David Spangler lecture 1971 Photo Kathleen Thormod Carr
Education at The Park in Findhorn began in the very early Seventies as a small, in-house activity. It developed because, as new people joined the Community, there was a need to familiarise them with the spiritual, metaphysical, and mystical foundations from which the Community emerged. ‘Findhorn’ as a concept began to be formulated. (Editor’s note: Using the name of the neighbouring fishing village to describe that concept proved to be a source of conflict, and is an issue to this day.)
Initially, these classes, held irregularly as time permitted so as not to interfere with the work schedule, were limited only to Community members. However, as the number of visitors and guests kept increasing, it became apparent that having some form of educational programme for them would enhance their Findhorn experience. Programs such as the Experience Week and special Findhorn-oriented workshops began to evolve to meet the need.
This led to an expansion of the educational side of the Community, giving rise to an actual Educational Department that in turn developed a variety of programmes. More and more, the Community focussed on education.
While many of these programmes focused on living in community as well as on Findhorn’s spiritual principles, the concept of the “eco-village” also came to the fore as an important topic. This was a natural outcome of the community’s engagement with the garden, with the spiritual intelligences of nature, and with ecological sustainability. The Community was increasingly demonstrating just what such an eco-village would be like. Given the international membership and fame of the Community, this quickly developed into the idea of the “Planetary Eco-Village,” a living response to the growing ecological challenges facing humanity.
Conference in the Universal Hall ©Findhorn Foundation
Once the Universal Hall was built as a large meeting centre, it became possible for educational outreach to expand into holding international conferences, bringing together outstanding thinkers, teachers, activists, and leaders from around the world to present and discuss relevant topics, such as the Planetary Eco-Village and its promise for the future. The success of each such conference paved the way for the next, turning the Community into an international educational centre.
From the tiny seed of a small gathering of students, the Community’s educational work has expanded and matured, finding a powerful expression in its international conferences. However, through it all, there has remained a consistent thread: the vision of a harmonious future for humanity and the Earth, working together in a co-creative and collaborative partnership of love.
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Featured image – we thank pixabay.com
I have been a teacher of subtle realities for sixty years. I am married with four children, all of whom live in the Pacific Northwest. I have a granddaughter and a grandson.
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