David Lawrence Preston

Author: David Lawrence Preston

  • Is religion just a form of placebo?

    —

    by

    David Lawrence Preston
    in ,

    Our beliefs rule our lives and help to create our experience of life. They influence us whether we are paying attention to them or not and it doesn’t matter if they are true – the effect is the same. An untrue belief has just as powerful an effect as a true belief. The world we…

  • John the Baptist and the Carpenter from Nazareth

    —

    by

    David Lawrence Preston
    in

    It seems to me that John the Baptist plays a much bigger part in the gospels than he is given credit for. The gospels tell us that John was a reclusive holy man well-known for preaching that a new world order was about to be established and people had better repent and confess their sins.…

  • An Unusual Healing Experience in Brasil

    —

    by

    David Lawrence Preston
    in ,

    After a drive of several miles from the nearest town, Curitiba (in Southern Brasil), we arrived in a field at the end of a dusty track. It was early morning, still dark. In the corner of the field was a building that looked like an abandoned workshop except for a sign, Hopital de Senhor (Hospital…

  • The Troublesome Ego

    —

    by

    David Lawrence Preston
    in ,

    Is a powerful ego a good thing? Or does it just describe someone who thinks too much of themselves? Ego is Latin for ‘I’. It is the self as a thinking, feeling and self-determining being, distinguished from the selves of others. Fair enough, but in everyday use, it is often considered rather distasteful. When we…

  • The Eighth Principle of Relationships

    —

    by

    David Lawrence Preston
    in

    The eighth principle is: Work on yourself. Become a better person, and all your relationships will improve. The place to start if you want to improve your relationships is with yourself – improving your confidence and self-image, challenging harmful beliefs and learning new listening and communication skills. Cultivate an open, positive attitude to all your…

  • The Seventh Principle of Relationships: Acceptance

    —

    by

    David Lawrence Preston
    in

    ‘The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.’ Thomas Merton The Seventh Principle of Relationships is: Accept others as they are, not just as you want them to…

  • The Sixth Principle of Relationships

    —

    by

    David Lawrence Preston
    in

    The sixth principle of relationships is all about communication. Good communication skills are essential. Without them, relationships cannot prosper. For millions of years, humans lived like the animals, sheltering in caves, scratching out a basic existence in the forests and plains. Then we developed language. This made our thinking abilities soar and unleashed the power…

  • The Fifth Principle of Relationships

    —

    by

    David Lawrence Preston
    in

    The Fifth Principle of Relationships is: Relate to others on an emotional level. Have you ever wondered why some people get on with everybody? It’s usually because they understand that relationships are formed at an emotional level. Sometimes it’s instinctive – but not always. If you have empathy, it’s easier to build friendships and quickly…

  • The Real Secret

    —

    by

    David Lawrence Preston
    in ,

    The Law of Attraction The Law of Attraction is simply stated as ‘whatever we focus our minds upon we attract into our lives.’ It has become popular – dare I say fashionable – as a result of a best-selling book, CD set and DVD called ‘The Secret’. But it’s nothing new. King Solomon, the Buddha…

  • The Fourth Principle of Relationships

    —

    by

    David Lawrence Preston
    in

    The fourth principle is: Recognise that it is impossible to fake an interest in others The most popular people are usually those who are genuinely interested in others. This cannot be faked because you project your thoughts and feelings to others in many subtle and not-so-subtle ways. If you’re pretending, others know. Your facial expression,…