An introduction to religious and spiritual experience

Findhorn
on the Moray Firth in Scotland is now a thriving community 
and eco-village. It was founded in the early 1960s by Peter and Eileen 
Caddy with Dorothy Maclean, in the most extraordinary circumstances. 
They felt led to each other and then to a wild place on the Scottish coast, 
which had been used as a rubbish dump. There they created the most beau-
tiful, lush garden with fruit, flowers and vegetables, including a 40 pound 
cabbage, which baffled experienced gardeners and members of the Soil 
Association. Those involved in the creation of Findhorn put the success 
down to a close spiritual connection to the place as they followed guidance 
given by angels, earth spirits and ‘Devas’ (beings of light), with whom the 
community members co-operated to work the land, enabling it to produce 
almost miraculous growth. Dorothy had begun to receive messages during 
her periods of meditation and was initially hesitant to accept them. 
Although I had begun this experiment with a large measure of scepti-
cism, no doubt influenced by limited conceptions of such beings as 
fairies, as the contact continued and proved valid in giving help with 
the growth of the garden I accepted the reality of such beings, and we 
followed out their instructions. This seemed to delight them, particu-
larly our putting into action what they suggested. At first some of them 
felt very distant and rather unfriendly, which they said was due to the 
treatment man had given Nature through his greed, thoughtlessness, 
and misuse. But as they found us heeding what they said, they became 
more and more helpful and friendly and asked us to plant as many 
varieties of vegetables as possible.
Precise instructions came through as to when to plant what and how 
to tend the plants.
. . . people were beginning to come to see the garden, and after seeing 
it they told their friends about it. A steady stream of visitors began to 
pour in to see the amazing growth, greenness, and abundance which 
was being produced in the sandy patch. The garden was becoming a 
local showplace, and people who came found it hard to believe that the 
first seed had been sown just a few months previously.
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Religious Triggers
71
Pilgrimage
Journeys to sacred places, whether natural landmarks, man-made struc-
tures or places where specific religious events took place are undertaken 
by people of all faiths. In a pilgrimage, the journey, a round trip, is as 
important as the destination.
Most religions have special sacred places, where particular events took 
place, or revered holy people lived, and visits to these have always formed