Seing and sensing the intangible whithin sense perception
Sacred Isles is dedicated to connecting individuals and groups with the awe-inspiring beauty of Scotland's and all natural phenomena as such including our soul. Established in 2016, our workshops, retreats, and guided tours provide transformative experiences in the great outdoors, promoting personal growth through deep encounters with wild nature, healing sites and community.
The People
Who We Are
Sacred Isles is Renatus Derbidge
Dr. Renatus Derbidge, born in 1979 in Frankfurt, Germany, is a trained biologist, geographer, and philosopher. Passionate about birds, megaliths, and growing beetroot, he spends his time observing wildlife, writing about nature and soul, or listening to birdsong. After a brief stint as a high school science teacher, he spent 10 years as a Goethean scientist at the Goetheanum in Switzerland, later completing his PhD on mistletoe's healing properties in natural cancer remedies.
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From 2018 to 2022, Renatus lived on the Isle of Mull, Scotland, where he ran the Summer Schools Isle of Mull and Iona, and other programs. In 2022, he moved to Dunbar to work at Pishwanton Wood, balancing roles as Land Manager for Fairhill Rise and researcher at the Colquhoun Research Centre. In 2025 he started Sacred Isles as his main occupation.
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Renatus enjoys sharing his observations and exploring nature with others, whether in solos or with groups, engaging in hiking, meditation, phenomenology, and early morning birdsong excursions. Alongside runnig Sacred Isles, he teaches at "Freie Hochschule Stuttgart," writes for magazines, and publishes books. He is also a singer-songwriter and a trained speech formation artist. He is married to Charlot and father of three daughters.
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The Goethean Approach
Goethean science is a holistic, sensory approach to nature that blends scientific rigor with personal experience. It uses the framework of science—objectivity and reproducibility—while also embracing the observer's subjective perspective as an essential tool. Unlike traditional science, which seeks abstract laws, Goethean science values the observer’s unique perspective, believing that self-awareness enhances understanding. By knowing yourself, you can better interpret your observations and communicate them clearly, allowing others to reach the same conclusions. It's a unique and profound practice: observe the world with full engagement, while also observing yourself. In doing so, you may discover that "you" are the key to understanding the world.
"The mountains are calling and I must go" "The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness".
John Muir
Our History
It all started when Renatus visited the holy island of Iona for the first time in 2014. This led to the first of seven Summer Schools, held at Leob Croft on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. These were accompanied by travel weeks, with highlights including trips to the Outer Hebrides and the Callanish Stones, Orkney, North Wales and Anglesey, Glastonbury, Tintagel and Ireland.
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Renatus also published a series of related articles in German and some in englsih—see the Resources section—and gave lectures and workshops on the "Western Mysteries,"his term for the spiritual signiture and significance enshrined in these islands.
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Recent events have included:
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The Hibernian Way Summer School at Pishwanton Wood in 2023.
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The Summer Solstice Gathering at the Callanish Stones in 2024.
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Arran and Holy Isle, May 2025.
What others say about us:
“Being and doing together with real people was the best thing. Felt very blessed and happy, to be with such inspiring, kind, beautiful souls. Exciting, international vibe. Warm, vibrant, enquiring, family atmosphere, all generations welcome and present. Wildflowers wandering everywhere and homely animal friends too. Seeing puffins for the first time on Staffa- sensational! Altogether, a great adventure exploring the aims of anthroposophy creatively, in a natural, unstuffy environment and marvelling at treading in the footsteps of the great Mr. Dunlop!” (Ellaine W.)
“I was able to calm down the outer waves and let grow something inside which I felt could reach out to the companions of the summer school.” (Chris B.)
“The current chaos in the world gave it an extra edge and meaning. A great group of diverse but in some ways like-minded people. We managed to create quite a powerful vessel for renewal and insight.” (Jim H.)