the Quest of the whispering dome

Seek out the great Cathedral of Saint Paul, its mighty dome piercing the London sky like a crown of the ancient gods. Cross its hallowed threshold and climb the 259 enchanted steps that spiral upward to the Whispering Gallery — a mystical chamber where the very walls are alive with secrets.

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Walk the passage around the dome's great belly, and lean close to the ancient stone. Whisper your deepest desires into the wall, for this is no ordinary gallery — it is a place where wishes travel through the curved air and are heard by those who were meant to receive them.

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Descend now and venture back outside into the mortal realm. Follow the cathedral's ancient perimeter along the path of Cannon Street, where enchanted roses bloom. Press your face to every bloom you find and breathe in their power, for their fragrance carries magic older than the stones themselves.

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Then carry on your journey and pause a while at the Garden of Reflection. Find the pool and stand before it.  

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When you are ready, move on to the junction of Milk Street and Cheapside, where the Honey Lane Market once hummed with sweet-scented commerce. Beneath this ordinary corner lies something extraordinary — for this area is haunted by lost churches, swallowed by the Great Fire and the Blitz, leaving nothing but ghostly parish outlines on the map of the city.

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The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene of Milk Street once stood on this very corner. Unbeknown to you she has been witnessing your journey.

Look carefully at the edges of the buildings around you — the cornerstones, the boundary walls, the surfaces a rushing commuter would pass without ever seeing. Hidden amongst them are the parish boundary markers, small plaques with the letters MM. Mary Magdalene, still here. Still marking her territory.

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Find the one above the famous bakery. What year does it say on it? This is your password after you click on the Octopus at the bottom of the page.

This will unlock an audio file. Stand still, amongst the bustle of commerce, and when you are ready, press play.

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What you hear begins with something ancient and resonant — bronze and breathtaking, rolling across the rooftops in long slow waves. And woven beneath it, something altogether more intimate. More human. Feel the spirit of the church of Mary Magdalene come alive once more. 

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Feel whatever it makes you feel. That feeling is the message.