The objects we like to carry close by can be much more than things. When we put will into something, it becomes something different. This is the great force of sacred objects; they are physical supports of our lost souls.
The Emotional Weight of The Physical
Have you ever clenched a prayer bead and experienced a sense of serenity, or gazed at a fading picture of a relative and felt a sudden rush of strength? Physical matter has an emotional echo that words cannot always describe.
Spiritual practices are not mere exercises of the mind but rather very sensory. These objects are conduits, according to the insights given at the Universal Enlightenment Forum (UEF). They mediate between our inner faith and the world. Be it a cross, a singing bowl, or a plain rock picked up during an otherwise meaningful hike, the energy of our intentions and the memory of our most silent moments are contained within the sacred objects.
Creating a Sanctuary in every day.
You do not have to attend a cathedral to get the sacred. You construct a sort of portable shrine by bringing certain objects into your everyday life.
Focusing The Mind
Our thoughts are programmed to roam. As we take a seat to think, we usually think about what we are going to eat at dinner or about work emails. Grasping or concentrating on a tangible item offers a visual and tactile frame of reference. It informs your brain: We are now right here. This is not the same.
Ritualizing The Routine
A cup of tea in the morning may simply be caffeine, or it may be a ceremony because the mug you are drinking out of was given to you by a spiritual guide. We make the ordinary holy by applying the concept of sacred objects in our daily activities.
The Diversity of Connection
The beauty of sacred objects is that they do not adhere to particular doctrines. A mala may be at the core of a Buddhist practitioner and a mezuzah of a Jewish home, but the human requirement is the same: people want to feel a part of something bigger than they are.
These things are reminders of our values in a tangible way. The world can be very chaotic and impersonal, and contact with a sacred item brings us back to ourselves. It helps us remember what we are and what we believe in and helps us feel like we have our bearings when we are confused in the clatter of everyday existence.
Conclusion
If you want to advance your practice, begin with small steps. Identify something that resonates with your heart, something that brings about peace, love, or strength. It does not need to be costly or old, but it needs to be significant to you. Keep it in a place that you will look at daily, and make it a form of invitation to breathe.
It is these experiences that we all share, the manner in which we use symbols and sacred objects to seek meaning, which we feel binds us all at the Universal Enlightenment Forum (UEF). The UEF is committed to revealing this shared fabric in all religions and philosophies, with the aim of creating a world community that is based on insight and spiritual development.
We would welcome you to learn more about life and faith. Go to the UEF website today and become part of our enlightenment mission and find out how you can make your everyday path more deliberate.