The timeless teachings of the White Eagle Lodge are founded on the ancient wisdom of White Eagle, resonating with the human soul regardless of race, culture, or creed. In this way, the lodge has created a space where spirituality is not bound by institutional religion. Instead, it is based on universal values — love, service, tolerance, healing, and conscious presence. Read more at ilondon.
History of the Founding and Development of the White Eagle Lodge
In 1936, Grace and Ivan Cooke founded the White Eagle Lodge in Kensington, London. This event marked the beginning of a new mystical movement, inspired by Grace’s extraordinary abilities. From childhood, she was noted for her gift of clairvoyance, deep spiritual sensitivity, and an ability to diagnose and heal illnesses. The medium claimed to be in contact with a higher spiritual guide — a being from the subtle world, named White Eagle. The lodge’s work was thus based on the teachings of this spirit guide, who personified the wisdom of Native American traditions.
During the Second World War, the work of the White Eagle Lodge became particularly relevant. As people sought comfort and meaning, the lodge became a source of inner peace and hope for many. Its central practice at the time was the concept of “sending out the light” — transmitting light to harmonise and uplift the physical world. Although the community’s original building in Kensington was destroyed during the war, new premises were opened nearby just six months later.
The post-war period saw a significant geographical expansion of the White Eagle Lodge’s activities. Its influence began to grow in the USA in the late 1940s, in Europe during the 1950s, and in Australia in the 1960s. Alongside this, its ideological focus transformed, shifting from classic spiritualism towards more inclusive practices of spiritual self-development. This enabled followers to establish their own connection with higher worlds without the necessary intervention of a medium.
Grace Cooke passed away in 1979, followed by her husband Ivan in 1981. After their deaths, leadership of the White Eagle Lodge passed to their daughters, Joan Hodgson and Ylana Hayward. Joan, in particular, made a significant contribution to developing the lodge’s astrological focus, creating a correspondence course for beginners and publishing a series of articles in the *Angelus* magazine. She remained active in the lodge’s work until her own death in 1995.
A recent stage in the White Eagle Lodge’s development was marked by the construction of a new sacred space—the Temple of the Light. In 2021, under the leadership of the new president, Jenny Dent, this exquisite temple was constructed in Hampshire, becoming a physical embodiment of the community’s spiritual ideals. The project brought together many followers who volunteered to help with the construction, making the structure a testament to the dedicated friends of White Eagle on earth. Calming and minimalist in its design, it is open to all who seek inner peace and spiritual growth.
Grace and Ivan Cooke
Legacy and Significance of the White Eagle Lodge
Despite its scale and extensive network, the White Eagle Lodge maintains the atmosphere of a spiritual “family”. The community attracts people with diverse spiritual quests and inclinations, offering each person an individual path to develop their “own connection with the higher worlds”. The Temple of the Light has become a symbol of this new stage, open to people of all religious and national identities. In the contemporary context, the lodge’s magazine, *Stella Polaris*, not only records the teachings of White Eagle but also serves as a platform for exploring meditation, energy healing, and inner development.
