chosen by the divine as a center of light, a place where the new civilization would dawn. The community's task would be to reclaim the planet with love, to cherish the things that were growing there and, by example, change the way the world thought. The gardens, with their incredible growth, were living proof that working in cooperation with nature and people made things work better. At times, membership reached almost 400, although few stayed more than a year. Today there are fewer than 200 members, most of whom are British and American (though 20 nationalities are represented), and it seems more is getting accomplished than years ago when the workforce was double. One reason is that members are older (average age is 34) and staying longer (an average of three and one-half years). Another reason is that individuals are taking more responsibility for their own actions, which fosters an atmosphere of mutual consideration and caring. The key factor that transcends all differences of national origin, religion, or personality is some sense of spiritual cohesion that recognizes the divinity within us all. As member Virginia Lloyd-Davies told me, "We have no religious dogma. There's no one way. Virtually everyone here believes in 'God,' but it's likely that you won't find two of us with the exact same belief. Our greatest strength is our unity, which comes from being able to work together in creative ways while accepting the diversity of our views and spiritual paths." There are no "bosses" at Findhorn today. Peter Caddy, who relinquished his fairly authoritarian control several years ago, is no longer there. (Eileen Caddy, by the way, stopped receiving guidance on the running of the community about a decade ago.) Individual departments and groups have taken more responsibility for their own financial, personnel, and educational needs. Regular community meetings and internal newsletters ensure that communication remains open and clear. Final responsibility rests with a "core group" of about 12 members, whose role is to monitor the spiritual vision and objectives affecting the whole community. Its membership changes regularly, and its decisions reflect the climate of the community at any given time. Besides members' contributions and donations, most of the income comes from the sale of books and tapes and from guests' tuition fees. The publications department produces a magazine. One Earth, and many books and tapes on Findhorn and related subjects. Members and guests do most of the design, typesetting, printing, and mailing. Each year, several thousand people visit the community, attend the "experience weeks," or enroll in one of the many educational programs offered. It's evident that someone is listening when it comes to real estate. Although most members still live in the Findhorn Bay Caravan Park (the original site), the foundation has acquired much prime property over the years. Some members and most of the guests are accommodated at Cluny Hill College, a former four-star hotel in the neighboring town of Forres. It's a stately, old, 120-room building with a Victorian dining room (where terrific vegetarian meals are served). Nearby is Drum- duan House, a Georgian mansion overlooking Findhorn Bay that houses the community's communications center, an art gallery, and a music room. Down the road from Cluny is Newbold House, a small, Victorian, former hotel, where members run an independent bed- and-breakfast service as well as educational programs. Situated on eight acres next to the caravan park is the Cullerne Garden School, where students learn the community's organic-gardening methods. The Universal Hall, a magnificent lecture hall and performing arts center, has been using both members' and guests' skills in almost a decade of construction. The list goes on; the total value of the properties totals more than one million U.S. dollars. Individuals are taking more responsibility for their own actions, which fosters an atmosphere of mutual consideration and caring. Findhorn has taken many steps in the past few years in energy conservation, horticulture, and ecology. The energy bills for the caravans and drafty old mansions were enormous, but through wood-heat conversion, insulation, and passive solar installations, costs have been reduced about 30% over the past few years. Cullerne has been experimenting with several large polythene growing tunnels for food production, heated most of the year by the sun. An energy weatherization company has been in operation for over five years. The community has undertaken a comprehensive recycling effort, and is planning to retrofit many of the larger old buildings. • In 1982, Findhorn held its annual Onearth Gathering on the theme "Building Planetary Villages." The conference marked another critical phase in the community's development. Participants and speakers—including Wendell Berry, John and Nancy Todd, Sim Van der Ryn, and Gary Snyder—agreed that ecologically balanced, sustainable villages working with a planetary perspective are an important contribution to creating a better world. Perhaps more significantly than this inspirational aspect, the conference concluded with a profound shift at Findhorn toward establishing permanent roots. The members agreed to purchase the Caravan Park (the original and largest community site) and—a huge leap of faith—to raise 380,000 British pounds in one year, in time to commemorate the community's 21st birthday. This conscious step into adulthood has moved Findhorn toward building a village whose physical and cultural forms are imbued with spiritual and ecological values. John Talbott, engineer and Findhorn member, told me, "Almost all of us agree that it's time to take a big step and apply what we've learned through the years about spiritual awareness toward some permanent physical changes around here. We want to express through our architecture and integrated ecosystems what Findhorn is all about, to truly bring our lifestyle more into balance with the earth's rhythms." □ □ May/June 1984 RAIN Page 23
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