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Post date: May 1, 2017 10:53:30 AM
For centuries Iona Abbey has been a welcoming beacon for pilgrims
‘As a pilgrim I discover the mystery, the magic, the meaning and the magnificence of life in every step I take, in every sound I hear and in every sight I see’
Satish Kumar, spiritual and ecological activist
How interesting it is that I’ve travelled many millions of miles flying, driving and sailing – and yet it is only while walking at the pace of our ancestors that I’ve slowed enough to appreciate the difference between being a tourist and a pilgrim.
Almost always it has been in wild Nature that I’ve found my greatest inspiration and clarity, although occasionally I’ve known that peace and serenity as my spirits have soared in cathedrals, temples, mosques or meditation sanctuaries.
Most often those magic moments have happened while walking or sitting alone in a place of natural beauty, usually at daybreak while celebrating the luminosity of first light. That’s definitely a treasured time for many pilgrims.
Findhorn Foundation co-founder Eileen Caddy spoke of the ‘small, still voice within’ and encouraged each of us to take quiet time to hear those whispers of inner knowing, while centuries ago Persian poet Rumi insisted: “Silence is the language of God; all else is poor translation.” There seems to be widespread agreement that whatever our faith, or lack of it, we benefit from gifting ourselves with time away from everyday busyness to centre ourselves and be still.
Exploring the sacred Isle of Iona in the time-honoured manner of our ancestors
Pivotal to my own growth and understanding has been meeting Earth Pilgrim Satish Kumar a few years ago and then attending a five-day workshop led by him entitled Exploring Inner and Outer Landscapes. The 80-year-old former monk guided a programme that immersed us in the loving embrace of Mother Nature as we explored beautiful Scottish landscapes around Findhorn, often walking meditatively in silence.
Life, he insists, is a sacred journey and the Earth our sacred home.
“Either we can act as tourists and look at the Earth as a source of goods and services for our personal use, or we can become Earth Pilgrims and treat the planet with reverence and gratitude.
“Tourists value the Earth and all her natural riches only in terms of their usefulness to themselves, while pilgrims perceive the planet as sacred and recognise the intrinsic value of all life.”
I try to do that every day, regardless of the weather, allowing myself time to walk through the woods to Findhorn Beach, pausing to appreciate the trees around me, the sky above, and recently an amazing and prolonged encounter with a solitary dolphin.
A participant in last year’s Pilgrimage retreat enjoys a secluded beach walk
Soon my friend Adelle Horler and I will be blessed with a fortnight on the Hebridean Isle of Iona where the Findhorn community has a cosy retreat house overlooking the sea called Traigh Bhan.
In the summer months and certain other times of the year it offers week-long guest retreats, and we are privileged to be holding two. The first is entitled The Way of the Pilgrim and begins on 17 June, while on 24 June we have one of our regular Summer Retreat Weeks where we’ll all have the opportunity to co-create an expansive and nourishing week.
A maximum of six guests will be accommodated in each retreat and the proviso is that all have completed Experience Week or a programme that has immersed them in the community’s core values of inner listening, co-creation with the intelligence of Nature, and the experience of work – or service – as love in action.
It is an invitation to join us on the sacred island that has been a place of pilgrimage for many centuries since the arrival of the Christian monk and missionary St Columba in 563. We share work and play and prepare and enjoy meals together.
The retreats combine the opportunity for solo or gently guided walks, reconnection with the beauty and healing powers of Nature, meditation, and time to relax and enjoy the simplicity of island life.
For more details click here
Walking a labyrinth at Columba Bay
The Traigh Bhan retreat house is an oasis of peace
A pilgrim enjoying a protected beach on a sublime sunny day
Traigh Bhan guests share a meal during last year's inaugural Pilgrimage retreat
Relaxing in the garden with an uninterrupted view across to neighbouring the Isle of Mull
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