SteveTanham – writing, mysticism, photography, poetry, friends

Category: Consciousness

April 7, 2022 + #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Ancient Sacred Sites, Consciousness, Esoteric Meaning of Myth, Lake District, landscapes, myths and spirituality, Photographic techniques, Photography, Silent Eye Workshops

The preparation of Magical Landscapes (2)

by Steve Tanham

You begin with an idea; in this case an entire workshop held outdoors, in the vivid landscape of the English Lake District. It’s vast and wild… and you have no control over the weather, not even in May. The goal is for those attending to experience themselves in a new way. In these dramatic surroundings, and in the midst of warm companionship, we can … Read More The preparation of Magical Landscapes (2)

April 5, 2022 + #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Consciousness, nature, Photography

Yellow and Blue

by Steve Tanham

I’ve always been a bit artistic, but more of an illustrator than a painter. Sue Vincent was our painter, and a very good one – though she was modest about her achievements. In the early days of the Silent Eye, Sue and I worked together to create a version of the Silent Eye’s enneagram – seemingly, a nine-pointed star, until you look deeper – … Read More Yellow and Blue

April 3, 2022 + #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Ancient Sacred Sites, Consciousness, Esoteric Meaning of Myth, Lake District, landscapes, myths and spirituality, Photographic techniques, Photography, Silent Eye Workshops

The preparation of Magical Landscapes (1)

by Steve Tanham

There’s no ‘But what is it’, today. The series will continue for a few weeks, restarting next Sunday. Three of us have been busy doing a ‘dry run’ of the plans for our ‘Journey of the Hero’ workshop 6-8 May, centred in Keswick. We’ve been crossing lakes, walking up hills and following rivers to mysterious stone structures… Oh, and a quick visit to a … Read More The preparation of Magical Landscapes (1)

March 31, 2022 + #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Consciousness, esoteric psychology, Initiation, Mindfulness, Mystery Schools

Reaching Realisation

by Steve Tanham

The purpose of language is to convey meaning. We cannot convey meaning directly because it exists in an invisible mental realm unique to the individual. We all live in slightly different worlds, based on our own experience. As a tribe, society or country, we each agree to subscribe to the inherent values present in that shared group. We use language to pass meaning to … Read More Reaching Realisation

March 17, 2022 + #Silenti, Anger, Consciousness, Politics, Politics and Power

Four new horsemen of the Apocalypse

by Steve Tanham

No-one needs reminding of the dangers we now face… ‘World War Three’ seems to be on everyone’s lips. There’s a danger of self-fulfilling prophecy about this, with images of clever told-you-sos grinning after the event… albeit it, briefly. How did we get here? I’d like to propose four new horsemen of the modern apocalypse: greed, fear, impotence and ego. There’s nothing new about any … Read More Four new horsemen of the Apocalypse

March 15, 2022 + #Poetry, #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Consciousness, landscapes, Memories, Mystical poetry, Photographic techniques, Photography

Rivers of the Sun

by Steve Tanham

And did we dare, upon these rugged Yorkshire hills. To dream we could, then frame in would, then do… Life mirrored in the human word, embracing those who spoke it With commitment and with love That, flowing into what was seen up high, in heather heaven Became, like sparkling stream in winter, a promise. -;–;–;- Then, eight circles later of the Sun, you left … Read More Rivers of the Sun

March 10, 2022 + #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Consciousness, esoteric psychology, Higher Mind, Silent Eye School, spiritual turning around

The ejector-seat of self…(1)

by Steve Tanham

Do we really understand mindfulness? It’s become one of those ‘must do more of that’ sentiments, as though we could press a button on the side of the head. Perhaps the reason for our chagrin is not that we lack diligence, but that we think it’s a chore… Possibly that we don’t feel pulled or compelled from within to practice it? After all, we … Read More The ejector-seat of self…(1)

March 8, 2022 + #Silenti, Consciousness

The pram at the crossing

by Steve Tanham

The station at Przemsul was frantic. The kind of dirty, smelly and noisy frantic that signals a refugee crisis… I’ve seen a few. My grandfather lived through many and made sure I knew their signature.. and what the reality was beneath the headlines. They were streaming into the central concourse of the station in their hundreds, eyes wide in terror of the unknown – … Read More The pram at the crossing

February 24, 2022 + #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Consciousness, Egyptian Gods, enneagram, esoteric psychology, Higher Mind, meditation

An Artist named Giselle

by Steve Tanham

Geographically, it’s an unlikely partnership… One person in Victoria, Australia, the other in Cumbria… Giselle Bolotin is an Australian artist, but was born in Europe. She and I have never met, face to face, but have established a good working relationship via the virtual world of the internet. We are collaborating on a set of images to illustrate the Silent Eye’s new ‘Oracle’ deck … Read More An Artist named Giselle

February 22, 2022 + #Poetry, #Silenti, Consciousness, Mystery Schools, Mystical poetry, nature, Silent Eye School

Emergence

by Steve Tanham

Heavy metal, thinly sailed, is cast Like toy, and dropped onto the stone. Hedges bend, bow and form New writhing shapes – grotesques – Their twisted tongues malforming names Of foolish men who thought to tame The wild and winds of Cumbria… ——– And yet, from this we do emerge In harsh, unruly tufts of grass And mud that drains off torrents passed. Bleached … Read More Emergence

February 20, 2022 + #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Celtic Christianity, Consciousness, myths and spirituality, Photography

Green Man in the Stumpery

by Steve Tanham

It’s a large rendering of the Green Man. I have no idea whether it’s new or whether it has been on that wall for five years – back to the time when the ‘new’ stumpery was added to the promenade at Grange-over-Sands. The Green Man is hidden from general view, which, I suspect may be deliberate, and in tune with the wisdom it represents. … Read More Green Man in the Stumpery

February 17, 2022 + #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Child of Light, Christianity and modern mysticism, Consciousness, Esoteric Meaning of Myth, esoteric psychology, Mystery Schools, Myth

The mystery of the soul-child

by Steve Tanham

One of the most enigmatic mysteries in spirituality is the idea of a ‘soul-child’ – the finding within us of a spiritual figure whose characteristics are those of purity and youthfulness; untainted by the world, yet somehow immature within it… To approach a deeper understanding of this – one beyond the fanciful – we need to consider the words ‘soul’ and ‘child’, and set … Read More The mystery of the soul-child