Symbol-less Symbol

BT Song 1252

We use symbols to express our thoughts, and similarly, we seek the help of symbols to assimilate ideas in our lives. Particularly in religion and rituals, we almost cannot avoid using symbols. Those who claim they don’t need symbols for their spiritual or ritual activities may think they have reached a higher level of spirituality than others. In my personal experience, this is self-deception. For me, even not using any kind of symbol is a symbol. One may not use physical objects like photos, pictures, or icons in their ritual. However, even by meditating without keeping any symbol, they are still using symbols like thoughts, words, and even speech. Silence is not just the absence of speaking with others; a person who speaks to herself in her mind knows this well. The moment one realizes silence in her consciousness or subconscious, she has already broken that silence. So, when we use non-material symbols, we are still using some kind of symbol.

I don’t use material symbols in my worship; I mostly write poems or meditate. However, I cannot claim that I have reached a higher level of spirituality than others by doing this. When a Hindu devotee sought my guidance on using symbols, after responding to them, I wrote this song. See ‘My Iconology’ in the blog. When I sought the view of a theologian on this subject, Dr. Hoefer wrote that ‘this topic is very important and very problematic.’ His further thoughts are worth quoting as he speaks not only as a theologian but also from his field experience:

“This topic is very important and very problematic. The question remains: What physical representation is appropriate in Christian worship? In the Old Testament, the second commandment in the Decalogue is not to make any graven images. Yet, in the New Testament, when God became incarnate, He became a physical image. Does that, then, change the instruction and allow physical representations? Historically, Christians have felt that such representations were appropriate, as God Himself did it in Christ.

We know that as physical beings, people throughout history have wanted physical representations as a focus for their worship. Already at Mt. Sinai, they wanted a golden calf. The ancient Hebrews used the Ark of the Covenant as a physical focus and sacred icon. Later, it was the temple itself that was experienced as the house of God. In Muslim and Sikh piety, devotees use their sacred book as a focus in prayer, placing it in a shrine. In Roman Catholic piety, there has been the tabernacle in the front of the sanctuary containing a consecrated wafer, expressing the real presence of Christ, and devotees genuflect before it and meditate upon it. Statues of Mary and crucifixes have served this purpose over the centuries.

Such use of icons is central to Hindu piety, whether of deities or gurus. Understandably, Jesu bhaktas would be accustomed to having some physical object to use as a focus of their worship. Yet, that practice would need to be different from what they did when they used Hindu icons. They also most likely would not want to use the objects that are used in churches, especially those adopted from Western cultures.

Can we expect people to simply meditate in their heads? Can we expect them to reflect intellectually on verses of Scripture? Only a few would be so trained in meditation or so schooled in Scripture. What is left for the common worshipper, then, especially those who are new to the fellowship?

Frankly, I do not have an answer to this question. I also do not think it is for me as a Westerner to solve the issue. The practice needs to rise naturally and organically from the life of the fellowship itself. I can imagine what might develop. I can imagine Jesu bhaktas who find some Indian artist’s representation of Jesus as a meaningful and helpful object of meditation. Others might follow Jesus’ directive in Mt. 25 ‘what you have done to the least of these you have done to Me’ and use a photo or painting of a person in poverty. (In this, I recall the quote from Annadurai: ‘I see God in the face of the poor.’¹) Others might meditate on one of the names of the Incarnate One in Scripture, such as Jesus or Immanuel or Prince of Peace, etc. Or a calligraphed verse of Scripture could be an object for focus. I can imagine many different people developing the method that works for them in their homes and private practice. The point is that Jesu bhaktas can be encouraged to develop a meaningful personal practice, and some of these practices might well catch on with others.”

Revised on 14-7-2024

Gurukulam

Notes:

1. This is the famous statement by the late Chief Minister of Tamilnadu, Sri C.N. Annadurai, who said: “Let us see God in the smile of the poor” (ஏழையின் சிரிப்பில் இறைவனைக் காண்போம்).