Articles
Mystical Theology of Florence Nightingale
Jenny wrote her MA Thesis on the Mystical Theology of Florence Nightingale, whose lesser known mystical theology of the interior path to God in the ‘Divine Within’ was ahead of its time with inter-spiritual insights inspired by Buddhism, Hinduism, Sufi Islamic Mysticism and Ancient Egyptian Mysticism. The Thesis is freely downloadable for research/read only purposes and should not be copied without prior permissions.
Mysticism below the throne
Last year, the coronation of Charles III took place on the famous Cosmati Pavement, in Westminster Abbey, London.
The Mona Lisa, God & Gender Identity
The androgyny of the Mona Lisa serves as an artistic allegory for spiritual-philosophical teachings of the ultimate androgyny of the Divine, with both 'male' and 'female' natures of the Divine, as in the Ancient Wisdom, emerging through various spiritual traditions through the ages.
Monet and Meditation
Perhaps many of us have only appreciated the true beauty of Monet's Water Lilies when we have viewed them up close in person, rather than in the oft-seen flat, two-dimensional prints. However, how many of us know that Monet's artistic genius was also put to meditative use?
'Black Narcissus' & The Spiritual Ego
The heady perfume that gives the film, 'Black Narcissus' its name, exudes a 'warning scent' for missionary zeal.
Interreligious Insight
‘Is Interfaith Worship a desirable practice?’
Jenny’s award-winning essay with The World Congress of Faiths, first published in Interreligious Insight in June 2020 is attached as a free downloadable pdf version.
The Lantern, the Niche and the Olive Oil
The Lantern, the Niche and the Olive Oil explores the esoteric symbolism in Islamic Mosques, drawing on allegorical themes of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C. S. Lewis.
The Solitude of the soul
Inspired by my recent visit to the recent art exhibition of Tracey Emin and Edvard Munc at The Royal Academy of Arts, entitled 'The Loneliness of the Soul', I reflected on the difference between what we might call 'loneliness' or what I might prefer to call 'solitude' and I wonder how many of us will have had times of a deepening awareness of the 'loneliness' or 'solitude' of our souls during lockdown?
Saint Teresa of Avila as an Interspiritual Mystic
Teresa of Avila's 'epic life' inspired George Elliot's book Middlemarch and even Florence Nightingale described Teresa as 'the most active of the mystics'.
The circlE
Once upon a time there breathed a Cloud of Spherical Endlessness.
‘One river, Many Wells’
An article exploring the inner-realisation of the ‘Soul of Light’ from an Interfaith/Interspiritual perspective of The Ancient Wisdom or Perennial Philosophy.
The Sound of Silence
An article exploring the oxymoron of Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘The Sound of Silence’.
Nursing your calling
Published in The Inquirer in September 2020, ‘Nursing your Calling’ is inspired by Florence Nightingale’s calling into nursing and explores contemporary views on spiritual calling – we all have a calling.
What is your ‘must’?
Published in The Inquirer in September 2020, ‘‘What is your ‘must’?’ is inspired by the social action and theological insights of Florence Nightingale, exploring the relationship between ‘mysticism and pragmatism’.
‘All these pearls...’
This article, written as a contribution for the Surrey Faith Links’ Newsletter highlights Florence Nightingale’s extensive theological writings on Comparative Religion, in honour of her Bicentenary Year in 2020.
Give me thine hand
An article inspired by John Wesley’s question:
Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike?
The Greatest King of All Time
Once upon a time there was a King who wanted to rule the World. So, he called together all the wise council in his Kingdom to advise him on how he could accomplish his goal.
The Purple Daisy
Once upon a time, there was a purple daisy who lived in a beautiful green field beneath a snow capped Mountain. Daisy felt special being a purple daisy as there were not many other purple daisies in the field.