Posts Tagged Churches
Wells Cathedral
Posted by in Churches on April 21st, 2009
I did a little bit of backtracking today and went to a really sweet town called Wells. Its around 40 minutes drive south west of Bath (where Im staying the night again) and is home to a really amazing cathedral and Bishops palace. I decided to spend the 5 pounds on the cathedral rather than the palace and I think it was certainly worth it.
The site itself has been home to a cathedral for at least 1500 years although the current cathedral is only a mere 800 years old. Its great to be able to walk into a space that commands a presence like this - I felt instantly at home and in awe of the place. In contrast to St Pauls I think think this cathedral does the “Oh god you are so big …” in a much more down to earth manner. Its history is evident everywhere - with ex Bishops in their sarcophagus and other benefactors entomed underneath the cloistered hallways. I think the best way to get a sense of place into a church is to bury their members under the floor - do you think it might catch on in Australia?
As always the stand out was the lady or Mary chapel. Its simply amazing how the Mary chapel in each church or cathedral Ive ever visited outshines the rest of the building with its humility and intensity. THe St Francis Mary chapel in Melbourne is my favourite thus far - I think no body does it like the Catholics do it.
I finally downloaded some images from the iPhone to the laptop so take a look at the few I shot of the chapel. Ive been balancing using the iPhone with the camera and I think ill try to take more shots with it in the following days. Check out the other posts as well to see some of the images Ive uploaded. Actually none of the images of Wells are very good on the iPhone and I was expressly asked not to take photos without a permit … so this is kind of the best I could do under the circumstances and the existential guilt that I faced by taking it.
The Cathedral and Palace are on the edge of the town square. I know its pretty obvious but a good town square really anchors a place. There was such a good feeling in the place that I wanted to just to sit and chill but alas my parking time had run out.
Glastonbury
Posted by in Sacred Sites Trip on April 19th, 2009
Hey folks,
Apologies for the radio silence but I was in the depths of the breathwork conference. Im out on the road now and am staying the night in a very quaint hotel in Glastonbury (My sense is that most english hotels are going to be quaint).
The breathwork conference was pretty awesome and intense as usual with an amazing array of international participants. It was being held in the rural landscape of Somerset close to a place called Minehead - the colours, flowers, trees, sheep and bumble bees were superb. Internet connections are pretty fickle here in the country so Im hoping to upload some photos soon but not sure when.
I spent today making my way from the conference to Glastonbury via taxi and bus. I climbed the Tor at Glastonbury which is a ruin of 1500 year old ruin placed on the top of a very tall treeless hill. You can see it from miles around and at the top you can see for miles as well. It was quite an effort to make it to the top and I sat on the grass a few times just to take it all in - the first stop I made I sat unknowingly in a patch of nettles - my arm is still stinging 
Check out these flickr photos of the Tor.
The after effect of the breathwork sessions is usually pretty strong and the first few days are pretty odd trying to acclimatise to the “real world” so my experience at the Tor was not particularly striking and as it was Sunday there were quite a few people around which may have distracted from any great epiphany I may have had there.
After the Tor I walked to the Chalice Well which is a complete contrast to the power and starkness to the Tor. As soon as you step inside the gates of the peace garden it becomes quite apparent that you are in a sacred place. There is a softeness there that is instantly welcoming and invigorating. The well is a natural spring that was discovered centuries ago and the myth goes that its the place where Jesus’s blood rises from the Earth - the water is a rusty stained colour.
Sitting by the well itself felt like I was sitting in the breath of gaia - clear, calm and energising … and of course powerful beyond words.
Check out the picture of the Glastonbury Chalice Well.
Tomorrow Im off to hire the car and then go to Stonehenge, Avebury and perhaps Wells Cathedral. Im not quite sure where Ill stay the night but Im sure it will be quaint. Im really quite enjoying the freedom of this type of travel and feel that I might not spend as much time in England as I had thought. At the moment Im finding the towns a little claustrophobic - although the farm land is incredibly beautiful there is a sort of unease between the medieval castles, nineteenth century manners and twentieth century terraces. It may well be the effect of the breathwork and it might ease off in a little while but Im not attached to anything in particular so if this feeling continues I might head sooner for the wilds of the Scottish Highlands.
Missing you all and my girls especially ….
Day 1 or was it day 2?
Posted by in Churches on April 13th, 2009
I guess keeping track of the day when you fly through time zones is always going to be a little messy but the first day was kind of long. The flight to Abu Dhabi was around 12 hours of dark as we were following the night across the globe, but it was pretty good. The second leg was a little harder even though it was around half the time - mainly due to three crying babies and the fact that Id had my pick of the inflight movies by that time.
Its been around 18hours that Ive been in London now and its really quite an amazing place to be for the first time. Everything is very familiar (the iconic taxis, buses and phone boxes) and the backpackers Im staying at is as can be expected very international. Im really looking forward to getting into deepest darkest England and into places that tourism isnt that obvious (if that is possible).
Last night I walked for an hour or two around the Bank area and St Pauls Cathedral trying to extend the day to fit in with the local time - for the most part it worked quite well and I managed to take in some astonishing architecture and walk through what I assume were pretty quiet streets given that it was Easter Sunday.
I spent some time in a small chapel called St Agnes where there was a string quartet and a singer producing some amazing medieval music - haunting. I then went and had Eucharist at St Pauls Cathedral. Its been a long time since Ive been to a church that has been so focussed on father, heavenly father, lord and jesus that it was quite a shock. I found myself actually not joining in with much of the prayer - because it was so absolute, so male, so external.
The building itself is really phenomenal. The mosaics are all so complex and rich and yet the power of the place is incredibly simple. An immense amount of space to feel small, humble but heard and held. The incense was particularly helpful in transporting my senses beyond the still moving sensation of still being on the plane.
Today Ive got around 5 hours of London before I jump on the train to Taunton to attend the conference …. hmmm what am i going to see?