"Altar"ed Perceptions- Guest Blog

This week we've got our Beautiful 'Bravesoul Brigid' and her Altar Stories..I've always loved her reasons for choosing sacred items and statuary at The Shoppe.  Brigid is a woman who appreciates the sacred corrolations,  and symbology of objects, and It's fun to hear her tell a story......enjoy!

Hi Lovelies,

During this most sacred, holy holiday season (The holidays are actually supposed to be sacred...not filled with stress and aggravation) I want to share with you something that spiritually warms my soul...It's my home altar.

I have been creating sacred spaces with altars in my home since I was seven. Since I am many moons past that age, I can sincerely speak from experience. A home altar is one of the best ways I have found to keep me connected to the Divine and to remind me "who and whose I am."

I will first establish myself as the spiritual expert that I am- ha, ha! I have been asked by two people if I am an ordained reverend and my spiritual director once said I have a deeper spirituality than most, so I figure those comments count for something. I actually don't consider myself an expert. Rather, I am someone who strives to be kind and considerate, and when I see beauty in the world (like the beautiful flowers in my director's garden or Jessamina's baby laugh) I am humbled and awed because I know I could never create such loveliness. Gratitude is the companion that leads me along the spiritual path.

 I created my first altar when I was seven. I was raised Catholic, and I remember looking at the altar in church one Sunday during mass and seeing a male priest, a male lector (one who reads from scripture at mass), and two altar boys. I clearly remember at that tender, sweet age thinking," Where am I represented up there?" I couldn't get that question out of my mind. I thought that surely I am part of God like stinky boys are. Why am I not represented on the altar? It made no sense to me. One day in May, while running around wearing a towel tucked into the back of my shirt for a cape, pretending I was "Bat Girl," it suddenly struck me. The title of my religion book that year was Our Brother Jesus. Well, I figured if Jesus was my brother than His Mother must be my mother, too. And She wasn't just any mother...She was Queen of Heaven. It was right than and there that I ran down to the basement, my "cape" fluttering behind me. I dragged a table up to my bedroom, placed a lace doily upon it, and a picture of Mary with stars all around Her. Some azaleas I cut from the yard, placed in a juice glass upon the table in front of the picture, completed my altar. I was thrilled.

As I wrote earlier, 'twas many moons ago that I was seven, yet I still can feel the utter joy I felt when I looked upon that altar. When I came home from school, Mary was there waiting. I cozied up next to the altar everyday, telling Mary everything. I shared about my school day. I told her how Kenny K. (who looked like a monkey!) called me names and it hurt. I shared with Her how much I loved to dance. I confided that I thought David Cassidy from the Partridge Family was cute. Mary, upon that little girl altar, heard every hope, dream, and heartache I had. I realize now that creating a space that represented the Holy reminded me, every time I saw it, that the intangible Divine was real and close. It also solidified my connection to Spirit.


I have upon my current altar many things:

• I have several statues of beautiful female forms that I purchased at The Goddess Shoppe. They remind me how wonderful it is to be a woman.
• I have a statue of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. They remind me how I value family- and not just those by blood but those I have enfolded into the family of my heart.
• I have a plate with a woman who stands in front of a lovely cottage surrounded by roses. Currently I long for such an abode, and it is my hope that by seeing it on my altar I will find it. I have papers with names of people who have asked for my prayers.
• I have a statue of a man and woman dancing in each others arms. This reminds me of my beloved Jeff and I when we were newlyweds. We used to dance all the time, even in the kitchen! He was such a good sport- I used to drag him to Irish dances and he would always waltz me around the floor for most of the evening. He has experienced back problems as of late, and it is my deep prayer that he is restored to fullness of health. (Please join me in that prayer.)
• I have a little statue of two angels that represents my two babies who died, my Mary Elizabeth and my Rose. They are ever in my heart
• I have a statue that my spiritual director gave me for my birthday. It's an angel holding a bird in her hand, and it reminds me of the sacred things we have shared together.
• I received a statue I call "Shooka Shooka" that represents to me all the possibilities yet to be born. Mooma gave Shooka Shooka to me for my birthday last year. (Mooma is really named Chris and she is a Rubenfeld Synergist.) She gave me Shooka Shooka just because I loved it so much. (It has something in it that when you shake it, it makes the noise "shooka, shooka, shooka".)
• I also have pictures of my great grandmothers, my grandmothers, and my Aunt Peggy- all of whom had babies that died. They, also, are ever in my heart.

When I pass my altar it always reminds me that I am connected to a Loving Source. When I take time to sit and meditate before my altar I can open my heart to The Divine. When I look at those objects I am reminded of how much I love those people those objects represent, and how God is expressed through those people to me constantly. My cup runneth over.

So, my Sweet Dear Ones, I encourage you to gather your sacred things and create an altar of your own. I wish you peace in abundance and every blessing!

From my heart with love,

xoxo Bravesoul Brigid