Local stone carver Josh Locksmith from London Stone Carving was commissioned to create a series of Mizuko jizu statues. The Client was approached by several parents who had lost children prenatally, asking whether an area dedicated to children could be established, following the Japanese tradition of Mizuko kuyo, which is gradually being adopted in the west. In traditional Japanese Buddhist teachings, these statues are believed to be protectors of children and unborn babies. These Mizuko jizu statues were based on a painting of the deity. Mizuko jizu is depicted making the Buddhi mudra, a hand gesture to improve mental clarity and communication. This Mizuko jizu holds the ‘jewel of wisdom’ that, in the Buddhist faith, helps people to understand themselves and others and their place in the Universe.
SANDS, the UK Stillbirth and neonatal death charity, writes:
“The death of a baby at any gestation is devastating and can have a long-lasting effect on parents and families. It is important to have spaces like this for those affected to honour and remember their babies and for others to acknowledge that they existed and will always be loved and never forgotten.”
All are welcome to visit and lay their own offerings or to enjoy the space.
