I know many people who have religious altars in the their homes. I like to have Jesus around looking down on me, especially when I think one of the girls on the third floor of my complex is possessed, but that’s a story for another day. What is it about having icons around that make us feel good? Religiously, it fills us with a sense of security when we feel that the spirit is with us, in our homes, keeping us safe, but what about other icons and altars? Ones that are solely based on good vibes, mojo, juju or whatever you want to call it. How can we surround ourselves with icons that we connect with on a higher level?
I have an affinity for many different things ranging from religious to nature, colors, aromas, and animals. Like I said, I like to have J.C. around, but I also like having certain animals around my house in statue form. I really connect with elephants. They have a certain majesty that is calming and an elephant with its trunk aiming up is supposed to be good luck. Owls are also another favorite of mine because they are connected with wisdom. I commissioned a necklace from this wonderful jewelry designer, La Petite Lune, in Canada. I felt out of whack for lack of a better term, so I asked her for something that would ground me. I described what I surround myself with in my home—certain colors, crystals, animals I connect with—she created an elephant necklace for me. I wear it whenever I feel unbalanced and keep it out on my nightstand so that I can see it all the time.
Like surrounding yourself with colors, surrounding yourself with icons you connect with is a way to feed the soul. Whether you’re religious, spiritual or full of good vibes, they can create a sense of balance when life gets chaotic. Sometimes it’s as simple as loving the meaning of something and sprinkling these icons in my every day life. The background of my computer is Ganesha and I’ve been dreaming up a tattoo of the Hamsa, these are icons from religions that are not my own, but ones that I love the meanings of. Creating positive associations with your personal icons will produce a positive response; and as they do with me, could potentially help ease feelings of anxiety and sadness. If an elephant statue would make you unbelievably happy, why not make it an icon in your life?
