The Angela Culme-Seymour Fund

In memory of Angela Culme-Seymour [/] (1912–2012), this fund supports the translation and development of study materials in line with the aims of the Trust. Angela Culme-Seymour’s Wisdom of The Prophets, translated from Titus Burckhardt’s La Sagesse des Prophètes, provided the first substantial access to Ibn ‘Arabi’s Fusus al-hikam in English. It is a tremendous benefit for those interested in this essential work, and has been particularly useful over the years to students participating in a Beshara course. Angela also translated, again from French, al-Jili’s Al-Insan al-kamil into English, as Universal Man. She died at Chisholme House in 2012, aged 99, having been cared for by staff and students there towards the end of her life. In consultation with Angela’s family, The Beshara Trust, has endowed a new fund in her name. Its purpose is to support the translation and development of study materials in line with the aims of the Trust. This initiative gives recognition to Angela’s work in translating the Fusus. It also serves a continuing demand for high-quality study materials that communicate the essential truths of what it is to be a complete human being. We are open to suggestions about what the Fund might support. These are some possibilities:

• The translation of works by Ibn ‘Arabi and his followers. This is a huge area, which could include translations from Arabic to English, and from English to other languages. A number of the scholars working in this field do so with little or no financial support. This of course limits what they are able to do.

• To encourage new projects, without preconceived restrictions on what fields these might be in. For example, Richard Twinch, who gave the 2011 Beshara Lecture, is producing an audio-visual package that links the narrative with the slides and video clips he used. This is a time-consuming task done entirely without financial support.

It is unlikely that the Fund will be able to cover the full costs of an entire project, but it could provide seed funding for those who need some financial help to get started. The Trust invites applications for grants from the Angela Culme-Seymour Fund. For further information or to make an application, please email trust@beshara.org