The 2026 Fintry Trust Summer School: The Art of Awakening
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What is “art”? Why does art inspire? What stimulates the creative impulse?
Come and experience the transformative qualities of integral art with experienced practitioners, and join a Mandala Workshop led by artist Daniel Bowler, at our retreat house, in the heart of the peaceful Surrey countryside, in July 2026.
Over the course of this immersive programme, we will engage with the deeper meaning of art as a living process that reflects and expands human consciousness.
Mandala is a Sanskrit word for circle, but has become a universal symbol of sacred pattern and order. Mandalas are found throughout the cosmos, in nature, and in cultures across the world/our own spheres of life. They reveal the mystery of the One and the All, in the heart of the cosmos and within each one of us.
Together, we will explore the full spectrum of artistic impulse and expression that goes beyond the usual categories of art, to include:
- the pragmatic or ‘useful arts’, including all the arts and crafts that support everyday life;
- the expressive arts, or so-called ‘fine arts’, such as music, literature, poetry, painting, sculpture, drama and dance, that communicate emotions and ideas;
- the remedial arts that facilitate healing and integration, such as the sociological, therapeutic, ethical, legal, and political arts;
- the intellectual arts that engage with ideas, systems of thought, logic, interpretation and critique;
- and the mystical arts, that lead inwards and upwards to the ineffable and the sublime.
These different modes of creative expression have a unique relationship with the universal and transcendent ideals of Beauty, Goodness, Truth and Unity.
By embracing this wider vision of art, participants learn to appreciate how different artistic modes can coexist, complement one another, and contribute to a creative, holistic and elevated life.
The Art of Awakening offers a peaceful, supportive environment where participants can deepen their artistic practice, expand their understanding, and discover how art becomes a catalyst for personal and collective transformation.
Come and experience the transformative qualities of integral art with experienced practitioners, and join a Mandala Workshop led by artist Daniel Bowler, at our retreat house, in the heart of the peaceful Surrey countryside, in July 2026.
Over the course of this immersive programme, we will engage with the deeper meaning of art as a living process that reflects and expands human consciousness.
Mandala is a Sanskrit word for circle, but has become a universal symbol of sacred pattern and order. Mandalas are found throughout the cosmos, in nature, and in cultures across the world/our own spheres of life. They reveal the mystery of the One and the All, in the heart of the cosmos and within each one of us.
Together, we will explore the full spectrum of artistic impulse and expression that goes beyond the usual categories of art, to include:
- the pragmatic or ‘useful arts’, including all the arts and crafts that support everyday life;
- the expressive arts, or so-called ‘fine arts’, such as music, literature, poetry, painting, sculpture, drama and dance, that communicate emotions and ideas;
- the remedial arts that facilitate healing and integration, such as the sociological, therapeutic, ethical, legal, and political arts;
- the intellectual arts that engage with ideas, systems of thought, logic, interpretation and critique;
- and the mystical arts, that lead inwards and upwards to the ineffable and the sublime.
These different modes of creative expression have a unique relationship with the universal and transcendent ideals of Beauty, Goodness, Truth and Unity.
By embracing this wider vision of art, participants learn to appreciate how different artistic modes can coexist, complement one another, and contribute to a creative, holistic and elevated life.
The Art of Awakening offers a peaceful, supportive environment where participants can deepen their artistic practice, expand their understanding, and discover how art becomes a catalyst for personal and collective transformation.
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Where is it happening?
The Fintry Trust, Fintry, Church Lane, Brook , GU8 5UQ Godalming, United Kingdom, Godalming, United Kingdom
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherIntegral Wisdom
