The Beginning

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It started at the intersection of two impossible ideas. In 2012, Malcolm sat in a poor mountain district of China, as a Buddhist monk, appalled by the dilapidated state of the crumbling temple before him, dating back many hundreds of years.  The first idea begun from the desire to run weekend Mindfulness Retreats for international guests; any donations would help the temple revive itself.  A great idea but there were more than a few serious obstacles to overcome; no phone connection, no internet, no marketing skills, a very basic Chinese language ability and absolutely no seeding money. It seemed quite hopeless. The second impossible idea was when Malcolm was asked to help a poor young orphan woman, as well as abandoned persons with mental health issues, achieve their dreams despite their poverty, disability, and social barriers.

 

It was these two seeming impossible projects that summoned up the alignment of years of mental health work and Buddhism studies to ignited another idea. Malcolm needed to look at the way he thought and the more he studied the more he noticed the natural way of thinking standing in the way. “I had never observed my own thinking before and I realized I needed a way to think that brought results – quickly.  It was not just thinking positively. I needed a way to think that reframed the challenges and guide a step by step process to the emergence of innovative action.”

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From Malcolm’s profession as an experienced psychotherapist and mental health worker, he began to synchronize strategic thought processes both from Eastern philosophy as well as modern psychological modalities to enable him to reframe the obstacles and tap into his own strengths. To enable easy transfer of these psychological skills to others, each process was designated a ‘Door’. The Eight Doors open to empowering spaces that give strategies to enable you to think differently with a mindset that is focused and effective.

 

Three years later over 800 people had come on Mindfulness Retreats and the temple began to be repaired.  A young orphan woman and several others achieved their aspirations, attained education, employment and had valuable mind skills to help through their life journey. 

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With further studies the Shikodo Eight Door Method of Coaching and thinking eventually emerged.  You see, we have, for the most part, grown with a default mindset.  When we change our mindset to a ‘growth mindset’ the impossible gives way to ‘possible’ and we can emerge free. By rethinking the way we think great achievements can take place.

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Join us in the journey to a new mindset and not only discover what you can achieve but perhaps go on and teach the skills to others that they in turn may realize their deepest aspirations.