Lena had been a close friend of Peter and Eileen Caddy, Dorothy MacLean, and Sheena Govan since the 1950s and lived at Findhorn in the Early Days. A glimpse of her life is captured in this lovely tribute paid by Jonathan Caddy and John Willoner – “friends who knew her as well as any”.

Lena Lamont and John Willoner 2019

“Lena Lamont passed away peacefully on 19th May, aged 94. She was the last of the four Founders of the Findhorn Community to move into the “next realm”. This significant event marks the end of an era. Her daughter, Ruth, had been caring for her for many years, in Edinburgh.

Lena’s roots were in the Hebrides. She was born on the Isle of Skye into a crofting family in Kilmuir in the north of the island and was brought up with five siblings by her mother after her father’s early death. She was a Gaelic speaker and a clever student. In the 1950s, she was a daughter-in-law to Peter Caddy’s landlady in Glasgow. She knew Sheena, the spiritual teacher of the founders, and became part of their group.
When the Caddy family and Dorothy moved to Cluny Hill Hotel, she followed and became head of the domestic staff. When they were transferred to the Trossachs Hotel, she also joined them. On return to Findhorn, she lived in a tiny caravan with her three children, Angus, Ewan and Ruth, in “The Hollow”, beside the Caddys’ caravan. The Lamonts arrived some weeks after the Caddys, in the harsh winter of 1962, and were part of the very early community.

Dorothy Maclean described Lena as, “a lovely girl from Skye” and that she joined in as much as her shyness permitted. She took part in the quiet times and the inner work in those early days. As the community grew Lena worked very quietly behind the scenes until she left in 1975. She spoke with a beautiful Hebridean lilt and was a witness to the birth of this community. She was quiet, sensitive and selfless.

Our love and blessings go out to her and her family at this time.”

During the 60th Birthday Celebrations of the Findhorn Foundation, Robert Holden hosted ‘The Mystical Impulse’, an evening to celebrate the founders. Jonathan and I had shared memories of Lena and The Early Days (see video below). The Rev Dr Richard Frazer, friend and minister of Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh, was invited to read part of his eulogy for Lena. He touched on mysticism in Celtic spirituality and the Gaelic culture of which Lena was proud. Drawing on the wellspring of her Hebridean heritage, Richard put it to the gathering that:

“Today, whatever faith tradition we are part of, if we are part of one at all, we are learning the wisdom that people like Lena knew long ago, that reverence for the land and the natural world, and the conservation, nurturing and preservation of what is left of this fragile and beautiful earth is our greatest vocation and privilege.”

Ruth Lamont June 2023.

Further reading:

Peter: ‘In Perfect Timing, p. 128″
Eileen : “Flight Into Freedom and Beyond” p.68.
Dorothy: “Memoir of an Ordinary Mystic” p.56
The Findhorn Garden (1976) – Peter” p.17.

Featured image: we thank Ruth Lamont for the early portrait of Lena Lamont.
We thank Rev Dr Richard Frazer for is invaluable contribution of Lena’s Eulogy.

Extract from the Timeline:

1926
Lena is born in Kilmuir on the Isle of Skye
1956
Peter meets Lena Lamont in Glasgow
1957
Lena Lamont joins Peter, Eileen & Dorothy at Cluny
1962
Lena Lamont joins Peter and Eileen at Findhorn after their arrival at the caravan park
1975
Lena Lamont leaves Pineridge

You can find other stories about Lena on our website

This link will take you to her profile.

You can find stories which refer to Lena following this link to her tag.