About
Beshara Trust
In 1971 the Beshara Trust was established as an English educational charity, in order to promote a spiritual orientation to life, without the bounds of dogma or religions. Its aim and remit was the advancement of the understanding of the fundamental unity of all existence. Since then, this has given rise to a number of organizations and foundations around the world. These are set up on a non profit-making basis. All are funded from covenants, gifts and donations, with unpaid volunteers providing most of the work.
Beshara is not affiliated to any religion or religious or spiritual movement. For more, please click here for the History page.
Chisholme Institute Ltd.
A UK charity established in 1979 to further a critical understanding amongst the public that all life is interdependent as seen in the ecological, economic, cultural and spiritual spheres. It provides facilities for the Beshara School to offer courses designed to promote the understanding of the unity of existence.
BAI: Beshara Australia
A non profit entity, it was established in the early 1990s and functions as an administrative and resource centre that works to increase knowledge about the essence of all religions, without the bounds of dogma or form. Study groups, special gatherings, intensive 9-day courses, informal study weekends and introductory lectures are held in different regions from time to time.
Beshara Foundation USA
A tax-exempt charitable organization. . Activities are currently centered in two geographical areas – the San Francisco Bay Area and Hayden Lake, Idaho. Short courses and study groups are held in Idaho throughout the year. In the San Francisco Bay Area, groups meet bi-weekly and monthly for ongoing study and conversation.
Beshara Publications
Beshara Publications was founded in 1975. was founded in 1975 in the UK. It is a privately run partnership conducted on a non profit-making basis. Its specific remit is the publication of books on the unity of existence.
Beshara Website Team
Editor: Frances Ryan
Consultant : Aaron Cass
Design & Web Execuation: Tom Parkinson | Mondrian Design
Maintenance & Quality Control: Martin Notcutt
Photographs & Banners: Special thanks to Pat and June Rafferty of Hawick (www.raffertyandrafferty.com),
Maria Young, Hester Levack and all who have donated photos to the site
Artwork Banners: taken from paintings by Leslie Abadi and Denise Leather
About the name Beshara
The word 'beshara' means 'announcement of joy'.
It is from a Semitic root found in the Hebrew of the Old Testament, in the Aramaic of the Gospels, and in the Arabic of the Quran. It means good news, the announcement of good news, and also the joy that one feels at having received good news. It can also be translated 'omen of joy', when it presages an extremely joyful event that has not yet come about, but which will at some point in the future.
