An Island Haven: Fi Luray’s Iona Experience

Fi Luray shares their experience holding autumn ‘Spirit of Iona’ retreats

Ellie and I in the sunroom at Traigh Bhan, just before we started holding the Spirit of Iona retreats this October

We had a taste of everything in our five weeks on Iona; glorious sunshine and clear skies with views to Skye and Jura, misty days where even the neighbouring sheep disappeared into cloud, exciting windstorms that made the waves crash over storm island and kept one set of guests with us an extra night, the most incredible pink and green aurora I have ever seen, millions of blinking stars, and many, many stunning rainbows.

One of Iona’s many rainbows, shared with us by Natalia Bystrianyk, one of our Spirit of Iona participants.

Despite the constantly changing elements outside, Traigh Bhan was a peaceful haven with a steady routine. The simpleness of the place, surrounded by sheep, heated by coal, with giant windows to watch what was happening at sea, calmed both my mind and spirit. As the weeks passed, I found myself becoming more sensitive, opening, and softening. I felt attuned to the island and what felt to me like the density of the energy there. Every week, as I would lead a meditation connecting the participants with the island, I would be reminded anew of the many layers that make the energy of Iona so special.

The jagged dark Gneiss rock on Iona is one of the oldest rock formations in the world and contrasts beautifully with the white shell sand on Iona’s north beach close to our retreat house. It existed long before any life on earth

The Gneiss rock that makes up Iona is some of the most ancient in the world at 2000 million years old. The island, surrounded by salt water and constantly swept over by wind and rain, purifies itself daily. The footprint of pilgrims coming to Iona with spiritual intent for over 1500 years, creates an energy field which reflects this. It moved me to think that every person I met at Traigh Bhan in those five weeks was contributing to this.  

Our guests drew the angel card of ‘Courage’ frequently for the group angel for the week, and this quickly ceased to surprise me. It may be the 21st century, but it is still a pilgrimage to Iona and there is no way around it.

Sometimes the weather on Iona can be wild – and FASCINATING! Stormy autumn days with hail piercing your face while you are filming are often the prettiest!

Video: Iona Weather

Our guests often blew in on the wind and rain, having used every mode of transport to get to us, walking the final mile in exciting weather to arrive at a house in a sheep paddock to spend a week living communally with strangers. It is courageous! I looked forward to meeting who would walk through our door each week, assured that only the brave of heart and spiritually inclined would be attracted to this adventure in the first place. One of our first guests, a beautiful soul not unfamiliar with Iona, said to the group, ‘Iona will always provide you with what you need.’ Only every individual could say for themselves if they got what they needed from their time on Iona, but our closing sharings seemed to indicate that most had found something there, whether they had known what they were looking for to begin with or not. For myself, I can certainly say the same. 

Traigh Bhan house on a cosy autumn’s night, shining the light out into the world

I had been eager to return to holding groups again and sharing the principles and lifestyle of Findhorn with those drawn to it. It had lit me up at Cluny, and I looked forward to experiencing it in a new and different way on Iona. What I didn’t expect was the sharpening of my senses through the time on the island and Traigh Bhan. I hadn’t anticipated how wonderfully different each group of people and their energy and needs would be, what themes they would bring with them in their desires and conversations, and how much I would enjoy adapting to this. And perhaps the biggest take away? I was delightfully astonished to learn just how easeful and joyful sharing this experience and work with the one I love would be. To share the holding of the beautiful daring souls who came to this remote and spiritual island with Ellie made the concept of ‘Work as Love in Action’ feel the most tangible it has ever felt to me. 

Saying goodbye to our final guests after five beautiful weeks at Traigh Bhan.

I am grateful for the incredible experience to Iona, Traigh Bhan, the angelic presences that support both, and every courageous human that I had the privilege to spend a week with. I look forward to seeing who else makes the journey for this magical experience.

Love and gratitude, Fi