Margot Henderson offered this poem during a Fundraiser for the Universal Hall on Friday 22nd November 2024, organised by Sharon Took-Zozaya on the occasion of her 70th birthday. A powerful synchronicity allowed the Community to celebrate that is had become the new owners of this beautiful building on the 18th November 2024 through the Ecovillage Findhorn CBS buyout.

***

I

Hall Story

I was here before I was here. Before I rose up from the earth
I was a whisper on the breath, a vision held, a dream,
an ideal like Plato’s forms, the geomancer’s golden mean.
I was born from meditation, insight. Some say I was a ray of magenta light
I came to be through co-creation and painstaking magic making

This ground, which was once a chicken run,
was blessed, dowsed before any work began.
Compass points and power lines ordained
before a single stone was laid.
I stand as testimony to sacred geometry,
and relentless faith in the face of sheer impossibility.

I was created
bag by cement bag in a human assembly line
Raised beam by beam each 40 feet in length,
carried by teams of willing hands.
Held by their strength till I could stand
a great ship with tall masts ready to set sail
a giant dream catcher cradling the sky
a cathedral to a new age
held together with 70,000 nails,
countless lifters and layers and 10,000 prayers

I am a miracle of wood and glass and singing stones
born of faith and trust and sweat and blood
mistakes, re-takes, hard work, good humour
and so much love and laughter.
I was made for all of you who would come after

So let us bless all those wild ones….
all those who dreamt and prayed, cut and sawed,
hammered and nailed, lifted and laid
burnt and brushed, drilled and filled
stitched and sewed, sang and played
Lyle, George and Frances, Michael, Ian, Dieter, Roger….
too many to name but one is a claim to fame.
Burt Lancaster took time out from filming Local Hero
to come by and see what Findhorn was up to
He became our Local Hero when took off his jacket,
rolled up his sleeves got up on the roof to help lay rocks.

II

My Story

I was here before I was here, making plays in London theatres
with the Skin You’re In and The Dainty Devas.
We made an Angel piece called ‘A Peep Between the Clouds’
around the time of the Angel Conference.
We were struck by the synchronicity
and dreamt of bringing it to Findhorn.
But they didn’t know us from Eve so it wasn’t to be.

Roll on the years till I am here and finally get the chance
to come out and play in the Universal Hall.
First of all dancing my socks off at 5 Rhythms and Contact Improv with Bodysurf.
Then as a presenter at Visionary Voices
then as the Bard for the Restore the Earth Conference.
I told a few tales, but the most lasting impression
was me crawling on my belly being a snail
with a blow up globe of the Earth as my shell.

I was born here at the Healing Conference, this tree was my umbilicus
I made a body prayer for our original innocence.
It was a prayer for all the participants
I didn’t see at first how it would come to be
a miracle for me reuniting me with my blood family.

Then shapeshifting through the years Raven, Babayaga,
Brigit, Beara, the 13th Fairy, Genie Loci, a Hen,
A Star, A Christmas Tree, the Angel Harriet
I’ve been a Diva more than once, A Pea, A Bee
and a proper diva singing my songs
with Susanne on the Grand Piano.

One highlight of Bee-ing in the Hall
was Craig and John Willoner
dressed as beekeepers bringing me in.
Me climbing out of my bee hive compost bin
crowning Dorothy Queen of the Beans for her 100th Birthday
I thought the crown wouldn’t last a minute,
but she spent the whole time wearing it
with a beaming smile on her face.

This is all to say that I am grateful beyond words
for the gift of grace, for all the unexpected blessings,
the privilege of playing in this truly magical sacred space.

III

Our Story

We were all here before we were here
whatever mysterious, circuitous path it was that led us here
We are all living the miraculousness of growing ‘us’
Sitting in the heart of our community meetings
attending conferences with incredible spiritual teachers.
Sweating our prayers, singing Taize, sacred dancing.
Going to great gigs, theatre plays and movie nights
We all have our own highlights.
Taking part , speaking and listening from the heart
in community gatherings, ceremonies and constellations
Delighting in the sharings over the years
weddings, funerals, memorials, the laughter and tears

Sharing the stillness of Solstice Spiral
sinking together into the silence
in the deep dark of the winter night
as we watch and wait for the turning light.

This magnificent Universal Hall has held us all
through the seasons’ changing weather and the ups and downs,
the shifting sands, the burning grounds

The hall has been a shelter from the storm,
a second skin a place to become in, a place to be One in
a cocoon to rest in while we grow our wings
for the next stage of our evolution in these turning times

As we dream into the possibilities
re build the sanctuary and the community centre
Lets remember we are the continuation
of those visionary schemers,the builder dreamers
who took that leap of faith, imagination and deep trust
those who built this place for all of us …..
a refuge for our hearts a temple to the arts,
a hogan, a morai, a lodge, a space ship, a hive
as we continue to strive, to do our best
to model co-creation in community
for the sake of all humanity that all of life might thrive.

Margot Henderson

***

Image on top: collage of photographs by Graham Meltzer and Mark Richards.