8 spiritual objects for connected living
How do we turn everyday activities into sacred, soulful practices that nurture emotional and spiritual wellness? Daily rituals give us a sense of order and purpose by grounding us into the present moment and aligning us with our inner quiet. To surround ourselves with meaningful objects that foster a sense of connection - to the earth, to ancient traditions, to ourselves - can turn simple routines into actual rituals. We look at brands that support these mystical connections with beautiful products, mindfully crafted, and imbued with rich spiritual narrative to nourish the soul.
ANIMACONTEMPORANEA
Italian brand Animacomtemporanea was founded on the heritage of a family business designing and producing religious furniture since 1958. Anima is the Italian word for soul. Today, the vision of the brand is to put its traditional craftsmanship at the service of modern spiritual needs. Made from delicate handblown glass, the AKI oil lamp takes its inspiration from ancient traditions when early humans mastered fire.
The living presence of its burning flame connects us to the divine within us, while tapping into the strong narrative of ancient myths and cultures. Anyone else thinking of the Aladdin lamp? This contemporary oil lamp may not grant my wishes, but I love to light one as part of my morning meditation ritual or when I want to set a relaxing mood, in the evening.
ARA THE ALTAR
The Objects of Ritual from Ara the Altar are a collection of three protective amulets or miniature sculptures to adorn the body. The Pear represents sustenance and pleasure, the Vessel is to hydrate and unwind, and the Braided Grass is to protect.
Rich in symbolism, this timeless jewellery brand takes its inspiration from ancient perceptions of astronomy. Ara, meaning The altar in Latin, was a constellation depicted in early illustrations with burning incense, rising smoke, and sacrificial offerings. Every piece is created to give the wearer a conscious connection with the beauty of our only planet and made to order using 100% recycled solid silver & gold only. The brand does not support environmentally damaging practices that pull precious metal out of the earth when there is already plenty of material in circulation. It’s for the same reason that it does not work with gemstones at present. True to Ara’s values, all packaging elements can be recycled or composted, and the accompanying cards are printed locally with vegetable ink on recycled card stock.
I really admire the ethics of this very special brand, which considers everything down to the smallest detail and explains it all very precisely on their website.
HAKUDO
Hakudo is a brand of olfactory products for contemporary purifying ceremonies. Designed to enhance senses, their fragrances aim to purify not only the air but the mind and spirit too. It is based on a philosophy derived from Kohdo, the ancient Japanese art of incense appreciation. Akin to the tea ceremony, the ritual of the incense ceremony is meant to deepen spiritual awareness, encouraging us to smell with our entire being.
Hakudo sources raw materials from woods, roots, mosses, leaves, herbs and citrus, selecting each one for their particular purifying qualities. The resulting botanical essences are slowly dripped on a cork diffuser shaped from burnt cork and acting as a sculptural olfactive object.
EWE STUDIO
Based in Mexico City, EWE pays tribute to ancient Mexican rites with the Altar collection. Sculpted from marble and onyx, this series of tables is sculpted to feature a smooth flat surface, inspired by the ones used in rituals and ceremonies, such as sacrifices or offerings to the gods.
With its limited-edition objects, EWE draws upon ancient wisdom, rituals, forms, and materials of pre-hispanic cultures, blending primitive roughness with pristine surfaces. Mexican history is at the core of the studio’s inspiration for forging new ideas that have substance and meaning.
SAND TO SAND
Sand to Sand was created in Tel Aviv, Israel by Bar Cohen, otherwise known as the lucky lady. As its name indicates, it is a series of biodegradable objects made from sand, including karma coins, lucky coins, and since 2020 anti-virus coins. Made to order only, every coin is created especially for one person, with the specific energy required by them at this moment in time.
Once you have ordered your coin, it is gently and intentionally put together. The hand-cleaned sand is mixed with a natural binder based on a secret combination of baking ingredients, and cold-pressed with the appropriate design. It comes in a beautiful box filled with soft sand. It is then passed on to you to act as the vessel for your own ritual. You can take your sand coin to the beach, make a wish, and release it into the universe while you release the coin in the water. This is a gorgeous way to give a physical form to the power of visualisation and manifestation.
TINY OM
Named after the Om mantra, which celebrates the original vibration of the universe, tinyOm seeks to translate emotions into pieces with symbolic value and meaning. The journey of the brand started with jewellery, hand-crafted by skilled artisans in Bahrain from ethically sourced gold, diamonds, pearls and gemstones. Each stone is chosen for its innate properties. Topaz cleanses emotions and thoughts, amethyst brings serenity and balance, peridot promotes good health and restful sleep. Shapes and designs are inspired by nature’s imperfections or by ancient symbolism such as Sumerian pictograms.
The Chakra candles are part of the new tinyOm Lifestyle collection, 7 natural-scented candles representing the 7 chakras. Each candle holds the fragrance of the natural essential oil of the respective chakra, to help balance the energies within the body.
It is also worth noting that for each piece of jewellery purchased online tinyOm gives 10% of profits to PHAR83, a charity that houses and cares for children and adults with disabilities in the South of France.
KIN
Chinese brand Kin reinterprets the traditional incense holders in minimalist designs intended to calm the mind. The designer’s goal is to capture the balance and interaction of cultures, to create objects rooted in the richness of Chinese history, yet are global in their relevance.
Their blog is devoted to the art of burning incense, from incense history to step-by-step guides on how to mindfully practice the art of incense ceremony. This Moon Sierra burner holds a special place in my heart. I love the lightness of the geometric minimalism in solid bronze, a material that has been used for incense holders since ancient China.
ABS OBJECTS X IOTA
The collaboration between ABS Objects and IOTA was born in the midst of the covid pandemic, from daydreams of picnics and travels. From thoughts of carrying baskets and bags around while roaming from one place to another, four objects were born. Each integrating textile craft and ceramics, the two disciplines of the studios.
Handmade in Tel Aviv, this basket embellishes and dramatises the traditional ritual of food shopping, at a time where it was absent from our lives, replaced by door delivery. It draws on ABS’ enthusiasm for middle-eastern heritage, archeology, and art and design history, and on IOTA’s interest in nature, wandering and Nomads, offering a new take on contemporary traditional objects.
