Artists and Altars

As the Opening nears, I've had the opportunity to collect a few more thoughts on just what these ALTARS are all about.

First, I believe we all are making altars all the time. Just look at our desks, dressers, window sills, car dashboards...

Altars are places where something special can happen; where there is a concentration of attention, care that allows and stimulates something sacred and intuitive to happen. Altars are places to learn and tell stories about deep living.
• They are sacred, energized, special places for prayer, expression, meditation, retreat
• They are carefully chosen or assembled to allow for the changing of objects and materials which can take on sacred guiding capacities.
• They are spiritual work areas, Laboratories , literally: places to work, express and pray—to seek the intercession of spirit in human affairs
• They are portals between the worlds of Matter and Spirit.

What to do with an Altar?
• Express, Manifest, “Matter” personal and group concerns
• Seek Blessings for self, others
• Give Expression to the missing, deferred, rejected, overlooked
• Honor the Departed
• Honor Truths:
o Impermanence (decay, change, rebirth)
o Suffering (practicing to hold opposites as one)
o Egolessness (practicing living in the present. Using gerunds)
• Express Appreciation for nature, change, living, beauty
• Sacrifice as a reminder of our oneness with everything

Ways to Compose, Re-Compose altars
USE the Mother-Father Model (MATER-ial PATER-n)
Select Materials which have meaning and put them in some Pattern on the Altar.
Do this many times

USE the Haiku Model:
o Use something Seasonal-Sensory-contrast/compare
o Express a Universal sentiment-allusion to Nature
o Be brief-technical-expressive subtle-indirect- yet with piercing clarity

What to put on an Altar start with the Elements:
• Water -- the life force: a tabletop fountain, sea shells, a chalice, bowl of purified water, fresh flowers or flower petals
• Air: feathers, wind chimes, reeds, incense, pictures of birds, fragrant herbs, music, leaves
• Fire: candles, fiery gemstones (onyx, ruby), Images of the sun (male) or small dragon figures, lights, ashes, charcoal
• Earth: honor the element of earth, houseplants, potted herbs, pentacles, stones, obsidian, red jasper, crystals, glass, mirrors, nests, salt for purification
• Spirit/Aether: photographs, toys, trinkets, religious symbols, important personal objects