With the Autumn Equinox this weekend - the time of balance when day and night are equal length - I thought I'd post a photograph that I think shows another kind of balance. It is the high altar in the ruins of Bayham Abbey, behind which is growing a magnificent tree.
When I visited Bayham Abbey on a sunny day last month it seemed to me to symbolise the forced os Christianity and Paganism in harmony. Although the altar is obviously no longer used for religious ceremonies, the area around it - open to the sky but sheltered by the tree's leaves and branches - felt very much the kind of place one would want to sit for a while in quiet contemplation, meditation or prayer.
The historic site is run by English Heritage, which says on its website: "Bayham Abbey makes a fascinating day out on the Kent Sussex border. The impressive ruins include much of the 13th to 15th-century church, the chapter house, and a picturesque 14th-century gatehouse." Do visit if you are nearby.
My Pagan Eye posts show photos that I find interesting - seasonal images, pagan sites, events, or just pretty pictures. If you want to send me a photo for a Pagan Eye post, please email it to badwitch1234@gmail.com Let me know what the photo shows and whether you want your name mentioned or not. For copyright reasons, the photo must be one you have taken yourself.
Links and previous related posts:
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/bayham-old-abbey/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/03/pagan-eye-assaulting-castle.html
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/pevensey-castle/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/08/tintagel-castle-and-legacy-of-king.html
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