praying hands

With this relief panel, Indonesian artisan Wayan Rendah pays homage to Buddha. Surrounded by nature and seated atop a giant lotus flower, Buddha meditates while holding his hands in an expression of peace. This stunning relief is diligently hand-carved from suar wood with multiple layers that add intricacy and depth.

Deep in meditation, Buddha sits on a lotus blossom. The flowing lines of his robe are echoed in the delicate line of the petals. Holding prayer beads in his right hand, the master prays while making a gesture of blessing. Nyoman Sudiana sculpts the fluid contours from rich Balinese suar wood.

This beautiful rendition of Buddha seated on a lotus flower is designed and crafted by Wayan Rendah. Using Balinese suar wood, he carves the image by hand with brilliant attention to detail. Each fold and crease of Buddha's robe and lotus petal work is depicted with expert precision. The master sits in a traditional meditative prayer-pose and is sure to bring an aura of peace and calm to your home.

A peaceful, praying Buddha graces the top of Ashish Mehta's charming decorative box. The Indian artist uses kadam wood to hand craft the box, carving the enlightened teacher onto the circular lid and embellishing the image with curling leaves and fascinating textures. Inside, a black polyester velvet lining keeps your trinkets cushioned.

Keeping alive the artisan heritage of Bali's Putra Suteja, his family presents a beautiful spherical sculpture of a praying Buddha sitting among flowers and leaves. The sculpture is created by removing the husk from a coconut shell and polishing it to a sheen; the designs and motifs are then carved by hand. The elegant and original sculpture stands on a removable albesia wood base.

With hands centered in the dhyana mudra, the gesture of deep meditation, the Buddha meditates serenely. Hand carved from sleek crocodile wood, this beautiful sculpture is the creation of Wayan Rendah in Bali.

Eyes closed in prayer, Lord Buddha graces the cover of this handmade journal from Asha Prabha. The journal features 48 unlined pages of handcrafted paper, bound with khaki-colored cotton. Keep it handy for recording your dreams, thoughts, or even just your grocery list.

Buddha inspires a sense of comforting serenity in this hand-carved wall panel from Eka. Exquisitely detailed in suar wood, the panel depicts the Great Teacher in a traditional Balinese bale bengong (gazebo) usually intended for sleeping or meditating. Gesturing the peace mudra, Buddha sits tall engulfed by a fiery aura.

Buddha assumes the lotus position in this beautiful kadam wood carving. Raised in blessing, his hand sends a message of peace to a war-torn world. This revered and enlightened religious figure invited his followers to free themselves from desire in order to attain perfection. His peace of spirit is represented in the serenity of this piece from Suresh and Devender Garg.

Nyoman Indrawati Subrata of the Subrata Family carves this exquisite image by hand. She carries on the extraordinary art work of her late father, Nyoman Subrata.

Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), c.563-c.483 B.C.; b. Lumbini modern-day Nepal.

It is said that a fortune-teller divined that Siddhartha Gautama would become a teacher of the world. At age 29, Siddhartha left his wealthy family in pursuit of the truth. After six years, Siddhartha had the religious epiphanies on which Buddhism is based. In short, a wholesome existence guided by the right understanding, the right thinking, the right speech, the right conduct, the right livelihood, the right effort, the right mindfulness, and the right concentration releases one from the painful cycle of life and death. Today, hundreds of millions of people follow his philosophies of compassion and detachment. This sculpture of Buddha is carved in suar wood.

This Buddha starts the day with namaskara mudra or hridayanjali mudra, or hand gestures, that represent greeting, prayer, and adoration. Bali's Eka presents this hand-carved statuette, crafted from native suar wood and enhanced with acrylic paint.