AltArs

What They Are & What They Are Not
 Why We Have Them

   Animal Sacrifice?

Many people have misconceptions about altars. Over the years I have heard it all from, “Isn’t an altar a place where you sacrifice animals?” to “It’s sacrilegious to have an altar!”

  So, let’s get this cleared up. No. I do not sacrifice animals or anything else on my altar or anywhere! Second, it is not only not sacrilegious but it is in fact a way to honor where you came from and all that is important to you.

Why Have an Altar

  But now you are wondering why? Or maybe, hopefully, “Should I have an altar?” Yes, you definitely should. I have several but to the untrained eye it just looks like I have decorated shelves and table tops.

  The “Why?” is easy; because an altar is a reminder to you when you pray, and all throughout your day, of what means the most to you. It helps to bring your mind, heart and your very priorities back to focus!  Isn’t that something we should all do then?

What is an Altar? You Ask...

  So what is an altar and how do you make your own? I’m so glad you asked. Very simply it is just an area, (table top, night stand, shelf, even an area on the floor), where you assemble some things that are sentimental and remind you of what is important to you. Think of it as a physical manifestation of your mission statement. You DO have a mission statement, don’t you? 

What Do I Place on My Altar?

For instance you may want a picture or several pictures of loved ones, living or passed on. An altar is a great place for a picture or statue of your deity, whether it is Christ, Buddha or whomever. You may want a piece of jewelry with sentimental value, something someone made for you, a souvenir from a wonderful vacation. It can be anything of significance to you. It is also a great place to put pictures of things that you are working on manifesting in your life. If you need a new car, put a picture, or better yet, a small model of the car you are going to get. In addition to these things you should also have a white candle and some sort of living plant or a cut flower in a vase. You can make it look nice by putting a decorative cloth or scarf under everything.

Where Should My Altar Be?

  Ideally your altar should be in a place of solitude where you can kneel and pray, uninterrupted, whenever you wish. This may be challenging for young mothers since no place is off limits to kids but you get the idea. Just do the best you can. The altar will remind you to kneel in prayer, not just once, but perhaps a few times throughout the day. We all need all the help we can get so why do we forget to ask the most powerful resource we have for His/Her help? And since you are kneeling there anyway why don’t you also give thanks for all that you have? I know if someone was always asking me for favors but never thanked me when I did things for them I might get a bit tired of it. Ha ha! I guess I’m not as patient as God, but I still think that thanks are always in order!

It's Simple, So Just Do It!

  Remember, an altar is simple. It represents you, your priorities and what you love. It is a simple reminder for you, in your daily life, to slow down, take a breath and PRAY.

Check out my YouTube channel @ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu23MlIEUbvytwOLQ62UZGQ

or by looking me up by name; Karma Cristie 

I have a series of 10 short videos titled: "Learning to Love Yourself" and the first topic is "How to have a meditation practice in just 5 minutes a day!" I hope you enjoy it!

www.aMeditationCelebration.com

~Burning Bowl Ceremony~

Why Do I NEED It Now?

What’s it all about??

     ·     Do you have a burning desire to feel not only satisfied with life but 

ecstatic about the life you are living?

       ·     Would you love to wake up each morning energized and filled with 

excitement for the new day?

      ·      Have you heard of people experiencing an “endorphin high” and 

wished that you too could harness that kind of 

exuberant happiness in your life?

·        Are there things in your life that bring you down but you

 just don’t know how to overcome the pain, anxiety, 

stress and even depression that these things are causing you?

Good News!

Something CAN be done to help you overcome the negative in your life and make room for more peace & happiness than you ever thought possible! I’m not talking about something that will cost thousands of dollars or years of your life. I am talking about things that you can do right now, TODAY!

Distractions & Escapism

Today’s technology allows so many to resort to escapism rather than dealing directly with the things that trouble them. When we are depressed we turn on the TV. If we are mad we pick up a phone and vent to a friend. If we feel abandoned or angry we can go to social media and complain via Facebook or Twitter to complete strangers about how miserable we are. But what if, instead of focusing on all that is wrong, you learn how to rid your life once and for all of the things that make you unhappy, thereby making space for everything that you desire? What if you suddenly had more blessings than you could count? And what if you could train yourself to truly focus on all that is right in your life?

Make room for Happiness!

A Burning Bowl Ceremony can open our hearts and minds so we are able to listen to the guidance we receive and gain clarity. We can then focus on our true intentions and ask for help from our God/Higher Power, Guides and Angels in a clear and powerful way. A Burning Bowl Ceremony is a fire ceremony designed to help us listen, become clear in our intentions, release the old habits that get in the way of those intentions, and make room for good habits that can help us accomplish our goals and be truly happy.  In order to create an abundant and happy life full of peace and contentment we must first make room for all that we desire by letting go of any and everything which does not serve our greater good. So often we unintentionally fill our lives with negative thoughts, words and imagery. When we do this we are crowding the space that we should be filling with happy thoughts, loving intentions and beautiful images.

Don’t be “stuck” in an unhappy or discontent life!

A Burning Bowl Ceremony is a very healing experience. For many it is life changing. Life is too short not to be happy. We often get stuck in our ways simply because we are more comfortable with what we are most familiar with. Because we fear change, we stay stuck in comfortably negative places.

  It is time to let go of things that do not help you achieve your greater good. You deserve to be happy! Life should be beautiful. I can help you find the beauty that is missing in your life. Give me a chance. Give yourself a chance!

So What IS a Burning Bowl Ceremony?

No, we do not set fire to a bowl. Let’s just get that out of the way right now. 

While many of my clients are very familiar with this ceremony, along with all of its amazing benefits, I am aware that the concept is totally foreign to many of you so I would like to clear up any confusion and hopefully, answer any questions you might have. The Burning Bowl ceremony is a kind of fire ceremony that has been used in various traditions for many, many years. It involves identifying, then writing down, any negative thoughts, emotions and/or situations you are dealing with; things that you are ready to release from your life, on a piece of paper, then burning the paper in a bowl, which turns the negativity to smoke and sends it to the Universe allowing us to release them in our lives. During the ceremony I offer a prayer and those participating are also welcome to pray of they feel so inclined. For this ceremony as well as others I perform, I use a smudging stick. It is a bundle of white sage which has been used for centuries to clear negative influences and invoke light and love. The ceremony, as well as the visual impact of watching what we wrote and felt, burn and turn to smoke, is incredibly powerful! The purpose of the ceremony is to release old patterns, beliefs or experiences, or anything that impedes you from realizing your true self. By sending the old, unwanted conditions up to the Creator in the smoke, you clear the way for new beginnings. The second part of the ceremony, which is extremely powerful, is to re-focus your attention on what you would like to create in your life; Out with the old, in with the new. There is a yin and yang in all things. When we release something from our life we make room for something new and hopefully better! I will also help you focus on and write down what you want to create in your life and you take that paper home with you so you can read it often. That which we focus on comes to pass!

Is a Burning Bowl Ceremony Religious?

 The Burning Bowl Ceremonies which I officiate over are not religious in any way, although it can be a very spiritual experience for many. It can also be very emotional, but in a good way. I do offer a prayer at the beginning and the end of the ceremony as I do want to acknowledge our Higher Power in this Universe because I do not believe that we are alone down here. That being said, I have had people from many religious faiths join in on these ceremonies and I always receive very positive feedback.

Do you make sacrifices, dance naked or swing a chicken over your head?

While any one of these elements might make the ceremony more…er, entertaining, NO. There is no “weirdness” in the ceremony that would make anyone uncomfortable. Besides, I’d have to charge extra if I did any of that weird stuff.

How long is the ceremony?

The ceremony usually takes anywhere from 45-90 minutes. The time depends greatly on the number of people attending as well as how much discussion we have. The more people, the more discussion usually. I always make sure there is plenty of time to answer any questions you may have.

What if I don’t want to share what I am releasing?

You do not need to share anything. There is an opportunity to share with others if it is a group ceremony but absolutely no obligation or pressure to do so. In fact, you do not even need to say a word the entire time if you choose not to.

Is there any reason to attend more than one Burning Bowl Ceremony?

Yes, but it is of course entirely up to you. Many times the kinds of things that we want to “let go” of have been bothering us for quite some time. We have gotten into the habit of focusing on these negative feelings and as we all know, habits can be hard to break. People often describe feeling “lighter” after a ceremony and express that they feel a load is starting to be lifted from them but I encourage you to attend a few ceremonies to really feel the full benefit. I usually suggest separating them by 1-3 weeks, allowing you to really do some work on your own at releasing in between ceremonies. I will also teach you other things you can do on your own to release the negative from your life.

What kinds of things can I release during a ceremony?

Any and everything that is not benefiting you in your life.

Examples: Bad habits, addictions, resentments, anger, depression, physical pain, past relationship issues, current relationship issues, financial problems, jealousy and the list goes on. I am obviously naming vague and general issues but you get the idea. For a specific example, someone might write on their list:

“I choose to let go of the anger and resentment I feel towards__________for the way he/she treated me.” You can write as little or as much as you choose. No one sees your paper besides you.

Are there specific occasions that a Burning Bowl ceremony is especially helpful?

Absolutely! The Burning Bowl Ceremony can be done at a rehearsal dinner before a wedding. The couple burns what they are leaving behind from their single life, what they do not want to take into the marriage. The wedding ceremony then is clear and open for the couple’s new vows and intentions to be brought forth.

This ceremony can be used as a rite of passage for birthdays, change of job or career, graduations and childbirth. It is a wonderful ceremony to incorporate into your New Year’s Eve celebration! It is also a great ceremony for a teenager’s 16th birthday to let go of childish ways and bring in the new age of maturity.

This ceremony can help with the ending of relationships, releasing people or events we have an unhealthy attachment to, including troubling world events, sadness, childhood trauma, accidents or the loss of a pet.

I have used the ceremony for clients, friends and myself to heal after the passing of loved ones. During the ceremony sadness and grief are released making room for happy memories and gratitude for the time we had with the person we have lost.

For more information or to schedule a Burning Bowl Ceremony, please contact me.

Cristie Davis 916-223-1144

KarmaCristie@Yahoo.com

With

 www.AMeditationCelebration.com

Learning to Love Yourself

(The Way You Deserve to be Loved!)

1). Daily affirmations 

Think of some things that you want to be true about yourself, then construct a sentence, or a few phrases, out of it and repeat it often! Preferably during a meditation.

 *Example: I want to belong to a group. Affirmation: “I belong to a group of loving caring people who are my friends. We have mutual concern for each other. I feel I belong when I am with them!”

 2). Meditate

Remember that 5 minutes is better than none. You will find yourself so enthralled with your journey that you may not want to stop. *Soon I have produced a vlog series on YouTube with all sorts of helpful hints on meditation & other empowering tools and practices to improve your life so you can enjoy balance happiness!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu23MlIEUbvytwOLQ62UZGQ

        3). Keep a journal JUST for gratitude and positive experiences 

   Write every day. Only write positive and happy experiences and feelings. Write down the things for which you are thankful. The more you write the more creative you will get with what you notice and what you record.  Read it OFTEN!   *If you feel you must write down your negative feelings, I strongly encourage you to record those thoughts in a separate notebook. Then, once a month or so, I recommend participating in a ‘Burning Bowl Ceremony’ to release all of that negativity and make room in your life for more positive! *(I will address the Burning Bowl Ceremony in my Vlog) Also, please see my blog 
below:
 ~Burning Bowl Ceremony~

Why Do I NEED It Now?

What’s it all about??

        4). Pay Attention to your Guides & Intuition  

   So often we hear a “still small voice” in our head, beckoning us to do something a certain way, yet we ignore it. We blow it off as just a thought. How else would our Higher Power in the Universe speak to us? 
*The more you listen to, and follow the advice of that voice in your head, the more adept you will become at receiving and hearing the answers that are sent to you. Look at it this way, if you spoke to someone all the time, and offered advice when they asked for it, yet they NEVER listened to you or took your advice, wouldn’t you eventually stop talking to them? So would I.

      5). Look for Ways to Help Others 

   No matter how down you are feeling, your mood is guaranteed to lift if you make just one person’s day a little bit better.  Helping someone doesn’t have to be a big production. In fact, a lot of the time it’s the smallest things that make the biggest impression. If you notice someone struggling (for whatever reason), to get their groceries into their car at the super market for example, offer your assistance. It takes but a moment but you will greatly impact that person’s day and perhaps their life! The best part? It is guaranteed to make your day 100% better! Yes, I said guaranteed!! Try me.

     6). SMILE 

   Even when you don’t feel like it. This is the best way to trick yourself into feeling happy. Everyone we see is merely a reflection of ourselves.  This is especially true if we look into a mirror. If we are grumpy and in a bad mood and we see our reflection we are just going to have our negative feelings reinforced. It’s the same thing when we look at others. If you go out into the world with a depressed countenance, no smile and in a bad mood in general, others will return those same looks and feelings in their facial expressions (and words) to us, again, reinforcing our bad mood. However, when we keep a smile on our face, others will in turn reflect that back to us, thereby lifting our mood with no more effort than a smile takes! It’s true. Just try it. You will be amazed at how much your depression/bad mood will lift simply by smiling.
 *The next time someone says, “How are you?”  Give them a big smile, look them in the eye and say, “I’m really happy! Thank you!” Fake it ‘til ya make it people. I swear it works!

     7). PRAY

   Most people will say they believe in God in some shape or form, a Higher Power, if you will. There are literally thousands of Deities that people worship with just as many philosophies, prophecies and stories to reinforce their belief systems. Very few people are actual atheists; in fact the numbers suggest that less than 2-13% of the world’s population is self-identified atheists. So, for the other 90% or so, I say PRAY! Pray to God. Pray to your Higher Power. Pray to a kumquat. I really don’t care. The important thing is that if you feel that there is a power stronger than yourself, who truly cares about you, you should harness that power. There is great relief in being able to unload your problems to someone who truly loves you unconditionally. *Then, and this is important…LISTEN for the answers you receive! May I refer you to #2 and #4 above? MEDITATE  and Pay Attention to your Guides and Intuition!! There will be more on the power of prayer in my Vlog. I'm shameless, right?

   8). Show Yourself the Same Compassion You Want Others to Show You

 We often hear, “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” Well that is good advice, but just as important I feel is,  “Treat yourself the way you want others to treat you.” How often do you get upset because someone does you wrong? They pass judgment on you or just don’t give you the benefit of the doubt? You think, “I would never treat them like that.” Yet, when you need tenderness and understanding, you don’t treat yourself with that same respect. We are too hard on ourselves! It’s time to stop being so judgmental of ourselves. Of all the people we most admire, we should be at the top of our own list. Sure, there are always things we’d like to improve on…work on those. But in the meantime, while we are working at becoming perfect, let’s give ourselves the same compassion, understanding, love and acceptance that we would like others to show us. 
*Remember that is harder to love someone who doesn’t love themselves! Loving Yourself & Raising Your Self-Esteem…yes, I will address that in my Vlog.

     9). Take Care of Your BODY

    There are all kinds of ways to do this, from the very simple; like taking a hot bath, lighting a candle, breathing deeply, meditating, getting a massage, and the list goes on. But we can also take a little more interest in this “temple” that we have been blessed with. Eating right doesn’t have to mean D-I-E-T, which is indeed a 4-letter-word! Sometimes baby steps are the best approach! It can mean caring enough about our bodies to try to eat organic when possible, cutting down on sugars, bad fats and anything we know doesn’t agree with us. Limit quantities of food so you never feel “stuffed.” Exercise. If you just aren’t into sweating, what about a walk on a beautiful day? Breathe deeply as you take each step intentionally. Enjoy the beauty around you! Buy yourself a decadent lotion and, after a long, relaxing bath, take the time to smooth it all over your body, enjoying the feel and the scent. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves just how special we are and we deserve to be pampered, especially by ourselves!

      10). Create Balance in Your Life

    Anything off balance will eventually fall over, including us! We all need to work, support ourselves, take care of our families, keep up with the house, the errands, etc. but since we feel we don’t NEED to exercise we don’t. We don’t NEED to eat healthy, so we don’t. We don’t NEED to play, so we don’t. I am telling you that we all NEED all of those things and so much more. We need a little time to be social and connect with other people. We need to spend time with family and those we love and feel loved by. We need to eat right if we want to feel right. We need to calm our minds and shut out the world for at least 5 minutes a day. (Ya see how I snuck in Meditation there?) We need to work out if we want to be healthy, strong & energetic and last, and possibly the most important; we NEED to PLAY!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH2gYCdzVQ8
When was the last time that you did something just for fun, When the desired outcome was just to
 have enjoyed the experience? I am not talking about something passive, like watching a movie. I am talking about doing something fun. Learn a new hobby or skill. Ride a bike. Go to the park and swing. Try out a hula hoop. Go for a walk and collect rocks and feathers. Try your hand at painting or sketching. Too scary? Get an adult coloring book and color away! The point is we often forget how to have fun just for the sake of having fun once we become adults. If you desire true happiness you must have balance in your life, so don’t exclude fun & play!

       *Vlog available now! At YouTube look up "Karma Cristie" and Subscribe! I have a series of 10 short video posts targeted at women titled "Learning to Love Yourself." The first video, less than 5 minutes long, is now available. The Topic: How to Meditate in just 5 minutes a day!
www.aMeditationCelebration.com  Watch for it!