Mothers

In honor of Mother's Day

This is a shrine to the sacred Mother -- one of many in my house -- a place for me to acknowledge, if not exactly worship, both feminine and masculine principles in the spiritual world: nature and nurture, healing, creation, love, peace, family. Unitarian as a child, I was raised as a secular humanist; a rather cerebral approach to religion, without ritual or prayer. Often my heart yearned for the mysteries, magic and miracles of the Catholics, the iconography of the Hindus, the lively metaphorical songs of evangelical Christians.

But as a Unitarian child I was given permission to explore my own personal spirituality, and I've always gravitated toward shrines. I have little altars everywhere because to create them and see them gives me joy and hope; as well as a place to pause for a moment in my too-busy life, to murmur a prayer of thanks to the sacred Mother and Father.

Here are a couple other altars I keep:

Quan Yin and the shrine to our ancestors  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black Madonna on my dashboard

Some Gnostic prayers I love:

Hail Sophia, full of light

The Christ is with thee

Blessed art thou amongst the eons

And blessed is the liberator of thy light Jesus

Holy Sophia, mother of all gods

Pray to the light for us thy children

Now, and in the hour of our death.

Amen.

Heavenly Father, whose footstool is the highest firmament
Great ruler of heaven, and all the powers therein
Hear the prayers of thy servants, who place their trust in Thee.
We pray Thee, supply our needs from day to day; command thy heavenly host to comfort and succor us
That it may be to thy glory and unto the good of man.
Forgive us our transgressions, as we forgive our brothers and sisters; be present with us;
Strengthen and sustain us; for we are but instruments in thy hands.
Let us not fall into temptation, but defend us from all danger and evil.
Let thy mighty power ever guard and protect us.
Thou great font of knowledge and wisdom,
Instruct thy servants by thy holy presence.
Guide and support us, now and forever. Amen.

Some books along these lines, that I've found inspirational:
Altars and Icons; Sacred Spaces in Everyday Life by Jean McCann
Strange Ritual by David Byrne (yes, Talking Heads' David Byrne)
Invoking Mary Magdelene by Siobhan Houston