Beauty coupled with serenity

Buddha icons, sculptures and paintings are increasingly making their way into a majority of homes across the globe.

Today, as part of Zen decor, you can find Buddha icons in living rooms, hallways, staircase landings, bedrooms and even bathrooms! So, what’s the reason behind Buddha’s popularity even among non-Buddhists? It’s perhaps a reflection of today’s high stress levels triggered off by crumbling relationships and the rat race. The tranquil visage soothes folks as they move about their house. Set it amongst verdant surroundings and the serene effect multiplies manifold. The gentle look on his face coupled with the partially-closed eyes sets the mood for relaxation and peace in any space.

Imparting calmness

Many believe that the presence of Buddha at their home or office will motivate them to truly understand the meaning of virtue and contentment that exists between the two extremes of total renunciation and sensual worldliness, which he greatly preached. Some believe a lotus-flower-seated Buddha fetches good fortune and rebirth, thereby making it a valuable
addition to their home decor. It’s also seen as a symbol of balance and tranquillity.

One of the major advantages of bringing in Buddha is that it doesn’t need any particular theme to fit in. Of course, Zen decor is incomplete without a Buddha statuette, but thanks to its universal appeal, it can fit perfectly in any decor.

If you are interested in incorporating Buddha in your decor, here are some suggestions. For those yearning for some healing for the mind and the body, the medicine Buddha is the ideal prescription. With the palm held in the ashirwad (blessing) posture, this kind of statue creates a sense of being protected from the wiles of the world. The anjalika Buddha is in a sitting position where one anjali is held horizontally facing upwards over his lap, while the other rests downwards, or else both facing up in the lap.

Varied forms

We all love laughing Buddha, the pot-bellied guy with a million-dollar smile and a bag of gold. A laughing Buddha just outside the main door or a lotus-seated one at the entryway staircase’s landing can be utilised to impart a warm welcome to guests. For more cuteness, get it in the baby form. A Buddha head is often found in the study, resting on shelves or tables or set into a wall cabinet, obviously as an inspiration to garner knowledge. Buddhas can be put in dining rooms, too – in wall inset shelvings or on the sideboard. In spa
bathrooms, Buddha figurines sit pretty inside wall cabinets.

Place the meditative Buddha facing the east since he’s believed to have meditated upon the rising sun. A more elaborate piece is the idol of four Buddha heads placed one over the other in tapering fashion, that is, the largest head placed at the bottom, a smaller-sized one over it and so on.

For a more serene entity, get the reclining Buddha, wherein he is in a resting pose with his head laid on his upraised knee. Most of these idols are available in grey or black polyresin or a combination of brass (for the golden hair) and grey or black polyresin (for the face or body).
Buddha heads and statues in a penance pose can be put in outdoor gardens, too. Serenely seated amidst boulders or rocks or surrounded by greenery, they’re usually placed in a location from where they are visible from the interiors of the house. But, let it rest on some kind of a base rather than on the ground. A word of caution here: Clean such idols regularly as they tend to get dirty faster.

The theme is so popular that even interior designers are incorporating it in their decor styles. Table lamps with a Buddha head supporting the bulb within a lampshade, transparent glass candle-holders sculpted with the Buddha’s face so that it glows when a candle is lit, Buddha stone-head fountain with a built-in water-pump assembly, resting Buddha fountain, kneeling Buddha tabletop fountain, a small resin statue seated amidst an air plant, pebbles and crystals in a hanging glass globe terrarium with a flat base, little ceramic ones for the car’s dashboard, Buddha murals, oil paintings and laughing Buddha coin bank are just some of the options available. So, get home a Buddha icon and experience some much-needed tranquility.