Gold-Leaf Temple Bangles
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, the 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 love.
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, furniture, 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 southeast 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. Gold leaf is so thin that if you hold it up to bright light, you would be able to see the light shining 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 the gold leaf may turn into gold dust if rubbed between hands.
How were Gold Leaf Temple Bangles traditionally created?
Traditionally, gold flake residue was collected by Buddhist monks after temple ceremonies and offerings. Monks used to collect excess Golf leaf flakes that were put on the Buddhas by temple visitors and used them to fill bangle tubes and seal them with a protective mantra connector and sacred oils. They were then given by monks to temple visitors and benefactors for good luck.
