A Promise Kept
Jan. 24th, 2009 10:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphiloI kept my promise. I assembled a small shrine to the Goddess in the spare bedroom. I'm not going to photograph it because- well- a photograph would only show what it looks like, not what it means.
What it looks like is an empty fireplace with things arranged around it and along the mantlepiece.
The central object on the mantlepiece is a flint I picked up on the beach about twenty years ago. It leans against the wall, looking a little- only a little- like a human figure in a cloak.
Alongside it- lined up along the shallow ledge- are a glass jar for burning candles in, a brass cobra, a chalice which came from a shop in Glastonbury and a wooden pot with dried corn in it.
Oh, and a trading card image of the actor Jacqueline Pearce. This arrived on the day I was setting things up- a gift from my friend Judy. I always liked Jacqueline Pearce. There's a fabulous scene in Plague of the Zombies where she climbs out of her grave looking all wicked and Andre Morrel chops her head off with a spade.
The fireplace serves as a niche for a terracotta statuette of the Andean Goddess Pachamama. Beside her is a framed postcard from St Mary, Deerhurst- a church we visited last Sunday. It shows a medieval, stained glass image of St Catherine of Alexandria with her wheel. You can see it on the church's website. I take St. Catherine to be a Christian adaption of one of my favourite Goddesses- the Roman Fortuna.
Leaning against the fireplace is the sword we used to use in our coven. It has a name which I think should remain a secret. Hanging on the wall to one side- from a nail that happened to be already there- is our coven's white handled knife.
Over the fireplace is a small mirror. This too was already there- by happy accident. I've incorporated it in the scheme by hanging the vulva pendant I bought in Glastonbury from the same nail. We used to use a mirror in our Wiccan initiations. The candidate is asked to face the one "who judges truly". The cords are untied, the blindfold whipped off- and she sees herself.
What it looks like is an empty fireplace with things arranged around it and along the mantlepiece.
The central object on the mantlepiece is a flint I picked up on the beach about twenty years ago. It leans against the wall, looking a little- only a little- like a human figure in a cloak.
Alongside it- lined up along the shallow ledge- are a glass jar for burning candles in, a brass cobra, a chalice which came from a shop in Glastonbury and a wooden pot with dried corn in it.
Oh, and a trading card image of the actor Jacqueline Pearce. This arrived on the day I was setting things up- a gift from my friend Judy. I always liked Jacqueline Pearce. There's a fabulous scene in Plague of the Zombies where she climbs out of her grave looking all wicked and Andre Morrel chops her head off with a spade.
The fireplace serves as a niche for a terracotta statuette of the Andean Goddess Pachamama. Beside her is a framed postcard from St Mary, Deerhurst- a church we visited last Sunday. It shows a medieval, stained glass image of St Catherine of Alexandria with her wheel. You can see it on the church's website. I take St. Catherine to be a Christian adaption of one of my favourite Goddesses- the Roman Fortuna.
Leaning against the fireplace is the sword we used to use in our coven. It has a name which I think should remain a secret. Hanging on the wall to one side- from a nail that happened to be already there- is our coven's white handled knife.
Over the fireplace is a small mirror. This too was already there- by happy accident. I've incorporated it in the scheme by hanging the vulva pendant I bought in Glastonbury from the same nail. We used to use a mirror in our Wiccan initiations. The candidate is asked to face the one "who judges truly". The cords are untied, the blindfold whipped off- and she sees herself.
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no subject
Date: 2009-01-24 04:56 pm (UTC)I love that.
It sounds like a good shrine.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-24 05:21 pm (UTC)This identification of St. Catherine with Fortuna has only just come to me- but it would explain why I was so strongly drawn to the image.
Your shrine...
And thanks so much for sharing it with us, by way of this entry. *big big smile*
God bless and take care. :).
Olga/Maddie
no subject
Date: 2009-01-26 12:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-28 03:23 pm (UTC)You came to see me (as did Obama, later), and we sang one of your poems at my piano! (I played poorly, and was embarrassed.)
You wore your heavy-framed glasses!
I was so happy to see you both!
no subject
Date: 2009-01-28 09:34 pm (UTC)What a pity we didn't make that visit in the flesh.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-28 09:35 pm (UTC)I don't suppose you've got a copy of that photo?
Re: Your shrine...
Date: 2009-01-28 09:35 pm (UTC)You're...
Date: 2009-01-29 07:27 pm (UTC)Hope that you and yours are doing all right, that things are going okay, and that the rest of the day goes all right for you all.
God bless and take care. :).
Olga/Maddie