Articles

Few sights are more quintessentially British than the iconic red telephone box. Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in the 1920s, these cast-iron kiosks once stood on every street corner, symbolising communication, civic pride, and the reach of the British state. Today they are increasingly rare, often weathered and neglected, yet Britain’s knack for reinvention has given them new life: some serve as tiny cafés, florists, or community libraries, while others house defibrillators or even...

Across esoteric traditions, mystical teachings, and even some interpretations of quantum theory, imagination is seen as the engine of creation. But in most mainstream views, its importance is often overlooked, viewed simply as a way to escape from reality, confined to the worlds of children, artists and creatives. Yet, every day we are imagining our lives, consciously or unconsciously, wishing for certain outcomes or projecting worst case scenarios. We seem to get what we consistently...

The Green Man is more than a symbol; he is a reminder of what we have lost and what still lingers within us. His face, entwined with leaves and staring out from the stone of ancient cathedrals, is not just an artistic relic but a whisper from the past, urging us to remember. He is not bound by time, nor by a single interpretation—he is an echo of the spirit that once defined humanity, the...

What if geometry was more than formulas and shapes? What if it was a gateway to sacred spaces? An artistic practice infused with spiritual meaning? Every line, every curve, every pattern in Islamic Geometry is more than a design. It is an invitation to the contemplation of Allah. A visual language shaped by spiritual symbolism and grounded in divine purpose. Emerging from a golden age of scientific and theological exploration, sacred geometry flourished across the...

I was inspired to write about aphantasia because of my mother. She can only see images in her mind's eye when she is dreaming. However, like other people with aphantasia, visualisation is difficult for her, if not impossible. This makes reading fiction or fantasy a challenge — she struggles to picture the landscapes, characters and unfolding scenes in her mind as she reads. As a result, she is not able to lose herself in a...

Brainchild of philosopher, author, artist and founder of the Institute of Art and Ideas Hilary Lawson, the HowTheLightGetsIn philosophy and music festival recently enjoyed its 3rd year on the grounds of Kenwood House on Hampstead Heath on the 21st and 22nd of September 2024. SAF founder Clifford White and colleague Yumnah Isaacs had the opportunity of attending the festival. Here they reflect upon 'how the light gets in'… There’s something potent about the marriage of...

According to Lennon and McCartney, “love is all we need. It’s easy.” And love is everywhere around us all the time, in our songs and in films and books. Apart from the weather, it’s our favourite topic of conversation. Who’s together, who wants to get together, who’s no longer together… There’s so much love around you’d think we’d all be experts on the subject, wouldn’t you? But no, love is still a mystery to most...

Have you ever wondered how some things just seem to look ‘right’? No, it’s not a trick of the light or an optical illusion but the work of the Golden Ratio - a mathematical phenomenon that has subtly influenced our perception of beauty for centuries. From the spiral of a pinecone and the arrangement of its scales to the pattern of a hurricane, this ratio has been shaping art and nature alike. So, let’s delve...

In this article Alice Dawson, artist and writer, explores the deeper meanings of three works by the famed spiritual artist William Blake. The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun (c. 1805) ‘The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun’ is one of four watercolours painted by William Blake between 1805 and 1810 depicting the Great Red Dragon in various scenes from the Book of Revelation, the final book...

If you’ve ever wandered through the misty landscapes of Britain’s oldest forests or stumbled upon a dusty, half-forgotten book in the corner of a creaky old library, you might have heard whispers of a strange creature: the Death Beetle. For centuries, this mysterious insect has scuttled its way into British folklore, occasionally popping up in art, literature, and spiritual discussions, only to burrow back into obscurity. But what exactly is a Death Beetle, and why...

In the heart of South Kensington, nestled within the elegant Victorian townhouse of the College of Psychic Studies, the 2022 autumn exhibition, Creative Spirits, opened its doors to a spellbound audience. Over 14 rooms and six floors, visitors were invited on an extraordinary odyssey into realms beyond the ordinary, exploring the art and photography of 100 mediums, dreamers, and visionaries spanning the past 165 years. The exhibition was more than a display of visual creativity;...

It could be said that Art and Spirituality have been engaged in an illicit affair since art began. From the ancient mystic rock paintings of Aboriginal Australia, through to the epic works of the Renaissance and Romantic periods and beyond, spirituality has often remained art’s secret mistress, veiled in abstractions or obscured in religious symbolism, navigating her subtle path to avoid the taboos and customs of the time. Even today, in our modern culture, many...