Altaring

You know how we put off that which would support us most? That weird kind of resistance where we deny ourselves the nourishment we crave? Yeah, me too.

Recently, for me, it’s been my altar. It actually brings me great shame to admit the state my altar was in. I made excuses for it. I ignored it rather than change it. I pretended that it wasn’t all that important anyway as I carry my spiritual presence with me. i carry it in my heart.

But the truth is that I was cutting myself off from one of the tools that serves me best. And isn’t this all too common? We all have our “tools” – meditation, yoga, walks in nature, artist dates, journalling, goddess visualisations… the practices that makes us feel really good, that allow us to process, makes sense, find clarity, fill the well. And yet when the shit hits the fan, it’s like we throw our tools to the ground, kick them to the curb and then deny all knowledge of their existence.

And I guess that’s the importance of practice – it becomes a positive habit that remains a constant even when we are in the midst of life, overwhelmed by the next wave and the next….

Anyway, yesterday I tended to my altar. I took everything off the surface, and I wiped away the dust and mug rings. I laid all the items on my bed along with everything that I thought was calling to be included. I then added, removed, arranged until I had things exactly as I wanted them.

Truly, I cannot tell you the difference I felt in my energy. The creation of sacred space, taking the time to tend to the altar of how my spiritual self is being expressed at this time, was a beautiful and worthwhile investment in me and my self-care.  And if I could make a wish for you, it is that you do something today that is a similar investment. It may not be creating sacred space – it could be 20mins spent with your journal, or the collaging of a dreamboard, or 10mins in meditation, or wrapping up warm and braving the cold November weather to take a brisk walk in the weak sunshine before the early onset of night claims the sky.

My wish for you is that you pick up that tool that you know serves you well, and use it. And I would love it if you came back here and shared how it went for you!