Malcolm’s Story

 

Acharya Malcolm

Quite simply, Acharya means Teacher. So: Malcolm the Teacher

Acharya M.

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I'm Malcolm and the website reflects most of what I believe: a Buddhist perspective on my life, my belief about life and death, the nature of spirituality, reiki healing and my own journey towards spiritual enlightenment and true self-knowledge.

Priesthood

Once upon a time, when I was just 16, I was accepted by the Church to become an Anglican priest and I was very active in the church of my choice, St Edmund's in Dudley. I served at Mass every weekday morning at 7.00 am and was even chosen to be Sub-Deacon at a festival tridentine Mass. I loved dressing in the vestments, the incense, the candles and the music. It was at this time that I met Ann and we became 'an item' on a pilgrimage, one Whitsun Bank Holiday, to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. Well it was a long time ago! Everyone knew I was to be a Priest. Some didn't expect me to have a girlfriend! (We’ve now been married for 53 years)

Exodus

I first began to doubt the historical existence of 'Jesus Christ' during my studies at College and I became unhappy with the teachings, the power and the establishment of the Church. I became a non-believer. Needless to say my decision to change my path created shockwaves in the Church community and beyond!

Teachng

I gravitated towards teaching. After three wonderful years at Chester College (now Chester University), I started my career as an English teacher and enjoyed teaching children of secondary school age. Eventually I got promoted to become a Head of English, first in a Catholic school and then a Community School in a deprived area of Wolverhampton but I didn't want to do that forever. I became unhappy with the culture, the whole system  and the whole establishment of the education service. Something was missing from my life.

Business Years

Restless for change, in 1983 I joined a small financial services company in Wolverhampton and after demonstrating that I could sell and manage teams of people, I was invited to become one of its Directors. At one time we had over 1000 people on the payroll: my speciality was sales and management training and development.  Later I   became an Associate Training Director of a subsidiary of Citicorp, New York.

I didn’t stay with that first company but I worked in quite a senior capacity in financial services until I retired. I can’t say that I was ever truly happy. I was concerned about the ethics of some of the behaviours of others re- business practices. Something was still missing from my life.

Finding Myself

Looking back I can see that I've always been spiritual. Attending Church, in our  family was a way of life. We went to church three times each Sunday, as I sang in the church choir. ​

I rediscovered my spirituality whilst working, first for eight months in Beijing, China and then for almost two years in Seoul, South Korea. What brought me there?  The details are irrelevant but I had (with four other Directors) been involved in a serious dispute with the American Insurance company that had bought us out, refused to pay us and they had blacklisted us which prevented us from working in the UK.   During the five years it took to get our case heard in the High Court in London I    resorted to joining an offshore company working with ex-pats in matters of pensions, investments and so on. By the way, we won our case and received some damages.

I was now self-employed and I enjoyed this status being responsible for my own work and rewards. Living and working first in China and then Seoul. South Korea and  and having the opportunity to visit Japan on various business trips meant I became very familiar with Temples and Buddhist practices.  I found the temples to be places of refuge and quiet and began to be greatly interested in Buddhism.

Buddhist Society

As soon as I returned permanently to the UK, I completed a correspondence course with the Buddhist Society and the rest, as they say, is history. I had practiced  meditation for many years beforehand as a way of dealing with stress and anxiety but it was one afternoon in Tenbury Wells that reconnected me with my childhood and teens in a very spiritual way.

Reiki comes into my life

I returned fully to my spiritual (not religious)  life, after meeting Alison, a Reiki   Master at the Tenbury Wellness Centre. Our paths crossed just when I was going through a personal existential crisis and Alison persuaded me to participate in some of the Centre's activities. I was introduced to Reiki Healing and also in the spiritual development group, met  Penny, a Buddhist priest, who developed my Buddhist practice and set me on my current path. 

My Path

I don’t follow any particular Buddhist tradition and I wouldn’t call myself a Buddhist as I don’t go to any Temple but I do follow the Buddha’s teaching as taught by Thich Nhat Hanh, Lama Surya Das and the Dalai Lama. I believe passionately that Love is at the centre of all things temporal and spiritual and is the very nature of the Universal Life Force. Love shows itself in compassion and the way we care for ourselves and others.

Reiki

At the centre of my practice is Reiki, a form of healing that has its roots in Japan and can only be practiced deeply if one strives to become One with that Universal Energy or ‘Om’ as it is known in Buddhist teachings.

Our World

We live on a very small planet, travelling at an unbelievably high speed around the sun in a galaxy which is vast and also moving, in a cosmos which is expanding and changing constantly. We are tiny and there are millions of us living on Planet Earth. Earth is our home: not just our home but it is alive, pulsating and forever changing and it’s energy is palpable.

The earth and the cosmos are alive just as we are alive and our existence depends on the amazing Life Force Energy . We and the cosmos are one.

Care for the Planet

We have a responsibility to look after, care for and nourish Mother Earth and all the sentient beings that live here. We should not be harming and exploiting the planet. We do not own it! Similarly, I believe we should all be caring for people, either welcoming refugees, healing the sick, comforting the bereaved, feeding the poor, regardless of their colour or creed or where they happen to live in the world. We are one people and one world. I have found my path: it is Reiki healing and 'Reiki Buddhism'. 

Reiki Master.

After becoming a Reiki Master, I set up what was the Stourport Healing Circle and the Mindfulness Academy. We adopted the Dragonfly name in 2020 in order to widen its appeal and I now have many clients, a community of fellow meditators and a Reiki Circle that I am privileged to be involved with. ​ Professionally I am privileged to have been accepted as a member of The Reiki Guild and am recognised as a Reiki Teacher.  I'm also a  Member of The Reiki Healing Association and a Teacher Member of Shibumi International Reiki Association.

Malcolm the Coach

 It is only very recently that I have decided to include coaching in what I do. I have been coaching for 50 years: I did it as a teacher when children were struggling with their education and their lives generally. I did it when training : I coached team building, communication skills, de-cluttering one’s life, dealing with difficult people, motivation skills and aspects of mental fitness. Just to make sure I am still on track I have recently completed three coaching courses by way of my own professional development and skills training.

Let's Meet

Maybe now we will meet. It could be for a coffee and a chat. Maybe you would like to receive a Reiki treatment. Maybe you need coaching in some aspect of your life.  Maybe you want to learn how to live mindfully or wish to become a Reiki practitioner.  Maybe you want to come to our one of the meditation gatherings we have each week. Whatever you’re looking for, you can be assured a very warm welcome.