In order to “re-story” a place, we must first redefine the word ceremony.
Altar Places helps individuals and groups take the concept of ceremony out of interior “hallowed places,” and recognize that our individual ceremonial practices can be both powerful and accessible to the public.
Place-based ceremony invites people into the deepest stories held in the land so that a reciprocal strengthening occurs for both the land and the people.
Ceremony need not be reserved for houses of worship, where the “magic” happens, while the rest stand apart and observe. Ceremony is an expressive intention to call in a re-vision story for a place where an old wound or trauma occurred.
Altar Place’s approach to ceremony puts the definition of ceremony back in the hands of individuals. While we assist in the creation and facilitation of ceremony, the truth of the ceremony itself emanates from the participant(s), and does so in a way that leads to the change people wish to create.
Through ceremony, actions and engagement, we not only begin to “re-story” a place, but we also begin to re-story our lives and relationship with that place.
How does Altar Places help others recreate a shared story with active engagement?
Read more>>>Taking the shortest path, we arrive at the following:
- Conversation around, and communing with what currently exists.
We acknowledge the existing story, and begin calling forth a “re-envisioned” story.
- Communion with what is, and creating what is desired.
We engage with the place, enacting and creating the “re-envisioned” story through ceremony and simple-yet-profound actions.
- Communication around the new story, and continued exploration. We live, share and breathe the new story in ways that invites others to do the same, both in the place and within their own places.
Altar Places offers three levels of Ceremonial PlaceMaking to support the varying needs of people, groups, communities, and the places they hold dear. Whether working with an individual, small group or community, Altar Places:
- Provides all ceremonial supplies in order to assure authenticity and effectiveness.
- Encourages participants to embody several walks of life (or archetypes), such as healers, poets, elders, artists, growers, activists, bakers, blacksmiths, etc. In embodying these archetypes, we summon new layers and levels of our own personalities, and claim our own places within a community.
The new story of place waits for you.
Learn how Altar Places can support the needs of individuals and families, small collectives, and larger groups.
When you are ready to actively clear the wounded site in your community or re-enchant a vacant space to build community, let’s connect and make powerful ceremony.
Altar Places is the education and training program of Black Seed Dreaming, a non-profit organization committed to preserving indigenous culture through their active ceremonial life. All ceremonial service fees support this work.
