网爆门

Welcome from the editor

Thank you to all of you who have emailed to welcome me as听new editor, and those who have found time to comment on the听redesign of Thresholds. Most of you have liked it, and a few have听not, but all of your views are important as they help the process听of creating a journal that is fit for purpose for you, the members.

I am writing this editorial from the small island of Iona,听which is located off the coast of Mull in the Western Isles听of Scotland. It is a place pilgrims have been travelling听to on quests to find the 鈥楬oly鈥� for hundreds of years,听St Columba starting a Christian community here back in听the 6th century. On this occasion I arrived by way of a small听dingy, travelling from the Iona Community youth centre听at Camas, located on the nearby island of Mull. The sea was听choppy, but a deep aquamarine colour, the approaching听sands were pristine and white, the Abbey dominant on听the horizon. George McLeod the founder of the Iona听Community¹, once said that 鈥業ona is a 鈥渢hin place鈥� 鈥� only听a 鈥渢issue paper鈥� separating the material from the spiritual;听where heaven meets earth²鈥�, and it has certainly been my听experience that people from all faith traditions, and none,听visit the island to find answers to questions about听spirituality. There is something about the wildness, the听beauty, the history of this place that enables people to come听in contact with the divine.

A young woman talks to me as听I walk up the footpath to the abbey. She is in tears, and tells听me about her son who has recently been diagnosed with听terminal cancer. He is 12. She has come here, not for a cure,听but to find some kind of connection with God. She is not听sure even that God exists, but felt instinctively that if she听could find him (or her) anywhere, it would be here. I am听humbled by my encounter, and her faith. I meet another听Palestinian man in the Abbey who is a Muslim and asks for听the community鈥檚 prayers in bringing an end to the violence听in the Middle East. 鈥業 have come on a pilgrimage to pray for听peace鈥� he says.

Why, I wonder, in this age of secularism, are听there so many people searching for spiritual experience听and yet so little credence given to it within our society?听Has our drive to be multicultural and politically correct听meant that all spiritual language has to be removed from听our workplaces, our social centres and health care? Can听we as counsellors afford to acknowledge a spiritual or faith听allegiance? Perhaps here within ASPCC there is a need to听continue the conversations and discussions across the听divide, and like Iona, become a 鈥榯hin place鈥�, a meeting place听between the everyday lives of people, those who work with听them, and the divine.

It has been an absolute pleasure working over the last听few months with authors from such diverse spiritual听backgrounds. Caroline Brazier contributes an article from听a Bhuddist perspective looking at other-centred practices;听Avigail Aberbanel tells the story of her movement from听traditional Judaism to a different kind of spiritual听awareness, and the effect this has on her psychotherapy听practice; Jean Kearley shares what it means to be a pastoral听counsellor in the United States; and Lorna Marqu猫s-Brocksopp shares research that she has been undertaking听with people who are vision impaired and the effect听spirituality has on their wellbeing. I have also acted as听editor to bring you a story from Aabira, a Muslim woman听I have been working with.

I would encourage you to continue to contribute ideas听and comment about any of the articles or letters contained听within this, or other issues, of Thresholds. You, the听members, are after all the journal鈥檚 鈥榣ifeblood鈥�. You are听welcome to email me at thresholds.editorial@bacp.co.uk

Dr Susan Dale
Editor

References

1 The Iona Community is an ecumenical Christian community听acting for justice and peace, the rebuilding of the common life and听the renewal of worship. For more information, see:
2 Bentley J, Paynter N. Around a thin place: an Iona pilgrimage guide:听7. Glasgow: Wild goose publications; 2011.

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