There is a famous phrase, attributed to the Sufi tradition: Be in the world but not of it… The sentiment refers to how an individual views their life, and also
Category: alchemy
The UnburntThe Unburnt
We have a favourite local walk that follows the elevated line of the old Preston-Kendal canal… It was closed as a waterway in the late 1940s and drained in the
‘China my China’…‘China my China’…
* ‘The square inch house In the square foot field…’ * The way is Self-existent. Nameless. Shapeless. Primal. Nature and spirit. * Spirit and nature are Unseen Within the light
Representing the InvisibleRepresenting the Invisible
For this you were called, created, formed and made… The human mind has always sought to represent the invisible… A feeling might be represented by high art, such as Michelangelo’s
being beingbeing being
I usually write it with a capital: Being. But strictly it is just another noun, so it’s fine as simply being. Except it’s not…because that devalues its importance. Being is
A Jewel in the Crown…A Jewel in the Crown…
*** Tarot Card – The Hermit: In a high place, which may well be interior, holds aloft a light. * ‘…And it makes me wonder…’ Stairway to Heaven * PROJECTION
the other side of colour (1 of 2)the other side of colour (1 of 2)
It’s a poignant time of year… I love colour. I’m sure we all do. It’s difficult to say farewell to the mellow flashes of autumn; to know that it will
Wayland: Silver-Smith of Souls…Wayland: Silver-Smith of Souls…
* There are a number of intriguing aspects to the legend of Wayland Smithy… The earliest written sources appear late and are decidedly piecemeal. * Wayland is the son of
A Union of Opposites (2)A Union of Opposites (2)
In Part One, we looked at the subtle meaning of the word ‘elements’, and how spiritual paths like Yoga and the Western Mystery Tradition (WMT) view them as essential components
A Union of OppositesA Union of Opposites
Anyone having a basic knowledge of the history of philosophical thought will be familiar with the ‘quaint notion’ that the world is made of a mixture of four ‘elements’ –
Cycles of Light (2) – Wheels of FortuneCycles of Light (2) – Wheels of Fortune
In Part One, we examined the days of our week and the planets after which they are named: Sunday – Sun’s day Monday – Moon’s day Tuesday – Mars’ day
Cycles of Light (1)Cycles of Light (1)
Have you ever considered how strange our week is? By this, I mean we get to the end of its seven days and fall off into an infinity of named
Fear and Love in the High Peak – part oneFear and Love in the High Peak – part one
It’s not the best of photo resolutions, but the above image says it all. Briony saluting the Derbyshire landscape in her own way at the end of three days of
The Cycle of LifeThe Cycle of Life
The approach of the autumn always makes me reflect on the nature of life; in particular the way the mysterious essence of life takes form and shape, ‘living’ for a
Half-seeingHalf-seeing
Image: ©️Stephen Tanham The spiritual teacher and philosopher Krishnamurti once wrote: ‘Recognition dulls the mind’. When I first read it, years ago, I disagreed with his proposition. Surely, I reasoned,
Only a Horse and a SwordOnly a Horse and a Sword
We become habitual in our thinking. It’s a good idea (and fun) to play little games with our mind to help us look at things differently. One of these is
Harlequin SolsticeHarlequin Solstice
Harlequin Solstice St John Kin A picture in the fading sun A race of fingers, digits Of Solstice long earned Short departed ➰ How little How sadly You are understood
Seeds of Sound…Seeds of Sound…
* Our Words of Truth with their intents: EARTH – to become aesthetically aware… CALM – to affirm in admiration… HAY – to treat with equality… EAT – to live
The Wyrm and the Wyrd: DescentThe Wyrm and the Wyrd: Descent
The trouble with awe-inspiring landscapes is that the camera can never do them justice. It is not merely a matter of scale, depth and perspective… the lens can capture all
Unexpected Shaman (4) – In the Mouth of the JaguarUnexpected Shaman (4) – In the Mouth of the Jaguar
Really? A giant, black, Jaguar materialised from the south face of the Chichen Itza pyramid and thundered across the ground to devour you? On one level, it’s a preposterous thing