Buddhist Temple Gold Crafts and Spiritual Decor tradition: All You need to know
Gold is the quintessential Color of Asian Buddhist traditions. From Gold coloured temples to Golden Buddhas, it has become the symbol of an entire spiritual tradition. But what is the sacred meaning of Gold, what is the ancient Gold leaf craft that developed around it, and how does it all relate to the modern meaningful Jewelry such as the Gold Leaf Temple Bangles. Here is what you need to know.
WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF GOLD?
Gold has always been an important color in South East Asia and Buddhist cultures. It is found in almost all Buddhist temples, and on many Buddhas statues all over Asia. At the highest level, golden color is associated with high ideals, spiritual wisdom, insight, and enlightenment. Gold inspires knowledge, spirituality, and a deep understanding of human nature and soul. Gold is associated with generosity, compassion, and loving.
WHAT IS GOLD LEAF AND WHAT IS IT USED FOR?
Gold leaf is a decorative material that has been crafted and used for thousands of years all over Asia. Gold leaf gives a warm golden glow in low light, and is brilliant in sunlight. You can find it on picture frames, architecture, furnitures, and signs. Since it can be used to decorate any surface, Gold leaf is also found on illuminated Buddhist manuscripts, religious iconography, and of course Buddhas small and large. In South East Asia Gold leaf is often used by worshipers in Buddhist ceremonies and offerings to tape over the Temple Buddhas.
HOW IS GOLD LEAF TRADITIONALLY MADE?
Traditionally, Gold leaf, or gold foil as it is often called, is Gold that has been beaten repeatedly into an extremely thin sheet that averages about 0.12 microns in thickness. The craftsman that beat the gold are called Gold Beaters and they use heavy wooden hammers to beat each sheet of gold pressed between two sheets of paper hundreds of times. Tradiotional Gold leaf is so thin that if you hold it up to a bright light, you would be able to see the light shines through it. Blowing air on a gold leaf may damage it, while touching it with a finger is likely to destroy it. Because of its thinness, some sheets of gold leaf may turn into gold dust if rubbed between hands.
What are Buddhist Gold Leaf Temple Bangles?
Gold Leaf Temple Bangles are handmade with the same Authentic gold leaf used in Buddhist temples to cover the Golden Buddhas. Gold Leaf Flakes and Gold dust are used to fill gorgeous hypoallergenic pliable tube bangles. Their brilliance, charm, chic and comfort has made them famous but its their unique spiritual meaning that make them timeless.
HOW WERE GOLD LEAF TEMPLE BANGLES TRADITIONALLY CREATED?
Traditionally, gold flakes residue was collected by Buddhist monks after temple ceremonies and offerings. Monks used to collect excess Golf leaf flakes that was put on the Buddhas by temples visitors and used it to fill bangle tubes and seal it with a protective mantra connector and sacred oils. They were then given by monks to temple visitors and benefactors for good luck.
