Amulet boxes, talismans, personal and portable shrines

My interest in objects that might assist us in contemplation, reflection and meditation has led me to create a number of different beaten, formed and assembled metal items including: meditation bowls; incense burners; and personal shrines.

Barry Smith © Personal shrine - to the moon

I think my interest in personal and portable shrines, amulet boxes and talismans began a few years ago when our friends Boris and Richard showed us an amulet box they had purchased - which still had the sacred and secret objects still in the box - still wrapped and preserved in their sacredness. On a recent visit B&R shared more insights into this area of Tibetan personal portable shrines and amulet boxes (gau).

Barry Smith © Sacred content of a small simple Tibetan gau 

Barry Smith © Aged, worn, simple and sacred gau

Barry Smith © Carved portable bone shrine with sacred words and symbols  - front

Barry Smith © Carved portable shrine with sacred words and symbols  - back

In our visit to NYC a household shrine and a portable shrine (below) were part of the exhibition in the Rubin Museum of Art which is dedicated to the art of the Himalayas including Tibet.

Barry Smith – Tibetan amulet box (gau) - Rubin Museum 

Recently I have been fascinated Stregata's work on amulets and talismans; Gaby's small portable shrine; and Mairedodd's talismans. And Mairedodd (MJ) gave us the gift of such a beautiful talismanic piece.  MJ's gift has many layers: the sacred tablet, the words stamped into the metal behind the tablet and words stamped onto the fabric. The piece has other symbols of spirit and enlightenment including the bell and the double ended crystal. And of course it has been personally crafted and energised by the giver.

Barry Smith © MJ's talisman gift - now above our work space

What I love about the portable personal shrines is that the owner can take them on journeys with them  - whether it be for pleasure, duty or business. Wherever they find themselves they can set up, and in some case open the shrine, and they have a small place of contemplation, reflection, mediation or prayer with them. They can create a sacred place wherever they are - in a room, a park, the woods, on a mountain trail, on the shores of the ocean etc. The portable shrine is a gateway to the inner self, a connection to hearth and kin and the spirit realm. The shrine can contain secret and sacred objects and messages (of spirit, love, peace, giving, enlightment) that are important to the owner and maybe have been given as wishes, prayers and protections for the owner. In themselves these portable personal shrines are unique personal and powerful.

Barry Smith © Wrapped contents of a portable shrine

So where is all this heading? I have been inspired by what has been shared with me and what I have seen to have a go at creating a small portable personal shrine.