The Lighthouse Dialogues III - Vicki MacKenzie interviews John Butler

In this third interview of the Lighthouse Dialogues, author Vicki MacKenzie enters in conversation with John Butler, a modern mystic and meditator. In this dialogue, John will share his life’s journey and his experience of the sacred through meditation, discussing how silence and stillness can lead to feelings of presence, love, and connection with the divine. The simplicity of his words speaks directly to the heart, inviting us to journey deeper towards an inner peace that we always carry within ourselves.The Lighthouse Dialogues is a series of new events, organised in collaboration with Jamyang Buddhist Centre London and Science & Wisdom LIVE. Author Vicki MacKenzie interviews spiritual ‘lighthouses’, experienced contemplative practitioners whose wisdom and compassion could function as a lighthouse – a beacon of light and understanding – for our society.The interviews will be focused on the inner experience of people who have dedicated their lives to genuine spiritual search, service, and meditation. We believe that the inner values and qualities developed through lifelong contemplative practice can be profoundly healing for our society and help us move beyond the crises that our world is facing today.At first sight, John Butler is not one to make much of an impression. Quiet, soft-spoken and usually alone, he became known – in the 1970’s – as one of the first organic farmers.Having, throughout his life also practiced meditation, 4 years ago, at the age of 79, he was recommended to ConsciousTV, a Youtube channel, focusing on those with experience of higher consciousness. Unwilling at first to face publicity, he was later persuaded to be interviewed. This has since become the most popular item on the channel with 2.5m views.Soon after his debut on ConsciousTV, Phil Shankland found one of John’s books in a charity book sale in Sheffield, was interested, came to see him, and then decided to move and live nearby. Encouraged by success on Conscious TV, they decided to make some videos themselves. This developed into the Youtube Spiritual Unfoldment Channel, which presently has over 200,000 subscribers and 15 million views.How has this happened? Though brought up with Christianity and familiar with it, John follows no particular teaching but speaks entirely from his own experience, using examples from nature and simple common sense. Liking the name ‘Mr Nothing’, he suggests to his followers, ‘Feel your feet on the ground – listen and look’. Practiced with attention, this brings the mind to rest – in silence, which may then expand into stillness or peace, spaciousness, freedom and an abiding sense of spiritual presence. Traditional religious teaching that, ‘The Lord is with us’ begins to come into real life experience.Vicki Mackenzie is a British national journalist and author. She has written six internationally best-selling books including Cave in the Snow (Bloomsbury), featuring Tenzin Palmo; Reincarnation – theScience & Wisdom LIVE brings meditation practitioners in conversation with scientists to address the problems of contemporary society and come to new possible solutions.Subscribe to our NewsletterFollow us on FacebookFollow us on InstagramFollow us on YoutubeVisit our Website