I spent ten wonderful years with the Christian Quest Community here. During that time there was really nothing about building community that I did not learn; everything, in time, yielded understanding and wisdom. After that time ended, rather abruptly, I spent seven years out – but Glastonbury had not finished with me. I read the signs, and they said “come back”. I asked what my new work was, and Spirit said “pay attention”. I felt I was still carrying the Quest vision, but I went to Iona explicitly to let go of anything from the past that I should not be hanging on to. Iona showed me that my vision for “Quest the Next Generation” was still there. Fine, I thought. Let it unfold in its own time.
People turn up in Glastonbury seeking help. My physical means are now more restricted, but I still respond out of the same spirit. I now let rooms, but ensure that the household functions essentially as a family. I cook for all once a week. We all have jobs around the house. I welcome visitors. I keep on doing research, as Great Spirit directs. I keep checking my visions and resources. I’m not done yet!
A Zoom Spiritual Drop-in Centre?
At the same time as this blog is unfolding, I hope to learn to run Zoom conferencing. Then people who are interested in my visions can drop in for a weekly get-together and we can see what unfolds, and start to build community. This idea has only just come to me but seems like it really should be developed to become workable. I know of nothing like this in existence – and it seems there should be something, and it should be focused here in Glastonbury, relating to my research, building community, deepening spiritual insights, and helping people in need. Christianity the Next Generation.
I know that if I sit down patiently with whatever is tugging at me, wisdom will seep in and it will become clear what to do. It’s that simple. It’s also very close to Jesus’ words “I do what my Heavenly Father gives me to do”.
Quest the Next Generation
So I am holding vision for “Quest The Next Generation” at this tumultuous time, in which so many spiritual paths seem to converge on Glastonbury. I know I cannot carry this vision alone, if Quest is to be re-founded. But I also know that this time it has to run independent of the churches, while operating alongside, in cooperation. Unlike the Findhorn community, it has to be recognizably Christian – yet like Findhorn,open to important esoteric currents and incoming spirituality and revelations. This is actually what is needed to prepare for “Christianity the Next Generation” that the approaching Star Age of Aquarius calls for.
Thought forms radiate out. So I try to stay centred, pay attention, and do my best to work with one hand in the Hand of God. I would like to see “bums on seats” here. When twelve people move here inspired directly by my words, or just turn up here and join up, then the Community will have arrived. There are also forms of community online – Zoom and blog – and in time I would like to see a proper holistic spiritual wiki come to birth, as a cooperative effort from all over the world.
Quest the Next Generation. Camphill the Next Generation. Findhorn the Next Generation. I am very sure that these have been in the sights of Great Spirit for quite some time, and all I have to do is play my part, knowing it is not the only part that matters. Ahead of your arrival, I send out thanks!
Welcoming esoteric spirituality – with discernment
“Esoteric” means nothing more or less than “more inward”. Every religion has adherents who are drawn to study and practice its esoteric or more inward aspects, and esoteric spirituality generally. In Christianity we find Christian mysticism – but little else is very obvious; this is largely because early Christianity had very intolerant practices regarding “heresy” (which actually means “one who thinks for themself” – what a give-away!) So from very early on, many true esoteric/inward followers of Christ, brothers of Christ, found they had to hide their insights, or be persecuted. Yet Jesus clearly refers to such, when he refers to “those who have ears to hear”.
Cathars are today some of the most well-known of these. Les bons hommes, they called themselves: good men: practising healing and peace, and following the Gospel of John. They founded, in France and Spain, what they called the Church of Love; they knew persecution would drive it underground; they prophesied that after 700 years they would be back. For they believed in reincarnation. And indeed we now have a great many individual accounts of retrieval of past-life memories as Cathars – linked with healing. Unconscious memories of past traumas of persecution have to be brought to consciousness, before they can be released and healing can come. “You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free”, said Jeshua.
Christianity and Islam in particular have attacked and punished anyone not subscribing to their official beliefs, and as a result, their esoteric groups went underground. The fact that Islam had the largest number of esoteric groups – the Sufis – hints a lot at its own limitations. Yet esoteric groups, and individuals, can, like religions, go past their sell-by date, go corrupt, sometimes go seriously corrupt. Personal discernment, coming from a place of love, is always called-for; the rules and regulations of the religions are liable to be highly unhelpful at this point!
Qumran the Next Generation – Glastonbury
The esoteric Essene community at Qumran came together, during the last Change of Ages, to prepare for the Incarnation of Christ, and the coming age when Christendom would be leading the way forwards. Qumran was called to develop certain aspects of that preparation that could only take place in community – working with a library, for instance. But now a whole Star Age has run its course since the Time of Christ, and foundations for the next Age need to be prepared – going a lot deeper than Christianity is used to. The mysterious founders of Qumran were very clear that esoteric spirituality and traditional Jewish religion had to work together there, to hammer out the way forward. We now need “Qumran the Next Generation”, and it feels like it needs to be here in Glastonbury.
Jesus said “I will be with you until the End of the Age” and he meant exactly that – the Star Age. He promised He would be with us until then, because we could all too easily have lost our way during the last Star Age in which direct spiritual knowledge was, and had to be, set aside in favour of belief – Belief in Christ – for that Star Age. Now the Star Gates are opening again to direct perception, and we need to gather the insight, sensitivity, and determination, to find the right way forwards. Rudolf Steiner provides many clues but definitely not all.
We cannot turn the clock back. We have to live with What Is, however painful that may seem initially. And God is not mindless of our difficulties. Help is always available through prayer, even if it takes longer than expected, and arrives in a form totally at odds with familiar expectations!
