The symbolism of the Thai spirit house

Oct 13, 2009, 12.00am IST
SOMA CHAKRAVERTTY.

On a visit to Thailand, the first thing that caught my attention was the ornamental structure that looked like a birdhouse cum oriental temple, situated at the corner of every residential and commercial complex .



The sacred corner was washed and cleaned every day, and was lit by candles and fragrant with burning incense. The sacred corner was rich with offerings of chocolates, canned and cooked food and fresh flowers, placed there by visitors and residents.

I got talking to the receptionist at the place where I was staying, and she answered my questions: “It’s a Spirit House,” she explained. “It’s a Thai concept. We believe that if the spirits are provided with such shelters and appeased with daily offerings, they will protect the house or building, and shield its inhabitants from harm.”


The overcast sky was saturated with rain clouds. I could not see the occupant of the beautiful Spirit House clearly. When the clouds parted suddenly, the dazzling sun shone on the spirit house, revealing a beautiful figurine of what must have been the representation of a divine deity.


The symbolism was interesting. Are not our bodies Spirit Houses too? In each and every one of us, deep inside, there resides a part of the universal spirit. I was reminded of this line from the Bible: “Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit whom we receive from God. We do not belong to our self.” Appearances are not more important than how we are inside. Our aura, the energy field that surrounds our physical body, is a reflection of what we are within. Our own perspective, the way we lead our lives and how we connect to each other – these are the offerings we can make to the spirit house in us.
Like the presiding deity of the Spirit House that looks after the well being of those in the area, our mind directs the way we channelise the energy available to us. The physical body that houses the spirit is dense and the mind that is meant to create the energy channel is most often restless and self-centered. It stops us from seeking out our divine nature and natural wisdom.


The lives we lead are mind-based, nay, mind-biased, for our actions and reactions is the outcome of what we think and feel. Therefore, when we learn to direct the mind with purity and love, we appease our inner spirit, which is the pure energy and true essence of our being.


Like the darkness that made Spirit of the Spirit House obscure, the materialistic mind, clouded by self-indulgence and ignorance obscures our view of the Supreme Spirit. For lack of communication, the inner spirit remains dormant. For lack of energy, it remains out of reach. What does it take to go about cleaning and accessing our own little spirit house tucked away inside? How to let in the brightness, banishing forever the dark clouds of ignorance?


Surya yoga is one way. Taking in the Sun’s energy could vitalise both body and spirit. The Sun’s energy could infuse us with the strength and perception to be able to listen to the soothing strains of Sakha , the Harmonious One, and the Universal One that resides in our own private spirit house. Making offerings of silence and meditation, with a love that transcends all barriers, could lead us to experience divine reality. To integrate harmoniously with the Universal Spirit is to experience Divine Bliss.