By Mary Kurus
Copyright 2000 by Mary Kurus
All Rights Reserved
Introduction
Vibrant and energetic health can be achieved and maintained
only when we are healthy in all major aspects of our being, including physical,
emotional, mental and spiritual. This requires integrating time and practices
for developing and maintaining a high level of physical, mental, emotional and
spiritual health into our everyday lives. If these various aspects of ourselves
are not nourished on a very regular basis, difficulties will often be found
with the physical well-being of the individual and illness can occur.
This article deals primarily with spiritual health and will
identify one approach to help us connect with the God within us and with the
Universal Power in the external Cosmos. It's important to separate the concepts
of organized religion and spirituality. This article deals with spirituality
that includes a direct and personal relationship or connection between a human
and that Power which created and influences how the Universe evolves. Creating
a personal altar and worshipping at this altar provides us with a simple act
which we can perform on a regular basis, to fit in with any schedule, and which
can form a major cornerstone of an individual's spiritual health.
What Is an Altar
An altar is a sacred space where we go to connect the Divine
Spirit within us with the Divine Spirit and the Gods in the Universe. It is
that special place that an individual has chosen to help them withdraw from the
busyness of life for connection, rejuvenation and energy. It can be a small
space, it can be an entire room or it can be outdoors. An altar helps you to
personally connect the Holy within you with the external Divine Spirits which
you consider to be Holy. An altar is that place to which one goes to
concentrate their energies for many purposes. An altar can change with the
seasons or it can change to reflect the changes in you as you experience
personal growth.
Altars are part of ancient traditions and have been used as
places of worship for thousands of years. Every civilization around the world
has worshipped at altars as an integral part of their spiritual or religious
practice. Asian, European, Latin American, African, and various North American
cultures have integrated altars into their practices of worship. Many great
religions including Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, and the
ancient religions, have used altars for many purposes in worshipping the
Universal Deity.
Why Do You Need Your Own Altar
Human beings have always had a deep need to pay homage, or
just to connect at a deep and personal level with that power which they
consider to be their God. I call this the need the need to worship. Worshipping
is an essential element in every individuals spiritual journey in life. Altars
help to remind us that there is a God or Gods much more powerful than any human
power. It provides us with a focus to think, pray, meditate and listen. It
helps us connect the God within us with the Gods of the Universe.
Worshipping is essential for humans since it renews our
spirit. Worshipping feeds our souls in the similar way we nourish our bodies
with food and water and our emotional selves with love and caring. An altar
helps to remind us to stop during our hectic and busy lives, to take time to
be, to listen, and to talk with the God of our understanding. It helps us to
stop with our everyday tasks and to take time to nourish our souls. It is an
oasis of silence and peace, a place of spiritual comfort and inspiration.
We can go to a temple or church on a regular basis and
worship, but daily worship is most easily conducted at an altar at home. A home
altar is a more personal place of worship including those elements that
represent the sacred to each one of us. A deeper connection is possible when we
worship alone in the quiet of our altar, with our Creator. An altar at home
connects the God within with where we live, eat and sleep with the Universal
Power. It reinforces spirituality into our everyday lives.
What Is Worship
For those reared in North American religions worship
normally consists of ritualistic ceremonies and repetitive prayers. Normally,
we are observers in this type of worship. This type of worship does not
encourage a personal and close connection with something Holy. A personal altar
does just that, bringing you to that sacred place for that personal connection
with a Universal Power. This type of worship is intimate and individual.
Worship can include many elements, but essentially it means
connecting the Holy within you with what you consider Holy. It can be simple
and consist of being present with God. It can include asking for yourself or
others, sharing your hopes, dreams, fears or anxieties. It can be used as a
time to listen, to thank, to praise, to recite affirmations, or to remember
someone for a variety of reasons. It can be used to experience a time of peace.
It can be used as a support when experiencing transformations at emotional,
mental, physical or spiritual levels.
This Holy Power is called many things including the Creator,
the Universe, the Universal Power, God, Buddha, Allah. It doesn't matter what
you call this Power. What matters is that there is a spiritual belief and that
this belief is integrated into your everyday life.
Why Do You Need to Worship
I firmly believe that the emotional stability of any
individual is a direct reflection of the relationship of that person with a
Universal Power. We need to honor the God of our beliefs and doing so brings us
emotional stability. In life we act from one of two sources, either the source
of love or the source of fear. When we worship and place in God's hands what
belongs there, we treat ourselves and others in a relatively loving manner.
When we try to control and manipulate life to provide us with what we consider
important, we are filled with fear and its many manifestations. Regardless of
the materialistic success, individuals whose behavior is driven by fear, are
not content with life, or at peace with themselves or others.
Long-term and sustainable health can only be achieved when
we are connected to the inner and outer sacred essence that underlies every
aspect of every human life. Spiritual health is equally important to physical,
emotional and mental health.
Worshipping puts life and life's experiences in a different
perspective, helping us to come more fully from a place of love. It helps you
focus your intentions, become more centered, and puts you on the path of life
that your heart is crying to travel. It helps you to stop and just be with
yourself, your thoughts and feelings. It helps you to know you.
Where Should You Establish Your Altar
An altar can be anywhere that you can go to for your private
moments with a Sacred Deity. This can be a small corner of a room, one shelf or
three shelves of a bookcase, a desk, a cabinet, a room, a corner in your
garden, or a sacred place outdoors. What's important about the space is that is
has to be private for those times of worship, a place you can withdraw to, from
the hectic moments of life, to quiet the mind and to spend time in prayer or
meditation, or to be quiet just to hear oneself.
What Should You Place On Your Altar
Anything that represents to you the sacred power of the
Universe should be placed on your altar. The following are some ideas to help
stimulate your imagination. These are just ideas since the things you place on
your altar should represent you, your life, your beliefs and your family.
Intention
The intention, or the aim or the purpose of what you place
on your altar and what it represents is more important than what you actually
place on your altar. Intention can be put into any object and therefore it is
really important to concentrate your aim or purpose of placing a particular
item on your altar. Think into these objects your intention for what they
represent. We do not comprehend the enormous power of thoughts and intention.
Sacred Representations from Different Religions
Many different Gods from a variety of religions can be
represented on an altar. You could have a large brass figure of the laughing
Buddha to remind you that laughter is so important in living a healthy life,
and to remind you of Gods wonderful sense of humor. You could have a wooden
carving of a Meditating Buddha for those times when you need to strengthen your
times of meditation and prayer. You could include a small carving of Horus, the
Egyptian God, which is half eagle and half man. It represents the mysteries of
the Gods that are beyond human comprehension. You could include a carving of
the Blessed Virgin Mary, who helps so much in special requests for children.
She has such a special love for children.
There are so many other icons, figurines and carvings that
could be included. The Black Madonnas, Ganesh the Hindu god, Kwan Yin, the
Chinese Goddess of Compassion, St. Francis of Assisi or many other Catholic
saints, Krishna, another Hindu god, are just a few more examples of sacred
deities.
The Spirit World
Certain carvings and figures represent different
metaphysical spirits who are ever present in our everyday lives. You can have
carvings that represent your guides or counselors who work with you and help
you daily. You can have special representations for angels or guardian angels
that protect you and look after you. You can be quite specific and have figures
of specific angels, e.g. the archangel Michael, the powerful protector of us
all or the Goddess of Mother Earth to represent the healing power of the Earth.
You can also place photographs or images that represent
those who have left this earth and now belong in the spirit world. These images
can reconnect us to these spirits, which are still part of our lives, even
though on a different dimension.
Plants, Flowers, Trees
Nature is a powerful force in our lives and should be an
important element of any altar. Plants, flowers, herbs and trees are great
healers in nature and can represent different qualities that can support your
personal development. You can use fresh or dried flowers, a branch of a tree,
or you can place a picture of the plant, flower or tree that means so much to
you. A flower, tree or gem vibrational essence can also represent that natural
element which means something special to you. Choming Essences are the natural
vibrations of flowers, trees and gems and can easily represent your favorite
flower on your altar.
Crystals and Gems
There are so many different crystals and gems from which to
choose that you can easily fill and entire room with small specimens of each.
The healing powers of gems and crystals are powerful and as a result they need
to be treated with care. Often crystals cannot be kept by many in the same room
in which they sleep so you many have to experiment to find those, which are
compatible with your vibrating energy. As with flowers, Choming Gem Essences
can be placed on your altar to represent the specific crystal or gem which you
want to place on your altar.
Animals
In the Native North American Indian culture, animals are
representative of guides, teachers, counselors and protectors. A brass bear
carving could represent your protector who goes everywhere with you to protect
you and give you that overall sense of safety. He can be so ferocious and so
powerful. And he just lives and loves to protect you. A carved elephant can
remind you of the ancient wisdom in nature, and within you, if you'll just stop
and listen to hear it. A dolphin can represent the rhythm of life, breathing
new creativity into your life.
Birds
I have special relationship with birds and have a wooden
carving of the Bird God of Nepal on my altar to remind me of that special
relationship. Birds bring together elements of earth and the wider Universe and
are often viewed as spiritual messengers. They can bring us messages and
communications from the Universe.
You could choose a raven or crow that represents the
mystical and magical; the Canada goose that represents travel and the natural
mysteries of migration; the vulture which represents rebirth; the robin that
represents new beginnings; the owl that represents magic, omens, and silent
wisdom; the red cardinal that represents finding your soul song and renewing
your vitality; the blue jay that represents the proper use of power; the heron
which represents self-reliance; the hummingbird which represents joy from
drinking of the sweet nectar of life; the loon which represents new states of
consciousness; or the blue heron representing independence and strength.
These are just a few examples. The possibilities are
endless. Place the bird on your altar that represents the quality you want to
concentrate on and develop.
Incense
Customs in many ancient traditions throughout the world have
used incense as an integral element of worshipping. Incense is made by
compacting a number of herbs and spices. There is a special Tibetan Incense
made in monasteries in Nepal from 35 different herbs and spices including nagi,
red and white sandalwood, and saffron. The smell is gentle and beautiful and
this essence will dissolve all negative energies that exist in around the area
of your altar. This essence is prepared in accordance with Tibetan traditions,
preserved through the centuries within the monastic orders of Tibet. This
incense is special not only from the purity of the ingredients but also from
the manner in which it is made.
The smell that is generated from burning essence helps to
still your active mind as you are preparing to worship and to slowly bring all
your senses to focus on why you are worshipping at that moment. You can use
various scents including jasmine, juniper, or myrrh. Incense increases the
vibrational intensity of your thoughts and purpose for worship helping to send
a stronger message to the Universe.
White Sage
White sage is used by many cultures, most especially Native
Americans, to smudge and cleanse your sacred space for worshipping. It is said
that white sage has special powerful properties for drawing wisdom as well as
those of purification. Like incense, white sage will help you concentrate your
energies as well as concentrate the energies that are being sent to the Deity
during your worshipping ceremony.
Candles
Candles are another spiritual tool to help you focus and
strengthen your energies of prayer and worship. Lighting a candle can be like
an announcement to the Universe of your intention to worship. The flame of the
candle can send a spiritual message that you are honoring the Creator and
presenting to the God(s) of your understanding, and the reason for your
worship.
The colors of the candles you use can be representative of
the changes or intent of your worship. White can represent purity or spiritual
intent; black can signify the release of the negative in your life; yellow can
represent the sun, joy, or it can represent the mental aspects of your worship;
orange can represent the release of resentment or it can represent the request
for increased creativity; green can represent issues of the heart or it can
represent healing; blue can represent increasing your ability to speak your
truth. The intent around the choice of color is important for your altar.
What Represents You
Place on your altar the photographs or images that represent
those for whom you pray and have special intentions. Place your own photograph
on your altar. An altar should be a very personal place representing you, your
family and various aspects of your life. Make your altar as personal as you can
for you and those who worship there with you.
How to Use Your Altar
In Preparation for Your Worshipping Ceremony
We have not been taught how to use an altar as part of
worshipping and we need to develop certain practices. The majority of North Americans
and Europeans have been exposed to prayers of repetition, which are said in a
formal religious setting, a church, mosque, or temple. We are not taught to
develop our own ceremonies and customs of worship.
The first step in worshipping is to decide why you want to
worship and focus on one simple area. It might be to simply quiet the mind and
to become more calm and peaceful for that day or night. If one is experiencing
painful emotions, it might be used to tell the Universal Power of the pain and
suffering a person is experiencing. It eases the pain. Worshipping can be used
to seek help in developing new qualities. The opportunities are endless.
It helps to choose a specific time of the day to conduct
worshipping ceremonies. This helps us to put a structure around our worship and
to develop the habit of worshipping. Some prefer to begin their day with a
ceremony while others prefer to worship in the evening. You may need to
experiment before you find your best time. It's best to choose that time of day
where you can find some private time of about one half hour period.
Make certain you will not be disturbed. Sit or stand in a
way that you are relaxed and comfortable. If possible, do some deep breathing
or other relaxing exercises to help you prepare for your worship.
Opening Your Worship
It's important to have a formal beginning for each
worshiping ceremony. I use the burning of incense or white sage to formally
open my worshipping. This helps to still the busy mind and to focus all
energies on the purpose of the worship. The smell of incense burning reminds me
immediately to quiet my mind. For example, if you are having a special worship
for a child, burning incense as you begin the ceremony will help to still the
mind, concentrate your thoughts, emotions and all vibrational energy on the
child for whom you pray. Burning incense or white sage will also dissolve any
negative energies in the area where you are worshipping, clearing the space for
positive energies.
Giving Thanks for Your Blessings
Once you have focussed your energies on the purpose of your
worship, then begin your ceremony. It's important to honor God and to give
thanks for the blessings one is receiving in today. Saying thank-you for the
blessings you have puts you into a proper frame of mind for worshipping. There
are always blessings regardless of the difficulties being experienced. For
example, someone may be grieving the loss of a loved partner but is fortunate
enough to have sufficient money for all their needs and material comforts. There
are always blessings in every individual's life if we will only look for them.
The Heart and Soul of the Worshipping Ceremony
Then proceed to ask, discuss, or present the intention of
your worship. This is the most personal part of any worshipping ceremony. The
power of prayer is immense and you can realize many blessings simply by asking
for yourself or others. The asking needs to be done in humility and love for
self and others. Make certain you spend sufficient time discussing what is so
private and so important to you, and above all feeling your prayer as if it
exists in today. God listens to you. Listen to God.
Another important element of worshipping is to listen. We
tend to have such busy minds we need to learn to stop and be quiet with the God
of our understanding. If you have sufficient time, meditate, quiet your busy
mind so you can be more open to the messages of the Universe. This gives the
Universe the opportunity to send us messages. But we need to be sufficiently
quiet to hear these messages.
If we are intent upon receiving a certain answer and are
determined to have our own way, we are not open to an answer from the Universe.
Sometimes the answer is no because in the long-run what we want may not be best
for us. We need to put aside our will, desires, fears and hopes to be able to
listen with a truly open mind.
If one has a favorite prayer, for example the Prayer of
Francis of Assisi, it is helpful to recite this prayer with perhaps a special
intention as part of your worshipping ceremony. For those who read the bible,
scriptures, the Torah or other sacred literature, reading from these writings
can be an important element of a worshipping ceremony.
You will find that the content of your worship changes as
you grow and change. The beauty of an altar and worship at home is that you can
change it to accommodate whatever needs you have at any point and time in your
life.
Music
Music is an effective way to open or close a worshipping
ceremony and to help calm the mind and emotions. It puts one in the right frame
of mind for worshipping. But I do find music distracting during worship when
one is connecting with the Universal Power.
If you decide to use music choose that which you associate
with sacred music. This could include bells, chimes, singing bowls, flute
music, the horn of Tibet, chanting, Gregorian music, or Cappella. Many types of
music can be powerful ingredients of worshipping which help you express your
emotions and needs.
Closing Your Worship
Close your worship any way, but I suggest that you
experiment until you find a way that you can repeat at the end of each
worshipping ceremony. This can include playing a piece of music, reciting a
prayer, giving a simple thank-you and/or amen, or whatever represents an ending
for you. The closing should leave you with the feeling that you have reinforced
the God in you, expanding your ability to love and care for yourself and
others, and other God-like qualities such as compassion, understanding or
generosity.
Is It Prayer or Meditation
Prayer is defined as a solemn request or thanksgiving to God
or an object of worship. A religious service consists mostly of prayer.
Meditation is defined as an exercise of the mind in contemplation,
concentrating on a particular object or sound, so that your mind can become
quiet and empty of chatter and noise. Meditation consists of emptying the mind
so that subconscious and superconscious messages can come to the surface.
Prayer involves speaking, discussing, and is an active exercise. Meditation
involves relaxing, and quieting the mind and is a passive exercise.
Both prayer and meditation are important elements of
worshipping. They can be done individually or in a group. They can be done in a
short or long period of time. There are many different forms of prayer and
meditation and both should eventually be integrated into daily worship.
The Art of Praying
In his book The Isaiah Effect, Gregg Braden speaks so
eloquently about the inner workings of prayer forgotten by our culture. He
describes how we must feel our prayer rather than keep reminding ourselves and
the Universe of what we don't have. He states that the secret is that when we
ask for something, we acknowledge what we do not have. But he says continuing
to ask for what we don't have only gives power to what has never come to pass.
He provides many examples of how we must "feel" what we are asking
for as if it is now - and feel it in its every detail and in its broadest
dimensions.
He provides the example of praying for rain and feeling what
rain feels like, of rain upon your body, being barefoot in the rain, the smell
of rain, the mud oozing between your toes. You have to smell your prayer, taste
your prayer, and feel what it's like. Then you give thanks for what you may
have created with your prayer.
Meditation
The subject and methods of meditation are so varied that I
will not address it in this article, but sometime soon will write another
article on meditation.
In Summary
The development and use of an altar can be a personal or
private time or it can be used to bring a family together for many special times.
It can be used to teach children about God and the power of prayer and
meditation. Prayers said by groups can be even more powerful than those said by
individuals. The development and use of an altar in your home can enrich your
life and bring you many blessings. I wish you many occasions of powerful and
fulfilling being, praying and meditating before your personal altar.
For additional information about Choming Essences,
Vibrational Assessments or information contained in this article, please
contact Mary Kurus or
visit her website at www.mkprojects.com to read many other articles relating to
holistic health and Vibrational Healing.
