home altar

[Dokan]

Re: home altar

Very nice...Buddha on top and a Buddha on the bottom.

G

S

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[Hoyu]

Re: home altar

I mentioned this in a previous thread on home altars but I'll mention it here and see if it is useful to anyone. I usually put together my altar to represent the five elements.

stones or plants= Earth
cup of water= Water
incense burner= Air
candles= Fire
Buddha= Void/Emptiness

Probably more a throwback to my "neo-pagan" days, but it is fun to play with a mythic framework from time to time.

Hi Rod,

I like that you put your alter together representing the 5 elements! Just thought you may find this interesting......

The Tana(tea stand) pictured below is called a Gogyo Dana. It was created by the Gengensai, the 11th generation head of the Urasenke lineage of tea. His inspiration for it was the 5 elements(gogyo) of all creation(acording to classical Chinese theory). Wood, Earth, Fire, Metal, and Water are all represented in this shelf. Wood(the shelves), Earth (the clay brazier), Fire (the charcoal fire in the brazier), Metal (the kettle), Water (water inside the kettle).

Gassho,
John

Attached files

[Rev R]

Re: home altar

the universe in a teacup. nice!

[Kaishin]

Re: home altar

Finally got my portable altar put together:

http://imgur.com/a/f3GHb

[threethirty]

Re: home altar

cool portable altar Kaishin!

[Hogen]

home altar

I have a Buddha on my bureau near my sitting area. A bodhidharma buddhabadge and the pine needle from jukai sit on his lap.

[Koshin]

Re: home altar

This is my little altar at home...but it is a work in progress, as many as the things I still have to finish :wink:

As my Buddha I chose three stones from my favorite place in town ... they remind me of the three refuges, and the balance with always possibility of falling (which sometimes happens ops: ), the impermanence of things and that everything in this universe actually is sacred.



Attached files

[threethirty]

Re: home altar

I don't have a home altar but I do have one in my office (kinda)

http://imgur.com/kD598

I work in a Christian Seminary and am new so I've been keeping the fact that I am a buddhist a little under wraps. Hince the altar in a folder. the zafu is made of inflated packing material and a knit cap.

Here is the picture that is in the folder

http://imgur.com/9GnnX

[Seimyo]

Re: home altar

That's a creative solution Threethirty. I especially like the zafu, but I'm not sure it would be substantial enough for me. :wink:

[Jigme]

Re: home altar

Not in the Zen tradition, so I hope you don't mind my sharing. This is the spot
in my home-office where I sit.

Attached files

[Jiki22]

Re: home altar

This is my little altar at home...but it is a work in progress, as many as the things I still have to finish :wink:

As my Buddha I chose three stones from my favorite place in town ... they remind me of the three refuges, and the balance with always possibility of falling (which sometimes happens ops: ), the impermanence of things and that everything in this universe actually is sacred.

i like your buddha

[threethirty]

Re: home altar

Not in the Zen tradition, so I hope you don't mind my sharing. This is the spot
in my home-office where I sit.

That is fantasic, and I doubt anyone minds you sharing it. I for one thank you _/_

[BrianW]

Re: home altar

Haven’t looked at this thread in a while and I am so inspired…..from the use of old furniture to the simple barebones….ornate it’s all covered here. I’ve been going to get around to an alter for a long time, but got to get busy with it. OK don’t look for anything soon, but it’s going to happen.

Not in the Zen tradition, so I hope you don't mind my sharing. This is the spot
in my home-office where I sit.

Not at all...your post was a nice surprise!

Gassho,
Jisen/BrianW

[ZenHarmony]

Re: home altar

Here's mine, which is very much a work in progress:



The Jizo on the left is a representation of what led me to Buddhism and was one of my birthday presents this year from my husband. The little Jizo on the right is one that I made and I love his simplicity, cheerfulness and little toes! I also made the little lotus flower votive holder, and while it's not perfect, it's pretty and hides the fact that I'm not using a real candle. My husband has a serious fear of fire and I will not scare him with a candle that his OCD will cause him to check on several times a day! The coaster-like item on the left is a stone coaster with a dragonfly on it, and the brown stone on the right by my homemade Jizo is picture jasper which looks as though there's a mountain against a stormy sky. The yellow votive in front of the lotus is a honeysuckle candle and that, and my OM solid perfume is my substitution for incense (for the same reason as the fake candle). The painting of the birch/aspen trees behind the Buddha is another representation of nature (I love trees and those are by far my favourites!) and at the same time, a nod to Treeleaf. And lastly, the elephant simply balances the size of my large Jizo and is safe from breakage from it's previous home.



It took me a long time to find a Buddha I liked that was "correct" in my mind. It is bronze and could be very old, with what I suspect is an artist's mark on the bottom of it. I am very happy with it, while it is not stone as I would have liked (or even a facsimile of stone, such as it is!), it has some weight to it and therefore, substance.

As I said, it is a work in progress. I'm ashamed to say that my altar is built upon a leaf from an old table, which sits upon a cardboard box which sits upon a blue storage tote. We haven't accumulated much furniture since we moved and that was what was necessary to elevate it to the correct height. I hope to design and build my own table/altar for it, and soon! : )

Gassho,

Lisa

[Gary]

Re: home altar

Lisa,

That's great, I love Jizo, you probably know that already.

Gassho
Gary