The Peace Abbey

Yesterday we spent the day at the Peace Abbey in Sherborn, Massachusetts.

http://www.peaceabbey.org/

It is a lovely, peaceful place and helps to bring awareness about animal rights, human rights, antiwar campaigns and the twelve major religions views on peace.

It celebrates many who have died, who lived and fought for peace.

Lovely poem on this plot.

There were signs of peace and loving everywhere.

A self explanatory sign.

The chapel had many different faith symbols represented and some information

about how each religion understood peace.

Prayer beads were everywhere.

This display was in the chapel.

The beads to the right of the candle represent the 12 major religions with the 12 beads. People were encouraged to meditate or pray with these beads to

help join all the religions in the name of peace.

There was beautiful poetry everywhere.

Reminders of being kind and gracefilled.

The bowl of prayer links was in the St. Francis of Assissi Chapel.

The links are actually the little metal disk at the bottom of the candle wick.

Each time a candle is lit in the name of a loved one or prayer and then burns out, the prayer is said to be released into the universe.

The Novena Table in the chapel.
The stained glass was beautiful.

This peace dove stained glass so spoke to me.

Such energy in the colors and movement in the shape.

The Hindu corner in the chapel.

Hindu Gods.

Another prayer bead photo.

The Buddhist corner in the chapel.

The singing bowl was beautiful.

Images of the Dalai Lama were everywhere.

I spent a long time at the Pacifist memorial.

In the center of the walls was a large statue of Gandhi.

The walls had memorial plaques of those

throughout history that promoted peace.

People like poet Rumi were there.

Thou art the Buddha.

Jesus....blessed are the poor in spirit....

And some famous Unitarians.

This is the quote on Gandhi's statue.

"Like the bee gathering honey from the different flowers, the wise person accepts the essence of the different scriptures and see only the good in all religions."

There were beautiful alabaster statues.

A very old cemetery peeked out through the trees.

The statue of Gandhi.

There were offering coins and money at his feet.

All of the plaques were mounted on beautiful granite.

At the end of each wall were prayers of peace from the 12 major world Religions.

How many people know about Jainism?

Hinduism peace prayer.

The Sikh prayer for peace.

Shinto prayer.

Native American Prayer for peace.

Jewish peace prayer.

St. Francis of Assissi memorial plaque.

Native African prayer for peace.

Emily, the sacred cow memorial walk.

The weeping angel.

I want this post for in front of my house...or in my garden.

The barn and peace van.

The Peace Abbey has a few animals that have been rescued from the slaughter house. All of them have some kind of physical injury from being kept in deplorable conditions prior to rescue.
They will live out the rest of their lives here in peace.

The rescued Guernsey cow.

I don't remember her name.

The rescued horse.

I don't remember his name either.

This is the animal barn.

Can you see the white dove perched on the corner over the door.

A whole family of doves lived in the barn and kept flying over.

Beautiful origami peace doves all strung together.

Gorgeous!

Peace flags strung on the ceiling.

Me and the goat.

Henry the Eighth.......rescued from slaughter.

Henry eats well.

Goat trying to head butt me.

Sweetness.

Kayrn at the goat barn.

The sheep.

Self explanatory.

More chapel photos.
I love prayer beads.

They make me wonder how many have laid hands

on them and the events surrounding the prayers.

I had a hard time downstairs in their classroom. This entire wall was filled with bracelets that had the names of soldiers that died in Afghanistan and Iraq. Each place a little farther down the wall had a larger number.

So many lives lost.

I got a bit choked up.

Upstairs there were images and statues of peacemakers.

Gandhi.

I love the expression.

The kitchen sign.

A display case with I'm not sure what in the bowl.

Mother Theresa sculpture.

Religious ceremonial dress.

Rumi Tapestry.

A blurry photo of the hand dove sculpture.

Tribute to sacred cows.

So much to look at.

Peace sign made out of recycled items.

The guns strapped to it were to protest toys of war.

The entrance to the museum.

We loved the Peace Abbey.

Stop by for a visit if you can.

We start our school year on Tuesday. I have some posts coming on curriculum, field trips and volunteer opportunities for our children.