The second week of September was some crazy London week for me, as I went to two launches for my book, Awakening the Universal Heart, one on the 10th of September and the other the next day.

On the 10th of September I invited only my oldest friends – those I’ve known since we were kids – and it was fitting that it took place at the wonderfully eccentric flat of Peter Adler, dripping with tribal art and exotic ethnic jewellery and artefacts. About sixty people came. It is special when you have your oldest friends around you – and we’re all getting pretty ancient now – as you can let your hair down. Nothing to prove. They know all your many idiosyncrasies.

Anyhow, I gave a little talk about my life and said how curious it was that at a time when most of my friends are retiring, I am about to enter the busiest period ever, as I hope to be starting a Centre or Institute for Spiritual Activism, based on my book, and this will require a lot of hard work. I’ve never quite been able to slot myself into those categories that psychologists have formulated for us, which tell us about the ‘seasons’ of a man’s life, and how one ought to feel and what ought to be central to one’s agenda at certain ages! Perhaps, at some level, I’ve never quite grown up!

Be that as it may, the launch for Awakening The Universal Heart on the 11th of September (auspicious day) was a much more formal occasion and while I didn’t wear a tie (my wonderful partner Martina strictly forbade me), I was smartly turned out. Casual chic I think is the term! It took place at the delightful Russell Hotel in Russell Square where we hired a beautiful oak-panelled room which gave an air of dignified solemnity to the occasion. This was for press and also for friends and colleagues and many ex-clients whom I have always kept in touch with; but they were people I hadn’t known as long and so felt I couldn’t quite let my hair down as much.

My old friend Sir John Whitmore introduced me and dear Tim Wheater, one of the great flautists of our time, graced the occasion quite beautifully. A podium was supplied for me and I gave a little talk which was recorded and where, I think, I summed up quite well what the book was about and where I see my future work lying. I am happy that on both evenings, plenty of books were sold and many people bought several to give to friends, which was good as I intend all the money from their sale to go towards the establishing of this Centre or Institute. What I am engaged in now is trying to find people who are also interested in this idea.

Serge Beddington-Behrens Book Launch

Essay: Looking to the Future

This essay looks at: a) the state of the world today b) what I see happening on the planet over the next eighty years and c) the new society that I see rising, phoenix like, out of the ashes. It is a hopeful essay but suggests that to get to the light, humanity may need to go through some more dark times… OK, it is time now to look forward and say a few words about what I think might…