Church of the East, the Yoga of Jesus

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Home shrines differ greatly throughout Church of the East. 

In India we see shrines some as large as small rooms, others as small as a shoe box, some of made of glass, or sandalwood, or any wood, brass, marble, some with ornate mirrors, endless variation.

In Southern Africa carved wooden shrines are mostly used for the mystical moment, although the brass shrine is popular as well. In North America it seems as if the Indian made brass shrine and the African made wooden shrine are more popular.  These are mostly of the small size, about 30cm to 40cm (12 to 14 inches) wide.

Practicality

Aside from one's personal taste, brass plated shrines are practical (and therefore popular) because they are not a fire hazard and are easy to clean.  Here is a picture of the one I use in my home:

Brass home shrine (click for larger picture) Church of the East devotional eastern spirituality 

The typical home shrine has a lamp or burner, an icon and an incense burner. In India devotees use ghee (clarified butter) as fuel for devotional burners.  In the West we tend to use special candles that are easier to manage (don't we always;-).  Soon we will be able to provide all these materials from the online devotional shop but everything you need is most probably available from a friendly Eastern Indian shop/market close to you.

Routine

In most homes it is a morning and night-time routine to spend a moment of worship lifting the spirit to reach out to its Source--maybe simply by lighting the candle (or lamp) and the incense, perhaps contemplating the icon.

Worship is always an individual act of reaching out to the One--worship is always a communal act because every thought, every breath, affects our immediate environment and our fellowship as it affects the cosmos.

 

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Last modified: August 18, 2001