The Jewelry Blog: An Old Idea Is New Again

Saturday, March 24, 2007

An Old Idea Is New Again

Prayer boxes are very "in" right now, but they probably originated thousands of years ago in Hindu or Buddhist cultures. It seems a pretty sentiment, and a deeply faithful one for the devout, emphasizing the belief in the miracle of prayer, its efficacy in affecting our lives.
The prayer box reminds me of Jerusalem, the Wailing Wall, as I watched while the faithful pushed little rolled up pieces of paper with their prayers, their requests written upon them into the cracks of the Wall, believing I suppose that God would get to them faster there, or that the act of travelling to the Wall, writing the prayer on paper, and making the commitment to put it there emphasized the importance of the plea.

The prayer box also reminds me of the Medieval period when God was such an important part of people's lives that worship was not relegated to Sunday, but a part of every waking moment or many parts of the day. God surely had a more immediate and constant connection to people in this age where a recipe instructed the cook to let the mess boil as long "as it takes to say the Rosarie." And everyone knew just how long that was.

The prayer boxes on the Cluny Grey Jewelry website feature different designs, some embedded with gemstones, some plain with relief scenes or figures, but all with a lid that opens and closes to keep safe within a piece of paper with your prayer written on it. Most prayer box necklaces are a prayer box hanging from a chain, but I've tried to improve upon the simple chain by making the necklace a part of a wardrobe so that the necklace becomes a part of an outfit, an accessory as well as a symbol of faith.

All of the prayer box necklaces here, and more, can be found on the Prayer Box Necklaces page of the Cluny Grey Jewelry website.
Also, this week we're running more auctions on Ebay; for great deals, check user id: chloemarie99 or do a search for Cluny Grey.
Also, for those of you who are as impressed as I am by someone who can work wonders with polymer clay and turn it into works of art, check this link: Elise Winters and see the gorgeous work of Elise Winters. How does she do it!