Making a shrine from an old file folder

I attended a lovely solstice gathering with my mentor, Cynthia Winton-Henry, this afternoon where she led us through a process of creating a sacred shrine for ourselves out of an old file folder.  On the outside, you collage images that represent the year just past.  On the inside, you collage what you want to remember to manifest in the new year.  The inside is a place just for  you to look at and remember your best hopes and intentions.  You might collage words, or a prayer or beautiful images or anything that you want to manifest in the coming year.

In my shrine I pasted a beautiful image of a single candle.  Then I wrote,

            “in the temple of the coming year, I will light a candle to… (and then I listed what I want to honor.).  “I will worship ….”    “I will bow down to…”.  “I will listen to…”.  I will say Amen to…

and I both wrote and collaged the things I want.

Cynthia makes these shrines whenever she is facing something difficult.  She collages on the outside, images and words that represent what the struggle is.  On the inside, she pastes things that will help her in this situation.  She just keeps the file folders.  A space-conscious way to have your life at your fingertips!!!

She played soft music as we worked on our shrines.  I commend the practice to you!  Here is a poem I wrote a while back and it feels related to this process.

IN THE CANDLELIT TEMPLE OF MY HEART

In the candlelit temple

of my heart,

I worship silence

and possibility.

I worship solitude

and simplicity.

It’s a small place,

unadorned.

No priest or goddess,

only quiet

and invitation

to become.

Just to become.

To become

unarguably

who I am.

To gather

the congregation

of my interior life,

welcome them all,

just as they are.

Sit together

with myself

on the floor

of my heart

until someone

starts to dance.

            ~Penny Hackett-Evans

Sending you peace and joy in this holiday week.