A while back, I was writing about the spiritual community of Damanhur in Italy and the works of architectural wonder they’d achieved. It seemed like I was, therefore, somewhat overdue to write about a community a bit closer to my heart – Findhorn.
The Findhorn community, located way up in northeastern Scotland, began as the divinely inspired vision of Eileen and Peter Caddy and their friend, Dorothy McLean. Eileen was guided by what she called ‘the still, small voice within’, prompting her to settle in the seemingly inhospitable lands near Findhorn village. Both Eileen and Dorothy continued to receive input and direction from their connections to Spirit, Eileen from the same inner voice and Dorothy from the various energies of the natural world surrounding them. I’m not usually much of a fan of ‘channelled’ work but the information received at Findhorn engages me – running from mystical to eminently practical (advice from the compost angel is divine information I can connect with!).
What started as a collection of raggle taggle caravans, organic gardens and tons of hard work from the founders has evolved and expanded into a thriving community. Beyond the people living at Findhorn today, there is the wider Findhorn Foundation. Their website defines it thusly:
The Findhorn Foundation is a spiritual community, ecovillage and an international centre for holistic education, helping to unfold a new human consciousness and create a positive and sustainable future.
Each year, thousands visit the community to participate in the numerous conferences, workshops and events hosted by the Findhorn Foundation. The essential Findhorn training is their Experience Week, an opportunity for visitors to live in the community, participate in work, play and contemplation with the people of Findhorn.
There’s a wealth of information on Findhorn’s vision and work on their website. I’ve been fortunate enough to visit the Findhorn community twice and look forward to my next time walking the leafy pathways of this special place. For my initial stay, I wasn’t sure what I would encounter – the concept of the intentional community covers a pretty broad spectrum and when you throw the element of a spiritually oriented group into the mix, the possibilities get even more varied!
I first noticed was that Findhorn is a very beautiful place. The mix of the natural world and the created gardens and plantings (which are extensive), the attention to detail in the creation of the various structures – some whimsical (houses made from giant industrial whisky barrels), some grander (Universal Hall’s stonework and stained glass) all join to give one a tremendous sense of joy. Sensitivity to the environment is a major component of new building work at Findhorn, with various styles of eco-housing gracing the community, as well as their own collection of wind turbines to power the homes and buildings.
The act of eating together as a community is another powerful experience. Everyone joined together to bless the food and to thank the kitchen workers for it and then we all tucked into some of the most delicious vegetarian food I’ve ever had (added bonus – one night, Dorothy MacLean was in line ahead of me!).
It was refreshing to see the variety of people around the dining hall – from babes in arms to teens to adults from various corners of the world. Some lived here year round, others were like myself, only visiting for a time.
If all of this has piqued your interest, do swing by their website. One of the offshoot businesses from the community (and there are a number!) is Findhorn Press, who publishes everything from the seminal works of the community’s founders to new writings that honour Spirit and the natural world.
For Findhorn background information and introductions to Eileen and Dorothy’s work, I’d suggest:
God Spoke to Me (Eileen Caddy)
Opening Doors Within (Eileen Caddy) – daily meditations from Spirit, recently released with a new introduction by Mike Scott of the Waterboys, a community member himself!
The Findhorn Garden Story (The Findhorn Community) – just re-released with gorgeous colour images from the gardens.
To Hear the Angels Sing (Dorothy McLean) – her work with the nature spirits and plant devas
Flight into Freedom (Eileen Caddy) – an autobiographical account of her life.
As an interesting side note, the Angel Cards, with their simple words of inspiration, are an off shoot of the Transformation Game, which was created at Findhorn!
