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Q. What would be the qualifications of those in the inner core?
A. Those common to all spiritual endeavours: dedication, purity of being and of intent; harmlessness, love and wisdom; the ability to act with awareness and responsibility and an ability to proceed in action from a centre of uplifted vision and spiritual attunement; the ability to move in life in a joyous and uplifted manner and to carry these qualities into the lives of others.

From “Rockozi & the Brotherhood” ,
Findhorn Foundation Original Series study paper

The first paper in this section is an introduction to the role of work and service in Community life.

Paul Solomon was the founder of the Fellowship of the Inner Light, based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA. Some years ago Paul began receiving messages from the Source while in a trance state, and the Fellowship grew organically around him. He gave the second paper in this section as a lecture to the One Earth Conference at Findhorn in October 1977. Although Paul’s later life became shrouded in controversy this talk is considered by many to be one of the most inspiring lectures ever heard in the Universal Hall.

The subject matter of the following transcript does not confine itself to the issue of work, it is nonetheless a passionate and inspiring reminder of the need to relate to the task in hand and invest it with spirit, rather than to pursue the glamour of our naive notions about initiations, mysteries and esoterics.

The original lecture still exists in the form of an audio tape, which more powerfully conveys Paul’s wisdom and humour. Those of you who have the opportunity are strongly encouraged to listen to this first, and keep these written extracts for future reference, and as reminder of his sonorous voice.

One of our most fundamental aims is to bring spirit into everyday life, but it is nonetheless important to distinguish between spiritual work, and spiritual practice. My spiritual work may involve any day-to-day activity such as digging the garden, looking after children, or typing introductions to study papers. My spiritual practice is my reference point for all of this, the place in my life where I can evaluate my work, re-affirm my connection to the divine, and continue to offer my life in service to God. The second paper in this section is an extract from William Bloom’s recent publication on the subject. William is a director of Alternatives at St. James Church, Piccadilly, London, an author, and a Fellow of and frequent visitor to the Foundation.

The next paper is made up of an amalgamation of various descriptions of Community specific practices and ideas. Some explanation is required in advance about the use of the ‘attunement’. This one word has come to mean three related but separate activities.

a) The short space of silence, usually with hands held in a circle, with which we begin so many group activities. The contribution by ROC and William Bloom concerns this activity

b) Attunement is also used to describe regular departmental meetings which usually involve a meditation, a personal sharing of some kind, personal feedback and reflection, and business items. Sometimes they include a trip to a nature spot, or even a local hostelry. The personal sharing and feedback aspects of these meetings are discussed below.

c) The more general practice of communion with the cosmos. An early study paper by David Spangler on this subject is reproduced in full as the main contribution to this topic.

The next paper, once again by William Bloom, is an introduction to group meditation.

The final paper is perhaps the most controversial in this section. Ever since the inception of the Foundation we have advertised our willingness to bring together people of widely varying backgrounds and belief systems into a community life which is without any formal creed. This remains the case, and it is therefore important to stress that this paper is about the belief systems you are likely to encounter here, and should not be interpreted as an attempt to formalise such widely held views into a doctrine of some kind.

We remain committed to the search for the essential truths of spiritual life, and although these may be unchanging our human interpretations will no doubt continue to be but a part of the whole picture. No-one should feel disinclined to participate in our Community life because the views so expressed are not congruent with their own. All of us here continually find our world view challenged, but that it is not the same as having it moulded into some pre-determined form.

One of the most exciting and challenging aspects of spiritual life is the discovery that everyone has a unique and different view of the cosmos, spirituality and theology. Certain patterns may frequently recur, but the overall picture is of an endless non-repeating mosaic of ideas and thoughts. This kaleidoscopic diversity is simply part of the drama of being human.

Editor’s Note: The chapter in the book ends with a Reading List which we append herewith.

Reading List

Arthur and Joyce Berger; Reincarnation: Fact or Fable?; Aquarian Press; 1991
William Bloom; Meditation in a Changing World; Gothic Image; 1993
First Steps: An Introduction to Spiritual Practice. Findhorn Press; 1993. Quoted above are pages 1, 31-2, 47-9, 69-71.
Practical Spiritual Practice; One Earth issue No. 12; 1993.
Gerald Edelman; Bright Air, Brilliant Fire; Allen Lane; 1992. Recent work by Edelman on the evolution of mind emphasises the importance of individual perceptions of the world and contrasts his ideas with previous scientific notions which compare brain activity with the functioning of computers. This is a difficult book for non-scientists, and has a profoundly materialistic approach. However, in his work we can see the beginnings of a scientific understanding of the way in which we ‘create our own realitiy’.
Paul Ekins (editor); The New Economics; Routledge and Kegan Paul; 1986
Findhorn Foundation; Findhorn and Finance; 1973 pamphlet.
Findhorn: An Agreement to Serve; Core Group; October 1977. Early Study Paper
Welcome to the Findhorn Foundation; Internal document produced by the Human Relations Department; 1993. Contains a re-print of the Early Study Paper on Attunement by David Spangler.
Thaddeus Golas; The Lazy Man’s Guide to Enlightenment; The Seed Center; 1971
Joan Grant; Far Memory; Ariel Press; 1985. Joan Grant and Denis Kelsey are the foremost British writers on re-incarnation along with Arthur Guirdham’s explorations of the Cathars. Joan’s grand-daughter Nicky was a member of the Foundation in the 1980s.
Sandra Kramer & Mary Inglis (editors); The New Economic Agenda; Findhorn Press; 1984
Phyllis Krystal; Cutting the Ties That Bind; Samuel Weiser; 1993
Corinne McLaughlin and Gordon Davidson; Builders of the Dawn: Community Lifestyles in a Changing World; Sirius; 1986. An overview of community lifestyles around the world, with sections on Chinook, Arcosanti, The Farm etc.
Meditation Group for the New Age; A set of pamphlets published by this group from their base in Tunbridge Wells, England.
Paul Solomon; Planetary Mystery Schools; One Earth magazine, Spring 1978
David Spangler; Rockozi & the Brotherhood; excerpts of a transmission from a being known as St. Germain; 8.11.71; in ‘The Brotherhood Series’; Foundation Original Study Paper
The Iona Report -The Reconsecration of the Sanctuary at Traigh Bhan; in ‘The Plan Of Light’; Foundation Original Study Paper
Festivals in the New Age; Findhorn Press; 1976
The Laws of Manifestation; Findhorn Press; 1976
The Universal Foundation; Attunement; Autumn 1970; Early Foundation Study Paper.
David Wauk; Focaliser’s Manual; Unpublished Foundation document; 1994

Alex Walker