Video

COURSES

Self Knowledge and the Unity of Being: The Beshara School Six Month Intensive Course

A short introduction to the six-month intensive course that runs from October 1st to March 24th every year.

Foundations of Natural Intelligence

A seven day retreat in the woods exploring our relationship to nature, to other people, and to reality as a whole.

Student interviews: My experience of the six month course 

On the day they completed the six month course, March 24th 2010, the eight students: Zaki, Meutia, Jonathon, Kai, Sue, Joseph, Jennifer and Aliya were interviewed about their experience, and what they gained from it.

Roads, ruins, revolutions, rain

A short film following the Beshara School trip to Turkey in 2009, set to a live recording of Your Face by Peter Murphy. 

APPLIED ACTIVITIES

Forestry Fortnight

Forestry fortnight happens every year on the Chisholme Estate in the Scottish Borders in the spring (usually April). Volunteers help with all aspects of clearing the forest and planting new trees. 

How to make a yurt in 3 days

Master yurt maker Hal Wynne Jones heads a team of volunteers and students of the Beshara School in the Scottish Borders in an attempt to make a 16 foot yurt in 3 days...

Sourdough bread making

Robin Thomson, a wonderful baker who often bakes for special occasions at Chisholme House, takes us through the basic process and principles of making a pain de campagne loaf or two...

Building the Retreat

This underground retreat cell, a dome on four arches, was begun in 1995 and completed 11 years later. Built by the School's students and volunteers and funded entirely by donations.

Building the dome of the Retreat

Building a brick dome in the traditional way, with a length of string and casting plaster. A master-class by craftsman Selim Sleeman at Chisholme House in the Scottish Borders.

January Snow

After heavy snow at the Beshara School in the Scottish Borders many things come to a standstill, but care of the livestock and essential maintenance continues, beauty dominates the landscape.

Felling an Elm

Estate manager Ben Young fells a dead elm. To avoid damaging new growth below, and for safety, Ben takes out the crown first before felling the main trunk.

TALKS AND EVENTS 

Variations of the Breath

A contemporary dance piece performed by Huri Murphy and choreographed by the well known Turkish choreographer Beyhan Murphy from the 2011 SKGR Symposium: Moving Heaven Moving Earth.

Jethro Buck and the Sunflower Seed Mandala

Extracts from Jethro Buck's talk given at the 2011 SKGR Symposium, and the Sunflower sand mandala made with the help of all the delegates.

Self Knowledge Global Responsibility Symposium, Moving Heaven Moving Earth

A short film about the 2011 SKGR Symposium: Moving Heaven Moving Earth, a feast of talks, dance, music and wonderful food...

Future Food

Talks from the Future Food symposium in 2011 including the metaphysical roots of agriculture,  slow food, indigenous relationships with food and territory, local food networks, getting young people back on the land...

A Change in the Era

A talk given at the Temple of Apollo, Didyma, Turkey giving an insight into two major shifts in our perception of the location of the sacred from the era of temples, through Christianity to the present day.

A tale of guns and roses

Scilla Elworthy, veteran peace campaigner and founder of Peace Direct, gives a personal account of uniting the inner and outer worlds during the Bosnian conflict in 1994.

Insights into the economic crisis 

Jonathan Yiangou, political and economic analyst at the European Bank discusses the current European crisis and the centrality of the principle of dependence in understanding the crisis and its potential solutions.

 Testing the Nature of Reality using Quantum Physics

A talk by Bobby Antonio at the 2011 SKGR Symposium: Moving Heaven Moving Earth