Carl Munson has moved on... - Spirits in a material world (near Totnes)

It seems to me, that whilst dogmatic religious ideas continue to create conflict and wage war around the globe, interest in more subtle forms of spirituality is quietly growing and uniting people.

Where religion tends to impose and control, spirituality endeavours to nurture and support the human spirit that seeks expression and fulfilment, quietly and without pomp.

It’s the same in health. The mainstream medical machine rolls on doing more, often great, work. But within it’s ever-shrinking mindset; it’s clearly missing the changing expectations of potential users.

Modern healthcare pushes drugs and invasive surgery, while many would-be patients instinctively know that natural remedies and preventative methods might be better all-round.

Education too: The trend of mega-schooling that focuses primarily on the needs of governments and industry arguably leaves the individual bereft of creativity, resourcefulness and personal growth, as it emphasises quantity of achievement over quality of true education.

There’s a pattern emerging.

Yet thankfully, in the midst of what could be called the corporate domination of personal life, there are voices that speak out on these issues, supporting individual freedom and a grander vision of our common human potential.

I spoke to one such voice, Richard Beaumont, who nearly twenty years ago founded Kindred Spirit – once little more than a ‘kitchen table’ niche journal, now a full-on glossy magazine with an international following.

“We wanted to show people that there were many different paths to enhancing life and creating greater harmony, one kindred spirit at a time,” says Richard who along with Patricia Yates decided to publish in a moment of intense inspiration back in 1987.

From an adventurous first circulation of 10,000, Kindred Spirit has more than quadrupled its circulation, serving subscribers all over the world from its eco-barn on the outskirts of Totnes - claiming it “leads the way in Mind, Body and Spirit”.

A teenager who always felt ‘there must be more to life’ - I know the feeling - Richard went on to study pure philosophy at university and then escaped the film industry before finding himself in the editor’s seat working with many, if not most, of the key figures in what some would call the New Age scene – a term that Richard is not entirely comfortable with.

“We are not prescriptive and look for the fundamental truths that are at the heart of every religion and subject,” Richard told me, who appears to be more interested in ancient wisdom than New Age fads, which he believes have often hijacked the agenda of the real Mind, Body and Spirit movement.

As well as lesser-known, yet I’m sure hugely influential figures from the world of personal growth and planetary transformation, Richard’s ‘labour of love’ has had its pages graced by personalities such as Madonna, Annie Lennox and Ruby Wax.

But what, I wondered, does a man with twenty years in the business have to say to lesser mortals who are interested in living a more spiritual life?

Interestingly, Richard recommends simple things like trying yoga, meditation or even walking in nature which he says can “really change your life and make you a happier person”.

He also recommends bringing more awareness or consciousness into your daily activities and examining the habitual aspects of your life. On a more profound and challenging note, the man who it seems has tried just about every kind of mind-expanding, soul-searching and spiritually-enlightening activity ever invented, warns that most of us are: “lost souls blithering around like little kids”.

“Know that you are conditioned,” he advises, “get to know who you really are and take responsibility for yourself. You can change your life, but you have to do it for your self if you want a more rewarding and enriching existence.”

“You don’t have to live a life of misery, unnecessarily. It's important to be choosy about the company you keep and have friends who support you”.

He also shares my pre-occupation with the power of nutrition. “Why not think about what you eat, where you eat and stop poisoning yourself,” adds the editor of what must surely be the world’s leading magazine in the ever-growing field of human potential.

As well as leading the earliest investigations into the crop circle phenomena, Richard has developed a particular fondness for one of his journalistic discoveries - Human Design. This profoundly accurate profiling system that synthesises elements of astrology, ancient I Ching and genetics, has found a home in Devon under his leadership.

As for the future and the next twenty years, Richard Beaumont’s founding passion is still evident: “I would like to see even more people taking responsibility and stepping into their own spiritual journey. I want people to live a life that doesn’t let the light go out of their eyes.”

One subscriber claims: “Kindred Spirit magazine may be nearly twenty years old, but I’d say it’s still ten years ahead.”

It’s an accolade editor Richard Beaumont has worked hard to achieve and can be proud of. “Join us and knock on the doorways to new ways of living,” is his invitation, “I guarantee you will be surprised,” is his promise.

If you want to see for yourself, visit: www.kindredspirit.co.uk or call 01803 866686