Memories of Erraid 2015

There isn't much news online in 2015 about Erraid, its residents or visitors but a search through youtube surfaced this video taken around the time I was on the island.

I sometimes find myself wandering around Erraid in my memory, tasting the smell of Val's baking bread and hearing the rooster again outside my cottage window calling me to the day.

Takeaway - Reflection

Thinking about Erraid this week wondering how it is doing, perhaps it's the news from the IPCC that has started a train of thought.

Takeaway #1: Presence (update)

After Embercombe this week, this Takeaway was updated as follows:

We spend most of our lives preferring to live in a past that was or wasn't what was wanted, or in the future of what may or may not be.

Being present is about living now with "pace and grace".

Takeaway #7: Spirituality

Whilst struggling to light the Rayburn, I turned to a copious supply of Findhorn 2011 catalogues to help me get a flame going.

Looking through it I just hadn't realised how diverse and expensive the spirituality market has become.

Rather than Jesus wanting us to be a moonbeam, faith has been replaced by Sunday visits to Ikea altars, astrological star charts, shamanistic, dream catching, sacred dancing, 5Rhythming®, angel speaking and awakening the white goddess within through mythodrama.

Interleave these courses with copious use of the word 'spirituality' as you handover £400-£3,000 so you can dance with Abigail, Tituba and Mercey in the forest.

The inner city families I meet through the Kids Company charity don't have that sort of money to spend on their monthly shopping bill, but there is no shortage of people with the time, disposable income and angst driving them to courses clutching their Visa cards.

Takeaway #6: Destinations

It's been a full week now since I returned to London and I'm still pondering the takeaways from my fortnight at Erraid.

A big one that keeps punching through is the unexpected spectacular and natural beauty in this part of Scotland.

Large empty sandy beaches, crystal clear waters, fresh air and glacial topography.

Friendly locals and the absence of mass holiday makers means I will probably return for a closer look at Mull and other islands.

Takeaway #5: Transformation

Some of the visitors over the fortnight had discovered and played Findhorn's Transformation Game® with success telling us about it one morning.

Intrigued I read the rules of the game (which are complex) and these require you determine a  key issue in your life before you play the game.

Gameplay will then generate various insights into your key issue.

After a day wandering around the cliffs and beaches of the island I concluded I really didn't have any key issues that the game could help me with, at first wondering if that was a key issue, but felt I would be ill served by the game if it gave me one I didn't know I had.

It was a welcome conclusion that my life is good and does not want intervention, although just a little disappointed that I won't satisfy my curiosity and play The Transformation Game.

Takeaway #4: Sustainability

Whilst The Dignity of Labour makes for a good song title, I assure you that spending hours in a garden weeding can be slow back-breaking work.

Erraid, despite a regular flow of willing visitors and rainfall, cannot sustain itself with sufficient wood or organic veg and needs to ship in sacks of food and logs from the mainland throughout the year.

If you want to do away with oil, tractors, chainsaws, combine harvesters, transportation, nuclear power, weed-killer and GM resistant veg affordable to the masses, then the world is going to have to starve or reduce its population. 

Takeaway #3: Listening

I was reminded on the island how difficult and sometimes subtle listening or being listened to can be.

A follow-on to "being present" is the attention and effort expected during a discussion.

Working in the gardens or kitchen with others during the fortnight meant that there were sustained periods to talk or to listen.

I met some people during the visit who were really good at listening and I experienced the simple delight of being heard and understood.

Meanwhile there were others who must have cloth for ears, stayed in their bubble and moved from one self-centred moment to another.

It was a rare joy to spend time with a stranger and give them the space to be heard.

Takeaway #2: Meditation

Near to 5pm the bell would ring to let us know it was time for meditation in the sanctuary up on the hillside.

Not everyone would come along, just a hardcore of attendees, some of whom told me they had been instructed how to meditate.

This visit to Erraid was my first experience of meditation and I quickly found that I could effortlessly drift off to sleep if I relaxed too much.

After working in the gardens or kitchen during the day it became a welcome way to finish the day, relax and prepare for supper at 6pm.

At first I used the sessions to think on a topic, such as the book I was reading, but went to subsequent meditations clearing out the clutter that invades moments of silence like this, harder than I expected it to be unless I let myself sink into sleep.

In an article by Dr Sigel, meditation would count as Time In or Down Time, something that I would like to repeat whenever I can. I haven't resolved how I would fit in 30 minutes if I am working, so this has to be a habit I will return to when time permits.

So if you spot me on a sunny day sitting on top of a grass mound in Battersea Park overlooking The Thames don't worry, I'm probably not asleep but having another beginner's go at meditation.

Takeaway #1: Presence

Before starting each session such as gardening, logging, kitchen or the morning check-in we held hands, very unBritish I know, and focused on who was there and what was happening around us.

This proved an effective way of dropping the thoughts or chatter leading up to the moment and homing in onto where we were.

I remember during large Embercombe sessions people silently raised their hand when ready to participate, simple but equally effective.


Nowadays we multi-task, play with our phones, looking around and getting distracted from the moment, anything but focus.

So whilst hand-holding might get me arrested at the Asda check-out till, I'll be inserting that pause to see how Erraid goes down in Zone 1 & 2.

Zone 2

I flew into a London sunset sky this evening over Wembley Arch, then up the Thames, over St Paul's, Tate Modern, London Eye, Parliament, Vauxhall, Battersea Power Station, my house and then onto Heathrow.

Rather pleased with this photo taken through the window of the plane.

Home to sawdust free flush toilets.

It's good to be back, let's see how long this lasts!

Farewell to Mull

Time to leave Erraid and take the bus back from fionnphort to catch the ferry in Craignure later in the morning.

Mull is a spectacular island, particularly in this sunshine, another delight to savour.

Onto the ferry across to Oban for what must be a classic rail journey to and from Glasgow through the Scottish mountains and valleys.

I had a lovely chat on the train with Mo' unpacking the time in Erraid discovering all sorts of insights she picked up that I missed.

Hope to see her again for a walk in her neck of Wales, but now it's Glasgow in the rain dodging shoppers heading to Buchanan Galleries

Sunset over Erraid

So it's farewell to Erraid after a fantastic evening watching the sun go down, sharing some wine and then a strange German drinking ritual with vodka and sweet crystals, don't ask me why!

A night sky that is still light at 1am and a quiet street.

Final K.D.

That's it, the last washing up of the trip, a big one too, and a final meditation to break the circle and return Sauron's ring.

Blistering sunshine today and a fantastic walk amongst spectacular empty beaches and granite outcrops from clear blue seas.

Late flight tomorrow out of Glasgow back to the big smoke and Zone 2.

Friday preparations and attunement

Saw off two friends early this morning before an extended circle discussion this morning.

It's amazing what surfaces over a week here and the benefit of time.

Now it's on to the big clean up preparing for tomorrow's visitors.

It is bright sunshine and today this has to be one of the best places on Earth to be.

End of The Pier fire

It's been a long day after an oversleeping start, six and a half hours in the gardens or kitchen.

So time to chill or rather toast in front of a pier fire for the penultimate night, the group starts to break up tomorrow as people begin their journeys home.

I leave on Saturday, so one last day to enjoy Erraid.

T'other Paul got the water working in Pier Cottage tonight having replaced all the plumbing over the last week. I've been making him cups of tea for encouragement or holding the ladder.

Steve played his guitar by the fire and we all chatted enjoying the calming sunset, leaping fish and creeping darkness.

T'other Paul went for a spot of night fishing before accepting it really was time to return to The Street and his visiting Mother-In-Law.

Custard Beasties

After the rigors of weeding I spent 4 hours as the kitchen 'ho this afternoon dicing onions, scrubbing spuds, grating cheese, prepping salads, the list goes on ... ...

Otis Spann potent music on the laptop to keep us company that Susannah enjoyed hearing passing through the kitchen.

Roger was  making his tour de force by popular demand, Spotted Dick and Custard. Roger supplied the dick and me the spots.

When ready, I  went out to ring the dinner bell and met the lovely Jack who walked along The Street with me ringing the bell.

He picked out a dinner table and insisted I sit with him and have boy's talk.

We considered which reptiles would be best to swim in my custard, the conclusion was turtles or frogs.

Whoops, it's Thursday morning already

Overslept for the first time since I can't remember and missed the tuning in session. Perhaps due to a late night sitting up watching Malle's Au Revoir Les Enfants last night, a brilliant film!

After dark which is very late up here, I was looking out for an aurora after the massive sun solar explosion yesterday, but no luck.

So fell out of bed, woke the young Ewan up and a quick porridge before heading into the gardens to weed the onions that's back breaking work.

The onions were well hidden amongst the weeks so weeding needs careful attention if the onions are to remain in the ground.

Laundry techniques

This seems about right for the laundry here on the island.

Work Ninja

I woke up early so came up at 6:30 to get some water and put my week's supply of clothes in the washer before the midges take up residence.

I found Val in the kitchen preparing to make bread with the dough we made last night, yesterday morning she was in the garden running the planting group.

An hour later 14 bread tins were in the oven, washing out on the line and off to make porridge before waking up the young Ewan.

Back at 9am to pick up my bread for a breakfast treat.

I'm turning into Felicity Kendal.