ALTARS & SHRINES's topics - tribe.net

Access to a private community of only 300 members. Come on board now....before membership fills up.

Ruben — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:04:35 GMT

Please visit www.mysanteriaelite.net for access to a private community of no more than 300 members where Vodou Priest of diffrent vodou traditions come together to dialogue, share and discuss topics pertaining to our african traditions...

Time is running out and memberships are filling up, come on board soon...

www.mysanteriaelite.net

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Altars with out human interaction?

americannomad — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 03:27:25 GMT

have you ever been to aplace that hasn't phisicly been created to be an altar, but has the power like it one? or has anyone every tride to create an alter without anything but intention and emotion? No objects, ritual, No aragment of material found, nothing?
I think it can be done. I imagine it would have to be in nature, or at least outdoors even in a man made area. And simple meditation at or about the spot could push energy there. Like when you are on a nature hike and you find a place that draws you in, for no reason but the energy of the space? There is a place like this in Minnesota, in Minneapolis when you hike under Minnehaha Falls (note: this is dangeruse an illegeal, but i don't know one person who hasn't done it...) There is no trash, markings, araging of stones or anything but the power and engery that is there, it's like you have gone to the spirit, insted of asking it to come to you. Oh, my picture is of me in that spot... huh...

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Wooden Mandir

Kamalasundri — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 05:23:19 GMT

I wanted to know if anyone knew where to get a nice carved indian mandir for deities that are 24 inches tall. I have been sifting the internet and everything is 750 and up. Any one have anything reasonable?

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 4 replies

New pics...

deviant_sagacious — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:21:36 GMT

Sleeping Q (I hope I got their tribe name right...) just added some new pics to our gallary that (correct if I'm wrong here Q) show outdoors, temporary alters and various offerings and they are SO cool I just wanted to tell ya'all to take a quick look.

Thanks for posting those!!!! That's what it's all about!

-Curt

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 5 replies

Festival for the Eyes 2008

Ekendra — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 06:53:01 GMT

Would you like to participate in creating a beautiful experience? This Gaura Purnima ISKCON News is putting together a 'Festival for the Eyes' that you're invited to help us put together.

On Gaura Purnima Day 2008 we're going to unveil a multimedia presentation featuring Gaura-Nitai deities worshiped in devotees' homes around the world.

We've set a goal to compile 108 photos so if you'd like to give our current readership of more than 3,500 weekly visitors a glimpse of the Gaura-Nitai deities who live in your home then dress them gorgeously, get the lighting just right and snap us a digital photo. (Try to avoid using a flash please.)

When you submit your entry you'll need to include the following details:

- What's your name? (Please make sure you spell this exactly how you'd like it to be presented.)

- Where do you live? (Include the name of the city and country.)

Send just one photo as an attachment to: editor AT iskconnews.com

Please try to keep the size of the file under 1 Megabyte. The best image resolution for our purposes is 800px by 600px.

Alternatively you could upload to a photo hosting site such as www.flickr.com and send us a link.

The deadline for entries is Tuesday the 18th of March 2008.

Only the first 108 photos will be presented so send them in today!

For more details please visit here: http://news.iskcon.com/node/931

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

New tribe feature....

deviant_sagacious — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 21:57:08 GMT

Hi there. WOW, long time, no talk'ey. I haven’t done a good job of monitoring things here and although this tribe's more silent than most, one of it's main purposes/reasons for existing is it's Photo Album!

Since such a big part of this tribe is the images of other people's altars hopefully as impetus for making your own, I wanted to encourage whoever wishes to take advantage of the new tribe future called "Subscribe to this Album" so that you'll be aware when new one's are added.

Just an idea. :-)

Enjoy.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

The Ram

dani — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 09:01:37 GMT

I was reading somehwere that if you point an elephant toward your door, it will help you prosper and bring in money.

Does anybody know if there is any significance/symbolism similar to this related to the ram?

I recently found a ram candle holder at the thrift store, it was just sitting on the counter calling me when I was checking out, and so I added it to my purchases. In my current lifetime all my serious intimate partners have been Aries,' So I find amusing that this candle holder I am drawn to so much is a ram.

Now what am I to do with it? Any ideas?

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 2 replies

I would like to buiild an altar ofr the Orishas and use crystals

CrystalGoddess — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 22:34:36 GMT

I would like to build an altar to the Orisha spirits but I do understand that before an alter is built I have to find out who my orisha is and work from there. Let's say that I find out who my "Mother" or "Father" is can I use crystals on my altar and if so are there crystals that corespond to the Orishas. Your insight would be greatly appreciated.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 1 reply

Hi to all

cindy — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 07:37:15 GMT

I just wanted to say 'hi'.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 3 replies

Permanent outdoor shrine

Afro — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 20:52:56 GMT

Greetings,

I practice an African Traditional Religion and would like to build a wooden outdoor shrine to my ancestors and orishas. Does anyone have examples of small outdoor shrines that I could get inspiration from? They don't have to be African. I just want to get inspiration. If a particular shrine is not African, but I like it, I can always "Africanize" it. My initial plan is to make them like little roofed houses. I am making two separate shrines which will be about 3'x3'x3' and located either in a grassy area or in a small grove of trees, probably supported by short stilts so that they are as close to the earth as possible without my having to worry about them being flooded out by rain. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

-AfroKin

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 3 replies

Garage Sale Gougers!!!!!!!!!

MacMorrighan — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 19:26:02 GMT

Ugh... Okay, today was West-Central Iowa's annual "White Pole Road Sale" [http://www.whitepoleroad.com/]-- stretching from Dexter to Adiar (encompassing both towns I grew up in: Stuart and Menlo)-- and I was OFFENDED by many of the prices that folks were charging for items that they simply wanted to get rid of (my 2nd. year in a row, too)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Consider that last year I was walking thr streets of Menlo (okay, poor choice of words; get your head out of the gutter!) and found a lovely ruby-red glass claret that I bought to hold a Protection Potion that I make. Anyway, I picked it up to get a better look at it, and didn't notice a price when, immediately, the woman sitting in a chair a few yards away barked, "That's five dollars!" I nearly gaged at the price...at a garage sale or yard sale?!?!?! WTF??? I mean, MAYBE if it had cost her $50 it *might* be worth that. However, it's clearly not an item that would have cost that! But, what conviced her to charge sucha price? Now, my mom is the Garage Sale Queen-- she'd put together enough of 'em while I was growing up!-- that even *she* was shocked by the prices people are asking for!

Now, let's fast-forward to this afternoon: I was walking the streets of Stuart when I came to a slightly larger yard sale when I saw a really good table that would have been PERFECT for use as a personal Altar to the Goddess and Old Horny! Yes, it would have beena fixer-upper, 'cause it looked rather skanky! It had some definate ware on it, and rough edges, as well as a poor paint job. Hell, the paint was hidious! You remember the original film, "The Amatty Ville Horror" when the dad went into the basement and found that creepy alcove painted a bright red color? Well, that's what color it was. I would have loved to have taken it home and stripped it, then stained it! But, they wee asking 85-fucking-dollars for it! Can you believe it? Keep in mind that it may have been built by the in-nates of the Iowa State Prison, but it was in poor condition, *and* it wasn't exactly the size of a dining room table! It was rather small, like the size of a starter family might have back in the 20s! I was soooo let down! Because of the lovely shape of the table-top I would have liked to have had a piece of glass cut and bevvled to put on top of it (to keep ax off of it!). *sigh* I seriously doubt that they paid $850 for it (at the low end). Though, that's not the worse of it!!!

Nearer the entrance was a table in great condition that was what one might have on the side of their bed-- a night stand-- and they were asking for 125-fucking-dollars!!! Can you fucking believe that shit!!! I mean, what do they think it is? Gold?!

As I said earlier, my common sense was fucking-offended! Hell, as a consumer I was OFFENDED!!! Blood nearly shot out of my eyes! Because mom was with me, I asked her how much they ought to *reasonably* be charging for the table that I fancied, snd she said, "About $10-- no more!"

I mean, don't these folks have a decent brain in their heads? Who do you suppose convinced them to charge SO MUCH money (especially for a fixer-upper)? Of all the nerve... I even performed a little research on-line when I got home to confirm my suspitions and found that one should NOT price somemore for more than 10-to-30 percent of what they originally purchased it for! However, what people often seem to be doing, now, is pricing a lot of their things what they might be if they were to see it for sale-- new-- on clearance sale, perhaps. But, still...

I WAS OFFENDED!!! And, it's not often that I am offended as a consumer, or that I have my common sensse offended, too! *grrrrr* What a pitty! And, I've been looking for a propper table to serve as an Altar to the Old Gods, too (something not TOO big, nor short like a coffee table, either!). Now, if only I'd had a job and was able to afford that price, I think I *might* have picked up that table. *sigh*

Ugh...I just wish I knew where there might be a wealthy neighbourhood so that I could go rummaging through their NICE and EXPENSIVE things on TRASH DAY (when you get to get rid of your stuff on the road side and it'll get picked up if no one wants it!). *EG*

PS-- On the way back I noted that the ditches along the highway between Stuart and Menlo were FILLED with wild roses [Rosa canina]-- Iowa's state flower.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 2 replies

NEW ALTER

Christina — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 22:38:50 GMT

I am looking to make a bodeva for my ancestors, and would like to know if their are any suggestions on how and what to do.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 3 replies

Making Crystal Wands?!

MacMorrighan — Sat, 26 May 2007 17:57:50 GMT

Hey guys...

As I'm sure many of you have seen-- either on-line or through your local occult stores-- a variety of "crystal wands" for sales. These usually consist of a coloured glass staff with crystals soddered along it, as well as with a larger crystal affixed to either end.

Anyway, I am interested in learning how such are made, and how they might be different than simply making stained glass (which I have experience in). So...I was wondering if anyone has come across any sites re: how such wands might be made, or even some glass "staff" suppliers! I have been thinking that it might be a lot of fun to make such a wand for myself, depending upon the occassion! Can you imagine giving such a gift to your Pagan Beau? ;o) Heck, I've been really interested, lately, in making some of my own ritual tools! Sheesh, talk about "fertility of the mind" this mointh-- it simply hasnb't stopped! LOL...

Anyhoo...this is just a general shout-out for any possible advice out there. Heh heh heh...

Take Care,
Wade MacMorrighan

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 1 reply

friendship altars ♡

Wed, 27 Dec 2006 19:21:23 GMT

Hey everybody!!

Have any of you ever made a little altar for a friend? Just as gift? Not necessarily religious...because it's sorta rude to force that on any one. But just a little gathering of trinkets that remind you of that person, or that could be special to them...yet some how maybe insert an offering dish into it? Because after all it is an 'altar'. hummm...

Any thoughts? What have you made in the past?

*mel

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 16 replies

Introduction :-)

Dantor — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 18:46:17 GMT

Hello all

I just discovered TRIBE last night and am glad to become a part of it. I have a habit of lurking so thought I'd at least introduce myself to you guys first before I start chiming in later on threads, lol.

I am a Santero crowned Obatala and live in Miami. I'm looking forward to learning and sharing on this forum, and hopefully to make a few friends along the way.

love & light
Dantor

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 2 replies

Circle, Spring 2007: "The Sacred West & North"

MacMorrighan — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 15:09:35 GMT

Hey, guess what? Circle will be publishing an article that I co-authored with a friend, Anna Franklin (a MS. entry, actually) in the latest issue of their magazine: http://www.circlesanctuary.org/circle/ So, when you see a copy of this issue, pick it up, would you! The only change since submission (depending upon how they may have "Edited" it) is the introductory sentence in an effort to read MUCH more professionally and smoothly. I initially submitted it for their "Pantheon" section, but they wonderfully published it under their "Nature Religions Around the World"! I should be recieving my complimentary two copies of this issue within a fortnight-- just in time for my birthday: 14, March. Hmmm...I wonder when our local Borders will carry it? But, if you can't find it there, order it directly from Ciurcle Sanctuary, or search about until you *do* find a copy! *G* Let me know what you think of it when you read it, please! Personally, I'm particularly excited to read Emma Wilby's contribution, "Shamanistic Visionary Traditions In Early Modern British Witchcraft"; in fact, I can't wait to read her academic book on the same topic (along the lines of Profs. Eva Pocs, Carlo Ginzburg, and Claude Lecauteux, etc.). Apparently, European scholars have reached this consensus to the consternation of their British peers that reject it as rubbish, and usually invent vapid "reasons" for doing so, too (for example, by claiming that one cannot use any term with the root-word "shaman" in it, such as "shamanistic" as an "understood", unless they are *specifically* applying it to the tribal peoples of Siberia and the Arctic north). Apparently, Emma Wilby (an Independant Scholar that was published by Sutton, an academic publisher) has been explaining how untennible the British position is. Be hat as it may, some luminaries, such as Ronald Hutton, vehemently rejects it, and to modern Pagans, "if Hutton says it, it's so (end of story)!" So much for free-thinking Pagans, eh? Hell, just to get his scholastic-way, Hutton has actually, and blatantly, mischaractreized the writings of Prof. Carlo Ginzburg, to make them sound as though they really cannot be brought up as evidence for pagan survivalism or shamanic antecedants in witchcraft belief, as though Carlo's books say something contrary to what they actually do! I'd like to know how he can get away with this, and not be pounced on by his academic peers! Poor Carlo was also similarly mischaracterized, as he informs us, by two other British scholars, namely Norman Cohn (who lied about Margaret Murray and got away with it) and JB Russell.

Take Care,
Wade@MacMorrighan.Net
http://MySpace.Com/MacMorrighan

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Vodou World

Seattle — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 04:16:29 GMT

Visit our Website
http://www.vodouworld.com

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Metals of the Gods...

MacMorrighan — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 03:17:22 GMT

Hey guys, a friend of mine gave me a book today-- "The Universal Myths: Heroes, Gods, Tricksters and Others", by Alexander Eliot (with contributions by Joseph Campbell & Mircea Eliade; the latter whom Hutton decided to "debunk" in one of his recent books on shamanism, as if yo make his grandfather suck eggs!). Anyway, as I was thumbing through it, I came upon the following passage that I have never heard of, before, in any myths that have come to my attention to date (where the Gods are specifically concerned, as opposed to Renaissance occultism):

"According to classical legend, the minerals common to our planet indicate the erstwhile presence of heavenly bodies here on earth. Iron is the cloak of Mars left behind when he deserted the earth; lead is Saturn's cloak; quicksilver is the claok of Mercury and so on. Gold was the garment of the sun when that burning deity wandered the earth, and silver was the nude moon's headdress" [pp. 94].

So...I was wondering if anyone might know where I might find these specific myths. Hoever, what of Jupiter and tin or Venus and copper *grin*, mythically-speaking? I'd love to find the relavent source-material. *G* When I ran a few search terms through Google this evening, it lead me to a passage from Geoffrey Chacer's The Canterbury Tales; indeed, it has been suggested that one can learn much about the occult prevalent during Chaucer's time from this text. However, the passage in question reads as follows:

"The first of spirits, then, quicksilver is,
The second arsenic, the third, ywis,
Is sal ammoniac, the fourth brimstone.
The seven bodies I'll describe anon:
Sol, gold is, Luna's silver, as we see,
Mars iron, and quicksilver's Mercury,
Saturn is lead, and Jupiter is tin,
And Venus copper, by my father's kin!"
["The Canon's Yeoman's Tale", The Canterbury Tales, stanzas 270-275; c. Thirteenth Century].

Take Care,
Wade

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Horned One, COME!!!

MacMorrighan — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 20:49:25 GMT

Hey guys, guess what? I was flipping through the latest AzureGreen catalogue (I rarely buy from them anymore unless I see something entirely unique), and I've found something that would make a breathless addition to any Altar devoted to the Horned One!!! It's an "Athame" (though, due to its lack of a black handle, I'd simply term it a "ritual blade") with a cloven-hooved handle!!! In fact, it reminds me of the one Doreen Valiente used to own, if I am not mistaken (hmmm...maybe it was the Farrars?)! Gods, I wish I had more money, so I could buy it! :o) Being jaded, it takes quite a bit to impress me anymore, but this sure as Avalon did the trick! Here's the link: http://www.azuregreen.com/index.html?stocknumber=RA413D So, if you have a love for Old Horny like me, perhaps you might like to purchase such a ritual blade-- it even has a Stag-Motif!

Now, if only their supplier of new Greco-Roman idolotry would carry an image of Pan! According to the owner of a local occult shop, who deals directly with the manufacturer of these same idols, they don't offer a Pan statue. But, she's written them a letter and proposed that they should! I should have asked her for the name of the company, so I could do the same thing! (Anyone, by chance, know the supplier? They look almost like marble, or perhaps even porcelain or alabaster.) Apparently, these images (and the Gods are posatively hunky, though, they cover up all the good bits with fig-leaves!) are inspired from Renaissance paintings of the Gods in question. Heck, were I a servent of Ares, I would have sooooo totally bought His idol! *drool* Heh heh heh... Though, I don't see that AzureGreen offers Him, there's a pretty arrousing image of Dionysos (incidentally, Priests dressed as Satyrs apparently had an endemic ritual role in both He and Pan's respective cults! Fascinating, no?). I've simply never seen a Pan statue that I like, but...if He looks as hunky as the idols I saw at Ancient Ways, I'd buy Him in a HEART-BEAT!!! He'd HAVE to be phallic, however-- anything else would simply be insulting!

Later,
Wade

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 1 reply

Lord Ganesha Speaks...

MacMorrighan — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 01:16:06 GMT

Well, I found a lovely store this morning (though, the Google Map was WOEFULLY inccurate!!!)-- it was called Namaste India; a diner/grocery store. Everything there is imported directly from India-- I highly recommend them!

Although, when I first arrived there, a few odd things happened: the store was open (as per the electric sign), but the door was locked, so one of the employees had to let us in; but after we were ushered inside they switched off the sign! (Even according to their flier it was busniess hours.) But, they really do have nice products there, such as floral waters-- including rose water, Indian delacacies, and the most scrumptious incense my olfactory system has ever been treated to!

Yes, while I was there, one of the employees went up and down the isles censing the store-- of course, that sent one of my friends running for the door, because she cannot stand incense in any way; it makes her incredibly ill! (Although, she did ask me an interesting question: If incense is such a strong part of their religion and culture, what do they do if somone cannot tollerate incense, such as she?) I thought the container he was using as a make-shift censer was interesting, also (and very perfect forthe job at hand): it looked like a pencil cup one might buy for school. ;o)

They even sold idols of the youthful avatar, Lord Krishna; and even Ganesha. Personally, I was surprised at how small they were; smaller than what I had expected. I was also hoping to find an idol of the Kali Ma in residence, too. ;o) So, I desided to pick up a Ganesha idol, because I am a writer. And, I asked the staff which of the many scrumptious incenses they have for sale does Ganesha like most: sandalwood was their answer! Of course, according to my research (on-line!) Ganesha was a child formed from the Sandalwood paste with which the Great-Goddess Parvati used to bathe. Well, guess what *I* bought? Yup, sandalwood incense, as well as some yummy-smelling lily incense!

Personaly, I don't buy pre-made incense if I can make it myself, but, darn it, this stuff just smalled sooooooo goooooood!!! *drool* It's imported from India through a company called Hem [located here: http://hemincense.com/]. Although, I don't know what it was about the stick incense I used to buy in college, but it gave me the worse migrane you can imagine! So much so, in fact, that I'd love to see what brand it was, so I might learn what was in it that made me feel so misserable! (I'd love to be able to blend an Apple Blossom Incense and Lilac Incense, though, haven't a clue what ingredients would create those specific scents.) Does anyone here have a favourite pre-made incense brand?

Ganesha is the God of scribes, intelligence, wisdom, and inspiration-- and that's for darn sure; it was shortly afterwards, upon finishing my shopping at the Half Price Bookstore, immediately after walking out, that I was deeply inspired to create a sacred talisman-candle spell: the thought occured to me to take a yellow 7-day pull-out candle and inscribe onto it (after drawing a schematicized variant) of a Hindu gesture of blessing (as per Kali Ma, if I am not mistaken, which always resembled the American sign language gesture for the letter "D"); with some symbol associated with inspiration, wisom and intellect upon the palm; and anoint it with sandalwood oil (which comes from white sandalwood-- a product associatd with the Moon, as is Ganesha; though some suppliers denote it as yellow sandalwood: yellow is also a sacred colour of Ganesha, as well as the Element of Air, the intellect, and the dawn). Hmmm...perhaps I will even formulate an Anointing Oil associated with Inspiration-- a form of Chanelling or Aspecting-- created with Sandalwood Oil (for Ganesha and other sacred and holy phenomina), Orris Root oil (sacred to Iris, the Greek Goddess of the Rainbow and messanger of the Gods), and other ingredients; and, perhaps a corresponding incense formula.

Heck, I'm even considering making my whole computer desk top an Altar for inspiration and writing! Hey, I could even dye some faberic yellow for a lovely runner benieth my computer monitor. :o) Wow, ever since I bought that idol the ideas have been flowing like syrup on a sultry summer's day! *G* Of course, this now means I'll have to-- *gasp!*-- CLEAN OFF MY DESK! Well, there goes *my* entire weekend! LOL...

Here are two lovely links with information re: Ganesha, and some photos of His various shrines-- especially from His most-important of all Feast Dates: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesh_Chaturthi According to Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone Lord Ganesha is the most popularly worshipped male deity on earth, while Kuan Yin is the most popularly worshipped Goddess!

LOL... I am also reminded (from years ago) of the time I went shopping at a local mall and enquired at a Chinese boutique of the idols of Kuan Yin. All I saw were lovely red idols, and asked if they had any white images, only to be rather rudely rebuffed, "No! Kwan Yin like red!"(sic.) Of course I known in Chinese culture red is endemic of good fortune (this is why I believe it would make, in some specific instances, a good candle on which to carve a Wheel of Fortune, or similar, pictogram!), however, at numerous Chinese restarants I have observed a lovely alabastre-white idol of the Goddess, holding out Her hands in a ritual gesture of blessings. Of couse, most deities, on one level or another, hold a soft-spot in my heart, regardless of the fact that I am a consecrated Priest of An Morrighan-- She chose me to serve Her and learn her Holy Mysteries! I am simply a fan of "religion", and adore seeing a multitude of Gods being worshipped and loved.

Take Care,
Wade MacMorrighan
Wade(AT)MacMorrighan(DOT)Net

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

SE Asian spirit house altars

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 02:49:29 GMT

On a trip through Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos last winter I saw hundreds of these things. If you've been there, you know what I mean: they're like little wats on poles put outside a house or property. They're usually painted in bright colors. They could be confused for birdhouses. I know they're "spirit houses," but I never got a good in-depth explanation while I was there. What are they for? Any experts out there?

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 4 replies

Fairy altars

Wendy — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 17:07:08 GMT

funny idea: make a soundtrack for a fairy altar (they like silly stuff). You could imagine what kind of voices your altar's accompanying spirits sound. Do a voice clip with your versions, i.e. funny gnomish, troll voices, squeezed out irritated fairy voices ( this happens a lot, esp. if the child in you is questing, requesting too much time! Spirits have to be free to roam!).

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Do you like the photos

NityanandaRam — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 21:22:51 GMT

? ;)

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 5 replies

Looking for a cheap little altar table. HELP??

Liana — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 05:51:22 GMT

Ok, i've been looking EVERYWHERE for a cheap little altar table. The material doesn't have to be very fancy, but it could be. All i'm looking for is something with a good size (larger than 4" X 4" for example), because I'm going to be putting alot of stuff on it...3 candles, water, vase, very small food offerings in miniature bowls, etc. It's an ancestral altar.

I'm looking for something $30 or below. Anyone know any good sites I could buy off of? Once again, the material it's made of doesn't have to be very special, because I will cover it with a cloth, anyway.

Thanks much beforehand : )

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 5 replies

Help Save Tara!

FyreChyld — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 22:52:21 GMT

Please help save Tara (Irelands most sacred place) by signing the worldwide petition at the link below and stop them from building the Motorway through Tara. All info is in the petition. Be sure to cut & paste this petition on all your Pagan groups & Forums. get your Covens & Groves to sign it. This is very important! PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS SIGN! Thank You!

http://www.petitiononline.com/hilltara/petition.html

go na Tiarna agus Bantiarn coill glas beannacht glas tu!
(Irish Gaelic for)
May the Lord and Lady of the Green Wood Bless you!

/|\ Gypsy /|\

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Connections

RavenBly — Thu, 11 May 2006 04:46:56 GMT

Blessings All!:-)

I stumbled across this tribe, and I am so happy I did!!:-) I love all of the energy from these altars. I have an altar, or two in every room in my home. My name is Anniitra Ravenmoon.

Blessed Be to All:-)

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 3 replies

Online grimoir

Sycolous — Sun, 14 May 2006 02:19:15 GMT

If you have anny Rituals you would like to Shair or discuss come on in and join
tribes.tribe.net/the_grimoir

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Our Altar picture album...

deviant_sagacious — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 17:56:44 GMT

I know this isn't the most chatty tribe but a huge portion or reason for this tribe are the pictures people post.
A big huge thanx to all those who have posted their pix over the last few months. You guys rock!
With the the stagnation and selective weeding-out of the mystifying aspects of modern organized religion, so much of our western Christian influenced culture has just been sucked-dry of any mystical undertones that are so essential to the cohesiveness of any organized spirituality that... you just don't see a site often enough that shows you ideas and examples of this widespread and understated underbelly of modern spirituality.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 3 replies

Altars Book

tenamoore — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 13:14:35 GMT

Hi All,

I just found the most amazing book. It is a work of art! I actually bought one, read it a few times, made a few new altars...and then bought another one, because I make collages and the book was soooo beautiful that I had to cut it up for a gorgeous collage! Hehehe....I thought I'd pass it on. It has been such an inspiration for me.

balancedbookspub.com/altarbook.htm

I've been creating altars for years, yet these altars are based on Vastu Shastra, the Vedic Science from India that Feng Shui stems from. So interesting! It has recommendations for colors, dieties, placement, yantras, mantras, etc.

InJoy!

Daiva

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 2 replies

My many altars

Desideria — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 15:50:40 GMT

I have many altars, as I want to be able to connect with the Goddess physically, wherever I am in my home or in my garden. The one that garners the most praise is the Goddess at my entry. She is a very large table-top statue, about 2-feet tall, on a half-round table, and she is seated, with a bounteous lap. I change the items in her lap according to the seasons and the sabbat. Next to her, although there isn't a lot of room on that little table for much of anything but her, I've placed a gorgeous tiny green and gold glass goblet (Her chalice) and a tiny marble goblet (His chalice). There is also a small covered box of blessed salt. Behind her on the wall are many different mirrors, so that each person who enters my home can see the Goddess within themselves.

Another altar, much smaller and less formalized, is on the pass-through between my dining room and my living room. She is a lovely maiden goddess, surrounded by my collection of goblets and frogs (my special animal). Candle holders also live there, although I can't light candles there, because there is a cabinet above and I don't want to start a fire in my little rented trailer.

Another time, I'll speak of some of the other altars, in my kitchen, dining room, living room, bedroom, etc.

Delia

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

New Tribe look/New problems...

deviant_sagacious — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 02:36:26 GMT

Hey, just a quick note to all you beautiful people...

So, I don't know a whole lot about the new tribe changes. I haven't had much time to devote to it or learn. But, what I do know is, after the latest tribe overhaul... I saw tons of new posts on all the tribes I moderate, that could only be described as spam/ad's. Most of them, off-topic as well. Not that I'm a topic nazi but... I think you understand what I mean. Anyway... here is the deal.

Until I find out more about the new version of tribe... I am deleting all posts that look like an ad or spam, (Unless of-course, if it's directly related to the tribe.) This is simple to keep a clean and easy to use and understand look to my tribes. I don't know if this is the best decision, but it's one I'm making.

If I accadentaly deleated anyone's lagitimate post in the process... please forgive me. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. :-)

Love you all....

Curt

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 1 reply

2006

deviant_sagacious — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 22:52:53 GMT

Any new years Altars yet? Pix?
Winter is upon us.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Affordable Ancient Artifacts

FyreChyld — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 10:18:19 GMT

One of my roommates in the house I just moved into gave me this catlog cause she saw my altar in my room & thought I like it. Its awesome. Thought you all like it too. Haven't figure if the catalog is free yet but heres the website if you are interested.

http://www.sadighgallery.com

I'm posting this in only 3 tribes so be sure to bookmark this link.

:-D

~Gypsy

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 7 replies

Happy Winter Solstice Everyone!

FyreChyld — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 16:36:37 GMT

Hope the Gods grant you all your wishes this Holiday Season.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 2 replies

Rebuilding Stonehenge

FyreChyld — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 03:08:44 GMT

For those in Portland who are interested. National Geographic on channel 273 on Comcast is showing a documentary called Rebuilding Stonehenge. I'm watching the 6pm to 8pm showing. But I missed most of it. But for those interested it will be on again at 9pm tonight. Just thought I pass that on for those are interested in Stonehenge.

How many of you believe Stonehenge was a Druidic Temple?

~Gypsy

PS
For those who don't have Cable TV heres a link for you.
http://cgi.nationalgeographic.com/channel/video/cgi-bin/NGPortal.pl?bitrate=400k&clip=44126368

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Altar of the Broken Heart

sobey — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 01:32:13 GMT

At a community gathering coming up (www.intention7.com) i would like to design a broken heart altar for people to express/reflect/accept/heal with their broken hearts in a quiet space somewhere. I wanted to connect that altar intentionally with all the hearts in the world that have been opened with a jackhammer this year to bring in some collective planetary healing. If anyone wants to join in remotely feel free to create your own altars and see how they work in this experiment.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Altars for Indians and for Ghede

mojomike — Mon, 14 Nov 2005 00:02:45 GMT

See my profile for photos of two of my altars, one is a spiritual altar for Indians that includes OL Guadalupe, a plains Indian warrior representing Black Hawk, male and female harvest Indians representing the people of the 5 Nations where my European ancestors first settled in New England. Since the photo was taken I have added a wolf figure to represent the Tonkawa Indians that used to reside here in the Austin area.

The other altar is a Voodoo altar for the Ghede spirits. It includes a coffin, crosses, sunglasses, piman or peppered rum, and other offerings to the spirits of the dead, healing, humor, knowledge, and sexual fertility.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 4 replies

Irish Healer's Altar

FyreChyld — Wed, 23 Nov 2005 06:55:37 GMT

A home altar for Airmid should be covered with a cloth, symbolizing the cloak on which she laid out the healing herbs. It can be scattered with dried or fresh plants of all types. Flowers in vases, bunches of herbs, potted plants, wreaths of branches or piles of berries could all be placed on its surface. A bowl or cauldron of spring or rain water can symbolize her well of healing and regeneration. Incenses for her should be floral or earthy scents redolent of growth and verdant green, pine or fir resins, or the elegant sweetness of amber. If you use candles, they should be of beeswax to symbolize the fertilizing work of the bees and the curative powers of honey. If you feel a need for a blade on the altar, consider using a sickle for its close association with agricultural work, rather than an athame. Bronze, silver, stone or wood are preferable to iron, for the folklore tells us that the de Danann dislike iron. Your indoor temple can be decorated with bunches of drying herbs hanging from the ceiling, herbal wreaths on the walls, baskets of dried flowers, with indoor herb gardens in pots and under sunlamps, with bottles filled with your dried herbs, and mortars and pestles for their preparation.

If you have space in your yard for a garden, it would be highly appropriate for you to devote an area to be her special shrine and ask her blessings for the growth and preparation of your herbs. Celtic deities were often represented by a rough-hewn face in a log or by a small standing stone. With a little inspiration and some care you can create a similar stone or wooden icon for yourself. A bowl or birdbath set into the ground before the image can serve as her healing spring. Scrying and healing meditations can be done by gazing into the reflective surface of the water. For those with some money available and a taste for something unusual, small fountains of rough natural stone can sometimes be found in garden shops. The initial cost may be a few hundred dollars, but a fountain pump runs on less electricity than it takes to run a fish tank air purifier. The musical sound of moving water can deepen meditation and provide a refuge from the distraction of everyday activities. If you are not fortunate enough to live close to a river or waterfall, this might be a useful alternative. Inspiration is one of the roots of Celtic worship. No scripted rites are necessary for the worship of Celtic Goddesses. Poetry is their preferred form of invocation. Time spent in an herb garden or among the wildflowers could easily inspire you, as it has many poets over the centuries. Even if you are not feeling particularly inspired, there are a number of books available with samples of Celtic poetry that can be used or modified for your rituals.

"I will pluck the yarrow fair,
That more benign shall be my face,
That more warm shall be my lips,
That more chaste shall be my speech,
Be my speech the beams of the sun,
Be my lips the sap of the strawberry." [7]

Many Celtic poems exist which are centered around the harvest of particular herbs for healing or magickal purposes. The Carmina Gadelica, originally a compilation containing poetic material in both Scottish Gaelic and English translations, was recently re-released in an all-English format,[8] and is a rich source that contains many plant charms and folk-beliefs concerning plants, from late 19th-century Scotland. Other folk poems use herbs and plants as a part of their symbolism, even if they are not directly related to the use and cultivation of healing plants. These can also be modified for use in rituals.The triad is a traditional form of wisdom text in Celtic Ireland. One of the Irish triads speaks of the attributes of a healer, saying "Three things that constitute a physician: a complete cure, leaving no blemish behind, a painless examination." [9] Through our work in ritual with Airmid, we can strive to fulfill these conditions. In devotion to her, we can work to heal ourselves, and through the knowledge of her herbs, those close to us as well. Through our gardens and our devotion to the green world of plants, we can move the circle outward and work to heal our planet.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Happy DAY OF THE DEAD

deviant_sagacious — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 22:31:54 GMT

ORIGIN OF THE DAY OF THE DEAD IN MEXICO
______________________________________

The death is the unavoidable destination for all human life and it is natural this reality cause us scare and anguish, mainly when we are in danger to die or when the death affects our dear beings.
This summary dedicated to the celebration of the Day of the Dead has the purpose of bringing near children and adults with the idea of the death. So, they will go accepting as unavoidable part of the human life. How some old cultures also made rites about the death; and strengthen the character from the religious point of view.
Also, I hope you can understand the Mexican sensibility, our so particular way to understand and give sense to the celebration of the Day of the Dead.
More than the act to die, more important is what's going on after to die. That other world from which we make representations, customs and traditions that become cultures. So, in front of the unknown road of the death, we can only imagine with symbols.

AZTECS AND THE CULT TO THE DEATH

The celebration of the Day of the Dead is linked to the Agricultural calendar from the Prehispanic ancient; because this is the only celebration when start the gathering or crop. So, this is the first great banquet after the shortage seasons of previous months and they shared it until with the Dead. In these old celebrations, friends and family taken by this transition were celebrated like old friends or lovers that you miss and haven't seen for years. (Lovingly decorated images of death can still be seen in Day of the Dead art today.) Náhuatl culture considered that the destiny of humanity is perishing. We can find this concept in writings from that time, from a Prehispanic king and poet, Netzahualcóyotl (1391-1472).

He wrote:

"we are humans / all will go on, / all will be die in the earth. /

Like a painting, / all will go erasing. /

Like a flower, / we will go to drying / here on the earth. /

Meditate on this, men eagles and tigers, /

[even if] you are from jade, / although you are golden, /

we will still go on / to the place of rest. /

[Until then,] We have to wake up, / nobody will be remaining."

This feeling about destination should be understanding in sense that the Aztec people were conceived themselves like soldiers of the Sun, and their rites contributed to strengthen the Sun-Tonatiuh in his divine combat against the stars, symbols of wrong and night or darkness. The Aztecs offered sacrifices to their gods; and in just retribution, they spilled the light or the day and the rain on the humanity in order to make grow the life.
The cult to the death is one of the basic elements in the religion of Mexican ancient. They believed that the death and the life constitute a unity. For the prehispanic people the death is not the end of the existence, it is a transitional way toward something better.
We can find symbols about the cult to the death in their architecture –pyramids-, sculpture and ceramic, as well as in poetic songs. There are evidenced about pain and anguish are feelings caused by the step to the death; to the "Mictlán", place of the dead people or the spirit that have to wait for good destination, the paradises of the "Tlalocan".

The sacrifice of death is not a personal purpose. The death is justified in the well-fares collectivity, to continuity the creation; is more important the health of the world. This purpose does not involve the individual salvation. The dead people disappear in order to return to the world of the shades, to melt to the air, to the fire and to the earth; back to essence that encourages the universe.
The human sacrifices are considered as the tribute that the conquering towns paid to their gods, and they in retribution fed the life to the universe and to their society.
On the other hand, when somebody died, they organized parties in order to help the spirit in their road to. Like in Egyptian culture, the old Mexicans buried the bodies, wrapped them in a carpet handmade with the leaf of palm, called "petate". They put food for when the spirit feel hungry, because their trip by the road of the Chignahuapan (from the "náhuatl" language: new "apan" in the river; that is to say "on the new rivers"); similar to the purgatory, this road was very difficult, because they could find cold and hot places.

The Mayans did not just disappear. The Aztecs were not entirely killed off! They are alive and well in the blood of the people of Mexico's forests down to this day. As with most pagan cultures that the Catholic church has destroyed, the pagan and indian origins of the celebration of the dead have mixed with the Catholic celebration of Christian images like crucifix and the virgin of Guadalupe, etc. etc. The old ways shine through the Catholic vail clouding this holiday though. It creates one of the most colorful versions of Christianity and Santeria found today.

The scorn, the fear and the pain against death is what unites us to the celebration that we profess today as Day Of The Dead. It is say, maybe that death could be a vengeance to the life, because the death liberates us from those vanities in which we lived; and convert us, to the end of the times, to all for equal in what we are, bones, flesh, and spirit.

On some level, then, the more we think about this, the more death becomes humorous and ironic; we called it "calaca," bony, skinny, scrawny, and skeletal. The act of die, we give definitions like succumb, stretching the legs, extinguish. These expressions allow play a joke, making proverbs and verses.

The death is present in our game, we made skulls of sugar, figures cuttings of paper, colored skeletons, toys of skeletons, marionettes of skeletons and when we make cartoons or comics. Not to play as usually, maybe as a decoration in the house and schools. We put some of them in the altar too. We also see it's Mayan and Aztec influences in it's invitation to the spirits of old friends. Specifics of the celebration vary with region, but one of the most common customs is the making of elaborate altars to welcome departed spirits of friends, relatives, and old lovers home. Vigils are held, and families often go to cemeteries to fix up the graves of their departed relatives. Festivities also frequently include traditional foods such as pan de muerto (bread of the dead), which can conceal a miniature skeleton.

-Laura de la Vega

http://portland.tribe.net/template/pub%2Ctribes%2CViewPhoto.vm?page=26&currentoffset=152&parentid=b71bdffa-0755-42ba-bb75-afe916813f89&sortby&rows&r=10288

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Coffee Table Altars

lunataylor — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 16:08:12 GMT

Recently, my altars have been my coffee table. I have my pumpkins that I just picked yesterday diplayed among the candles, the bowls filled with fossils and crystals, my sages and incenses and little herb jars and "tray", my pin cushion and other small sewing items I'm using to make my costumes for this weekend, and my glass pen which seems to be fulfilling the place of a dagger.

Anyone else view their coffee table as their altar? What does yours look like?

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 2 replies

New Santeria thrones

Fri, 12 Aug 2005 03:40:57 GMT

Olorisha Martin Tsang, Ajaja, priest of the Santeria deity Erinle, celebrated the anniversary of his initiation on August 4. I just uploaded pictures of his anniversary throne and his shrine for the Orisha Erinle. He is one of the most talented beadworkers I've known, as you can see in the multi-stranded necklace draping the urn in which Erinle's sacred items are housed in the pictures I just posted.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 5 replies

To all of you...

deviant_sagacious — Fri, 12 Aug 2005 01:33:04 GMT

This is a special message going out to all the tribes I moderate:

Hi everyone! I love the fact that "Buddha Dharma", "The Black Lodge", "The White Lodge", and "The Altar / Shrine" tribes have all served some interesting purpose and added to the cacophony of subjects found on tribe.net. I'm very happy for your participation in them. I have been neglecting you all so much lately. With things that have happened in my personal life, and getting ready for Burning Man in a few weeks, I just haven't had the time to post much to these tribes.

Upon my return, you will see more interesting topics and activity at least from me. While I'm gone, plz cary on.

Thanx to all those posting Altar pix in the Altar tribe... You guys are so interesting!!!
Thanx to all the Donny Dark-o's in The Black Lodge :-)
and...
Thanx to all the Spritual Mystics lingering in the White Lodge.

I know I havn't encouraged or tried to stir up much activity the last few months... so plz forgive. See you all in a month or so.

With much respect and appreciation, your friendly moderator,

Curt

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 4 replies

Traditional Santeria/Lukumi shrines

Mon, 18 Jul 2005 18:26:46 GMT

I recently posted pictures of many of my Orisha shrines on the Santeria tribe ... http://santeria.tribe.net ... but there were so many of them I didn't want to dominate the photo album here ... if anyone is so inclined, please take a look.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 7 replies

the altar as a landscape

Mon, 18 Jul 2005 19:38:21 GMT

so we make a space (as an architecturally oriented person, I am hooked!) and gather objects into it, each with thier own semantic meaning, and arrange them in relationships to eachother and the space (syntax) - so as a landscape what are these altar-places about? what/how do you arrange the objects/spaces of your altar? I knwo this is very zen, but what significances lie in the space between things, across things etc. What are the implicate dimensions of altar-making?

_A

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

http://tribes.tribe.net/BUDDHADHARMA

deviant_sagacious — Sun, 26 Jun 2005 03:02:58 GMT

Ma new tribe if yo interested.... :)

http://tribes.tribe.net/BUDDHADHARMA

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Making your Shrine...

deviant_sagacious — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 05:43:21 GMT

I highly suggest looking over this site. Maybe nothing new to you, or maybe it is... but it's put together well!

http://www.kporterfield.com/creativity/shrines.html

Enjoy.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 3 replies

For fun...

deviant_sagacious — Thu, 14 Apr 2005 17:30:39 GMT

Some interesting twists on the subject:

http://www.bitter.net/infinite_energy/

http://halfass.com/blah/2003/03/05/the-bitternet-shrine-to-infinite-energy/

http://www.dreamsigns.net/bones.jpg
http://www.pinemtnbuddhisttemple.org/Temporary%20images/Kshtigharbha%20in%20new%20shrine.JPG

http://www.world-mysteries.com/gw_rn1b.htm

http://www.smafathers.org/museum/images/Yoruba%20Shrine%20L.JPG

http://www.11am.org/digicam/bday/party/shrine.jpg

http://www.dallasmagic.org/charter/images/shrine-1.jpg

http://photos.superman-tim.com/albums/shrine/IMG_0662.jpg

http://www.kings.edu/tutoring/shrine.jpg

http://lispmeister.com/images/mccarthy-shrine.png

http://www.studyatusa.org/gallery/asiantrip/Bhutan/images/mt.%20shrine-bhutan%20003.jpg

http://www.sandhillcottage.com/shrine.jpg

http://www.mithrilstar.org/images/Faerie%20Garden%20Shrine.jpg

http://www.beerotopia.com/photos/work_cube3.jpg

http://www.centralparktc.org/pictures/2001/01stuart03.jpg

http://www.lupec.org/images/2002/voodoo/voodoo7.jpg

http://www.mel-ozie.com/nes/photos/ancestors_altar_sm.jpg

http://www.dragonskeepfarm.com/2001_trips_pictures/SLG_Lugh_2001/dsc_013.jpg

http://pnrbear.tripod.com/WTCS10.jpg

With love,

Curt

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

I Love It!

Mon, 14 Mar 2005 15:44:02 GMT

Curt, I am so glad you put this tribe together! The pics of Altars are very inspiring. I was excited to see Cleda's magical garden where I got married on pg. 11, top center. I also enjoyed seeing pics from a festival I help run, Spiral Rhythms. I can't wait to go to Oregon Country Fair and take pics this summer of ALL the beautiful Altars there. They have some great perminent ones that I am excited to share with you all!

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 1 reply

New pic...

deviant_sagacious — Sun, 13 Mar 2005 16:22:23 GMT

Man... Dominic... I just love your gem/stone altars you make! (Latest addition to our photo archive) What wonderful energy.

Very cool.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 1 reply

HELLo again...

deviant_sagacious — Tue, 22 Feb 2005 19:52:36 GMT

Goodmorning everyone. I would like to apologize for not keeping up with my tribes. I have been extreamly busy and under an enormous amount of pressure lately from "the real world" and haven't had the time, or felt like playing much on tribes. I have not forgotten about you all.

I would like to encourage you all to continue to post on any topic you like here. I will keep up with this better.

NEW THINGS:

I am working on photos of my own Altar to post as well as photos I've taken creating nature altars while walking around in the forest or out on hikes.

Many new pix in our photo album. Plz enjoy them.

Your contributions are eagerly awaited.

With love,

Curt

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 2 replies

hi all

dart — Tue, 22 Feb 2005 04:14:21 GMT

Hi everyone. Not much action here lately. I'm in the process of setting up a couple of Vastu altars. Still collecting items for them, but was wondering if anyone else has had any experience with this. I am using the book Altars of Power and Grace. I love it. I'll try to post about these, if they do create the changes I am looking for.

I would like to know of peoples experiences of creating altars for a purpose other than worship and for the Sabbats (my own experience in the past)

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Four Direction Altars for Earthdance

sobey — Thu, 09 Sep 2004 22:08:49 GMT

Our tribe is setting up altars to the directions with info about ways to protect the environment at each relevant to the element.

Anyone done anything similiar? Ideas?

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 3 replies

Elemental Altars...

deviant_sagacious — Mon, 17 Jan 2005 20:01:40 GMT

Some new pics stolen from NW Pagan Festivals tribe. Hope she doesn't mind. They were too cool not to share.

So simple, so beautiful. You can just feel them right through the picture. Very well done!

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

New Seattle Pagan Tribe

Otter — Tue, 11 Jan 2005 09:49:14 GMT

Come join your Seattle pagan neighbors at:
seattleareapagans.tribe.net
Thanks for your time.

Peace,
Otter.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Spirit Stories....

deviant_sagacious — Tue, 17 Aug 2004 16:48:57 GMT

Ouija Boards, weather using the mass-produced parker brothers version, an antique, or one made by yourself with a simple piece of paper and glass for the planchette, seem to be powerful tools for communication with certain types of spirits on this earth. (At least for those who aren't faking it!) Anyways... I am amazed at some of the stories I hear, not just related to this item but others as well. Now, one must use discretion. Balance the story you are hearing with your own sense of reality. The line between made-up, over-active imaginations and truth can be a little gray when hearing these types of stories. Anyway... has anyone ever felt sincere energy or a presence on or near their Alter during ritual? Have you ever felt, or seen evidence that you have summoned something? Care to share your stories?

I don't mind opening up the discussion to Ghost stories either but I'm more interested in those related to a ritual or working you have performed, intentionally or not.

-Curt

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 7 replies

.

deviant_sagacious — Fri, 24 Dec 2004 18:58:08 GMT

Merry Christmas

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 3 replies

A little off-topic but...

deviant_sagacious — Sun, 07 Nov 2004 09:58:49 GMT

The blood of preachers, spiritual men, and the divine runs deep in the veins of my family, regardless of it's distorted face (Christianity), it IS there. This I have always known from childhood. The son of a preacher man …. cast off and parted from it, I've been gone for 10 years from this constituent of life that shaped me.

And then …a few weeks ago, in one of many of my darkest hours, or perhaps simply in a glimmer amongst a string of bad circumstances, I finally met a Buddhist monk. A hermit practitioner. He is not my lama, or teacher, but a guide and friend. I met him simply on the street through a small set of synchronicities. He has not solved any of my troubles, or re-awakened me, or given me rapture. He has simply brought the glow into my life. Not inside of me. But rather, a glow that few humans walking this earth have and even fewer can silence themselves long enough to notice. What I mean is, being near him is to be within this glow. It is to see that it is possible, and it is beyond boundaries of creed.

It was not needed, but …I just wanted to share this with someone. I'm happy I met him. His name is Adi. (Aw-dee)

-Curt

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 2 replies

Take a look around...

deviant_sagacious — Wed, 03 Nov 2004 05:58:19 GMT

Altars and Shrines

by Erika Ginnis

One of my dear friends, who I was married to at the time, made a comment about me once that has stayed with me over the years.

We were getting ready to move into a new house, and we were having some kind of conversation about decorating style. From out of the blue, he said, "Oh yeah, your decorating style is Early American Shrine."

I stopped what I was doing. I turned around and was actually silent for a moment (anyone who knows me can attest to the rarity of this action). I thought about it for a minute and then broke out laughing. I realized he was totally right. I had just never thought of it in quite that way before.

I asked him to elaborate, and he was more than glad to do so! He said "Given the opportunity, you will make anything into a shrine or altar. Look around at all your stuff and tell me if that isn't true. You put candles on either side of everything, you add flowers and incense whenever you possibly can. They are all altars. It's cool. I like it. It's just what you do to anything that will sit still long enough."

I took a look around, and I had to admit he was right. It cracked me up. Since that time, I have come to accept with amusement this tendency to create altars wherever I go. I have even used to it to my advantage, being a witch and a healer and a creator of spaces both private and public where people congregate.

define a shrine or altar
Before I go any further, I want to look at some definitions. I sometimes use shrine and altar interchangeably. They are, however, slightly different things, according to Encarta World English Dictionary 2001:

Shrine [shrin], noun (plural shrines)

1. Holy place of worship: a sacred place of worship associated with a holy person or event

2. Container for holy relics: a case or other container for sacred relics, for example, the bones of a saint

3. Tomb of holy person: the tomb of a saint or other revered figure

4. Niche for religious icon: a ledge or alcove for a religious icon, for example, in a church

5. Something revered: an object or place revered for its associations or history

(Pre-12th century. From Latin scrinium, "a case for books or papers," of uncertain origin. First used to denote a container.)

Al·tar [áwlt?r], noun (plural al·tars)

1. Raised ceremonial religious structure: a raised structure, typically a flat-topped rock or a table of wood or stone, or raised area where religious ceremonies are performed

2. Communion table: the table or other raised structure in a Christian church on which the bread and wine of communion are prepared

(Pre-12th century. From Latin altare, from altaria, "burnt offerings," from, probably, adolere, "to burn up.")

By these definitions, I have a working altar and many shrines. Since I sometimes use the shrines to do magickal work as well, the meanings get less clear; thus, I use both words. In general, for me a shrine is to something or someone, and an altar is for doing workings.

Now that I have touched on some definitions, I want to set them aside and say that what I really hope you get out of this article is permission to explore and develop what works for you, call it what you will.

why place shrines and altars?
It makes sense to me to recognize the divinity in us and our surroundings. I love arranging things to add that quality of the sacred. I believe it does many things for us. It speaks to a deep part of us that is below the conscious mind, to the deep ocean of the soul. It calms and delights the prehistoric part of us that is, at this moment, still sitting by a fire and telling the mythic stories that run in our blood -- the part of us that is in awe and fear of the dark night, the bright moon and the workings of the world, no matter what we do for our living in the modern day to day.

Shrines and altars also speak, at least to me, of beauty. I feel more connected to a sense of grace and loveliness when I am setting things out in a specific way. It puts me in a place of being mindful and honoring, rather than the place of rushing. It helps to remind me that I am spirit. It gives me a place to focus.

My head has sometimes been known to harass me and say; "Hey, what the heck does it matter that you are placing these things thus and so? They are just things, physical objects; how can that affect anything?" In case you also are plagued by this type of inner dialog (or perhaps outer dialog with spouse, partner or roommate), I will say this: I think there are at least two things at work here. (I will warn you that I spend a lot of time seeing things in pairs of dichotomies. I look at a paradox and get really giddy, since I often see both opposites as simultaneously true, and that is where I often find Spirit.)

First, when I take the time to pay attention, when I have an intention and dedicate a space (regardless of the size) to something, it changes me internally. The altar exists inside of me somehow. It creates a mental and spiritual and energetic shift inside of me. This is nontrivial. Some would say that all our experience is really our perceptions of our experience and therefore all reality is actually inside of us. Changing something within us, then, can have a tremendous impact. Whether or not you subscribe to this line of thought, it is easy to see how much our inner stance colors our outer experience.

Second, I think that everything is energy and that when you place your intention and direction onto physical objects you do indeed change them on some level. One way of looking at the world says that everything is part of One Thing, and that everything is just arrangements of energy. So the very act of arranging things with sacred intention is by its very nature divine and imbues an even "greater" concentration of sacred energy into the act and by extension the objects acted upon.

a shrine or altar for a deity or spirit
Now, there is the added aspect for an altar or shrine of the energy of a particular god or goddess, or perhaps the fey; as pagans, we may have direct interaction with all of these as real and tangible. When you create an altar or shrine for a particular energy, being or archetype, you are going to be working with yet another layer of interaction and experience, and I should add, opinion. I know from my own personal experience that I created an altar for Yemayá with all the various things that she would find sacred. The "odd" thing was that I did this prior to even knowing who she was, what her name was and what she would traditionally have on an altar. She was just very clear in telling me what was supposed to be there (see "She Moves in Mysterious Ways: My Relationship with Yemayá," under the pen name Iris WaterStar, Widdershins, volume 2, issue 2).

If you know that you want to create a shrine for a specific god or goddess, I think it is always wise and also great fun to do research before you begin. Find some reference books about the deity you are working with, and find out what kind of colors, objects and symbols are sacred to that deity. You may even find pictures of specific shrines and altars that will give you some ideas. Take the time to meditate on the god or goddess. I believe if you allow yourself to get internally still, you can connect with something within that can guide you in your creation. It can be an amazing experience.

One word of caution: If you get really good at this, please remember that you may not want to or be able to provide every single thing the god or goddess might "suggest" on the altar. Some of them might ask for actual living lions or precious gems, or something else that might not be feasible. The phrase "a picture is worth a thousand words" can come in really handy here. Statues, photographs, artwork, all of these things can give the energy you are looking for without breaking your lease or your budget. Work with the energy gently, and allow it to be an inspiration.

Your space does not have to be dedicated to a particular god or goddess. Choose whatever you want your intention to be. It can be a place of prayer, or meditation. It can be a creative expression, or even an altar to creativity. It doesn't always have to be specific. It can be general, such as a shrine containing items that bring a sense of calm or peace. It may be a fountain or a place in your backyard. You may use your altar for magickal workings or for contemplation.

we create shrines every day
Granted, I look at the world through altar-colored glasses. But I believe we create shrines all the time, even if we are not conscious of it. Sometimes they are for things that we would not really choose to honor. That pile of bills we are ignoring in the corner looks a lot like a shrine to a sense of lack. The television that we arrange our living rooms around is certainly a focus of energy. Is there a mantra in our heads that is saying things that don't really serve us? These "accidental" creations are very powerful uses of energy. I am a proponent of doing as much of what we do on purpose as possible. If not that, I propose we become aware at some point of what the heck we are doing, so we can make choices about how we direct our energy. I believe that we are each spirit. We are part of the divine. We have power. We can create. What kinds of altars do you see around you? Are there ones in your life you would change?

For me, the act of making an altar is part of reclaiming my own power to create or identify sacred space. I grew up with a lot of messages that said that someone else had that power, not me. The first altars I made were difficult for me. I had an internal fear that someone was going to smite me down since I wasn't "qualified," that there was this perfect blueprint I had to follow (which I didn't have) in order to do it "right."

Over time, I have found many powerful traditions with very specific ways to create and bless a shrine or altar. Such ways come from all religions. They are spiritually valuable to people and as such deserve to be honored and respected. I use many of them. The information has been handed down for centuries because it works. However, keep in mind that these traditions are not the only ways to create sacred space. Get still and go deep inside of you; find the perfect expression of a shrine or altar that is unique just for you. You don't need someone else's permission. It may draw from a particular tradition or from several, or from none. The act of finding this part of you can be incredibly freeing and validating.

Some altars are transitory for a day or a season or a specific ritual (some would argue that all things in form are transitory, but that is a separate conversation!), and some altars are a more permanent fixture.

When you have a personal altar or shrine that is more or less permanent, it will collect and hold energy -- not only from you, but also from the energies you work with and people who see it. This can be a great thing and a powerful element to draw from. Stonehenge comes to mind. Alternatively, a personal altar or shrine can be something you might want to clear out now and again. I often suggest people occasionally take their altar or shrine objects down and clean or dust them or rearrange them. Doing this can keep the energy clearer and more current. It can also simply make room for change on a personal level. It can feel really good to redo an altar and bring it up to date with where we are at in our lives.

This rearrangement may happen with or without prior planning. A few months ago, I got two fabulous cats. One of them appears to love feathers to the exclusion to all else in the material world. This love has prompted me to shift some things on my main altar, for reasons that became obvious each time I had to replace various items from the floor when I would return home. Also, my fountain shrines needed to be moved to a higher altitude so they would not become drinking bowl shrines. Thus, I have learned firsthand something I have often told students in my altar outline from one of my classes: "If you have children or pets, it is wise to consider what the best placement of your altar should be."

I am going to conclude this article with that very outline. It presents a few things to consider when creating an altar or shrine. Please use it if you find it valuable. Please do not take it as a set of rules. There are more than enough of those to go around.

I do have suggestions, however. I would suggest approaching this activity from a grounded and centered place so that you will bring more of yourself, and therefore more of the divine, to it. Bring beauty to your creation; let it shine. I would suggest having fun with it. See what you can do when you add a candle or two to the top of a bookcase, or place some flowers in front of a picture. Perhaps we can start a whole new decorating style.

an altar or shrine can be many things
1. Place of prayer

2. Place of gratitude

3. Focus of meditation or magick

4. Reminder of self

5. Dedicated be to a specific deity

6. Place of peace

7. Expression of beauty

8. Creative expression

9. Sacred space

10. Ever-changing

it's nice to have a reminder space
* Helps to calm you and remind you that you are spirit

how to start if you don't have one
1. Choose a space.

2. Define the area using cloth, table, rocks, other. It doesn't have to be flat; it can be a wall shrine (this might be good if you have children or pets).

3. Be conscious of your attention and intention.

4. Start to gather and arrange some objects that have meaning for you, that remind you of your highest, best soul-self, that make you feel good or smile. For example:

* Pictures

* Photos

* Plants

* Shells

* Candles

* Incense burner and incense

* Statues

* Rocks

* Crystals

* Feathers

* Water

if you already have one
1. Clean it.

2. Add to it.

3. Keep your journal there.

4. Make new room for changes in your self.

5. Recommit to creativity or to the deity.

6. Make a new shrine somewhere else.

7. Enjoy!

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Alters

deviant_sagacious — Wed, 29 Sep 2004 20:48:51 GMT

Alters All Around Us
By Margot Adler

If you were to ask a randomly selected group of people if they have altars in their homes, most of them--at least here in the United States--would automatically say no. The word "altar" makes many people feel uncomfortable; it brings up associations with exotic religions and strange cults. Some recall the Ten Commandments' injunctions against "graven images" and the worship of "other" gods. For many, the word altar conjures those images and gods. Altars carry a lot of historical baggage. With the exception of Roman Catholicism, most Western religions--Judaism, Islam, and many sects of Protestant Christianity--have equated religious imagery with idolatry. This heritage runs deep. At a gathering of religious women many years ago, I watched as observant Jews and Muslims walked through a Tibetan Buddhist temple, clearly feeling they were in an alien and dangerous world.
And yet most of us have altars in our homes--although often we don't know it. If you rephrase the question and ask: "Do you have a place, or several places, in your home where you put family photos and other mementos, like shells, a favorite rock, flowers, or other natural items?" most people would answer yes.
An altar can simply be a place where you come to reflect on the things you truly value--often deeper, more lasting, more eternal aspects of life. The objects on an altar are often symbols of larger ideas. Even family photographs are not just about the people themselves but also about your feelings toward family, community, love, and friendship. Objects--a rock or feather, even things you might not expect, like a poem, an old toy, or piece of clothing--can be, in the words of Theodore Roszak, in his book "Where the Wasteland Ends," "a transparent doorway" to deeper realms.
While there is certainly idolatry in our culture--our worship of money, success, and political power--to assume that the devotee kneeling before a shrine to a Hindu or Tibetan or Wiccan god or goddess sees only an idolatrous image makes no more sense than assuming that serious Christians think God can be reduced to a white man with the beard that appears in so many paintings and other works of art. To think this about other religions may even be a form of racism.

Although private altars are a beautiful way to reflect on deep issues, public altars can also be created. Every summer, I make a personal pilgrimage to a beautiful country graveyard, Abel's Hill cemetery in Chilmark, Mass., where the actor and comedian John Belushi is buried. Belushi died at the age of 33 of a drug overdose. While I didn't know him personally, and didn't really follow his career, his grave has drawn me back year after year because of the makeshift community altar that has grown atop his gravestone. Abel's Hill Cemetery is on a beautiful part of Martha's Vineyard, quite near the ocean. There are wild rose bushes, pine and cedar trees, and lovely old New England stonewalls. Inside a small enclosure marked with a wooden fence is a large and beautiful black boulder, simple and rough, with the single word "Belushi" carved into the stone. There is a small bench and a more recent, traditional gravestone that notes Belushi's birth in 1949 and death in 1982, with a phrase about rock and roll living on. The top of the rough boulder is flat, and over the years people have left mementos. For a long while, most of them were about addiction. In addition to rocks, shells, and flowers, people would leave coke spoons, rolling papers, pills, cigarettes, money, candy. The altar became a place to meditate on what addictions symbolize: lives wasted, for example.
But this past week, I noticed that the altar had changed. The symbols of addiction were not as prevalent. Besides a bouquet of flowers, there was an orange with a poem on it, some beautiful shells, and expressions of love and affection. That a community altar would change seems fitting. After all, almost 20 years have gone by since Belushi died. Over time, people tend to celebrate a life more than dwell on the reasons for its end.
One of my favorite things to do is create a community altar with a group of friends--or even a group of strangers who meet for a workshop or meeting. You simply tell everyone to bring one or two personal items. The objects have to be meaningful--things that relate to their lives or to an important experience they had. The objects can be anything, from a piece of jewelry or a photograph to a computer disc containing one's writing.
Then, have everyone sit in a circle and introduce themselves by saying their name and talking about their objects and why they brought what they did. What happens might surprise you. You come to recognize that you have created a simple but powerful ritual because, at the end, you will know rich and important things about the people in the room, often more than you could have learned by any other means in such a short period.
Common themes will be expressed, which become the take-off points for conversation and new friendships. At the end of the ceremony, you will have a temporary but beautiful altar full of objects, each one representing a life story. Every time I look at one of these community altars, I am struck by how utterly fascinating most human beings are, how rich their histories, and how little of that depth we usually allow others to see.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 4 replies

Hey there.

Rachel — Mon, 18 Oct 2004 06:06:13 GMT

I don't have pictures of my alter. I hold my alter in my heart. I would like to extend my alter to say hello, you "ALL ARE BEAUTIFUL," It's nice to see alters (aka. things you embrace or display as sacred) still exist. And, I bless all of your Lights for SHINING on that dying foundation.

Bless All your Hearts...

Rachel

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 2 replies

NEW PIX!

deviant_sagacious — Mon, 04 Oct 2004 20:25:27 GMT

Thanx to Dom, and all the others who have posted pix of your Altars recently. Sometimes there's not a whole lot of discussion going on here, but feel free to check-in to take a look at the latest pix. People have been steadily adding to them and that was actually one of the main functions of this tribe. So I am very appreciative of those who feel comfortable sharing. One of the things that I hope these images help with is to show the endless variations and varieties one can do to create an alter, or shrine, or sacred space, sometimes with very little to work with seeing as most of us have to live in cities, apartments, or suburban sprawl.

Thanx again to everyone! Lots-of-love,

Curt

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 0 replies

Northwest Rockhounds...

deviant_sagacious — Fri, 24 Sep 2004 19:43:52 GMT

I'm sorry about this but I really thought some of you folks might enjoy this... so Plz excuse this shameless self promotion but...

If you live near the Pacific Northwest, (Cali, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, etc. etc.) I would love for you to check out my new tribe. I hope it serves a good pupose.

http://www.tribe.net/tribe/servlet/template/pub,TribeCard.vm?tribeid=a5f9ac66-35aa-43b0-b7e9-5877759dd7c2

-Curt

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 2 replies

New Pix!

deviant_sagacious — Tue, 28 Sep 2004 20:47:17 GMT

Thanx for the new pix whoever you are. Very cool stuff!!! :-)

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 2 replies

New pix

deviant_sagacious — Thu, 19 Aug 2004 19:17:18 GMT

Lots of new pix...

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 4 replies

Greetings

Mon, 16 Aug 2004 20:11:08 GMT

My friend Sandy invited me to this group. I just wanted to pop in and introduce myself. My name's Aleera, and when I get a bit more comfortable, I may start joining the conversations.
Well met!

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 2 replies

Hi to all.

snake man — Wed, 18 Aug 2004 15:38:45 GMT

I'm the new snake oil salesman on the block and I have come to meet and share with all.
ALTARS: They Hold Us Up, They Nourish Us
A variety of indigenous traditions around the world work with altars, from curanderos and curanderas in the Central and South American context, to the mudang shamans of Korea. Similarly, we find that many contemporary practitioners of core shamanism also utilize altars in their shamanic practice. Altars are many things to different people, but in all cases they are a centerpoint of consciousness and activity in a shamanic spirituality, or shamanic practice, whatever the tradition.
There is nothing supernatural or superstitious about an altar. I have heard it said before that nothing is supernatural; only those natural things that we do not understand. For Westerners standing outside the sphere of shamanism altars may seem “exotic,” “strange,” or perhaps even something humorous. One comment I remember hearing years ago was, "You people sure make a big deal about a pile of rocks.”
Within an animistic spiritual path “piles of rocks” and other objects are not perceived to be “dead” or “inanimate things.” Instead various items on an altar are imbued with particular energies that link the practitioner with a multidimensional weave of cosmologies, teachings, and sacred sites. The Peruvian shaman don Eduardo Calderon,my teacher for over 20 years, expressed the notion that sacred objects on an altar are the dwelling place of cuenta. Cuenta is a difficult term to translate in English, meaning roughly “power” or “spirit,” similar in some sense to the way some First Nations people use the term “medicine.”
Altars are a condensation of these powers or energies, and by working with an altar we find that an invitation is extended to us. This invitation is to embody the energies of integration, healing, and a sense of both focus and groundedness.
In the traditions of don Oscar Miro-Quesada and don Alberto Villoldo the altars are known as the mesa. Mesa literally means “table” and through very little exposure to sitting beside an authentic mesa one can truly feel how this “table,” so to speak, “holds up” the practitioner and the community that is oriented to the mesa. For the altomesayoq shamans and shamanists within the Inka tradition the mesa is a mandala of power; it is heavy-laden with very specific alignments, representations, and energies that aid the practitioner in walking the Path of the Sun.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 3 replies

Going away for a bit...

deviant_sagacious — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 20:03:02 GMT

I'm going to be gone for the next week & a half. Going to Burning Man.

See you all later. Lots-o-love!

;-)

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 4 replies

My altar

Thu, 17 Jun 2004 19:56:54 GMT

The one thing that I absolutely must have on my altar at all times is a wonderful geode that I found in a bucket in a rock shop. It's uncut, oblong on the bottom with another, smaller uncut geode on the top. Looks like two that fused together millions of years ago. The one on the bottom has a bulge on one side and is almost flat on the other. The one on top has two smaller oblong bulges next to each other. For all the world, it looks like a pregnant woman minus arms, legs, and head. And if you shake it, you can hear the water inside. I don't think the rock shop knew what it had, I paid $3.00 for it.

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 2 replies

Multiple Altars

Suzan — Mon, 26 Jul 2004 00:45:09 GMT

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Each room of my home and each wall in the room has an altar, hidden or subtle or bold and visible. For example, when I painted my bedroom I painted a full moon on each wall. In the east is a brazen and copper serpent in the moon, to the north is a moon around the head of Neith/Nut with her star-studded blue body stretching across the ceiling and three walls, to the west is an apple blossom moon with the inscription in Elvish "Welcome Elves" and to the south is the "heat", re-routed to go through the wall in the middle of a full moon.

Suzan

posted in ALTARS & SHRINES - 6 replies