SteveTanham – writing, mysticism, photography, poetry, friends

Category: Mystery Schools

May 30, 2021 + #Silenti, Collie dogs, Consciousness, Mystery Schools, Photographic techniques, Photography, Silent Eye School

Still Light: twilight and night garden

by Steve Tanham

Our garden faces south, which means the arc of the sun can be watched for most of the day, and, at this time of year, well into the evening. One of our favourite things to do at the end of day’s gardening is to sit with a gin and tonic, plus a bowl of crisps, and watch the sun’s final slide into the west. … Read More Still Light: twilight and night garden

May 10, 2021 + #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Consciousness, Mystery Schools, Photographic techniques, Photography, Silent Eye School

The Paradox of Cromarty

by Steve Tanham

‘Human nature, unchecked by strong values, drifts downwards towards chaos, drowning the vital and corrective energy of individuality…‘ Read the full post here…

May 4, 2021 + #Silenti, English Lake District, landscapes, Mystery Schools, Photographic techniques, Photography, Seasons, Four Seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter,

Seeing with Clouds

by Steve Tanham

In clouds, I find endless joy and food for both emotion and meditation. People often say, humorously, “You seem to be able to get clouds to do things for you!” I’m not sure that’s the case, but I am sure that I have an affinity with the sky and with the formation, shape and movement of these wonderful entities – and that has altered … Read More Seeing with Clouds

April 8, 2021 + #Silenti, Consciousness, enneagram, esoteric psychology, Mystery Schools

A Song with Sue Vincent (2) from the eyes of another…

by Steve Tanham

Sue and Stuart moved forward from the start of the Silent Eye to become a formidable writing team, beginning with their book, The Initiate, published in September 2013. In this extract, Sue describes the 2013 ritual birth of the Silent Eye, but through the eyes of an ancient female priestess she felt she knew, psychically. This figure – later named ‘Bratha’, was to be … Read More A Song with Sue Vincent (2) from the eyes of another…

April 6, 2021 + #Silenti, Consciousness, esoteric psychology, Mystery Schools

Making sense of it…

by Steve Tanham

We have this interesting phrase: ‘Making sense of it…’ But we may never stop to think of its origins, or what logic is behind it. (870 words, a five-minute read) There are at least two interpretations of what ‘sense’ means. The first refers to the domain of our five physical senses: sight, hearing touch, smell and taste – all but one of them centred … Read More Making sense of it…

April 1, 2021 + #Silenti, Consciousness, enneagram, esoteric psychology, Mystery Schools

A Song with Sue Vincent (1)

by Steve Tanham

In the near darkness, the woman’s right hand came gently down on my shoulder from behind. It was the signal that she was ready, that we could begin either the bravest or the stupidest thing we’d ever attempted. It was April 2013. Sue Vincent and I were about to sing the opening of a temple ritual drama. Sitting on a small stool in front … Read More A Song with Sue Vincent (1)

March 25, 2021 + #Silenti, Consciousness, esoteric psychology, Mindfulness, Mystery Schools, Silent Eye School, Truth and Esotericism

The Ferocious Healer

by Steve Tanham

Healing can be gentle and tender; but certain healing acts on an inner level of the self, racing like a cold wave to resolve us, before washing us up on the beach called tomorrow, but under a different sun… (900 words, a five-minute read) We all progress through an inner journey in our lives. We may not work with any specific system of self-development, … Read More The Ferocious Healer

March 18, 2021 + #Silenti, Consciousness, esoteric psychology, Mindfulness, Mystery Schools, Silent Eye School, Truth and Esotericism

The Belief Tree

by Steve Tanham

It might be thought that, in our technology-driven age, the concept of belief has become less important. If we go back fifty years, belief was still central to most people’s lives; so what has happened to change that? (1000 words, a ten-minute read) A friend of mine suggests, slightly tongue in cheek, that the biggest factor in religion’s decline is shopping… We might substitute … Read More The Belief Tree

October 11, 2020 + #Silenti, Lake District, landscapes, Mystery Schools, myths and spirituality, nature, Photographic techniques, Photography

Mellow moods for Autumn (2) The Secret Path

by Steve Tanham

There are three ways back from the centre of Kirkby Lonsdale to Devil’s Bridge, where most visitors park their cars, if they’re just there for the views and, possibly, a coffee. There’s the river path, itself, with the steep descent down Mill Brow to the Lune Valley; there’s the main street out of the town to the south; and there’s this – the tree-lined … Read More Mellow moods for Autumn (2) The Secret Path

October 6, 2020 + #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Ancient Sacred Sites, Mystery Schools, Photography

The Old Men of Hoy

by Steve Tanham

I remember the ferry poster. May 2018 and we were on our way to Orkney for the first time. Four of us had travelled by ScotRail up from Glasgow to Thurso, a few miles west of John O’ Groats, the most northerly point on the British mainland. From Thurso, we were booked onto the evening ferry to Orkney, landing in Stromness around ninety minutes … Read More The Old Men of Hoy

September 29, 2020 + #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Ancient Sacred Sites, Mystery Schools, Photography

Backwards into a Loch

by Steve Tanham

The sinister man in the white overall was tall and very athletic. He’d just talked me through what was going to happen next – punctuated by rapid movements of his blue gloved hands. I was still shocked and not sure I’d heard correctly, so in the photo I’m watching carefully as he explains things to the car ‘in front’. My one salvation was that … Read More Backwards into a Loch

September 22, 2020 + #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Ancient Sacred Sites, Mystery Schools, Photography

Nomadics of John O’ Groats

by Steve Tanham

I thought it might be interesting to take some of the less relevant episodes – the ‘out-takes’ – from the just-completed Scottish workshop (and subsequent journey to Orkney) and run them on Sun in Gemini, in reverse time-sequence. The Thursday blogs, here and on the Silent Eye, will continue with the linear sequence of the Scottish and Orkney explorations. That way the odd bits … Read More Nomadics of John O’ Groats