Little Sacred Spaces

       In her book about altars Denise Linn discusses wall altars that can be created on a shelf. She also says: "Some of the most magical altars are handmade. By building a shelf for your altar you are infusing it with love and care that will continue to emanate from it for a long time."     This shelf was handmade with love by my husband a very long time ago. For many years it hung on the wall in our living room. Now it hangs on the wall in my own room where I can see it from my desk and from my green chair.      Over the years I have placed a variety of objects in the cubbies of this shelf. Each item is meaningful to me. The current display includes photographs of my two children when they were younger. The madonna and child icon was carved for me by my father. The two icons of Jesus were gifts from our neighbors in Oneonta who used to go to Greece every summer to visit family.      The eggs on the top and the bottom of the shelf were part of my mother's large collect

       While rummaging through the Christmas decorations in our attic, deciding what to display this holiday season, the white glass angel inspired me to create an altar for the White Light of Christ consciousness, purity, and wholeness. White light contains the frequency of all the colors in the rainbow - thus its symbolism of wholeness.       People who report near-death experiences describe a brilliant white light that emanates unconditional love. Those who have the ability to see chakras tell us that the crown chakra, our gateway to divine love and spiritual wisdom, is white. Jesus, Mary, and the saints are pictured with halos around their heads, because their crown chakras are so brilliant.      I placed a white scarf on my altar table before arranging on it the white symbols. There was so little contrast between the white crystals and shells, and the white cloth, that the objects were barely noticeable.  I switched the white scarf for a gray one. These symbols of divine connectio

     I like to make an Advent wreath for our home each year. The traditional candles are three purple, one pink, and the white Christ candle in the middle. I'm not a very traditional person, so I use different colored candles - sometimes red, sometimes blue, last year purple and pink, and this year green. Green is my favorite color. It symbolizes healing and eternal life - good things to think and pray about during the holiday season.      We lit the first candle on Sunday, November 27th, to symbolize the Hope of Advent. We hope that Christ will be born in every human heart this Christmas - or at least very soon! I am not referring to the person Jesus, whose birth many celebrate on Christmas Day. Christ consciousness refers to the spiritually evolved state of being that Jesus exemplified. One does not have to be a Christian to attain Christ consciousness. If you don't feel comfortable with that term you can call it something else - perhaps spiritual enlightenment or self-realiz