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Swallowhead Springs

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goffik G
goffik Feb 27, 2006 11:37:49
Replying to moss

I dunno - maybe it's still sacred to some... I like it, anyway... :o)

I just think people need to seriously think about what they're doing. Is clagging their shrine up with their crud an act of ritual or worship? I think that is probably is, to them anyway, although rather misguidedly so... I'm not sure it IS pagans, as most of them respect that you can't just put some crappy bit of plastic or metal in a spring, or in a tree, or on the ground that won't biodegrade...

It's probably people doing what they think are pagan rituals, and getting it horribly wrong.

Like the people that burn candles in places like WKLB, they probably don't think they're causing any harm. The notice boards EH have put up are pretty flash, with little bits of information on them already - it wouldn't hurt to put a little bit MORE info on them to help protect these places. It'll save them a lot of work in the long run... And then we won't have the possibility of these places being closed to the public.

G x

L Littlestone
Littlestone Feb 27, 2006 12:29:42
Replying to goffik

>I just think people need to seriously think about what they're doing.<

Yes, I agree. Traditional graves in Japan are not dissimilar in appearance to those in this country (a rectangular plot of stones with a headstone at one end). The big difference is that most graves are family graves - the main inscription reading 'The House of Tanaka' (or whatever). When a member of the family dies he or she is cremated and the ashes deposited in a little chamber at the base of the headstone where they are eventually washed into the earth.

The point is that when someone visits the family grave they will take with them flowers, candles, incense, maybe a little flask of sake or some rice cakes, which are place on a small stone table in front of the headstone. Prayers are said and then everything is taken up and taken home (the flowers may be left). The idea is to offer the 'spirit' of these things to the deceased (the kids get to eat the actual cakes :-) A similar idea is found in Japanese etiquette - when declining a favour or a gift offered the words used are, "Thank you, but I will take only the sprit of you kindness."

Perhaps people could be persuaded to leave only the spirit of their offerings at sacred places.