I have two crystal stones that I keep on my desk next to me. They are both quite large, weighing in at least five-plus pounds each. One is a rough rose quartz gifted to me by a client whose neighbor was lining his swimming pool with it! Can you imagine! The other I splurged on and bought for myself, couldn’t NOT buy it. It is a beautiful smoky quartz with silver inclusions and seven record keepers. Now I am calling out for some fossils from my birth place…and maybe a meteorite rock. (The 3rd largest meteorite crater is right near my birthplace.) I also have stones and rocks from my ancestral area of Sicily, and from the high desert and Great Salt Lake in Utah, a special healing place for my family.
I have other rocks and crystals, statues, glass art objects, shiny pennies, rosaries, feathers, fossils, petrified wood, brass icons, paintings, photographs, drum, silver rattle, custom intuitive art, handmade objects, rain stick, and more, that are sacred to me. It may seem odd to see my long camera lens on the shelf but photography is a spiritual practice for me, so it belongs there. They all remind me of my heart, my soul, my love, and my gifts that help myself and others to heal. They assist me in aligning vibrationally with my highest good and the highest good of my loved ones and clients.
I keep each of these objects next to me on my desk, or on my altar, or on the book shelves behind me because their form, substance, meaning, energy and origins are supportive and informative reminders and companions on my spiritual journey as a healer, as a shaman, as a woman. My desk, altar, and bookcase probably tell you more about me than any other space in my home, although I have sacred objects sprinkled here and there throughout the other rooms. There you will find the meaning I ascribe to my life experiences, and that will lead you to know something of my soul.
These treasures are reminders of my fascination with the natural world, my relationship with people, art, religion, sound, and the wisdom and messages I derive from them. They are beautiful, if only in my eyes, and their unique beauty I believe, reflects my own and reminds me of my responsibility to live my beauty and love and power in the world through meaningful service.
My lovely niece, Laura Masters writes, “My bedroom seems to be full of tiny altars. My box of “Nana pennies”, that also holds her engagement ring setting and two photos of Nana and Papa, a wand from my mom, a necklace that belonged to my great grandma, my pendulum and crystals. Almost hidden in plain sight, the scattering of objects looks normal to anyone else but to me carries meaning and implication and weight.”
Her last sentence is something I relate to deeply. This is the way we imbue our living space with our essential energies and the meaning we ascribe to our life experiences.
I have made altars with meaningful sacred objects ever since I was a small child attending Catholic school. In May each year, I would make an altar to the Blessed Mother in my bedroom with a statue of her, my rosary beads and my small prayer book, wild flowers, holy cards, Miraculous Medals, maybe a palm cross from the previous Palm Sunday, and a pretty cloth under it all.
My friend Joanne Jenuleson writes: “My mother’s slender ivory ceramic Madonna that she held on her death bed, my Reiki Crystal healing grid, a wallet size picture of Jesus smiling, a gift from my sister, my Reiki bear sent by my Reiki teacher and dear friend.”
I told Joanne that the mention of the ceramic Madonna grabbed my heart and I could feel what that sacred time of her mother’s transition means to her. It connected me to my own mother’s faith and the preciousness of the time of her passing out of this world.
As I grow older, I am aware that beauty is an ever-changing subjective experience, mostly determined by the heart of the observer. These artifacts and objects are beautiful to my heart and soul, and keep me in touch with the deeper levels of my existence. Could I live without them? Sure. Hurricane Andrew, that blew through my home in 1992 taught me what possessions I could live without…even my treasured books…and heartbreakingly, my family photographs! But they enrich my life, just as the art on our walls, the jewels on our fingers or arms, and other treasured objects enrich our lives with pleasure, meaning and memories.
And adding her poignant thought, Staci Ehrenkrantz writes: “6 months ago I could probably name a few things. I’ve come to really let go of my attachments to objects. But with that said, I think my biggest sacred object would be my home. It’s the place I feel the safest and best.”
My reply to Staci was this, “Clearing the deck is a potent process at certain points on the path, Staci. Brava!! And how lovely that your safe place is your sacred object. “
Above all, these sacred objects are reminders and energetic space holders, much like a bookmark that reminds you of where you left off reading. They help us to stay on the path we have chosen, and to be faithful to it. They give us energy and faith when we need it. They offer strength and courage to go on when that is called for. They are there for us, helping us with meaningful ritual, deeply-valued practices, and personal styles of prayer, connections to our loved ones, our lineage.
One last thought: Sacred Objects usually will FIND US at the right time. Perfect case in point. Last month, a West Texas Agate necklace “found me” just hours after I began researching my West Texas birth place, waters, and mountains, and their energetic, shamanic meaning for me. Whoosh…and there she is, ready to come home with me and keep her energy close to my heart!
What are your “tiny altars”? How did your Sacred Objects come to you? How do you use them? Where do you keep them? What meaning do you ascribe to them?
Please share in the Comments section below, I would love to hear from you!
Thank you for being here and reading. I appreciate your presence.
© Janice Masters 2014
I love you.
Janice Masters, The Shaman Mama
www.JaniceMasters.com
Janice Masters, The Shaman Mama
Empathic Healer, Soul Seer, Spiritual Teacher & Writer, supporting and advocating for women’s authentic, joyful, successful living for over 35 years.
**If you are ready to invest in your healing and thriving journey, CONTACT me for a complimentary one-to-one session to explore how we might work together for your Spiral Path Healing.
Like Staci, my home is my altar. Over the years, Ive layered personally meaningful paintings behind tables that hold bits of sculpture, nature, rusty objects and photos. In some rooms, there are murals, sculpted friezes, and even layers of fabrics on the walls behind these. My coffee table holds what looks like a 3D collage to the casual eye, but is in fact a personal board game that I use in setting intentions and casting prayers. There are words over many of the doorways, Including over the front door, and their placement is significant. Because I work primarily as a muralist and plaster sculptor, my home is often used as a portfolio tour with new clients. I love the comments of “Magical!”, and “So creative!”, of course, but I know it’s going to be a really great working relationship when someone says, “I feel like I just got a tour of your soul.” I find it important to be surrounded by objects of symbolic significance and beauty, like physical prayers that say, “Yes, thank you. Thank you for that moment, and I’ll have more of this, please.”
Oh, Jan asked me to include my web info. If you click on my name, it takes you to my decorating blog, which has links to my portfolio. Within a day or two, it will also have links to my new Claiming Your Creative Soul blog…especially if I quit surfing around everybody else’ blogs and go finish building it! 🙂
Dawn-Marie, I’m so glad you described how your home with all that you have added to it, becomes a sacred object for you….and a sacred space that expresses your soul. I love your description of the coffee table collage/intentional board game and how you use it. I would love to see a photo of this. And the ‘words over doorways’ feels like an ancient and spiritual practice. Thank you for sharing the richness of your art and the meaning behind it. I know people reading this will feel inspired as I do. Your clients are blessed to work with you. ~Jan