27 April 2018

Candles and messages in the Shrine

Visitors to the Museum will be aware that we have a beautiful Shrine near the entrance/exit.  It is a slate cliff with a naturally occurring pool of water underneath it.  Inside it are three large gemstones: we believe that the large black one has been on display in the Shrine since the 1960s (see photograph above). There is also a wall which contains memorials to people and animals who are no longer with us and other things that people have left with us to be displayed here over the years.

Every day, the Museum team light candles and leave the Museum incense burning in here. Visitors are also able to purchase a candle to light and leave in the Shrine (all money raised from candle sales goes to the Friends of the Museum organisation). 

Some visitors also write on cards and pin them to the boards available.  They can be prayers, thoughts, wishes.  Every so often, the Museum team remove these cards to create space for more.  We then burn them and let the air carry the thoughts away. 

Last night, Judith and Gypsy burnt some recent cards outside the Museum and sprinkled them with incense as they burned.  The ashes were left and swept up by the wind into the stream and the sea beyond.  

 

Today we lit an extra candle as one of the Museum team is attending a funeral today and our thoughts are with them.  The candle burns in remembrance of the person who has passed and as a symbol of hope.