SteveTanham – writing, mysticism, photography, poetry, friends

Category: Spirituality

.Alexandra. I made a special effort to be at Rose’s coffee shop early the next Monday morning. Despite that, he was there before me … “Morning, John,” I muttered, trying not to let my irritation show… “Morning, Alexandra,” said my uncle, cheerfully. It was only then that I noticed two things were–well, wrong… To start with he was sitting with his hands on his head, … Read More Nine Deadly Sins with Coffee, part 37 – Golden Apples

November 5, 2015 + Esoteric Meaning of Myth, Greek Myths, Higher Mind, Labours of Hercules, Sex, Silent Eye School, Spirituality

Nine Deadly Sins with Coffee, part 36 – Three Eyes of the One Mind

by Steve Tanham

.Alexandra. “There were three of them!” I said, getting the first word in before he had chance to open the ominous black bag sitting on his knee. “Three of what?” I watched as his fingers let go the zip that ran across the top of its length. “Three cyclopses…” “Ah,” he said, smiling at our agreed corruption of the word. “Yes, three of them… … Read More Nine Deadly Sins with Coffee, part 36 – Three Eyes of the One Mind

October 29, 2015 + Esoteric Meaning of Myth, Greek Myths, Higher Mind, Labours of Hercules, Silent Eye School, Spirituality

Nine Deadly Sins with Coffee, part 35 – Mr Cyclops

by Steve Tanham

.Alexandra. I had done my homework the previous weekend and arrived at our cafe early, eager to organise my thoughts before John arrived for our Monday get-together. “Dark out there,” he said, entering behind me and kissing the top of my head in his customary fashion before sitting down. I looked out of the window at the clear blue morning sky. We were having … Read More Nine Deadly Sins with Coffee, part 35 – Mr Cyclops

October 25, 2015 + Mystical poetry, Spirituality

Hey, you!

by Steve Tanham

Hey, you! ———– Hey, you, come play! said the wind in the heights Whipping the sail in a dance of the round Me?, said the cloth, but I’m tied to the mast I can play all you like but to steel I am bound ——- Hey, you, come play! said the sky to the steel Reflecting its rust, through the colour of blood Me? … Read More Hey, you!

October 22, 2015 + Heracles, Labours of Hercules, Myth, Soul, Spirituality

Nine Deadly Sins, part 34 – Wild Women

by Steve Tanham

.Alexandra. “Wild horses,” I said, sitting down with both our coffees and passing his across our small table. “Wild women horses!” John replied, a glint in his eyes. “Okay, then, wild women horses, if you must. But you said we were now, in our studies, in Aries, the sign of the ram, surely?” I watched him nod. “So why wild horses?” “I do not … Read More Nine Deadly Sins, part 34 – Wild Women

October 21, 2015 + Ancient Landscapes, guided mystical walks, Silent Eye School, Spirituality, Winter Solstice weekend

Below and Above – Souls on a Hillside

by Steve Tanham

Friday, 4th December, 2015. A group of companions, some old friends, some just introduced, all made very welcome, meet in the comfort of a small hotel on the edge of a mysterious range of hills, the last outliers of the West Pennines. A short distance from the old mill town of nearby Bolton, the hillside above them is very different in character from the urban … Read More Below and Above – Souls on a Hillside

October 15, 2015 + Heracles, Initiation, Labours of Hercules, Silent Eye School, Spirituality

Nine Deadly Sins with Coffee, part 33 – Three Journeys

by Steve Tanham

.Alexandra. “I’ve had a week of threes,” I said, wanting to seize the initiative. I felt empowered, full of energy; and I wanted to be at it … the labours of Heracles, that is. He looked at me over a succession of objects: the coffee cup, poised next to his bemused lips; the newspaper, held in his free hand until I arrived and tapped … Read More Nine Deadly Sins with Coffee, part 33 – Three Journeys

October 10, 2015 + Mystical poetry, Spirit, Spirituality

Seldom Seen

by Steve Tanham

Seldom seen I am The edge of action ——- Seldom seen I am The liquid in which light flows ——- Seldom seen I am The Spirit that animates all ——- Seldom seen I am What you think you are not — ©Copyright words and image, Stephen Tanham 2015

October 8, 2015 + Greek Myths, Hercules, Labours of Hercules, Silent Eye School, Spirituality, Truth and Esotericism

Nine Deadly Sins with Coffee, part 32 – New Grains for Old

by Steve Tanham

Nine Deadly Sins with Coffee, part 32 – New Grains for Old .Alexandra. “They have a new menu,” he said casually. I felt myself tense; then got hold of it, recognising the reaction and how it had absorbed me into the moment in a bad way: making me identify with the building anger, rather than watching it unfold as a thing in its own right … Read More Nine Deadly Sins with Coffee, part 32 – New Grains for Old

October 2, 2015 + Ancient Landscapes, Silent Eye School, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Spirituality

The Lighted Life

by Steve Tanham

The Lighted Life ——- Gawain awakes beneath the tree That senses show has changed A star of dawn climbs bark and leaf And hovers in the cold, clean air Announcing greater changes lie beneath ——- A keening on the knowing breeze A darker taste upon the wind A fall of wispy, softer skies As kind October’s shorter days Play midwife games with knowing eyes … Read More The Lighted Life

October 1, 2015 + Greek Myths, Heracles, Hercules, Journey of the hero, Silent Eye School, Soul, Spirituality

Nine Deadly Sins with Coffee, part 31 – An Eye for an I

by Steve Tanham

Nine Deadly Part 31 – An Eye for an I .Alexandra. The last time I was in here, I had glimpsed something. Insight had flickered and shifted as the concentrated presence of John and, surprisingly, Rose, had nudged me none-too-gently towards my moment of ‘seeing’. Now, I wanted to know more … “It’s about where you put the “I”, isn’t it?” I asked John, … Read More Nine Deadly Sins with Coffee, part 31 – An Eye for an I

September 24, 2015 + Esoteric Meaning of Myth, Heracles, Hercules, Incarnation, Labours of Hercules, Soul, soul in body, Spirituality

Nine Deadly Sins with Coffee, part 30 – Twins of Fortune

by Steve Tanham

(Greek pottery image from: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/apples.html) Over the weekend, one image from the Heracles myth had haunted me – that of the victorious hero wearing the lion skin – particularly the head. The picture of the two heads occupying the same space remained in my mind right up to the moment that I entered our cafe on the Monday morning. John was there when I … Read More Nine Deadly Sins with Coffee, part 30 – Twins of Fortune