Today I am speaking with Christine Jack in the latest An Evolving Man Podcast (AEM). AEM invites conversations about masculine psychology, healing trauma and boarding school syndrome. 

Christine Jack spent 35 years as an academic in the field of teacher education, including holding the position of Head of Primary Education at the University of Canberra. She is a respected and well published Australian educational historian and is currently an honorary researcher at Charles Sturt University.

Christine is also the author of Recovering Boarding School Trauma Narratives.

 I asked her some of the following questions: 

1. What lead you to write your book about your own boarding school journey and that of Christopher Robin Milne?
2. “Do you think boarding school has a place in the 21st Century?”
3. “If there was university research money available, what lines of inquiry might you consider most important regarding boarding school and its long term impact on individuals or society?”
4. “British boarding schools, Canadian and American Residential Schools for First Nations and Native American children, and boarding schools in countries including Australia, the USA, and South Africa, came to exist for different purposes (e.g. remediation, distance, social advantage, skills acquisition, religion). In your opinion what lessons about children's experience might be learned across these populations?”
5. “Boarding School Syndrome is becoming an increasingly well used frame of reference. How helpful is it in terms of describing, defining, helping, or diagnosing and treating an individual's response to boarding school?”
6. “Boarding school life of children is often equated with privilege in Britain - and beyond. How does that accord with your experience?”
7. “How do you see power and bullying as challenges in boarding schools? - do we think of children as 'essentially good' or 'little savages', and does this view shape how children are treated?”
8. “Might you frame some boarding school experiences as Children's Rights infringements?”
9. “Which type of therapy might be best suited to someone wanting to overcome boarding school trauma? Is it necessary for a therapist to understand fully BS syndrome in order to really understand those who are BS survivors? And could a specific therapy ever emerge to deal with BS trauma? Most therapists in my experience seem to have difficulty relating to our particular wounds.”
10. “How to reconnect with the development process of the child that was curtailed?”
11. “How to let go of regrets?”

 In order to find out more about Christine please visit: https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/en/persons/christine-trimingham-jack 

To buy her books from Routledge: https://www.routledge.com/Recovering-Boarding-School-Trauma-Narratives-Christopher-Robin-Milne-as/Jack/p/book/9780367819521 And from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Recovering-Boarding-School-Trauma-Narratives/dp/036781952X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=christine+jack&qid=161909

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Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems.

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man.

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community

Many blessings,

Piers Cross

http://piers-cross.com/

Professor Joy Schaverien works as a Jungian psychoanalyst, psychotherapist and art psychotherapist in private practice.   She supervises experienced practitioners and trainees.  She also lectures at home and internationally on varied topics. Her research interests are reflected in her books and published articles.

 Prior to training as an psychoanalyst and psychotherapist she has worked in the NHS in the UK and has held posts in Universities running the Master’s programme at the University of Hertfordshire.

Here are some of the questions that I asked her

1. What in your definition is Boarding School Syndrome?
   
   
   
2. I would love to hear how you started working in the area of boarding school syndrome. What drew you into working in this field? 
   
   
   
3. I am fascinated by art therapy having used it myself to great affect. Could you explain why you find art therapy works so well for ex-boarders?
   
   
   
4. “I find that when I am at my most in need i.e. ill or struggling with something really difficult, I will shut out everyone around me and just put my head down and get through it. Friends and family feel pushed away, but it’s the only way I know how to deal with hard situations. I then feel so alone and tired. How can I let people back in at my moments of need?”
   
   
   
5. “I would love to know more about the split self that happens when you go to boarding school at a young age. How does it manifest through life? How can we recognise its there? What healing work can a person do to reunite all aspects of themselves?” 
   
   
   
6. “Should boarding in pre-teens be defined as child abuse?- Should the multiple financial incentives via reduced rates, subsidy from government via gift aid to private schools which board etc, be curtailed?- Do boarders suffer similarly to refugees, despite the status differences?
   
   
   
7. “What is Joy’s point of view on what ‘recovery’ looks like after boarding school?”
   
   
   
8. “Boarding school broke my family relationships as well as a large part of me. I would be must interested to hear what she has to say about family relationships. Being sent away to school at 9 years and leaving my younger brother living at home and being educated locally - has made our sibling relationship very difficult. Can these relationships be repaired?”
   
   
   
9. “Her book was so insightful! I would love to know more about BS and the connection with eating disorders, as I myself suffer with anorexia (others have asked about overeating or binge eating) and have done since very young and I’m sure it comes from the feeling of abandonment.” 
   
    To find out more about Joy's work please visit: https://www.joyschaverien.com/ To purchase her books on Amazon please visit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=joy+schaverien&ref=nb_sb_noss For the Boarding School Survivors Support: https://www.bss-support.org.uk/ #boardingschoolsyndrome #joyschaverien #boardingschooltrauma 

---

Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems.

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man.

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community

Many blessings,

Piers Cross

http://piers-cross.com/

In today's podcast I am interviewing Alex Renton who is the author of the book Stiff Upper Lip and producer of the ITV documentary Secret Shame about child abuse at boarding school.

Alex is a writer and journalist whose career has ranged from arts and food writing to politics and the investigation of child abuse. His career as a war reporter and development worker took him to the Middle East, Africa, East Asia and the Balkans. He has worked for The Independent, The Times, Newsweek, and the London Evening Standard and contributed to a host of other newspapers and magazines. He is also the author of the e-book Planet Carnivore: how cheap meat costs the earth (Guardian Shorts, 2015).

Alex has won many awards for his work in investigative journalism, conflict and development reporting and for food writing, including the One World Award and the Glenfiddich Trophy.

Born in Canada, educated in English boarding schools and at Exeter University, Alex now lives in Edinburgh with his wife, son and daughter.

Here are some of the questions that I asked him:

1. I would love for you to share your own boarding school journey and how things changed for you in 2013 with the article you read about child abuse at the boarding school you attended?
   
   
   
2. What are some of the insights that you have had from publicly sharing your journey? Have people in the main been critical or supportive of you?
   
   
   
3. I would love to hear what you have found out re boarding school and complex trauma. I am hearing people talk about PTSD and boarding school syndrome. What is your sense of this analysis?
   
   
   
4. What do you see are some of the main issues that we as ex-boarders present? e.g. relationship problems, emotionally shut down etc. 
   
   
5. My work is in helping people to heal from boarding school wounds. I would love to hear what you have found has helped others in the stories that you have heard? What has worked for you?
   
   
   
6. I love in your book how you talk about initiation (P.41). I would love to speak a little about how boarding school could be seen as an initiation – although not a healthy one. What could we do instead to help initiate boys and girls?
   
   
   
7. What is your vision for the future re boarding schools. Can we change the system? If so how do you feel we can change the system? Can we stop early boarding? What is the future of BS?
   
   
   
8. What are you doing next? How do people get in touch with you or get your book?

Alex also shared about the IICSA and said the following: “I think if we are going to get results out of it for children in residential care, in terms of solid safeguarding protocols and hard law to protect them and the whistleblowers, it will be largely because of Tom Perry's tireless work with mandatenow.org.uk

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Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems.

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man.

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community

Many blessings,

Piers Cross

http://piers-cross.com/

 On today's podcast I am joined by the First Nations elder Ipswa Mescacakanis Douglas Headworth. 

Ipswa is a great grandfather in the northern tribes of Canada and works at supporting his community. 

Ipswa also helps with rites of passage ceremonies with teenage boys and volunteers with the men's charity the Mankind Project. 

Today Ipswa shares his perspective on the recent "Black Lives Matter" movement. 

He talks about it from an indigenous perspective. He also talks about what we can do to reconnect to Mother Earth, how to use a talking stick and about Rites of Passage and how we bring our children up. Some of the questions that I asked Ipswa were as follows: 

1. What can we do to heal this racial divide that we currently see playing out in the world and come back in to balance with all our relations? 
2. What can we do as men (and women) to get back in touch with Mother Earth and with each other? 
3. Often I hear teachers speak about the importance of looking back and learning from our ancestors in order to move forward. What do you feel the Ancestors are saying to us at the moment? What are the key teachings in order for us to move forward? 
4. I know that you have done a lot of work with teenage boys and I would love to hear your perspective about initiation. How do we initiate teenage boys? What is needed? How do we support this generation? 
5. How do we support any projects that you are doing? 

To support Ipswa in his fundraising for Rites of Passage for teenage boys please leave a donation here: https://gf.me/u/ygfxw2 

---

Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems.

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man.

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community

Many blessings,

Piers Cross

http://piers-cross.com/

On today's podcast I am joined by the international teacher Darren Deojee where we talk about gender differences, how men relate differently to the world than women and how we as men move from boy to man.

Darren is a fascinating person to talk to. He is very eloquent and I love his ideas. Here we explore the difference between masculine and feminine from the Toltec tradition which is similar teachings to that of Carlos Castaneda.

Darren Christopher Deojee is an international teacher, speaker, activist, mentor/coach, father, and home educator of four children. He’s been teaching from the Toltec heritage of gender tradition for over 10 years and working with native gender for over 20 years. He works with groups, individuals, and couples on matters of gender and communication. 

Some of the question that I asked Darren were as follows:

1. What drew you to get interested in men's work?
2. In your opinion what is the difference between the masculine and feminine?
3. In some of your talks you talk about men's relationship to their balls. Can you explain more about that? Also how do we as men get our balls back?
4. I am fascinated by your own journey of feeling more feminine as a boy and how you became more connected with the inner man? For those men who feel the same what do you recommend that they do to connect more with that masculine core?
5. I love your analogy with the wild man. How do we connect to the wild man?
6. I am also interested in your opinion around fear – I see that many men are paralysed by fear – what's really worked for you or the men you work with for moving through fear?
7. I see that the world is at crossroads – how do you see men's roles in the coming weeks, months and years for stewarding a new, benevolent world for our children?
8. Can you share what it is that you offer men? How do people get in touch with you?

In order to learn more about his work please visit: https://www.darrendeojee.com

And for some of the other videos then please search YouTube looking for Darren Deojee or visiting his YT page here: 

https://www.youtube.com/user/AlternativeAnswers

And his public Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/christopherdeojee/

---

Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems.

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man.

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community

Many blessings,

Piers Cross

http://piers-cross.com/

 In today's Podcast I talk with the founder of Reclaim Your Inner Throne, Eivind F Skjellum. 

Today we will be looking at conspiracy theories and how when we get lost in them this keeps us small and powerless. 

 Eivind is the visionary founder of Reclaim your Inner Throne, an organization spearheading both a renaissance and an evolution of archetypal men’s work. 

 Recognized as an authority in men's work and the King, Warrior, Magician, Lover archetypes, he's an innovator in the field and has supported hundreds of men in transforming their lives. 

 Eivind is currently focusing on writing, developing the RYIT organization and trainings, and creating A World where People thrive by supporting one million men become evolutionary entrepreneurs by year 2050. 

 Today Eivind talks about mythology and it's relationship to conspiracy theories. 

He talks about how myths are deep truths and its connection with being and becoming. 

Why is it that by getting lost down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole for men can keep you small? 

He also goes on to talk about 4 ways that we as men can start to break the hold that these conspiracies hold over us and start to live empowered and benevolent lives. 

--- 

With conspiracy theories taking off in the world, we're being divided between those who believe them and those who don't. 

Yet today's talk by Reclaim your Inner Throne founder Eivind F. Skjellum is not about what is true or not. 

Instead he talks about he dynamics of disempowerment that are part and parcel of conspiratorial thinking. 

Some questions that he answers are: - What drew you to get interested in the work that you now do with men, especially around the archetypes? - Why getting lost in conspiracy theories can destabilize us? What do you see happening currently? - I would interested in your view around the shadows and how Robert Moore says that in order to connect to the positive pole of the archetype the bipoloar shadow has to be integrated as much as possible first. How do we integrate the shadow? 
- With what is unfolding in the world (lockdown/ riots/ reconnection with nature) how can this be connected to the archetypes? 
- I would like you to speak about initiation and your view on whether what is unfolding globally could be linked to the lack of positive initiation ceremonies especially with men. How do we bring back initiation in a positive way? 
- You talk about embodying the Warrior energy in some of your other videos – how do we do that as men? How do we take our power back? 

--- 

To learn more about the work that Eivind does with men please visit his website at https://www.inner-throne.com/ 

To join his Facebook group please visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/863316220362727/ 

And to download the free book Where Peasants become Kings: https://www.inner-throne.com/ebook 

---

Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems.

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man.

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community

Many blessings,

Piers Cross

http://piers-cross.com/

 In today's Podcast I talk with the founder of Trackways, Thomas Schorr-Kon, the UKs first nature connection, bushcraft and survival school. 

In this episode we talk about Thomas' own journey of connecting to the teachings of Tom Brown Jr, the tracker who inspired the film The Tracker. 

Thomas talks about how he learned to feel that wherever he stood on the planet that he was home. 

Today he shares some teachings about the Warrior and the Magician/ the Shaman. Where do the Warrior and the Shaman meet? 

Some questions that he answers and poses are: 
- What is the most important thing that Tom Brown Jr learned that he shared with his students 
- The importance of Rites of Passage 
- How to move out of judging others and judgments 
- Why inquiry and not believing what others teach us is so important 
- How to move through fear 
- How to become more present and have greater awareness in life 
- Why we need to bring more curiosity in our lives

For Thomas' book please visit here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/True-Nature-CONNECTING-ILLUSION-SEPARATION/dp/1790581168/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=thomas+schorr&qid=1590679997&sr=8-1 

For his website: https://www.trackways.co.uk/ 

To email Thomas [email protected] 

---

Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems.

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man.

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community

Many blessings,

Piers Cross

http://piers-cross.com/

 Today's interview is hosted by Rod Boothroyd who is interviewing Piers Cross. 

Piers is talking about his new book, How To Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. 

It has been many years in the making - he first started it in 2008... 

It is a book about the challenges that he went through from having a breakdown working in London to drink and drugs and being without a home. 

He also talks about the 3 years I spent getting sober while living in a Buddhist monastery. 

What did he learn? What are the tools are practices that you can use to deal with challenging times. 

He talks about some of the 101 different ways and techniques for moving through challenges and coming out the side. 

How do we go through difficult times and start to thrive? 

Some of the questions that Rod asks are: 
- Tell us a little about your background and experience in healing work? 
- What led you to write the book? 
- Who is it aimed at? 
- How personally challenging was it, interweaving your very personal journey through the exercises and "101 ways"? 
- What's the greatest lesson life has taught you? 
- Do you have a favourite exercises (or exercises) from the book? 
- Is there an example of an exercise that you could talk us through right now? 
- How do you see the importance of compassion and gratitude in emotional healing? 
- What would you say to someone in crisis right now that might help them see the way out? 
- Can you offer advice about how to keep up the exercises? (We know how people start new practices with enthusiasm, then the old habits slowly creep back in, and I imagine really committing to the practices in the book takes more than willpower....) 
- One of the things I am seeing more and more is how trauma is stored in the body. How do you think people can deal with this? 
- How do you see your book's advantages 
- how does it stand out 
- in a world where lost of books offer us the promise of emotional healing? 
- What projects have you got in mind - eg boarding school recovery? 

 Here is the link to buy it. https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1589988169&sr=8-3 

---

Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems.

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man.

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community

Many blessings,

Piers Cross

http://piers-cross.com/

 In the third podcast I interview Roger Terry who is an international NLP Master Trainer and public speaker.

As an expert on Neuro Linguistic Programming and human value systems, Roger leads seminars and consults with organizations in the UK, USA, Europe and Middle East.

Every few weeks there will be an interview around men's topics ranging from self-development, relationships, spirituality, archetypes, and men's work featuring authors and leaders in this field.

The sense with these interviews is to support men during these times of change. What are the teachings, tools and practices that you can use to help you through these turbulent times?

 ---

Roger is the author of 3 books about NLP and he has, with Henrie Liddiard, trained over 1000 Fast Track teachers in NLP.

He set up Evolution Training with his wife Emily in 1996 where they run courses and offer coaching helping people to reach their full potential.

Today we talk about NLP practices and tools that can help men to become more present.

Roger talks about how men are no longer pushing forward and what they can start to do in order to develop this.

Roger teaches specific practices for becoming more embodied (a common criticism of the modern man is that they are not present) and how to change our internal states.

Some of the questions he answers are:
- How do we understand emotions as men
- The 2 stages of transformation 
- How to build a witness consciousness 
- Building sensory acuity 
- How to switch from sympathetic nervous system
 - the fight or flight to the parasympathetic nervous system of rest and digest 
- NLP Techniques for becoming more present  
- The importance of ceremony/ group activity and being in nature 

For more information about Roger Terry: http://www.evolutiontraining.co.uk/ 
please email: [email protected] or call: 01243 792 122 

---

Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems.

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man.

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community

Many blessings,

Piers Cross

http://piers-cross.com/

 In the second podcast I interview James Boag who is a Sanskrit scholar and a yoga teacher.

Drawing on his background in languages and scriptural teachings he brings the practical essence of traditional Indian teachings into the vivid context of our human lives today.

He has been teaching since 1993, and teaching yoga since 2004.

James runs intensives and online trainings on applied yoga philosophy and mythology around the world.

Today we talk about yoga and the whole human being. How can you find that inner yoga, that inner union?

We will be talking about how the primal energies of the archetypes manifest in Indian scripture and how we can use this knowledge to better understand ourselves as men.

Some of the questions he answers are: 
- How can we stop, look and listen and bring centred awareness back in our being? 
- The importance of satsang - connecting with other men 
- Teachings about the Bhagavad Gita and how Krishna taught Arjuna 
- How you can learn to align with consciousness 
- The importance of Raja yoga 
- the Sovereign/ King energy 
- How courage helps us to connect to the inner sovereignty 

For more information about James Boag: http://www.jamesboagyoga.com 

---

Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems.

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man.

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community

Many blessings,

Piers Cross

http://piers-cross.com/