The Spirit of Findhorn
Two decades ago I wrote a short article about the ‘Spirit of Findhorn’ for Network News. I forgot about it until last week when a conference organiser at the Findhorn Foundation asked me whether they could reprint that article to help promote their coming Autumn conference. I replied. ‘Yes of course you can.’
Re-reading the article I quite like it still. Most of all, however, I find myself pondering how I am also in an awkward situation. On the one hand I am deeply involved in a project to mainstream a holistic and person-centred approach to spirituality; so I have to appear acceptable and sensible. (Great I have a Ph.D. from LSE etc.) On the other hand I have written a book on angels and fairies, and here I am too writing an article about the angel of Findhorn. (Whoops. This is a bit woo-woo and flaky and bonkers.)
So this is what I say to people who are snobbish and sarcastic about fairies and angels. I say to them: Have you never felt the beauty of landscape? Have you never felt the presence of a tree or mountain or river or ocean or cathedral? Where is your poetic imagination ? Why do you lock yourself in a realm devoid of mystery and imagination? Etcetera!
What follows is my original piece for Findhorn. If you are interested in their Autumn conference click here.
On the other hand you might want to join me for the Diploma in Practical Spirituality and Wellness that I am leading at Findhorn starting in October in four four-day slots. More info here
THE SPIRIT OF FINDHORN
People often ask me about visiting Findhorn and I also often have an intuition that people need to visit Findhorn. I also often find myself saying this:
“Even if the workshop is rubbish, even if the workshop facilitators are rubbish, you will nevertheless have an extraordinary experience. There is a spirit to the place that transcends and permeates even the worst events.”
This, I know, can sound like faint praise. But it also acknowledges one of the most important realities about the Findhorn foundation: It has an extraordinary and wonderful spirit.
The spirit of Findhorn. What do we mean by this? We mean that there is some kind of mythical and energetic being, some essence, which is at the very core of the place. This spirit of Findhorn can equally be called the ‘over-lighting angel’ of the place.
In tribal societies, in classical Rome and Athens, there was no problem about discussing the spirits, gods and goddesses, and angels. Every activity had a spirit. Every place had a spirit. Athens was over-lit by the great angel and goddess, Athena. There is a myth that this being went on to over-light Constantinople and then London.
If a flower can be over-lit and coloured by a fairy, if a mountain can have its huge and sweeping mountain spirit, why can’t a wonderful human community also have its angel? Anyone with the slightest sensitivity, if they choose to sit in silence and to open their psychic awareness, immediately feels and senses this presence that permeates and over-lights everything at Findhorn.
When I first came to Findhorn and sat in the sanctuary, I swooned at the magnificence and beauty and healing nature of this wonderful angelic presence that is companion to the whole community.
Sometimes people forget that a human community is also an eco-system, as fantastic and complex as anything in the Amazon rain forest. And like any eco-system, it has its nature spirits. Human beings are, despite appearances in the industrialised world, not separate from nature and Gaia. We are part of nature and we too have our great nature spirits that work with us, as individuals and as communities.
I would dare to suggest that the Angel of Findhorn has a magnificent history of being involved with human communities. Within her energy field she carries lovingly tolerant and understanding patterns of how humans can behave and inspiring blueprints of how fully perfect this community can be.
Even the most cynical of visitors may quickly become seduced by the quality of silence at Findhorn. What is this quality? It is the atmosphere of the Angel’s energy field inspiring us to something new and more loving.
Every time I visit Findhorn, I am touched, moved and educated not only by the people, but by the ever present spirit of the place. I am grateful and I seek to encourage everyone and anyone to enjoy a similar relationship.
For the Findhorn Co-Creative Spirituality Conference:
https://www.findhorn.org/programmes/co-creative-spirituality/
For the Diploma in Practical Spirituality & Wellness:
https://www.findhorncollege.org/programmes/applied-spirituality.php