Icons are “windows into Heaven” and these windows are two-way, for as we look into that blessed world of Eternity and Love, God and those depicted in the icon are looking back at us with attention. This is a wonderful opportunity to develop our living relationship with the Lord of Life and
His Holy Ones, which will take time and conscious attention, as does any other meaningful relationship. Earthly relations have meaning in this world, but Heavenly relations can really be forever and ever, so it is important to work with good attention on loving and caring and also having a lively two-way interaction with each icon that we look at.
This awareness that icons are not just pictures but are alive is the beginning of how to relate to icons.
Relations can develop in both positive and in negative ways, however. Just as we would show respect to someone very dear to us, especially someone whom we recognize that is venerable and wonderful, or in a position of great honor in this world, so we should show honor and respect to God and those He has sanctified.
They will be our eternal companions if we are able to rise with Christ’s help to live with them in Heaven.
So, in particular, to honor an icon, the best way is to put it in a place of honor, like in an icon corner, or in a respectful place, or at least in a place where we will go to pray or think about God and
His Holy Ones. In the next blog we will describe how to set up an icon corner in your home. Also, for respect, we don’t put icons in the bathroom.
The best way to relate to an icon is to stand before it and pray in a lively and direct and personal way. Think about the Lord, or
the Virgin, or the Feast, or the Saint or Prophet depicted and their life and what they did in this world and try to relate to them. We can say formal prayers, like from their church services, or akathists (published hymns of praise said while standing), and yet we can also just tell them our wishes, desires, and concerns, but do this with respect in a personal way.
God knows us better than we know ourselves. There are no secrets from Him. We don’t have to worry about whether He is near to us, or to appear different than we are. He is always near, whether we are drawing near to Him or not, or we are blind to His love and presence. Let us look through the icons, those “windows into Heaven”, and then humbly touch that Heavenly Realm and those Heavenly persons who love us with a pure love and a lively concern and care for us, and in our own small way love them back. O
Lord of Life, help us love you and Heaven today! (CJ779)
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Icons of Christ and His Holy Ones are not just natural art, but supernatural art. They show by looking through them as “windows into Heaven” something that is not just of earth or worldly, but something that is far beyond even all of our limited imaginations. They show a vision of Eternity when our hearts and minds are open and purified from just selfish and self-centered thoughts. This is actually an easy way to begin to perceive more, to see a greater Universe than our present minds can conceive. In that greater Universe we can see and perceive through Christ as the light of our perceiving all things, and since He is Eternal, then all of time is present at once in Him.
In this world we can normally only see with our natural eyes and mind, so our visual minds will remain untouched by spiritual sight and stay just earthly and worldly. We have all heard the saying, “seeing is believing” which does actually express a deep truth. It is only with an effort to look beyond our outward senses, that the inner world can open and reveal the hidden and wonderful nature of things as they really are—as God sees them—which He will share with all those who truly want to know the truth, because He Himself is Truth.
In the Orthodox Church the view of Heaven is that it is not static but always dynamic. It is taught that all those who go there continue to grow towards a fuller perfection even after they have come to live in this blessed place, because God is still infinitely more than whatever they had partaken of Him in their own journey towards Him on earth. Thus the reality for all Eternity is that as God is creatively alive and infinitely full, so those who have come to live in His presence can and will continuously grow and grow in holiness and in greater life when they are living closer to Him. 
Icons are not just pictures or art, but have a living spiritual dimension beyond just the material form by which they are seen. When we look at an icon we are entering in some mysterious way into a relationship with the person or event depicted, and this is a two-way relationship. This is a mystery that cannot be fully explained but can be directly felt.
All people are made in the Image of God from their creation. This is said in the beginning of the Holy Scriptures. When human beings open themselves into a living relationship with God and the Church, they begin to blossom and become more and more like Jesus Christ Who is an Image of God the Father. His Light begins to shine in them, and purify them, and cleanse them until they become living icons of Him. That is why they are called saints, which means holy.