The altar becomes a place where the woman can commune with both the personal and the cosmic aspects of herself, where she can both dance with the Divine and imbue every aspect of her personal life with sacredness, where she can both reclaim her power and revel in her innate beauty.

An altar can be used in many ways:

to say thank you to the powers that be
to celebrate Mother Nature in all her guises
to seek spiritual wisdom
to honor the ancestors
to offer up struggles
to receive creative inspiration
to dialogue with the deeper part of her being
to honor her body

This is a partial list--the uses of the altar are limited only by a woman's imagination!

The altar is a canvas on which a woman paints various and often contradictory portraits of herself: One month she's in touch with her artist's soul, the next she's considering taking courses in computer science. One week she's intent on mediating her family's problems, the next she's boldly, bluntly expressing her opinions to all concerned. One day she's all gentle warmth, the next she's a sizzling siren. The various altars reflect and honor all the many selves she harbors within her psyche.The simple act of displaying her hidden aspects has two powerful effects,first,the woman feels whole as each part of herself has it's "moment in the sun" on her altar,second,the woman embraces her uniqueness as she witnesses her personal inner beauty.An altar can be an actualization of a vision-in-standards,irrespective of society's view of her. Creating an altar is a life-affirming act in a world seemingly hell-bent on destruction.The altar provides comfort by acclaiming,through its very existance,that the woman is an integral part of the living cosmos,that her life is touched by the same mysterious rhythm bringing the seasons around and round,and that beneath the apparant chaos of her life an ordering force beats quietly.The altar becomes an exquisite manifestation of the healing energy of integration.Altar making clears a path through the clutter of her world and creates a place where the feminine force in her life is visible,where she is free to make her inner journey,where healing is abundant. If you are unsure where to begin,set aside some "quiet time" and contemplate the following thought-

What am I thankful for?
What gives me peace?
What healing or blessing do I need?
What inspires me? What is magical in my life?
What makes me feel special?
What in my life excites me,gets my juices flowing,makes me feel alive?

Jot down your answers.The questions focus you on both the difficulties and the blessings in your life.The answers become the fertile soil which springs the themes for your personal altars.
Here are several possible themes for your altar:

Honor Mother Nature.
Connect with the energy of wind,fire,earth or water.
Pay homage to a totem animal or a deceased pet.
Gather healing energies for yourself or another.
Offer thanks.
Prepare for a difficult task.
Bring good luck.
Connect with the muse of creativity.
Gather your dreams.
Pay homage to the holiness of daily life.

Any of these or one of your own is a perfect altar theme.
Sometimes the theme for your altar will come to you in an unexpected way.For example,you come across a BlueJay's feather in your back yard,you instinctively pick it up and turn it over in your hand and the feather begins a flow of thought.The color reminds you of a startling blue placemat tucked away in the linen drawer.You remember a gorgeous picture of a bird in flight from a nature magazine.The bird was photographed against a dawn sky just before sunrise.You become aware that yellow candles will mimic the sun's glow and accent the yellows in the picture.Before you realize it,you've found the theme,the colors,the centerpiece-all inspired by a BlueJay's feather which you now lay in a place of honor in the center of your altar.

One Of My Creations

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