Post Reply
Page 1 of 14  •  1 2 3 4 5 6 ... 14 Next
Switch to Forum Live View What Is On Your Altar?
5 years ago  ::  Aug 07, 2008 - 8:27PM #1
Chiyo
Chiyo
Posts: 5,799
What's on your home altar?

My home altar is inside my home. (I know some folks have theirs outside.) It's a small table that I have devoted exclusively for my sacred space and I perform my Zen meditations before it.

On my altar is a crystal lotus candleholder, a gift from my favorite Aunt. :)
I also have a Zen-style Buddha statue, similar to this one but no where near as large;




I have a bowl of sand, in which I burn sticks of incense.
And finally, the piece de resistance... I have a large nugget of copralite.


Copralite, for those who do not know,
is fossilized dinosaur sh*t.
I have it on my altar to remind me;
Whatever problems I have today,
Whatever suffering I have today,
it will pass
and a hundred years from now,
none of it will matter.
No one will think of any of it,
it will not come to mind.
But this hunk of dinosaur sh*t,
that's hundreds of thousands of years old,
will still be around somewhere!
I'm not exactly sure
what the lesson to be learned here is?
But I'm sure there is one! :p
Quick Reply
Cancel
5 years ago  ::  Aug 07, 2008 - 8:42PM #2
gillyflower
gillyflower
Posts: 5,325
Sh*t happens?
Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones. Marcus Aurelius
Quick Reply
Cancel
5 years ago  ::  Aug 07, 2008 - 9:22PM #3
Redfrog777
Redfrog777
Posts: 2,136
Chiyo!!!!((((((Chiyo!!!)))))))LOLOLOLOLOLOL

That is the soooooooooooooooooooooo cool!!!!!!

I wish I had a dino turd!!!
Quick Reply
Cancel
5 years ago  ::  Aug 07, 2008 - 9:30PM #4
Chiyo
Chiyo
Posts: 5,799
gillyflowerSh*t happens?

That's as good a lesson as any. It's true! :p

Redfrog777 wrote:

Chiyo!!!!((((((Chiyo!!!)))))))LOLOLOLOLOLOL

That is the soooooooooooooooooooooo cool!!!!!!

I wish I had a dino turd!!!



It's just my strange sense of humor. **Shrug**  But it is sacred, nonetheless. (My humor [COLOR=red]and the coprolite.) :cool:[/COLOR]

Quick Reply
Cancel
5 years ago  ::  Aug 07, 2008 - 10:11PM #5
Jenandew7
Jenandew7
Posts: 9,169

Chiyo wrote:

What's on your home altar?



I haven't got one at this time.  *sigh*

A year and a half ago I left my home because it was making me sick.  It is gutted now and it is still making me sick.  My husband, thinking the mold remediation would take a couple of weeks, put all my stuff into a barn and the chickens have been shttng on it.  I was afraid of it.  I grew rather fond of owning nothing.  I had about five pieces of furniture my sisters dumped in my rental house when they sold my Dad's estate--the junk nobody wanted.  I rescued a few things from the sht pile, but my "altar" is currently doing duty as a stand for my hepa machine.

IF I had my altar:
I would put the cross I'm currently carving on it.  I'm carving vines.
I would put a print of leaves that form a skull by a Cherokee artist, IIRC.  That would fill the place of your dinosaur schtuff.
I would put a little blue stained glass angel votive holder somewhere there.
And, if I find one or make one, I would like to have a mother and child painting/collage/sculpture.

It would be in my bedroom for all hours.

So, anyway, a few weeks ago my husband brought all my antiques over and put them in my garage.  They were not only covered with chicken sht, they were also covered with mold.   I'm cleaning them up and bringing them into the house to protect them.  They are HUGE and too big for this little house and I am not into THINGS!  = and that just may apply to an altar. 

A.

Quick Reply
Cancel
5 years ago  ::  Aug 07, 2008 - 10:46PM #6
Heimdallsman
Heimdallsman
Posts: 433
My altar's pretty awesome.  I have a bronze statue of Kali as the center piece.  Behind the Kali statue is a native american bowl.  In front of the Kali is a fold-out knife with the handle inlaid in onyx and turqoise.  To the right and left of the knife are camel fetishes my father got me after my crash-course in Arabic (for those who don't know, fetishes in this case are miniature statues used to represent a certain power).  Finally, in front of the knife is a cool sterling silver figurine of a rattle snake I bought up in the state capital.  The clerk I bought it from was flattering me by saying that it was meant for me.  I found that awesome.
Quick Reply
Cancel
5 years ago  ::  Aug 07, 2008 - 10:57PM #7
devout_sinner
devout_sinner
Posts: 266
OK, I'll play....

A picture of Hank Williams.  A match book from a strip club I once frequented.  A match book with card suits from The Continental Club in Austin, TX.  A Krispy Kreme Donut glass that I used to drink whiskey from when my favorite defunct jook joint still existed.  A couple of bollos I wore sometimes when I sang & played in a honky tonk band.  Some guitar picks.  A couple of Zippos (one with the Jack Daniel's logo and one with Bettie Page on it).  My Jesus action figure.  A post card with a picture of Jesus knocking on a door with the caption, "Jesus is coming...look busy!" which I bought at a book store on Magazine Street in New Orleans.

But nothing as cool as fossilized dinosaur sh*t....

Peace,

Jeff
Quick Reply
Cancel
5 years ago  ::  Aug 08, 2008 - 1:01AM #8
Gwyddion9
Gwyddion9
Posts: 320
i have several alters that I've put together.
my main alter has a statue of Cerridwen. behind her is a sphere of tiger iron. in front the pentacle and on either side is the Goddess candle, on the left and the God candle, on the right. above Cerridwen is a head figure of Cernunnos. These two are my patron Goddess and God.

I also have an alter to Kuan-Yin. she has two jade Foo Dogs on either side. I like Kuan-Yin, she is the one who hears the cries of the world.

On another shelf i have the Buddha. in front of him is an incense burner. in front of the incense burner are two Imperial dragons, facing left and right.

On the top of a shelf where i store my incense and other herbs for making incense, i have a statue of Sekmet. she stands with with an obelisk on one side and a crystal sphere on the left. i have four candles in front. a color for each of the elements.
I remember when i was given the statue of Sekmet. I pulled her from her box and became immeadiatly aware of her presence. My friend who had given me the statue, opened his eyes wide and just looked at me. I laughed and said,  yep, she's definatly here!

My Gods are Celtic in their origin but i do have others. These are the ones who have made a connection with me and i with them. I honor Kuan-Yin, Buddha and Sekmet but my worship and love goes to Cerridwen and Cernunnos.
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. Dr. Seuss


Let My Worship be within the heart that rejoiceth, for behold: all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you. Charge of the Goddess
Quick Reply
Cancel
5 years ago  ::  Aug 08, 2008 - 1:04AM #9
Gwyddion9
Gwyddion9
Posts: 320
Sorry to be so long winded but I like having alters in my home.
The main alter is changed to reflect the upcoming seasons and Sabats.
It’s something very special, to me, and I’m always glad to share their
beauty with others, with whom I’m comfortable with and trust.
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. Dr. Seuss


Let My Worship be within the heart that rejoiceth, for behold: all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you. Charge of the Goddess
Quick Reply
Cancel
5 years ago  ::  Aug 08, 2008 - 12:56PM #10
Chiyo
Chiyo
Posts: 5,799

devout_sinner wrote:

OK, I'll play....

A picture of Hank Williams. A match book from a strip club I once frequented. A match book with card suits from The Continental Club in Austin, TX. A Krispy Kreme Donut glass that I used to drink whiskey from when my favorite defunct jook joint still existed. A couple of bollos I wore sometimes when I sang & played in a honky tonk band. Some guitar picks. A couple of Zippos (one with the Jack Daniel's logo and one with Bettie Page on it). My Jesus action figure. A post card with a picture of Jesus knocking on a door with the caption, "Jesus is coming...look busy!" which I bought at a book store on Magazine Street in New Orleans.

But nothing as cool as fossilized dinosaur sh*t....

Peace,

Jeff



I see that you're an Episcopalian who's up for ordination. I hope you serve the altar that you truly revere well.

Quick Reply
Cancel
Page 1 of 14  •  1 2 3 4 5 6 ... 14 Next
Post Reply
 
    Viewing this thread :: 0 registered and 1 guest
    No registered users viewing
    Advertisement

    Beliefnet On Facebook