About Pilgrim Simon

Pilgrim Simon

Pilgrim Simon (Robert Laynton) was born in England in the 1950's. He developed an interest in spirituality in the late 1960's and originally adopted a Christian (Calvinist) viewpoint. However, the onset of bi-polar disorder or manic depression caused a severe challenge to his faith and by the late 1970's he had begun an earnest spiritual quest that led him to explore a number of world religions. As the result of having a number of mystical experiences, his emphasis was on personal transcendence and mysticism.

In the mid 1990's he obtained a B.Sc. Honours degree with the Open University, majoring in psychology and he subsequently spent three years in Post Graduate studies obtaining a Post Graduate Certificate and Diploma in counselling. at Keele University. He was a member of the Transpersonal Division of the British Psychological Society and contributed to its Journal, 'The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology'.

His spiritual quest eventually led him to move away from exclusive Christianity towards non-dualistic spirituality expressed in all the worlds major religions, drawing inspiration particularly from thinkers and mystics such as Shankara, Ibn al-Arabi and Miester Eckhart.

Pilgrim Simon is now semi retired and continues to live in England.