SASSIRIKA
CERAMICS
RITUAL - Shrine sets
I hand-make beautiful, high-quality shrine sets, also available as individual pieces. Most items available on the market are made of brass and mass-produced in the Tibetan style. Whether you're a meditator or yogi, a matching ceramic shrine set will help to create an attractive focus and context for your practice.
What is a shrine?
In the Buddhist tradition, a shrine is the focal point of the space in which you practice meditation or devotional rituals.
It serves as an aesthetic anchor for your attention and also as a reminder of your aspirations or intentions. A shrine always has a figure of the Buddha at the centre because he represents the ultimate in human potential for the attainment of wisdom, compassion and freedom, and by extension of your own potential.
Other decoration such as flowers, candles and incense are placed around as offerings to the Buddha. Having a beautiful shrine that you can see every day can attract you to practise more regularly. Meditating in front of it can help your concentration and be a place where you can dedicate your practice to the greater good and to reconnect with your innate potential.
Stockholm Buddhist Centre commission
Stoneware shrine set
How should a shrine look?
A shrine is a manifestation of your aspirations and it’s helpful if it contains objects that inspire you. The traditional objects on a shrine are symbolic so you may want to include some or all of them but you can also include other images or objects. These may be things found from nature, a beautiful picture, or anything significant that evokes positive feelings for you. Most importantly, a shrine is personal so it should speak to your heart. You can feel free to be creative in where you place your objects.
My sets consist of:
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a vase - for flowers symbolising impermanence.
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an incense holder - incense denoting the subtle influence of a life lived skilfully.
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an incense bowl - which can be used for lit incense or for a tea-light.
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seven offering bowls - representing the seven traditional types of offering.
These seven offerings originate from ancient India and as a host, you would welcome a guest with water for drinking, water for washing off the dust from travelling, flowers, incense, lamps, perfumed water, and food. Choose a whole set or pick specific items to decorate your shrine in your own personal way.
Stoneware shrine set
Shrine Sets Testimonials
"I'm really enjoying the beautiful shrine set. It is beautifully made, fine, elegant and yet quite earthy. It brings my Green Tara shrine alive"
Taravandana
"The shrine set items are well crafted, have an integrity to their design and yet possess a uniqueness.”
Harshaprabha, Chelmsford Buddhist Group
I now have a distinctive and unique ceramic shrine set that has brought a real aesthetic sense to my shrine to Amida Buddha. Thank you Sassirika!
Saccanama
Taravandana's Green Tara shrine