What's on YOUR Altar?

May 29, 2002

Thanks OmPrem; you bring up an interesting question, and I hope all of

our members will share their replies with the Group. You wrote: "I

wonder if it might not be interesting to hear from others what they

have on their altars. Currently on mine, I have only a brass OM

symbol, a candle and a Nataraja. Above the altar is a photo of my Guru

performing a homa with a picture of his Guru behind him."

Okay, here's my altar: I have a medium-sized (approx. 12 x 17 inches)

image of Maatangi Devi as I mentioned, displaying Her aspects as

Ucchista-Maatangi, Raja-Matangi and Sumukhi-Maatangi. The effect, as a

friend of Nora's noted, is some kind of elemental fusion of Saraswati,

Kali and Meenakshi -- which is basically a perfect description of

Maatangi Devi. In front of Her is a terra-cotta relief of Lajja Gauri

(a form of Parvati that is often referred to as Maatangi), two candles

and an incense burner in the form of Saraswati.

On the wall behind the altar is a large (approx. 24 x 36 inches) image

of the combined Shiva-Shakti Ardhananareesvara (which, I must add, has

been there since long, long before I was informed recently that I

didn't acknowledge the existence of Shiva 'til just last month! ;-D),

and a photograph of Mother Meera, whose practical, down-to-earth

advice always strikes me as quintessentially Shakta (e.g. don't enter

an ashram, don't dedicate yourself as Her "follower," don't reject the

world; instead, be honest and kind, do your work well, take care of

your family ... and never, ever let yourself forget God/dess for a

minute).

That's my altar ... anyone else care to share?

Aum Maatangyai Namahe

May 29, 2002

We have the picture of the Divine Family as the main

picture. Before we got married, I have Durga as my

main deity and my husband = Natarajan. An elderly man

advised us that since we are married now, there should

be changes too. So Natarajan change to Shivan the

family man. When I asked him why, he replied that

Natarajan is Shivan in motion, therefore he is not

`suitable' for a family man. His rationale is that the

family too will undergo constant `motion'. Shivan the

family man is more stable and "a house holder".

Does anybody like to comment on this?

Over the right side is the picture three into one:

Ganesan, Lakshmi and Saraswati. And over the left is

Adi-Parashakti. On the table, a small statue of

Ganesan [ made of gold: 7cm X 4cm ] And the left of

Ganesan is the statue of Laksmi [ also made of gold.

15cm X 8 cm ] Infront of Lakshmi is her yantra made of

copper [ given to me by the Kaliamman priest during

one of Lakshmi Pooja that I participate ]. Over the

extreme left is where Hanuman is standing with his

battle gear [ made of sandal wood ]

On the wall over the left where my Saptamarkas and

Astalakshmi hangs.

I have two god sons. One a Shivite and the other a

Vishnites. When the Vishnites come to visit, he will

bring his Vishnu [ in a form of Perumal ] and place it

on the pooja room. Eventually Perumal found a

permanent place in our pooja room.

Come to think of it, I think every one is represented.

Did I miss anything?

OM ParaShaktiye Namaha

May 29, 2002

devi bhakta,

Thank you for inviting answers to this. I look forward to hearing

what others have to say.

As for myself, I have 4 altars in my temple room, one for each of the

directions. As is the custom of my tradition, the main altar is in

the north. The element of the north is earth

On my altar, to the left, in an arc I have small stones, collected

from various excursions. These represent the element of Earth, and my

personal connection to Her.

In the center towards the back I have 3 images of the Goddess. Two

are small fired clay images made by the same artist; they represent a

pregnant woman and a menstruating woman. They remind me of the two

aspects of womanhood in the middle years. In the center I have a

brass image of a Nagini, which I got in Dharamsala two years ago.

I've done powerful meditations in Her presence.

Above the Goddess figures on the wall are two black and white photos

of the moon. I took these images myself through a telescope at the

local museum. They are special to me because I have captured for

myself something I was seeing with my own eyes. I know it is not

retouched in anyway. The moon is most sacred to me.

To the right of the Goddess images, I have a cobalt blue glass

scrying ball which rests on the arms of a small female figure, it

reminds me of Vision. It was a gift from my foster mother.

I have an oil lamp and two candles on this altar also. The lamp is to

the right, the candles are to the left. Each differently represents

the element of Earth and the presence of the Goddess.

When I have offerings for different occasions they go in the center

of the altar, sometimes on a dish of some sort. In general, items

from my garden; herbs and flowers; are set directly on the altar in

front of the images of the Goddess. However, seeds or resins, small

items or anything that would scatter or be messy is placed in/on a

container.

When I am doing a sitting meditation, I turn over a ½ hour sand timer

on the altar and look beyond all things while the time flows past.

Similarly, I have a tiny cobalt blue candlestick that is perfect for

a birthday candle. These candles vary but they can burn for ½ hour or

so. This helps me to time my meditation without setting a clock or

looking down, or over at a time piece.

Beneath the altar is my incense burner. The scented smoke rises up

behind the Goddess figures or flows out around the edges of the small

table that is the surface. When I am seated on a pillow before the

altar the surface is at a level significantly lower than my

shoulders.

One thing that is important to me about the ritual items is that they

are very personal; self identified. They are to invoke my personal

spiritual experiences that occurred away from my temple room or else

to invoke my direct and personal relationship with Her. In my

tradition this is highly valued, in fact there are some items of

ritual use that must be made or gathered by the priestess herself,

they cannot be purchased from another or even made for her by

another.

I love the symbolism and ritual of my faith so I could go on for

pages, but I'm so glad that we have the opportunity to respond to

this question.

Bright Blessings,

prainbow

May 29, 2002

Very compelling question. Now thanks to my wife and Mahalakshmi we

have found a house with some xtra room, so my wife has given me a

whole room for meditation. It is in the NE of the house. I have

spiritual objects in every direction. I have two dutch wooden shoes

that belonged to my father. In one is about twelve or fourteen

shalagrama, and in the other is a collection of small black and

Narmada lingas. I have lots of copper plate yantras, on each I have

like minded objects. On one of Ganapati siddha yantra I have a

shwetark ganapati root, and reclining Ganesha from Bali. On Mahakali

yantra I have a Hatha Jodi. I have a Copper plate shree yantra and a

small sphatik Meru Shree and small conch. I have various largish

shiva lingas from Narmada in every direction in my house, and now a

sizeable garden of Tulsi in the SE outside. I have kusha grass

matts for sitting on. But the mainstay of my room is about five

thousand rudrakshas in every face, including now strands with one

mukhi, and eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, and Gauri beads. All

of them make for an overwhelming presence of Siva in my house. I

guess I am aiming for making a truely transcendental abode even here

on earth. Soon I am importing Peepal, Neem, Bilva, Rudraksha, Amla,

Banyon, Cocoa, and Pepper trees. I will grow them all around my

house.

May 30, 2002

eve, very impressive... your altar of love and devotion!

can this 'shakti' take residence in your shiva-loka?

love

May 30, 2002