ever been
found.

And everyone has a unique tongue print.

Even teeth

impressions can be identifiable. And most of us are now familiar with

the concept of retinal scans and iris recognition as forms of biometric
identification that depend on the uniqueness of our eyes sufficiently so, that these are
now used for passports and border controls, and to give access to sensitive areas.
But it's not just about physical, biological differences we all differ, too, in our characters,
our abilities and our likes and dislikes. Even if scientists cloned your DNA and created
another human that physically looked like you, it wouldnt BE you, because only you
experienced your particular and unique set of circumstances and thought processes.

No two people are exactly the same even supposedly 'identical twins'. Every one of us
has a number of areas in which we excel. We all consist of an infinity of characteristics
that define who we are. And whatever else we may think about our capabilities, we can all
make a pretty good stab at just being ourselves. Dont try to be someone else, or to hide
the parts of you that are different to others. As St. Francis De Sales (1567 1622) said,
Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly. Treasure your
uniqueness enjoy and share it. Let it touch family and friends and everyone with
whom you come into contact.
OK so there may be things about yourself that you would like to change: thats actually
something that you do share with others, because none of us is perfect! Were all a work
in progress, with our own particular issues and concerns seeking to perfect the many
little imperfections of which we are sometimes only too well-aware! We just need to
remember, though, that absolute perfection is an unrealistic goal.
Many of the unique features mentioned above may appear at first to be trivial, but if we
make the effort to be useful to others around us we will soon find that we all have our own
particular role to play in this world. Celebrate being you you are the only YOU on earth!
Wouldnt it be boring if we were all the same? Remember, though, that you are unique
only in relation to the rest of humanity as Chuck Gallozi reminds us, if nothing existed
other than yourself, you would no longer be unique; you would merely be. Our uniqueness
arises only when we have others to compare ourselves to. So we must respect others
uniqueness, too. Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 1900) stated this clearly when he said You
have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it
does not exist. Therein lies the basis for the Platinum Rule treating others as THEY
would wish to be treated. (This is regarded as preferable to the better-known Golden Rule
of treating others as we would wish to be treated ourselves, as it is less ego-centric and
allows for cultural and other differences.)
As someone once said, We do not choose to be born. We do not choose our parents.
We do not choose our historical epoch, the country of our birth, or the immediate
circumstances of our upbringing. We do not, most of us, choose to die; nor do we choose
the time and conditions of our death. But within this realm of choicelessness, we do
choose how we live.
10

you are important

When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.
[Lao Tzu]
The best things in life are yours, if you can appreciate yourself.
[Dale Carnegie]

And if you are so miraculous, amazing and unique, then surely it follows that you have a
particular purpose for being here, at this point in the Universe, at this very moment in Time.
If you dont make your unique contribution youll be missed. Mother Teresa (1910 1997)
said, We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But if that drop
was not in the ocean, I think the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.
Just think of the parable of the old typewriter...
v n though my typ writ r is an old mod l, it works quit
xc pt for on

of th

k ys. I hav

work p rf ctly. It is tru

that th r

nough, but just on

diff

Som tim s it s

p opl

ar

ar

forty-on

ms to m

that our famili s,

som what lik

working prop rly. As on

to yours lf, W ll, I am only on

k ys that

k y not working mak s all th

communiti s and n ighbourhoods ar

not all th

ll,

many tim s wish d that it would

function w ll
r nc .

my typ writ r
of th m, you say

p rson, I dont mak

or br ak th

whol . But it do s mak

a diff r nc . To hav

activ

v ry p rson. R m mb r my typ writ r and

participation of

succ ss you n

d th

say, I am a k y p rson in my family, community and n ighbourhood.

I am n

d d v ry much. Dont b

a brok n k y b

a usabl

on .

Right now, you may not feel particularly important in fact, you may even be wondering
why you were ever brought into this world!
As the 1946 film Its A Wonderful Life so poignantly reminds us, the world would be a
poorer place without even the apparently most insignificant and unsuccessful of us.
Maybe there are one or more family members who would miss you, if you werent here any
longer or perhaps friends, acquaintances or neighbours. Even the person you smiled at
as you passed them on the street would be worse-off without that brief contact. (Whats
11

that, you sayyou never smile at strangers? Well, give it a try, today: youll be astonished
by the results at least on yourself, and perhaps even on them!)
Although you may feel at the moment that to the rest of the world you are just a nobody, to
somebody you may be the world if not right now, then perhaps at a point still to come.
The future holds an infinite number of possibilities, including friendships that have yet to
develop and opportunities not yet formed. As Anne Frank said, Everyone has inside of
him a piece of good news. The good news is that you dont know how great you can be!
How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!

And just in case you think I dont know what Im talking about, let me tell you a secret
Although you and I have probably never met (OK so a few people who already know me
may be reading this, but chances are that most of my readers will currently be strangers
right?) to me, YOU ARE IMPORTANT! Let me repeat it YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO ME!
12

Hmmm: so now youre probably convinced that Im a weirdo! Well, Ive been called worse
than that, before now; and if genuinely feeling compassion for fellow human beings is
weird, then I guess Ill have to accept the label! For most of my life I have been interested
in spirituality, and I am driven by a deep desire to assist others on their path through Life.
In the words of George Bernard Shaw, I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the
whole community and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I am
therefore a charity trustee (with the Chreda Foundation a small family charity), a blogger
on charity matters (see my website at Generosity News), and a Love Ambassador. I am
also a trained and experienced counsellor (including suicide) and a spiritual coach with
many years of practical experience. I have run a variety of spiritual fellowships in the past
both non-sectarian and within traditional religious settings. Though from a Christian
background (and having been ordained, some years ago), I have always believed in
drawing on the best from all traditions, and I consider myself pretty libertarian. In fact, one
of the few things I cannot tolerate is intolerance itself!

Now, I hope that what I have just revealed about myself will back up what I said earlier,
about your being important to me. But just in case you still have any reservations, I would
like to make an unusual offer.

13

I want to invite you to contact me by email at malcolmcdragon@gmail.com, when you

have finished reading this report. Just drop me a few lines, to say Hi! and introduce
yourself or if there are particular issues that are vexing you and you would like to discuss
them with me, that will be OK, too. I will endeavour to respond personally to all
communications, and to be as helpful as I can. Whatever you say to me will be treated in
the strictest confidence, of course. And dont forget to mention in your email that you
came to me via this report you are amazing!
On the other hand, if you feel that you are not yet ready for such direct and personal
contact, you might want to check me out, first, at www.malcolmcdragon.com you can
read a bit about me, see what I look like, and maybe follow me for a while, until you feel
more comfortable with writing to me. You can also find out more about me through my
Facebook profile, at http://www.facebook.com/malcolm.dragon. Facebook is where I
am currently most active, apart from my charity work and blog. I recently set up a nonsectarian prayer wall there (Share for Prayer), for anyone who feels in need of spiritual
support: it would be great if you would Like it, and check in regularly, to lend your support
perhaps post a request of your own, if you feel it would be helpful. I and others will be
looking in frequently and well be happy to take on-board any of your concerns health,
relationships, physical or mental/emotional well-being, spiritual issues: whatever needs
you have, we will remember you in our prayers. I have also just started a Facebook
community page, entitled Pilgrims: this is probably where you accessed the report. The
idea behind this online community is that we are all pilgrims in a strange land spiritual
beings having a human experience, as we progress through Life. Through the Pilgrims
community we can share the journey with each other, and with others who need
companionship. There is a big demand out there, for people who really care and are
willing to listen sympathetically a hunger for love and appreciation. So if, like me, you
want to be of service to others and help them, maybe youd be willing to share your story
there, or just leave an inspirational thought. You can also get help and encouragement for
yourself, by regularly checking into the page and reading what others have posted. I will
have a bit more to say about this, towards the end of this booklet.
Oh, and by the way you are still important to me, whether or not you decide to contact
me. You see, I believe in the innate importance of every living being: thats just how I am!

14

you can be healthy

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity.
[World Health Organization, 1948]

Believe it or not, you were meant to be in perfect health. The Higher Self (the you inside
of you sometimes called the soul which is connected to the wisdom and knowledge of
the Universe) doesnt suffer from the imperfections and disease with which we as humans
are so familiar. The Bible touches on this when it says (Rev 21:4) And there will be no
more death or sorrow or crying or pain. The essential you, which serves as a template
for the creation of your physical presence in this world, was created (and remains) perfect,
without flaws. It is in translation that imperfections creep in, resulting in an unhealthy mind
and body.
Disease of the body as we know it, is a result, an end product, a final stage of something
much deeper. Disease originates above the physical plane, nearer to the

mental. It is

entirely the result of a conflict between our spiritual and mortal selves. So long as these
two are in harmony, we are in perfect health: but when there is discord there follows what
we know as disease. (Edward Bach, 1886-1936 physician and creator of the Bach
Remedies)
So it follows that by taking thought we can rectify the situation and restore our bodies
to perfect health. Incredible as it may sound, theres actually scientific evidence that our
mental attitude largely determines the state of our physical health. For example, in the first
few months of the 21st century the results of a research project at Hull University were announced, showing that a hedonistic approach to life can be a passport to a healthy immune system. The research discovered that people who feel guilty about eating, drinking,
smoking, watching television or having sex suffer from a poorer immune system, and are
more vulnerable to colds and flu. There was also evidence that women tend to feel more
guilty than men about their indulgences and are therefore more likely to fall ill. But pleasurable activities undertaken without too much associated guilt resulted in improved immune system functioning. Dr Geoff Lowe, who conducted the research, said that it provided empirical support of the increasingly held notion that pleasures are good and guilt is
15

bad, for health". "We ought to focus more on the positive things in life, he concluded. If
we enjoy simple pleasures that are not harmful to us we should not feel guilty about them.
We should maximise the pleasure."
Laughter can help boost the immune system, too; it also encourages deep breathing,
flushing out the lungs, and it can generate a general feeling of wellness. Research at the
University of Maryland Medical Center, in 2005, also established a link between laughter
and the healthy functioning of blood vessels. It has been shown that allergies are caused
not only by physical allergens but also by a negative state of mind, and that a positive
mental attitude can have the reverse effect. Laughter is one way of inducing a positive
state of mind and reducing stress, and it has been shown to have a profound impact on
allergies and asthma, with many practitioners reporting
complete disappearance of all symptoms. Ten years
ago Japanese researchers found a significant reduction
in dermatitis caused by dust mites, cedar pollen and cat
dander, when patients received laughter therapy. Its
been calculated that six-year-olds laugh an average of
300 times a day, but that adults only laugh 15 to 100
times a day: perhaps a childlike approach to life could
be a healthier one!
Of course, it almost goes without saying that anyone who is serious about maintaining
good health will pay close attention to diet and exercise. It is something of a clich that a
healthy diet must include substantial amounts of fruit and vegetables, and that these can
help protect against cancer, coronary heart disease, cataracts, birth defects and a variety
of other conditions. The risk of coronary heart disease has also been shown to increase
significantly when the diet includes high levels of saturated and partially hydrogenated fats.
Regular exercise even just a moderate amount on a regular basis can substantially
prolong your life expectancy, reducing the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and
stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis and back pain, as well as improving mood and reducing
stress. And our mental attitude, in turn, can seriously impact our physical health.
But thats a complete topic on its own, that would need a whole new chapter, and we dont
have space to go into it here. Perhaps a future report will explore this fascinating area.

16

you can be wealthy

Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will
one day become a reality.
[Earl Nightingale]
Its a sad fact that many people spend most of their life fretting over money usually the
lack of it. This is despite the widespread belief that the best things in life are free: as star
of The Secret Bob Proctor says, Richness is not about what you have. It is about who
you are. Nevertheless, the possession of adequate reserves to meet all of our financial
commitments and the ability to constantly replenish those reserves would certainly
remove much of the stress and distraction that tends to prevent us from truly enjoying life.
So why is it that so few individuals seem to have the talent for creating wealth? Is it
because of a lack of knowledge, or inadequate capital or other resources? No. Many of the
worlds most successful people didnt start with a formal education or any capital in some
cases they began with nothing, and even had to cope with learning a new language in
order to survive.
Well, maybe the problem is that you are just too busy with getting through each day, and
getting by? Perhaps you feel that you could become richer if only you had more time
available to devote to the pursuit of monetary wealth? Well, time is one thing that we all
have in equal measure. Dont say you dont have enough time. You have exactly the
same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo,
Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein. (H. Jackson
Brown.) Its what we do with our time that determines how successful we become. We
need to seize the day and decide right NOW that we are going to make something of
ourselves. In the words of A. A. Milne, Time is swift, it races by; opportunities are born and
die still you wait and will not try a bird with wings who dares not rise and try.
The truth is that if we make up our minds that we are going to achieve success, and put in
the necessary effort, the Universe will conspire to help us reach our goal. There are infinite
resources available, if we will just tap into them. As Christians often remind us, Youre the
Child of a King! It is only scarcity thinking that holds us back. Again, this is a vast topic,
which we can only briefly touch upon, here: we will explore it in greater depth another time.
17

Fundamentally, all we have to do is visualise what it is that we really want. What you can
conceive, you can receive. As Napoleon Hill reminds us, Imagination is the workshop of
your mind, capable of turning mind energy into accomplishment and wealth. According to
physics, everything is energy, so if we attune ourselves to the right frequencies of energy
we will bring into our world those realities that we desire. This is the basis of The Secret
(the Law of Attraction), Cosmic Ordering, and the Hermetic principle As above, so below.
As Wallace Wattles says in his timeless classic, The Science of Getting Rich, Man can
form things in his thought, and by impressing his thought upon formless substance can
cause the thing he thinks about to be created. And lest you doubt that this is so listen to
what world champion water-skier Camille Duvall has to say about this, on a purely
practical level: I train myself mentally with visualization. The morning of a tournament,
before I put my feet on the floor, I visualize myself making perfect runs with emphasis on
technique, all the way through to what my personal best is in practice.... The more you
work with this type of visualization, especially when you do it on a day-to-day basis, you'll
actually begin to feel your muscles contracting at the appropriate times. But its not just
the macro contraction of muscles that can be affected by the power of thought. In his
2007 book, The Brain That Changes Itself, Dr Norman Doidge tells of numerous scientific
experiments in which regular mental exercises, simply imagining desired actions and
results in activities such as playing the piano or chess, have been conclusively shown to
improve performance almost as effectively as actual practice.
Although the process of visualisation may not always generate immediate results, it is
important to remember that our thoughts have set wheels in motion, and therefore to avoid
creating opposing forces through negativity. One sure way of doing this is to regularly
practise gratitude whatever comes our way, to be thankful for it, and to keep a positive
view of what we have, rather than focusing on what we have not yet received. This clears
the way for us to receive more. It is also important that we give, in order to receive. And
this generous spirit should become a habit that continues even after we start receiving, so
that we dont block the flow of wealth. Of course, we should ideally aim to give for givings
sake, rather than purely in order to receive. Great wealth is of little value, if it doesnt
create a generous spirit within us. As Socrates said, If a man is proud of his wealth, he
should not be praised until it is known how he employs it.

18

you can be wise

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have
created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.
[Albert Einstein]
In recent years increasing numbers of people have declared themselves to be spiritual but
not religious (the so-called Nones), and it has been calculated that in the USA this
category may now include as much as one-third of the population. Significantly, this trend
has gone hand-in-hand with the rise of the New Age movement, along with a massive
resurgence of interest in Gnosticism. Whereas, in previous generations, most people were
content with a simple, largely unquestioning faith in the dogma of whatever established
religion they happened to be associated with, the modern approach tends to be much
more individualistic and experiential. Interestingly, despite some well-publicised exceptions
mankind generally seems not to have been deterred from pursuing its spiritual quest by
the advances made by science over the last few decades indeed, some fields, such as
quantum physics, have even supported the view that there is more to the Universe than
meets the eye. So today, more than ever, people are looking for answers to their questions
about the meaning of life and their part in it while here on Earth. Despite criticism from
some representatives of organised religion, and their suggestion that those who claim to
be spiritual but not religious (SBNR) are taking a soft option, there is evidence that many
of these refugees from the Establishment are not turning their backs on the latters
tradition of worshiping communally, but are creating instead a new kind of fellowship,
where different beliefs and perspectives are welcomed, rather than censured. And much of
this trends success is due to the way in which the Internet has given us all access to
limitless numbers of like-minded individuals across the globe contactable from the
comfort of our own homes and whenever it is most convenient to us and them.
One of the characteristics of this new spirituality is an increase in occurrences of
synchronicity and intuitive insights (or perhaps our willingness to recognise and act upon
such flashes of inspiration), as described by James Redfields hugely popular modern-day
parable The Celestine Prophecy. And as we focus increasingly on such matters we
attract others of like mind. A well-known Buddhist saying tells us that when the student is
ready, the master [or teacher] will appear. It is no accident that you have been led here!

19

This idea of events happening as and when they should or were intended to, in the
Grand Scheme of Things (The Cosmic Plan) is also part and parcel of the related
philosophical system known as the Tao, in which the practitioner seeks to become one
with the Tao, harmonising his/her will with Nature.
As this document went to print I was in the early stages of planning a new online
community called Pilgrims (I mentioned this earlier, on page 14) a spiritual fellowship
where the questioning attitude referred to, a moment ago, is actively encouraged. I bring
to the table a spirit of unconditional love, a desire to be of service to the community, and
years of experience as a spiritual coach and student. Members of groups I have run in the
past would testify to the value of participating in such activities, and several of them are
already on my early bird list. I have also written on spiritual topics in the past including
an article on 2012 which I originally published on Squidoo in 2008, and then re-published
on ezineArticles early in 2010. It compared multifaith approaches to the subject, and
presented an up-beat view of how the underlying influences might play out on a global
basis

and

within

our

individual

lives.

You

can

find

the

article

here:

http://ezinearticles.com/?2012---The-End-of-the-Age&id=5344003. See these comments

As an SBNR seeker it is possible, of course, to pursue a lone path. But progress is usually
much slower without the input of others, and for most of us the journey is made far more
pleasant by sharing it with fellow travellers. So I hope that you will consider becoming an
active member of our community. Meanwhile, do consider my earlier invitation to email me
at malcolmcdragon@gmail.com, to ensure that I can keep in direct contact with you.
DO IT NOW, BEFORE YOU FORGET!

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you can be happy

A man is about as happy as he makes up his mind to be.
[Abraham Lincoln]
In this short report we have seen how you (like every living soul on this planet of ours) are
miraculous, amazing, unique and important; and how you can start taking action to be
healthy, wealthy and wise. I have also referred to your essentially spiritual nature.
But I would like to ask you a question before you go on your way how happy are you,
right now and do you feel any happier than when you started reading this report?
I trust that some of what I have said will have made you feel more positive about yourself,
and your role in the world. But could it be that you still feel there is something missing
do you have a nagging suspicion that another ingredient is needed, before you can be
truly satisfied and fulfilled? I would not be at all surprised if that is so, because to be really,
profoundly happy we need to be doing something worthwhile for others. Unless we think
of others and do something for them, we miss one of the greatest sources of happiness
(Ray Lyman Wilbur).

One of the criticisms frequently levelled at those people who

describe themselves as SBNR (spiritual but not religious) is that by opting for solitude,
rather than the fellowship of a religious community, they are being selfish becoming
detached and avoiding relationships with others. If you are finding yourself drawn towards
a more personal and introspective spiritual lifestyle as many of my friends and
acquaintances are how can you balance your inner journey with an external structure
that brings you into the essential contact with others of like mind, without the constraints of
a formal religious organisation, or the fear of censure?
This is a challenge that many are grappling with, today, and to meet that need I invite you
to join me in our new online fellowship, Pilgrims. You will no doubt have already Liked
the communitys Facebook page in order to access this report but thats only the first
step. I would now like to contribute to your future happiness by welcoming you into full
membership of this group, so that you can enjoy the friendship that it offers, and help
create a welcoming environment for others who also come in search of meaning and
companionship.

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After nearly a lifetime of studying spiritual traditions, truths, and practices (and, whenever
possible, offering guidance, comfort, encouragement and friendship to anyone that sought
it) I have now drawn together this community of fellow seekers, to support, inspire and
inform one another. The Facebook page is just the beginning, although it will continue to
be our public face.

Behind the scenes we will offer a more private, safe, nurturing

environment where people can be invited in, if they are in need of spiritual help, or just
want reassurance that they are not alone, and that there are others around who care about
them and feel a sense of Oneness with them. It will be a spiritually-based fellowship,
where we can explore the meaning of life, and our part in it to move forward together
along the pathway, with a united sense of purpose and hope, yet without any of the
constraints of organised religion. In view of obvious geographical limitations the group is
likely to be virtual, at least in the first instance, but I would not rule out the possibility of
real-world meet-ups, too, from time to time, if members request this.

Seminars and

retreats are also a distinct possibility for the future.

So how do you become a full member?

Well, let me first reassure you that there is no fee for joining this fellowship is
open to all, regardless of their financial position.

A good heart and an open mind

are the only requirements, for basic membership. (There may, however, be fees for
attendance at offline events, should you choose to participate in these in the future.)

You may also be wondering how any existing associations with a formal religion
might affect your eligibility for membership. Let me state categorically that as far as
we are concerned being a Pilgrim is not in any way inconsistent with (or exclusive
of) membership of any religion, but neither does it require that you have any such
links. Please note that ultimately any decision about whether your existing religious
affiliations prohibit you from becoming a member of Pilgrims must be a decision for
you, and you alone. However, it is of course very likely that if you are a religious or
spiritual person your approach to life will already be very much the one of a Pilgrim.

We do request, however, that members avoid proselytising on behalf of any religion,

church or sect. We ask you, please, to respect others beliefs (or lack of them).

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That said, if you would like to become a part of this community, please send an
email to me, Malcolm C Dragon, at malcolmcdragon@gmail.com, stating in just a
short paragraph why you would like to join us. This doesnt need to be an essay
just a sentence or two will suffice. It is simply to demonstrate that you are genuinely
motivated by this unique opportunity to improve your self-esteem, be of service to
others, and explore spirituality together. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, What lies
behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us:
the groups aim is to help you discover the real you and, through association with
others of like mind, to receive inspiration, encouragement, teaching and
companionship on your journey through life.

Reflect for a moment on this: If you only look at what is, you might never attain what could
be (Mary Jo Petersen). Dont just be content with being an amazing individual:
acknowledge your Oneness with other seekers, and become a part of the Pilgrims
movement today. This could be the missing piece of the jigsaw, which will bring you the
true and lasting happiness that you desire and deserve.
Pilgrims
Come with me, to a distant landscape of rolling hills and endless plains. Distant, yet
strangely familiar. We have visited this place many times before: perhaps in a dream - or
maybe it was a race memory?
But this time it is different. We are no longer viewing this cyberian vision from afar;
instead, we are standing - as it were - on the threshold, and feeling the gentlest of breezes
on our faces, as we step forward into the sunlight.
We see a band of travellers heading our way - bards, every one. As they walk, they tell
each other their stories, which become intertwined, and merge into a group myth. These
aren't just wandering storytellers: their journey is a quest - a heroic quest - in search of the
Ultimate Truth. But it is given meaning by their association with each other - the needs
and aspirations that they share, and their mutual support and inspiration. Their inner
contentment shows on their faces, and their happy laughter resounds across the valley.

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We feel compelled to fall in step with them, and eavesdrop on their conversations. As
each new vista unfolds, they celebrate it together and reinforce the group story and their
sense of belonging to a meaningful community with a grand destiny - one that is far
greater than any one of them or, indeed, than even the sum of the members of that
community. Everyone a part of each other's story. For, the community has a life of its
own, and lends to each individual purpose, support and empowerment which they would
not experience if journeying alone. As they pass through the towns and villages - even the
countryside - they attract others, who cast in their lot with them.
And so the group grows steadily in size, and in its influence - on itself, but also on the
communities through which it passes. Individuals carry with them a variety of objects, for
their own use, but also for the benefit of the group: lights; food and water; music; books,
art and all kinds of entertainment. But most of all, they bring their stories. Some sad,
some inspirational, some of great adventures, some of love and some of achievements
and battles won. Stories told simply; stories told entertainingly with humour, flair and
confidence; stories told lovingly and humbly; some stories told a little at a time. But above
all - stories offered willingly to fellow travellers, to encourage them on their journey and
contribute to the larger story of the community itself. And in common with all the best
stories, this one has a beginning, and a middle - but no end!

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links

Chreda Foundation
Generosity News
Love Foundation
Malcolm C Dragon - email
Malcolm C Dragon - Facebook profile
Malcolm C Dragon - personal webpage
Pilgrims community page
Share for Prayer
"End of the Age" article

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