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 Cosmology don’t have a Heaven and Hell any more. “God” is a general term which refers to the totality of the best of all of Life as we know it.
The books here describe well the human practise and experience of Prayer and silence. They also give straigforward help on how to become as free as may be possible from our Ego. Each grown out of the ground and soil of traditional Religious experience.
The New Driftwood is being washed up on this shoreline. It contains reflections on various aspects of philosophy, therapy and religion. Comments are welcome.
You will find here a variety of sub-domains from The-Raft-of-Corks.
These sub-domains floated around The-Raft-of-Corks in the 2010’s. I intend to add some pages on their specific themes. Click on the links and if you would like to return to any of these sub-domains please bookmark them.
Here is a link to a site I created on some Villages in Spain. I would like to add to this.
My aim was to find the heart of the smaller villages I have passed through on my journeys through Spain. The de-population of Spain has left many villages almost empty. They still have a heart. Inland Spain is full of treasures and surprises. Nature has freedom and space to thrive. The roads are quiet and the Spanish are always pleased to talk.
https://driftwood.the-raft-of-corks.com These pages are theological and ecclesiastical musings from an earlier life. This link is repeated in the section Nothing Survives. My infrastructure for reflection on my spiritual life has evaporated. The core values are stronger than ever in my life. I expect I’ll add an update to the pages in that category.
In my reading days some books were outstanding for me. Here I introduce some of them. The main themes are addiction and contemplation. Wisdom which I hope will survive.
This Sistine Chapel portrayal of the Creation of Man introduces the Category of pages in this blog post introducing the theme “Nothing Survives.”
“Nothing survives” is the last of three categories which cover this blog johncameronfletcher.com. johncameronfletcher.com is a revival of and epitath forThe-Raft-of-Corks.com
The section of this blog called “Everything Changes” is a celebration of life. Those pages try to capture the wonder, awe and love that have so often accompanied me.
I have always loved Nature, and love itself has underscored the rhythms of my years.
One evening in June on the Isle of Mull. Everthing changes, nothing survives: especially rainbows.
The section “Most Things Develop” carries reflections on growth, education, relationships, our inner life and spirituality.
Nothing survives. How can we know that?
Nothing Survives
This Post is where the more lightly philosophical pages live — questions and ideas that flutter between curiosity, insight and laughter.
As a teenager I loved Mathematics. I was part of a group of seven boys in the sixth form, all of us preparing for A-level exams in Pure, Applied and Further Mathematics. One day we set ourselves the solemn task of listing the five most important things in life. After serious debate — and perhaps some hunger — we reached complete agreement: Food — Football — Girls — Religion — Mathematics. In any order.
As Glasgow teenagers we knew our priorities. Girls were more of a mystery than anything else. The College at that time was boys’ only. When one of the group managed to find a girlfiend we grilled him for details.
“Tina and I went out on Saturday,” he had declared on a Monday morning.
“How far did ye get?” we asked unanimously. “Milngavie he anounced proudly.”
A Jesuit education goes a long way.
I have always enjoyed philosophy. It has taken me far. Even beyond Milngavie. Journeys of the heart have no specific destination.
And I still find myself wondering what “Nothing survives” could mean.
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.
An alcove of the iconic.
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.
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 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…
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…
