Treasured Spiritual Practice :: Creating an Altar

 
To the right of my marine-blue, 45+ year-old rocker recliner sits this little pine end table.  We refer to it as my heart table because there is a heart cutout on each of the 4 sides below the tabletop.  Up until last week, it held my wooden, spiral Advent wreath that Mary on her donkey and I walked for the 11th time last month. When it was time to put them up, I took great pleasure in creating this little vignette that will be watching over me in the next little while.

Smiling fondly as there is so much significance tucked in my little vignette, each piece speaks to me on a heart and soul level every time I look over at it, whether I realize it or not.  Sharing these thoughts here as intentionally gathering it all together was/is very much a treasured, spiritual practice.

I was smitten with the granddaughter snuggled up next to her grandmother the first time I laid eyes on the figurine and the two of them are never far from my line of sight.  It felt time to bring them back to the forefront for a little while, serving as a quiet, constant reminder that my beloved ancestors are never far away.

Once, when my “Guardian of the Home” angel was sitting in front of our lamp and facing out, a friend commented that it looked like she was blessing Bert and Ernie, my crutches.  I loved my angel before my friend’s comment and now I treasure her even more.  Her presence reminds me that angels are always gathered around protecting hubby and me, and our home.

The sweet little framed block found me recently and I love it’s gentle reminder “Be who you are & be that well”.  Gingham fondly reminds me of both my mother and my beloved grandmother so they are both smiling out at me from my little vignette as well.  (One year my grandmother made 16 smocked, gingham dresses, one for each of her granddaughters.)

My sweet snow angel, all dressed in white was a Christmas surprise from a dear friend.  And, of course, Gabriella, my rubber ducky angel had to make a guest appearance.  Grinning because she doesn’t stay parked there as the two of us are often elsewhere, always on the lookout for the places where I’m already held.

My “Grace will lead you home” block has been standing in its place since arriving 2-1/2 years ago.  I fondly nicknamed my Higher Power “Mama Grace” twelve years ago so she’s right there smiling out at me, too.

Visiting Mary after daily mass one day in December 2019, a mere 2-1/2 weeks before losing my father, I “just happened” to look down and saw this stray wood chip.  I was amazed by how much it looked like a hand so I brought it home with me.  A friend later commented that it's shaped like how someone holds their hand over our head when blessing us so it, too, has been a longtime anchor in my little table altar space since.

The angel dressed in pale orange was a Christmas gift from hubby, selected from my wish list.  (Grinning as there is almost always an angel on my wish list!)  This newest lovey is holding an hourglass and her skirt gently whispers to me “Be Patient with your Journey", dear heart.

Sweetheart angel next to her was a delightful surprise from hubby 6 Valentine’s ago.  He happened to see her in the card shop and wondered if I might like her.  Smiling as he had NO idea how much I would come to treasure her.  I love how she role models what it looks like to stand in my truth and offer what I have.  She’s not over-reaching nor does she cower.  She just quietly, steadily, simply stands in her truth and in her life, trusting it is Enough.

And, of course, she smiles fondly, the lace placemat with a piece of denim fabric underneath captures and mirrors my farmer’s daughter, country gal’s heart.

Blessed be.

❤️


️

Hemming the Morning in Prayer

There's something so peaceful for me

about the practice of gathering treasures, 

arranging them in a pleasing composition, 

and then taking a photo

(so I can pause and remember

anywhere, anytime) 

.          🏮         .

#grounded2017

.           *              .

Practicing Hope

So Hope was my word for 2014 and "she" has been peeking in on me, her beloved daughter, 

a lot in the last little while. (I've come to think of some of my words Grace, Mercy, Hope, 

and Peace as sister auntie angels who love, guide, and watch over me)

Last Tuesday morning a dear friend shared a lovely quote about hope with me and that 

afternoon our purple crocuses, who speak to me of the hope of spring, peeked their heads 

out and winked at me. 

Our car wreck on Friday night was at an intersection with a small, red brick church with 

a wire steeple on one corner. I felt so touched when hubby came back and told me it was 

named "Center of Hope" (!!). We waited the hour for our tow truck driver to arrive in the 

shelter of her back parking lot.

And yesterday morning I intentionally invited Hope in close by choosing my sweet blue 

and white striped mug for my warm, soothing cup of creamy chai tea. I so love this book, 

"An Altar in the World" by Barbara Brown Taylor! So much so that every time this water 

baby gets in the tub, this gently wise and reassuring book goes in with me. And of course, 

she adds with a twinkle, I have an angel in my bathroom!

Wishing us all a good week and may there be many pockets of Hope. 

❤️

.           *             .

Fall Altar

Whimsical table side companions for the next little while. 

❤️🌰🕸

. . 

While we were at the beach last month, 

my sweet niece colored the picture of her and me, 

complete with Bert and Ernie, my crutches. 

Or, as they are sometimes referred to by her sweet younger sister, 

Bernie and Ernie. 

(Bert's new name tickles me to no end.) 

😊😉

Retreat Refreshment

Went to a lovely day-retreat today at an old house that has been remodeled to be a cozy 

retreat center with lots of beautiful windows 

.

From the wise, compassionate, and always a little playful speaker, to the gift of "just 

happening" to sit by and get to share with a kind, resonate soul, to the yummy summer's 

bounty lunch eaten in silence, this warm, welcoming home held us all. 

.

I am so grateful this evening, feeling content and refreshed in body, mind, and soul. 

💕

Quiet Light (and Love)

Thinking of my family,

missing them and sending love.

Thinking of my aunt in particular

(who is really suffering)

and holding her in the Light of Love

and Peace.

.             *                .

Gentle Guardians

Holding space

Whispering prayers

Sending love

.            *            .

Everyday Beauty :: A Daily Ritual

Practicing remembering to use great care 

in where I choose to Abide 

as I light my sweet red oil lamp 

encircled by her loving guardian angels. 

#everydaybeauty

.             *             .

Abiding at Eventide

.              *                .

Sabbath Abiding

My angels still bring me such Peace

Gently reminding me

to use great care

in where I intentionally

Abide

Evening 

So love the quilt that my sister made for me

and the ever-present reminder that 

Grace

is always near.

(and still *so* loving this new app, Cortex Cam)

.            *             .

Abide and Trust in Love

The beautiful foursome of charming angels was my favorite Christmas gift from hubby this 

year and they are circled around, ever-so-gently leaning over, my sweet little red oil lamp, 

bought at a lovely Grist Mill turned pottery shop about an hour's drive away from here.  (If 

you follow me here, you'll know that it was "rent" for time spent in my favorite porch swing 

away from home.  You may already know this story, too.)

This beautiful tableau has been gathered since Christmas day. Smiling because it didn't take 

long for me to realize, 

Oh!!! 

So *this* is what 

Abide, 

my word for this year, 

looks like for me..... 

intentionally placing myself 

in the midst of cherished beloveds 

and allowing them to tend and love me, 

while practicing trusting that they want to. 

All that is required of me in that (this) moment 

is to rest in their caring presence.

For this?  

I am deeply grateful.

.             *              .

Abide

Peace was my word for 2015. She was good company and an important teacher who, as with all of my prior words (Grace, Mercy, Enough, and Hope), I intend to keep close by for her special, individual way of support and guidance.

For a couple of months I had thought my word for 2016 might be "Rest." So much so that I started the process of looking for a mug with Rest on it and a Rest quote to add to my email signature quotes to serve as visual anchors.

In recent days, "Abide" has shown Herself to me.  I remembered this photo that I took back on August 3, 2013 and, as I was sharing it with a class I was in then, the word "abide" just showed up and seemed perfect. 

Earlier this week I circled up my 4 new beautiful sister angels (a Christmas gift from hubby) in a spot where I can see them from here in my blue rocking chair. I knew they would remind me of the picture I've always held in my heart of all of my word companions as wise women who stay with me and surround me, each one lovingly offering me her gifts of wisdom. 

My sweet little oil lamp in the middle feels like a gently profound reminder to place myself 

--- to Abide -- 

in their wise presence.  Sure, I can Rest there if/when I need too, but the bigger, more important question for me feels like *where* and in *what* am I resting? *Where* am I putting my Trust? 

*Where* am I choosing to Abide?

And sitting with and seeing my sweet altar of angels for the past several days? 

And listening to Amy Grant sing "Abide with me," a song I have come to love? 

And the tears began to fall?

Yes. 

That's when I knew.

Abide has gently taken my hand and asked me to dance, and we are waltzing into the new year together. 

.            *            .

Honoring My Ancestors

I'm taking Sacred Seasons: A Yearlong Journey Through the Celtic Wheel of the Year and, for whatever reasons, I've only managed to work my way thru every other season so far....  Perhaps next year I'll work thru the ones I'm not getting too this time around. I *love* the idea of staying with this process and circling back year after year (after year). Being both a cradle Catholic and a farmer's daughter, without my fully realizing it until recent years, the rhythm of the seasons calls to me *deeply*... like from my bone marrow. So, she says with a soft smile, I shall continue to show up when and how I am able, all while practicing trusting that it is Enough.

I *loved* our Samhain materials!!!! The Communion of Saints has always been an important concept to me and this season's reflections in particular have felt timely and so on point for me.  I'm also taking Honoring the Saints and Ancestors which expands further on November being a month of remembrance

Last week I made this photo collage for my altar space. Please allow me to introduce you to some of my ancestors... :)  Clockwise from the top left: Moma, Grandma D (Daddy's mom), Grandma P (hubby's grandmother who called me her own), and Grandma M (Moma's mom). So much about this gathering of spirits and the way they are circled speaks to me. Even tho we had some really *hard* differences and deep pain in our relationship, Moma was the biggest and best influence on me and the same clockwise direction is the order of the depth of closeness I feel for each woman. 

Once I had the photo printed, it was interesting to me to notice how Grandma M's photo is the fuzziest and that is really fitting.  It wasn't a conscious choice at all,  it was just because I enlarged it the most. As a teen and into my twenties (and later), because she couldn't be for me like my other Grandma, I kinda discarded her.  That feels harsh and sad to say but it's the truth.

I love my little altar space with my photo, candle and sweet angel with the words on her dress reminding me "Angels are sent from above to ease our Sorrows, strengthen our Faith, and lighten our Hearts."  Each carefully chosen item reminds me the women in my family are all right here, still with me and loving me, some in ways that they never could while we were both on this side. (We can't give what we've never received)

My sense is this is the year for me to gently open to welcoming Grandma M back into my heart and practice gathering up and appreciating what she *was* able to give me. For instance, right after we discovered I had bone cancer in my left hip, 38 years ago next month, they kept me pretty drugged up on morphine and it was horrible. It was *this* Grandma, an LVN nurse, someone I didn't think ever really saw or knew me, who took one look at me in the hospital bed and said, "she shouldn't be acting like that." It was then that they backed off the medication and the awful drug trips stopped.

She was my advocate.

In recently looking thru an old, cheerful, multi-colored cookie tin of my Grandma D's that I keep especially cherished mementos in, I was surprised to find a letter from Grandma M. While it did surprise me she'd written a two page birthday letter to me (we lived in the same city), I was more struck by the fact that I had actually saved her letter. As I read her words, tears rose.... she was reaching out to me in love and offering her support.  What was even more amazing to me was she had written it before our family fell apart when my parents' divorced and my cancer was discovered 7 months later.  In my heart of hearts, I have no doubt that she was probably one of my most faithful pray-ers thru that very difficult time. Indeed, she so freely gave to me from what she had available to give.

As an aside, that seems to be my growing edge right now.... looking for and accepting the love that is there in what is being offered to me, even if in imperfect ways.  This is turning out to be a healing and achingly beautiful process.  We are all human after all and so anything any of us offers will be imperfect to some degree.

So I know that Grandma M is the one in particular that I am meant to walk this month of remembrance with. I also learned recently that St. Martin de Porres ministered to those on the fringes. I was sitting in daily Mass at the time and was moved to tears because I've often felt like I was on the fringes and I wonder if Grandma didn't feel that way, too.  So... she says with a twinkle, unlikely threesome that we are, we are journeying together this November. 

On Sunday I made this collage in honor of Grandma M. A special thanks to my new friend, Bev, for her gracious permission to use her beautiful photo on the top left of Mary quietly, faithfully watching over the candles and the intentions they were lit with. 

I don't have many photos of Grandma so I plan to do some asking... later. The one in my piece was taken the day of Grandpa's funeral and she is surrounded by grandchildren (I am in the peach colored dress). It warms my heart to see her feeling content in that moment with all of us (and all of her children outside of lens range) gathered around her. We are in the backyard and her big vegetable garden is behind us. She loved growing flowers, too, and I remember as a young child being so "b-o-r-e-d" as we walked all around her house so she could show Moma and us kids with great delight all of the different flowers she was growing in her *many* beds.

(How I wish I could walk with her today and really listen to and celebrate what made her heart sing).

So it feels time, with Mary watching and praying, and "Spirit between" us to "Gather Beyond Time" in Hope (my word for 2014) and Peace (this year's word) with me "warming up," practicing "mercy" (2013's word), and "softness at home" (in my heart).

The owl speaks to me of another wise one, awake and ever-watchful, even and most especially in the darkest of times. 

The beautiful trees in the lower right are some very special friends that, over the last 7 years, I have taken to see as my Guardian Angels. These 4 lovelies live on a little island in the middle of the small side street on my way to work and I've named them after the archangels. Michael is featured and you can see a part of Gabriel.  Even tho Raphael and Uriel aren't shown, I know they are there, still watching over us, too.

.            *             .

Cloud of Witnesses

.            *              .

Cherished Companions

Wise anchors. 

.               *              .