A plea to allow time for growth.
All developing in line.
In nature, growth takes time. And once it has happened, it cannot be reversed.
This section of the blog reflects on that simple truth.
Spiritual Development.
Some of these pages explore what it means to live a spiritual life.
By “spiritual” I do not necessarily mean “religious.”
Religions are often embedded in belief systems. Beliefs can reinforce identity — sometimes to the exclusion of those who believe differently. Religion has repeatedly divided humanity into rival tribes. I know this well. I am a Glasgow Catholic. Protestants supported Rangers; I supported Celtic. Lines were drawn early.
Giant Banner of Saint Patrick at a Celtic football match 2026.
But spirituality, as I understand it now, is about connection — with ourselves, with others, with all living creatures.
A spiritual life can open us to inner peace and fresh perspectives. It can soften boundaries rather than harden them.
In The Raft of Corks, written over ten years ago, I described my own experiences of spirituality while walking pilgrimage routes across Europe. Since then, another decade has passed. These pages reflect what has unfolded in that time — years that have carried me into the final stretch of life.
This ancient mariner hopes to awaken as a happier and wiser man.
Developmental Theories.
A handfull of theories Which I find helpful.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Unmet needs can be traumatic.
I will also reflect on some of the great theories of human development that blossomed in the twentieth century. For me, they are as revolutionary as Galileo and Copernicus reshaping our view of the solar system, or Newton and Leibniz uncovering calculus — the mathematics of change.
These insights deepen our understanding of what it means to be alive: creatures always in motion, always becoming, living amid rates of change that enthral, illuminate and challenge us.
The Clearing at the End of the Path
When the end of the path comes nearer. I was listening recently to a summary of Peter Fenwick’s research into near-death experiences. Often these experiences bring clarity to our Life. Some of them resonated with moments walking on Pilgrimate Paths “Being” overtakes “Doing” I do not know when I will die.But I do know that…
St. FRANCIS of ASSISI’S approach to War
ST. FRANCIS of ASSISI and A MIDDLE EAST WAR This post is constructed from a chapter in “Eager to Love” by Richard Rohr. He often refers to St. Francis of Assisi. . In times of conflict, most people retreat deeper into their own side. Francis of Assisi did the opposite. Instead of hardening boundaries, he…
New Horizons
Horizons was a section of the old Raft-of-corks.com.- It was a site containing reviews on some of my favourite books on Spirituality and Contemplation. My life has largely been lived as a questioning Catholic. Not only have the apples dropped off the Tree of Knowlege but the leaves, too. The roots still remain. Metaphysics and…
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