You can contact the Trust by sending an email to the Secretary
Make a donation to the Trust
Also on this page:
Swyre Farm
Chisholme House
Bulent Rauf
Sherborne House
Chisholme Institute
The Beshara Trust
The Beshara Trust was originally established as a charity in the United Kingdom in 1971 to represent a universal intention, which is summed up in its foundation document like this:
"The object for which the Trust is established is the advancement of education in the consideration of the basic unity of all religions, in particular by the provision of courses to provide an understanding of the relationship of man to the universe, the earth, the environment and the society he lives in, to Reality and to God." Full text (pdf)
The Trust is now at the beginning of a new phase of its existence, and is expanding to meet new necessities for announcement, to make available to people world wide the opportunity to undertake the education available through Beshara. Part of this remit is covered by the courses run at Chisholme, in the USA, in Indonesia and Australia; part is covered by this website.
The Trust is not an executive, management or authoritarian body. It exists only to serve the expression of Beshara, and the Beshara formations around the world. The Trust is supported entirely by covenants and donations, and voluntary work by people supportive of its aims. There are currently ten Trustees.
- Read the full text of the Memorandum of Association of the Beshara Tust. This is an Acrobat (pdf) file.
- Make a donation to the Beshara Trust on-line.
Swyre Farm
The first property acquired by the Trust was Swyre Farm in the Cotswolds where programmes of study and spiritual work were developed and run throughout the year. Swyre Farm was an open centre where people came from all over the world and from many different walks of life and religions, to stay for long or short periods.
Chisholme House
It soon became evident that a place was needed where more intensive direct immersion in the matter of the Unity of Existence would be possible, and in 1973 work started on restoring the then derelict Chisholme House in the Borders of Scotland, and the Beshara School ran its first course of Intensive Esoteric Education there in 1975, with 36 students.
Bulent Rauf
Bulent Rauf was the consultant to the Trust at this time and was responsible for the design of the courses. He remained consultant until his death in 1987. His advice to the students of the courses has been published by Beshara Publications as ‘Addresses I’ and ‘Addresses II’
Sherborne House
In 1976 a greater number of applicants for the course meant that it was necessary to develop a larger centre. Sherborne House in Gloucestershire, close to Swyre Farm and the previous home of esoteric courses run by the well-known J.G. Bennett, was ideal for this purpose. Beshara had enjoyed a close relationship with J.G. Bennett who, from 1972 to 1974 had given a series of talks to students at Swyre Farm published as ‘Intimations’ by Beshara Publications.
Swyre Farm was sold in 1978 and the Trust concentrated its activities in the converted stables at Sherborne for many years and later at Frilford House in Oxfordshire where it operated from 1988 until 1990. Since then the main focus of the Beshara School has been Chisholme House, though there are also courses in Australia, Indonesia and the United States.
The Chisholme Institute
In 1979 a new charity, the Chisholme Institute, was set up. This took over ownership of Chisholme House and was licensed by the Trust to run Beshara courses there.