I have for a while been gathering item to create an altar in
my bedroom. I do plan on making an outside alter at some point also, but this
was really the first step. I have a few more Items I am working on, something I want to change, but the altar is now in a usable state. As I have recently become a member of the ADF,
this is the altar I will use for anything ADF relater I will do at home. The items
I have located and their importance are as follows:
The Drum (that hangs
above) is my drum; I sometimes use for Journey work, and drum circles I go to.
It is decorated using Zentangle, and it means a lot to me as a doorway to the
other side, and a doorway between my spiritual side and my artistic side.
The branch, (Left
rear)Represents the Tree, this branch is from a cedar tree from our yard that
was blown over in a storm. This branch has many meanings: It is from a cedar tree, and I belong to the
Cedarsong ADF grove. It was from a storm damaged tree, the grove is strongly associated
with Perkūnas the Baltic
god of the storms. The tree that fell, is one that I loved sense my friends
moved into this house, and I was saddened when it fell. This is also the end of
the branch, that I will be using to make a wood burned set of runes.
The Bowl, (Left
Front) This is a bowl I found secondhand that called to me. It represents the
bowl Sigyn uses to catch the poison set to drip on Loki. I also use it to hold
my set of Amethyst runes, the stones I will use when seeking advice from the
shining ones.
The Basket (Next
to the tree), this basket (I am looking for a better container), holds a variety
of stones, ones I collect from important places, and some I have received from
my brother after his death and from my ex-wife, there is also a sharks tooth
given my by the boy child I live with. Each stone here is either tied to a
place or person that is important to me.
The Lizard,
(right foreground), I have always had a strong tie to the lizard, and it was
one of my first spirit guides. This is a stuffed lizard that looks quite a bit
like Vincent my lizard spirit guide.
The Fire,
(Center), this is the representative of the fire in ADF, it is a red broken
glass candle-holder, and another secondhand find.
The Leaf (next to
the fire), this is a leaf my ex-wife used to own, and left here in Lansing,
when she moved following her love of the land. It is a stick incense holder,
and I will use it when I burn any incense as Martha is partially responsible
for me really starting to work out my spiritual path.
The Well (Right
Rear), this is yet another second hand finds, I was looking for something to
represent the well, and this romanesque pot work perfectly.
The Necklace (In front
of the leaf), this is my basic Cedarsong Grove necklace. I am making one that
is more representative of the grove and my beliefs, but I am still waiting on
supplies.
The Elephant &
the Mug, (Right Front), these represent recently passed ancestors (well
really all my ancestors), the elephant is a paperweight I bought my mother from
a garage-sale when I was five years old, that started her amazing elephant
collection. The coffee mug belonged to my brother Mike, and I received it when
he passed. I use the Mug to hold my runes made of buffalo bone, that are used
when seeking advice from the ancestors.
The Alter cloth,
This cloth was chosen to represent Enki, the god who would not leave me alone,
and began my path from an Animist to a follower of a small number of gods, it
is the foundation of the alter as he is the water below, and one of the reasons
I ended up in the ADF (even if he is from a non-ADF culture)
What is to come: as add the remaining items to my altar, I
will post about each item on its own.
