Smells and Bells

Darśan To See & Be Seen By Ava Barry Darśan, a term that is seemingly unknown for may Americans who don't practice Hinduism. This term means to see or view a deity, sacred place, or sacred person and be seen back. Darśan is at the center-view of Hindu worship, for in Hinduism one believes that that the eyes are the windows to the divine. Images in Hinduism hold great meaning because the deities reside in the images of themselves. Moreover, images of deity's in your home must be taken care of by performing pūjā. The deities entrust themselves to the human to take care of them, and by doing this the people are given blessings.  Image of the deity Shiva- creative commons license Shivacropped.jpg " God is present in image, whether for a moment, for a week, or forever. It is this fact which is at the basis of darśan. People come to see because there is something powerful there to see. " - Diana L. Eck While I do not practice Hinduism, I can say that this act of seeing...

Image source: https://asheandmoneyinsanteria.wordpress.com In Religion in the Kitchen: Cooking, Talking, and the Making of Black Atlantic Traditions , Elizabeth Pérez explores and explains the value of food, religion, and culture within Black Atlantic communities. Through a deep exploration of how the preparation and consumption of food is not just sustenance for the physical body but a deeply spiritual and cultural act, Pérez describes how cooking and sharing meals serve as a vessel for preserving and transmitting Black traditions across generations. Pérez’s work emphasizes that the kitchen is a sacred space where African, African American, Afro-Caribbean, and Afro-Latino identities are constantly discussed and maintained. It’s not just about the recipes passed down or the ingredients that have been chosen; it’s about the rituals and conversations that come with the act of cooking. In these moments, the kitchen becomes a space of storytelling, spiritual reflection, and community bondi...

 As someone that doesn't really use incense or candles or anything, I feel this blog post will be a little lacking. However, this will not stop me. Scent is important. If you know anything about it, you know that we use it to eat, to love, to identify, to do pretty much all the important things we do. A main component of memory is scent. "... while buried in the hair of one’s wife it might remind a husband of the desire he felt for her on their wedding day." - Green In this blog post, I will be examining my own sensory perception of different scents. As I mentioned, I don't use incense, but my close friend does. When I go to her room, I feel calm, content, maybe a little excited beyond that. I used to not really like the smell of incense; all of it smelled too strong for me, too earthy and smoky. Now, I just think of her. It makes me think of her immediately, filling my senses with the memory of tangled limbs and laughter. Instead of pulling a, perhaps, more...