PBP Wk 2: A is for Altars

Friday, January 11, 2013

I'm definitely a Pagan who loves having an altar.  I don't get to really have a dedicated, permanent altar as I'd like.  That was easier to do before I had 3 curious children who don't quite yet get that what is on Mommy's altar is not to be touched or played with.  I've got some items set up on my rolltop desk that my parents gave me, but there are certain things, such as my athame, that absolute does not stay on there.  I only bring it out to that space if I'm about to work a ritual.

My altarspace is a little bare since there were several items that I ended up having to leave behind when we made our stuff-everything-we-can-into-the-car move last year; things that were replaceable were left behind.  I even had to leave a crap-ton of my books behind, which still makes me sad  :-(  Especially since I have yet to have the opportunity to replace any of those items that I'd left behind.  That's the breaks of financial hardship.

Statue of Brighid
But not only am I wanting to build up my regular altar, I am also wanting to acquire things to make a shrine to Brighid.  I've seen Brighid statuettes that I have been DROOLING over for years!  These two Brighid statues are the ones that I want the most, but of course, must wait until I have enough money where it's not going to set us back financially.

Brigid Candleholder statue
My dream shrine to Brighid is one where I can have it on some decorative wall shelves.  I have the perfect wall in my livingroom for it and that particular wall is in the South.  Considering that Brighid is the goddess of the Sacred Flame of Inspiration and Creation, the South wall is indeed perfect since that is the representation of the Element of Fire.  ^_^   But all these things that I want to get to build a permanent shrine to Her will have to wait since I highly doubt that She would want me to use bill money for those things.

One figurine of Brighid that I would love to have someday is the one that was made based off of the painting by Jessica Galbreth


It's going to be a while before any of these come about, but hey, I can dream, right?  ^_^   I plan on building both altar spaces up one piece at a time as I can.  When one doesn't have much money, that's the smart way to do it.  Bottom line, I know that, overall, the desire for ornate altars is more for me than anything.  I know that an altar in and of itself is not actually REQUIRED to worship and show reverence to God and Goddess or our Patron or Matron deities.  But it does make for a nice place to sit down at and have as a focal point to show worship and reverence and to spend time with them.  It's like having a little bit of a church space in our own homes rather than going to a church itself.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, those statues are lovely! I hear you on having to make do until the money comes good, though - I'm there myself.

I love the line about the altar being 'a little bit of church space' in the home. I think we need that sense of sacred, even if it is for us more than Them.

Unknown said...

Oh my, I am IN LOVE with that candleholder statue! Seriously. I had never seen it before but so want it now. *drool* XD

I actually have "Shrines" on my list of PBP topics, but as you can see, it'll come a little ways down the list. Although, next week I will be writing about Brigid! Might post a pic of my shrine to her with that post. )o(

Crystal said...

LOVE that last statue, and the painting it's based off of. Brigid is one of my favorite goddesses too; I keep a candle on my stove for her, but I'd love to get one of the many statues I've seen.

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