Your favorite ritual object

[Nyingjé Tso]

Hello everyone !

Well, title is pretty self explanatory but here we go :

Is there an object in your religious practice that you particularly like, find meaningful/beautiful or just enjoy seeing or practicing with ?

It could be a book, a kind of rosary, or a statue, even a local place or a picture... Or your whole altar ! Let's share pictures of it or them in this thread and discover more about each other's religions.

Here is one of mine: my damaru !

Spoiler

It's a kind of drum used in some practices in tibetan Shamanism that got carried into tibetan Buddhism, they are still practiced by both nowadays.

Some exemples of use :

Spoiler

 

[Rival]

Many statues I like.

 

[Vouthon]

Rosary beads.

I like wearing them around my neck, tucked under my shirt or T-shirt, on the go: so that if/when I get a spare moment, it can be used for some quiet meditative and contemplative prayer.

The way the rosary beads are structured, you are encouraged to reflect on the Mysteries of the Rosary, which act as a guided meditation through various important incidents in the life of Jesus and His Mother Mary that are celebrated in the Catholic Liturgy:

The set I use belonged to my late great-grandmother, so it has personal meaning to me.

 

[SalixIncendium]

My mind.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Wine.

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

First off, though unconventional, this isn't a joke. It's this:

And let me explain why. In the past, Nintendo has been pretty careful what software they allow on their system.

However, some of those restrictions seem to be gone. My Nintendo Switch has software for palm reading, astrology, psychology tests, and best of all, a tarot game containing multiple decks.

Proof:

 

[Secret Chief]

Hello everyone !

Well, title is pretty self explanatory but here we go :

Is there an object in your religious practice that you particularly like, find meaningful/beautiful or just enjoy seeing or practicing with ?

It could be a book, a kind of rosary, or a statue, even a local place or a picture... Or your whole altar ! Let's share pictures of it or them in this thread and discover more about each other's religions.

Here is one of mine: my damaru !

Spoiler

It's a kind of drum used in some practices in tibetan Shamanism that got carried into tibetan Buddhism, they are still practiced by both nowadays.

Some exemples of use :

Spoiler

Kewl.

 

[Secret Chief]

It's a toss up between my butsudan and my Bialetti Moka Express.

 

[Secret Chief]

First off, though unconventional, this isn't a joke. It's this:

View attachment 52278

And let me explain why. In the past, Nintendo has been pretty careful what software they allow on their system.

However, some of those restrictions seem to be gone. My Nintendo Switch has software for palm reading, astrology, psychology tests, and best of all, a tarot game containing multiple decks.

Proof:

My old ipod lives in my hand. I don't mean I have it with me a lot, I mean it actually lives in my hand (Drop7).

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Pictures of me as a child. Inner child work. Journals and my aunt's ashes. All set up on an altar.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Wine.

Since posting the above five people have labelled the post "funny."

I guess this is understandable, but, just too be clear, see ...

Kiddush

​

 

[Jainarayan]

Aarati tray. It’s waved in a clockwise direction in front of the deity while singing or chanting in praise, thanks, and devotion. This is the one I usually make. Sometimes I put an incense cone, a small bit of uncooked turmeric-colored rice, a “snack” (dried fruit/nut mix) and water in tiny brass bowls along with the oil lamp and fresh flower(s).



The second one is the example from the Wikipedia aarati article. I got my copycat idea from that.

 

[Vinayaka]

Hello everyone !

Well, title is pretty self explanatory but here we go :

Is there an object in your religious practice that you particularly like, find meaningful/beautiful or just enjoy seeing or practicing with ?

It could be a book, a kind of rosary, or a statue, even a local place or a picture... Or your whole altar ! Let's share pictures of it or them in this thread and discover more about each other's religions.

Here is one of mine: my damaru !

Spoiler

It's a kind of drum used in some practices in tibetan Shamanism that got carried into tibetan Buddhism, they are still practiced by both nowadays.

Some exemples of use :

Spoiler

Reminds me of Nataraja's Drum. The brass lingam on my home shrine is special. So is a particular murthi of Ganesha currently enshrined in the temple I attend most often. Let's just say he's been around the block, and I often followed. We'll leave it at that.

 

[sun rise]

Primarily this image of Meher Baba

 

[shunyadragon]

The 'Dorje or Pruba" A Buddhist traditional symbol that looks like a little barbell with three prong claw ar each end. I may provide more later. Many of the recent ones are brass versions with a bar in the claw on each end the oldest ones do not have this bar and arms of the claw do not join.

See: Bell and Dorje: Understanding Ritual Objects

 

[Gargovic Malkav]

Though more of a decorative item rather than a ritual object, I have a clock on my wall with no pointers.
This somewhat reflects my view of worldly existence vs. spiritual existence.

 

[shunyadragon]

Though more of a decorative item rather than a ritual object, I have a clock on my wall with no pointers.
This somewhat reflects my view of worldly existence vs. spiritual existence.

Ah . . . time still passes in every human mind, regardless of what one believes.

The later Dorje are more decorative, but yes by most Buddhists consider it a spiritual symbolic object. The earlier ones were made of different materials even sandal wood. The claws were open and the points curved out. It may have had healing uses such as accupressure, and/or as a pressure point weapon.

 

[crossfire]

My resin burner made from repurposed items, pictured in this post:
Incense
I have taken up covering the resin dish with an inverted brass votive holder with moon-shaped cut outs, so it now looks like this: sometimes I'll put an empty tealight tray with some essential oil on top of it if I want to layer fragrances.

 

[Aštra’el]

The bench press at 24 Hour Fitness, is my favorite.

 

[Viker]

Shared before but I don't mind sharing again.