A quiet little corner

Do you pray or meditate? In this world of so many distractions and noise, it's hard to find any quiet or peace in our lives or even in our heads. One solution is a prayer box. Prayer boxes come in different forms and sizes, and can reflect different spiritual beliefs. Although the ones here are Christian-based, they can be used with many faith and even secular traditions. Sometimes they are completely plain on the front and sometimes they hint at what is inside. This unusual glass-front one offers a tantalizing glimpse into the mysterious interior.

Prayer boxes often hold a candle, and anything from prayer beads, fresh or dried flowers or herbs, sacred keepsakes, small prayer books or lists of people and things to pray for.



This prayer box has a picture of The Annunciation, which is the moment when the angel Gabriel tells Mary that she will bear a baby named Jesus. A picture like this can help you center and concentrate while praying.    



Sometimes a prayer box will have a prayer that has a special meaning to the person that the box belongs to. It can be comforting to see the same familiar words when you sit or kneel down to pray every day. The candle can also give off a sacred light if you get up early to pray when it's quiet or at night before you go to bed. 




Boxes are often designed to sit on a shelf, a table, or hang on a wall.




Some are large and kind of envelop you when you are praying.....



....some are medium sized and will sit on your desk or can be tucked away on a bookshelf....



.....and some are small, so can be slipped into a suitcase or drawer. This one has a deeply spiritual image of St. Francis on front praying.




It also has an electric tealight in it for safety, which still flickers and is a safer option for some situations such as traveling.




This is my own personal prayer box, which I love dearly and has deep meaning to me. It has the Nativity on the front by a Northern Renaissance artist....



....and a Byzantine icon of Christ inside. Whatever images or prayers you choose, prayer boxes can give you a little respite in the midst of a whirlwind world.


To see a fresh etsy shop that features embellished prayer boxes called "Shrinefairy" go here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Shrinefairy
Here is just one of the beautiful collaged and embellished prayer boxes from
Shrinefairy's etsy shop!