All Online Issues of Beshara Magazine  _|_ See also our Print Archive for older Issues

All Online Issues of Beshara Magazine
See also our Print Archive for older Issues

ISSUE 25, AUTUMN 2023

James Lowe Conducting
The Art of Conducting
British conductor James Lowe talks about the nature of music, and the importance of live performance in this digital age
C.P. Cavafy
Personal Integrity in the Poetry of C.P. Cavafy
Andrew Watson pays homage to Greece’s most famous modern poet, whose message of quiet fidelity to one’s own values still has great resonance today
Eric Winkel
Bringing Light to the World: the Vision of Ibn ‘Arabi
Dr Eric Winkel talks with Jane Clark and Richard Gault about what the wisdom of the great 13th-century philosopher / mystic can offer us in these troubled times

ISSUE 24, SPRING / SUMMER 2023

Kogi Indian on mountain top
Bringing the Land Back to Life
Alan Ereira talks about the wisdom of the Kogi Indians and an important new UNESCO project in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia
Tom Bree
The Cosmos in Stone: The Ascent of the Soul
Tom Bree correlates the meaning embodied in the geometry of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and Wells Cathedral in Southern England
Eating the wild
Eating the Wild
Charlotte Maberly investigates the benefits of foraging, and talks to Scottish food writer and historian Fi Martynoga
AI
AI and Spiritual Intelligence
Mark Vernon dives into the debate surrounding digital technology

ISSUE 23, WINTER 2023

Iain McGilchrist
The Matter with Things
Dr Iain McGilchrist discusses his most recent book which brings together neuroscience, psychology and philosophy into a unified vision
Johan Sebastian Bach
A Thing of Beauty…
Robin Thomson appreciates the music of Bach and an inspiring new performance of his St John Passion
Bettina Wichers on Dementia
An Integral Approach to Dementia
Gerontologist Bettina Wichers talks about her holistic understanding of this widespread disease of old age
Night sky
The Grandeur of the Night Sky
Hannah Dalgleish invites us to rekindle our ancient relationship with the night at a time when light pollution is becoming a global disruption

ISSUE 22, AUTUMN 2022

George Swede
George Swede: Haiku Master & Secular Contemplative
Robert Hirschfield talks to the Canadian poet and psychologist
Richard Holding
Richard Holding: The Art of Acute Listening
The distinguished osteopath talks about his holistic approach to healing
Rabindranath Tagore
Participating in the Divine Playfulness
Hina Khalid explores the Theological Aesthetics of Rabindranath Tagore
Ahmed Moustafa: Night Journey and Ascension
Stefan Sperl: Faces of the Infinite
Stefan Sperl talks about about his project on Neoplatonism and the poetic traditions of Europe and the Near East

ISSUE 21, SPRING / SUMMER 2022

Neurodiversity 246
Neurodiversity and Creativity
Catalysing change through artful agitation: a conversation with artist and researcher Dr Kai Syng Tan
Detail from The School of Athens by Raphael
Bring Back Metaphysics!
Scientist and writer Colin Tudge makes a plea for us to return to what he calls ‘The Art of the Unknowable’
Eiko Soga Cooking Ainu
Cooking in the Ainu Way
Artist Eiko Soga talks about her experience of living with the indigenous people of Japan
Renee Hattar Spirituality
Spirituality and Self Development
Dr Renée Hattar talks about an innovative course in Jordan which explores universal spiritual values with young leaders

ISSUE 20, WINTER 2021 / 22

Attar
Exploring the Power of Love in ‘Attar’s Conference of the Birds
Kenneth Avery explores the famous story of Shaykh San‘an and its message of love and friendship across religious boundaries
Building Jerusalem
Consciousness as the Ground of Being
Physicist Federico Faggin talks about his new theory which puts our inner experience and the desire to know ourselves at the centre of reality
Jane Hirshfield
Conversations with Jane Hirshfield
Jane Clark and Barbara Vellacott talk with the distinguished poet about her latest work and the role of poetry in these difficult times
Victor Steffensen Fire with Fire
Fighting Fire with Fire
Victor Steffensen talks to Rosemary Rule about his pioneering work reintroducing indigenous cultural burning practices in Australia

ISSUE 19, SUMMER / AUTUMN 2021

World Literature
World Literature Decentered
Ian Almond talks with Jane Clark about a more inclusive approach to comparative literature, and the cultural traditions of Turkey, Mexico and Bengal
Building Jerusalem
Building Jerusalem: The Encompassing Vision of William Blake
Susanne Sklar provides insight into the meaning of the famous ‘Jerusalem’ hymn
Facade of Shrine of Mawlana Abdur Rahman Jami, Herat's greatest 15th century poet, Herat, Afghanistan, Asia
The Heritage of Afghanistan
Robert Darr reflects on his long relationship with the people and culture of this ancient land, and shares his insights into its present situation
Glenn Albrecht Earth Emotions
Redescovering Our Earth Emotions
Environmental philosopher Glenn Albrecht talks about climate change, solastalgia and his inspiring vision for the future

ISSUE 18, SPRING 2021

The Magic Canoe
Paddling the Magic Canoe:  The Wisdom of Wa’xaid
Briony Penn talks about her relationship with the native elder Cecil Paul – Wa’xaid – and their successful campaign to preserve the glorious Kitlope River area in British Columbia
Mountains Lake
Mind over Matter
Scientist and philosopher Bernardo Kastrup discusses his critique of the materialist paradigm and argues for reality is essentially mental
Bede Griffiths
Father Bede Griffiths and His New Vision of Reality
Adrian Rance-McGregor reviews the life of a pioneering 20th-century mystic, and the message of one of his most insightful books
Audley Chantry Thomass Denny
The Audley Chantry Windows, Hereford Cathedral
Hilary Davies contemplates the work of stained-glass artist Thomas Denny which gloriously expresses the vision of the 17th-century poet Thomas Traherne

ISSUE 17, WINTER 2020/21

Mary's House in Ephesus
The House of the Virgin Mary in Ephesus
Artist Simon Blackwood recalls his trips to Turkey in the 1970s with the Beshara School, and shares some of his paintings of the places he visited
African Apocalypse
African Apocalypse: Confronting the Injustices of the Past
Rob Lemkin and Femi Nylander talk to Jane Clark about their new film on the realities and legacies of colonialism in Niger
Future Prospects
Entangled Life
Dr Merlin Sheldrake talks about the remarkable world of fungi, and what they can tell us about ourselves and the interconnectedness of the world
Suryagupta London Buddhist Centre
Maintaining a Radical Edge
Dharmacharini Suryagupta, Chair of the London Buddhist Centre, talks about the transformative power of Buddhist principles in the contemporary world

ISSUE 16, SUMMER 2020

The Book of Kells
The Book of Kells
James Harpur ‘takes a line for a walk’ as he remembers the challenges of writing his poem ‘Kells’
Future Prospects
The Future Prospects for Humanity
Martin Rees, the Astronomer Royal, on the threats to our survival in the 21st century, and the need to take a cosmic perspective
Peter Dewey
Towards a Deeper Spirituality
The Reverend Peter Dewey looks back on a lifetime working with interfaith projects
Night sky with mountains and Milky Way
Infinite Potential: The Life & Ideas of David Bohm
Film director Paul Howard talks about his new film on the life and ideas of the physicist and philosopher David Bohm

ISSUE 15, SPRING 2020

Danny Wertheimer plays guitar and sings to his neighbors from his balcony
Poems for These Times: A Reflection
Jane Clark and Barbara Vellacott review the poetry series we presented during the Covid-19 lockdown, March – June 2020
Keith Critchlow
Keith Critchlow: A Life Well Lived
Richard Twinch pays tribute to the teacher and sacred geometer who died on April 8th 2020
Panpsychism 246
Panpsychism and the Problem of Consciousness
Richard Gault explores a revolution in scientific and philosophical thought which posits consciousness, not matter, as the fundamental principle
Thought for Food
The Healing Power of Plants
Anne McIntyre on the Western and Eastern traditions of herbal medicine, and their importance in the contemporary world

ISSUE 14, AUTUMN / WINTER 2019–20

Thought for Food
Rumi: The Operation of Divine Love
Alan Williams tells us about his new translation of Rumi’s great epic poem, the Masnavi
Thought for Food
Wholeness, Timelessness and Unfolding Meaning
An interview from the archives with physicist and philosopher David Bohm
Rupert Sheldrake
Mary, Seat of Wisdom and Mercy
Jane Carol explorese the vision of the Virgin Mary embodied in the structure and glass of Chartres Cathedral. 
Robert Lax
The Universal Language of Football
Kawther Luay on how the Homeless World Cup is giving hope to thousands of people all over the world, and talks to its co-founder Mel Young

ISSUE 13, SUMMER 2019

Robert Lax
A Celebration of Nature
Artist and gardener Laura Blackwood talks to Elizabeth Roberts and Kawther Luay about the importance of connecting with the natural world
Rupert Sheldrake
Sheldrake: Memory, Habits and Wholeness
Biologist Rupert Sheldrake challenges the dogmas of conventional science, and explains how recent research supports his alternative theory of morphic resonance
Thought for Food
Wisdom of Time and Transformation
Dr Alison Roberts explains the ancient alchemical knowledge of Egypt
Thought for Food
A Thing of Beauty…
Jane Clark contemplates the view of Earth from the moon, first captured in the famous photograph ‘Earthrise’

ISSUE 12, SPRING 2019

Thought for Food
Beauty Happens
Ornithologist Richard Prum challenges the orthodox view of evolution to argue for the importance of beauty, pleasure and desire in shaping the natural world
Thought for Food
Rewilding: A Hope for the Future
In the light of the recent UN report on the radical decline of biodiversity, Richard Twinch investigates a movement which promises to restore ecological harmony
Robert Lax
Mindfulness Meditation – Alleviation of Suffering for Neurological Conditions
Niels Detert, Consultant Neuropsychologist, explains how meditation can help people with long-term medical problems
Robert Lax
Robert Lax: A Life Slowly Lived
The contemplative practice of a remarkable 20th-century poet/mystic — by Robert Hirschfield

ISSUE 11, WINTER 2018/19

Ayurveda: A Medical Science Based on Consciousness
A Thought at Christmas…
Mark Vernon asks: what is the universal significance of this festival celebrated at a pivotal moment of the year?
 
Thought for Food
Calligraphy – A Sacred Tradition
Distinguished calligrapher Ann Hechle talks about her lifelong quest to understand the underlying unity of the world
Thought for Food
Connecting with the Unseen World
Kira Perov, wife and long-term collaborator of the video artist Bill Viola, talks to Jane Carroll about the ideas and experiences which inspire their work
The Ark at the Oxford Synagogue
The New Ark for the Synagogue in Oxford
David Hyams describes the creation of a new ark for the Synagogue in Oxford, UK

ISSUE 10, AUTUMN 2018

A Thing of Beauty…
Emma Clark visits the Luohan at the Temple Gallery in London
An Artisan of Beauty and Truth
Bewildered by Love and Longing
Michael Sells and Simone Fattal talk about a new translation of Ibn ‘Arabi’s famous cycle of love poems Translation of Desires
Thought for Food
Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama
Jane Carol visits a new memorial which aims to heal a dark period of American history
Ayurveda: A Medical Science Based on Consciousness
Reconciliation and Justice in Australia
Rosemary Rule describes how a nation is trying to heal the wounds of its colonial past and reconcile with its indigenous people
 

ISSUE 9, SUMMER 2018

The Unity of Bee-ing
An interview with Heidi Herrmann about the work of The Natural Beekeeping Trust in preserving our precious population of bees
An Artisan of Beauty and Truth
The Zoroastrian Flame
Khojeste Mistree talks about one of the world’s oldest surviving religions and what we can learn from it in the present day
Thought for Food
A Thing of Beauty…
Mark Boston reflects on painting the film Loving Vincent
Ayurveda: A Medical Science Based on Consciousness
Painting and the Contemplative Life
Artist and psychotherapist Benet Haughton talks about the spiritual vision that underpins his life and work
 

ISSUE 8, SPRING 2018

Ayurveda: A Medical Science Based on Consciousness
The Revival of the Commons
Political strategist David Bollier explains how a new economic/cultural paradigm is challenging the increasing ‘enclosure’ of wealth and human creativity
 
Thought for Food
A New Architectural Language for Islam
The inclusive vision of Glenn Murcutt’s Australian Islamic Centre
An Artisan of Beauty and Truth
Solitude in the Modern World
Jane Clark on the spiritual foundations of our contemporary desire for private space
Yoga: A Spiritual Practice for Our Time
An interview with Judith Hanson Lasater

ISSUE 7, WINTER 2017/18

A Thing of Beauty… Chauvet Caves
Doughnut Economics
Kate Raworth’s new book asks: how we can reconcile the needs of humanity with the needs of the planet?
An Artisan of Beauty and Truth
A “Quite Interesting” Approach to Education
John Lloyd talks about his own spiritual journey, and the philosophy behind the QI project
Thought for Food
Narratives for a Unified World
Andrew Singer talks about the vision behind the literary journal Trafika Europe
Ayurveda: A Medical Science Based on Consciousness
A Biology of Wonder
An interview with scientist Andreas Weber, whose radical ideas are transforming our understanding of nature

ISSUE 6, SUMMER 2017

Ayurveda: A Medical Science Based on Consciousness
Poacher’s Pilgrimage
A journey with Alastair McIntosh – poet, theologian and environmental activist –  to the sacred sites of the Isle of Lewis
Thought for Food
A Thing of Beauty…
David Apthorpe extols the geometry and decoration in Sinan’s small masterpiece, the Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque in Istanbul
An Artisan of Beauty and Truth
The Century of Complexity
An interview with Dr. Vasileios Basios on new ideas in science
A Thing of Beauty… Chauvet Caves
Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche
Vin Harris talks about the life of a remarkable man, founder of the Samye-Ling monastery and an instrumental figure in bringing the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism to the West

ISSUE 5, SPRING 2017

Ayurveda: A Medical Science Based on Consciousness
Ayurveda: A Medical Science Based on Consciousness
How India’s ancient system of healing recognises the unity of the body and the mind 
Thought for Food
Thought for Food
Charlotte Maberly on the new science of Gastronomy
An Artisan of Beauty and Truth
An Artisan of Beauty and Truth
An interview with Etel Adnan
A Thing of Beauty… Chauvet Caves
A Thing of Beauty…
The Chauvet Caves in the Ardèche, Southern France

ISSUE 4, JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017

Thought for Food
Getting Back in Time
Richard Gault argues that technology has radically altered our relationship to time
An Artisan of Beauty and Truth
Mysticism in Comparative Perspective
Professor George Pattison talks about the revival of a unitive approach
A Thing of Beauty… Chauvet Caves
A Thing of Beauty…
The indescribability of beauty in Dante’s Paradiso

ISSUE 3, NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2016

Ayurveda: A Medical Science Based on Consciousness
A Caravan on a Spiritual Silk Road
Warren Kenton on the profound wisdom of the Kabbalah
Thought for Food
Three Transitions
Richard Twinch contemplates the nature of cultural change
An Artisan of Beauty and Truth
Understanding Strangers
Jane Clark reports on Inspire Dialogue 2016
A Thing of Beauty… Chauvet Caves
A Thing of Beauty…
Frank Lloyd Wrights’s masterpiece, Fallingwater

ISSUE 2, SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

Ayurveda: A Medical Science Based on Consciousness
A Thing of Beauty…
James Turrell’s installation at Dorotheenstädtischer Friedhof, Berlin
Thought for Food
The Ecology of Money
An interview with Ciaran Mundy, Director of the Bristol Pound
An Artisan of Beauty and Truth
d-r-a-w-n-i-n-w-a-r-d
Nicola Simpson on Dom Sylvester Houédard
A Thing of Beauty… Chauvet Caves
Tell Them What We Have Learned Here…
Chronicles from World War II of a remarkable group of 20th-century philosophers

ISSUE 1, JULY / AUGUST 2016

Ayurveda: A Medical Science Based on Consciousness
A Thing of Beauty…
The Chagall Peace Window and the Meditation Room in the United Nations building, New York
Thought for Food
The Unity of Humanity
Professor Todd Lawson on the universal vision of the Qur’ān
An Artisan of Beauty and Truth
The Field of Light
Bruce Munro’s new art installation at Uluru (Ayers Rock)
A Thing of Beauty… Chauvet Caves
The Red Sail
A short story by Katharine Tiernan about St. Cuthbert’s years in retreat