Ok so I bought a gold glitter Buddha.
I should explain that I am knee deep into planning my wedding. All I have wanted from the beginning are touches of gold glitter here and there but my tasteful Mother and fiancee always veto me. I don’t understand it. Who wouldn’t want gold glitter napkins?!?! Only crazy, angry people.
So when it came to buy myself a Buddha–I searched exclusively on Etsy for a “Gold Glitter Buddha.” There was only one.
I wanted a Buddha in the first place because I have been practicing Zen Buddhism for the past 3 years through teachings of Pema Chodron. I have worked extremely hard and I wanted a reminder of my progress. I also have an adorable alcove in my apartment that used to be where the old fashioned phone lived and I knew a Buddha would look spectacular there. Zen Tchotchke!!! Jonathan Adler would be so proud of me!
Behind the gold glitter Buddha, I placed a small, framed painting by my Mom. She painted it when we were visiting Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires. It’s a small watercolor of the trees in the near distance and my gold glitter Buddha sits in front of it–meditating in his own tranquil, scenic backdrop.
The last thing I put in this tiny, proscenium stage was a bright, tangerine candle. In Buddhism, orange is the color of life and Buddhist monks and nuns wear orange robes to represent vitality and the eternal soul. To be super honest, I chose this orange LED candle because it was on clearance at Target and also happened to smell like cinnamon so…plus for me!
I pass by my gold glitter Buddha everyday since the alcove is in the hallway. And I always take a moment to acknowledge the Buddha in someway. Sometimes I just glance at it, sometimes I touch his head and sometimes I bow my head a little. This little act forces me to be in the “now” which is one of the basic teachings of Buddhism. It’s a wonderful mindfulness practice that allows me to drop my story lines and just be present in that particular moment–in that hallway–seeing that gold glitter Buddha– even if it’s just for a nanosecond.
I wondered recently if Pema would be mad about my Buddha. Would she think it was going against the ideals of humility and non attachment by buying a gold glitter Buddha? Should I have bought a Buddha made out of simple wood or stone or mud and not one that resembles a disco ball? But I think the answer would be no. Although being a highly disciplined practice, Buddhism is fundamentally non judgmental. I have studied Pema enough to know about Maitri: a sanskrit word translated into “uncondtional friendship with oneself.” Maitri is essential–the seed of compassion and happiness Pema says, and if I’m going to be friends with myself-I have to be friends with loving gold glitter. So there it is. I found two new friends. One with me and one with Mr. Sparkles. Win!
If you too would like a glitter Buddha feel free to shop here where I purchased mine: https://www.etsy.com/listing/152505112/black-glittered-sitting-buddha-5inch?ref=shop_home_active&ga_search_query=buddha