The Reification of the Holy in Shaker Craftsmanship
The reflection given in this section really hits home. I have seen people think nothing more of their work than how meaningless it is. The ability to bypass completely the duality of work or any action is shocking. First, you with what ever action you do there is a surface level interaction. This is in most cases irrelevant. Second, there is a deeper meaning behind somethings that you do. They diligence you show towards one action or endeavor reflects how you approach other things in your life. The passage helps to show this duality through the example of the building of a chair. Not only is the chair being constructed for its physical attributes but it is also being created as a visible, tangible prayer to god. The Shaker become closer to god through their work and their actions, because to them every action is a living prayer.
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