spirit house
Miniature sacred dwelling
A spirit house is a small shrine, typically found in Southeast Asian countries, placed outside homes or businesses to provide shelter for protective spirits.
These miniature structures resemble temples or traditional houses and receive daily offerings of food, flowers, and incense.
The practice aims to keep spirits content so they protect rather than trouble the property's inhabitants: Every Thai restaurant I've been to has a spirit house out front.
Spirits inhabit all things
- ghostsSpirits of the deceased
- guardiansThose who protect others
- ancestorsThose from whom one descends
- supernaturalBeyond natural explanation
folklore · mythology · superstition · reverence · appeasing · respect · tradition · genius loci
Sacred ritual table
- offeringsThings presented or given
- incenseAnger greatly, or aromatic resin
- ancestorsThose from whom one descends
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
shrine · veneration · worship · rituals · guardian · protection · blessing · appeasement
animism
Spirits inhabit all things
supernatural · folklore · mythology · superstition · reverence · appeasing · respect · tradition · genius loci · coexistence
altar
Sacred ritual table
- offeringsThings presented or given
- incenseAnger greatly, or aromatic resin
- ancestorsThose from whom one descends
ceremony · shrine · veneration · worship · rituals · guardian · protection · blessing · appeasement · miniature
miniature
Reduced-scale representation
Thai · Cambodian · Balinese · elevated · pavilion · figurines · decorations · gilded · carved · rooftop
- worship placeschurch, temple, mosque, chapel, cathedral
- Asian architecturepagoda, stupa, temple, pavilion, bot
- Asian ReligionBuddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism, Theravada
- indigenous traditionselder council, powwows, totem poles, healing rituals, sweat lodges
- Native Craftsnative crafts, moccasins, beaded moccasins, dreamcatchers, war bonnet
- shamanismshamans, shaman, medicine man, medicine woman, shamanic journey
spirit housebirdhouse
Mounted shelter for songbirds
doghouse · animal shelter · insect hotel · bat box · beehive
spirit housetoolshed
Outdoor structure for implements
storage shed · birdhouse · doghouse · utility box · garden shed
spirit, house, spirits, spirited, spiritual, spiritually, spirituality, dispirit, dispirited