Abbey – SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR)

UK: The Kind Idiocy of Mary Augusta Ward [1851-1920]! (24.3.2025)

24/03/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

It is incredible that someone such as Bishop Smith thinks that Mary Ward – the co-founder of the “National Women’s Anti-Suffrage League” – is a person worthy of remembering when she dedicated her life to preventing society from developing – a process which required the lifting of the religious ignorance that had dominated the West for over a thousand years. Furthermore, the White, middle-class and thoroughly “male” interpretation of Christianity Bishop Smith and Ward seem to be peddling has virtually nothing to do with the teachings of Jesus Christ – and has more in common with the ramblings of St Paul – a fantasist who never met Jesus. The situation is probably more confusing than even this – as many of the letters ascribed to Paul – particularly the misogynistic editions – are thought to be forgeries.

St Albans Abbey: Clock-Tower & Exterior Structure! (29.5.2024)

29/05/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

Ordinary peasants and aristocracy would get out of bed in the morning, work, eat, rest and go to bed at night according to the dictates of the Roman Catholic Church – the monasteries of which usually followed the Rule of St Benedict – or some similar Rule. Ordinary people did not have to learn how to tell the time – as the monastic orders told them what to do and when to d it. Following the “Dissolution” – secular society had to build their own clocks and learn to tell the time for themselves. This is how the measuring of “time” was rescued from the control of the Church. After 1539 – time no longer served God – but rather the lay-society that paid for and possessed the technical skills to construct the clocks! The policies of King Henry VIII – as mad as he may or may not have been (he had around 70,000 men and women hanged during his reign) – ushered the “modern” Britain that we now live within. I doubt, however, that Henry would have envisioned the end of absolute monarchy or the trivialising of the Church!

Buckfast Abbey: The Magnificent Waterwheel! (4.4.2024)

05/04/2024 Adrian (釋大道)

The time of the day and season of the year was defined by the cycles associated with monastic life – with monastic life guided by the various Rules which guided the daily activities of the monks and nuns. Lay-people – or “Oblates” – also followed these rules – which permitted Roman Catholic spirituality to permeate English society. After its abolition – the Church of England was formed – which would eventually represent the capitalistic ideas of the new post-Catholic elites. As a consequence, it was only during the early 20th century that Buckfast Abbey was permitted to be re-built and for a population of monks to once again inhabit its interior.

Exhibits – ABBEY MILLS: MERTON PRIORY CHAPTER HOUSE – 900 YEAR OLD WOODEN ARCH! PART 5 (7.8.2022)

08/08/2022 Adrian (釋大道)

We met Mr John Hawks (who owns Toby the dog) who personally introduced my daughter – Mei-An to a computer screen and keyboard featuring a Minecraft programme relating to the exhibition! Mei-An skilfully navigated the challenges and completed all the tasks without a hitch and with John Hawks watching! All very impressive! We were also pleased to meet other Chinese people visiting amongst the multicultural crowd! Please enjoy the following photographs and happy learning!

Toby – Resident Sheepdog – ABBEY MILLS: MERTON PRIORY CHAPTER HOUSE – 900 YEAR OLD WOODEN ARCH! PART 4 (7.8.2022)

08/08/2022 Adrian (釋大道)

Anyone who interacted, stroked, played with or threw a stick for ‘Toby’ – the resident sheepdog – was presented with a beautiful postcard of this well-behaved and genteel Sheepdog! He appears to be the pet of resident archaeologist – Mr John Hawks – the Curator of Chapter House, as he was the person who presented the postcard and seemed to know ‘Toby’ the best! Mr John Hawks has been featured in a number of articles about this very important ‘dig’ which has received a boost recently with the Priory ‘arched’ wooden gate being added to the already amply exhibition! There is much to see – such as the UK’s oldest Parliament and Lord Nelson’s Chest!

UK’s Earliest Parliament (1236 CE) – ABBEY MILLS: MERTON PRIORY CHAPTER HOUSE – 900 YEAR OLD WOODEN ARCH! PART 3 (7.8.2022)

08/08/2022 Adrian (釋大道)

Abbey Mills has always seemed to be a busy commercial area of South London and has a long history – like much of this area. In the old days, much of the UK was covered with Catholic monasteries, churches and many other similar buildings, Following the dissolution of the monasteries during the late 1530s, all this Catholic dominance came to a sudden, dramatic and violent end when Henry VIII decided he would no longer recognise the dominance and authority of the Pope! This single act changed the world forever and ushered in modernity, individualism and capitalism! The Old Church was replaced with a ‘new’ version that was then spread throughout the world through British (and European) colonialism! The point is that we are all the product of history – that is ‘of what came before’ – and that these strata of our being lies primarily buried beneath our feet and awaits rediscovery! Experts, governments, individuals and special interest groups can argue about the provenance of these finds, but one point everyone involved in this debate agrees upon is that history is undoubtedly beneath our feet!

1 2 »