What is The Altaring Effect?
Well, to start I want to define a few terms. Altar comes from the Latin altus which means “high”. As an Old English term, it was spelled as both altar and alter, most notably in the 1800s until the 1900s when the interchangeable use declined. If you look up the definition of the word you will likely see things like ‘a table in a church, tabernacle or place of worship used for services, rituals, ceremonies, offerings and sacrifices.’
Now as for the word alter itself it stems from the Latin, meaning “other”. The English definition of the verb is to “change or cause to change in character or composition, typically in a comparatively small but significant way.” This immediately brings two other terms to mind for me.
#1 Being alternative which from the Latin alternare means to “interchange” and is defined in English as either “one or more available possibilities” (noun) or “relating to behavior that is considered unconventional and is often seen as a challenge to traditional norms” (adjective).
#2 Being Alter Ego which is literally a person’s secondary, alternative personality or “other self”.
With that being said, let me define what I understand The Altaring Effect to be. It is the result of revolutionary self-care rituals and practices that helped me to powerfully reclaim my Alters as Altars. By creating a portal through the crown I have been able to re-establish and maintain a relationship with an existing fragmented Altar of mine & my Higher Self. I continue these rituals routinely and update them as needed as a form of self care and overall maintenance of my vessel and consciousness.
What The Altaring Effect is not.
This is not IFS Therapy or “parts work” and it is not specific only to people with Dissociative Identity Disorder. It is not meant to replace or act as a form of therapy or medical treatment for severe conditions of any kind. It is not meant to encourage creating Alter Egos, Personas, Facades, Masks or false identities of any kind. While much of this may seem connected and I do acknowledge the similarities, it is not the same. This is subconscious work. DeProgramming and ReProgramming, if you will. I do advise looking into therapy and other deep healing modalities as a foundation to this method that I am introducing you to.
The Altaring Effect is an emphasis on looking at ourselves in multiple parts, a YOUniverse. Inside our bodies exist an entire universe—organs, systems, cells, all working together for us whether we are consciously aware or not. Not to mention all the other subtle bodies (etheric, emotional, mental, etc.) that exist as well. On my personal journey I have practiced noticing when I am not in agreement or alignment with myself. Every time I say something I “don’t mean”, whenever I agree to something that I don’t want or feel in alignment to do, or if I hide from the truth of my reality, I realize that my body and I are not working together.
The Altaring Effect is the result of my curiosity leading me to ask what parts of me are disagreeing with my conscious self and why? Like the saying goes, “you can’t solve a problem you can’t name”. Now when I experience discord within myself I take my time going through these 3 steps: “Ask”, “Acknowledge”, and “Accept”. This helps me to see and personify the part(s) and version(s) of myself that are not in harmony and eventually bring all of me into a place of alignment, for the ultimate goal of integration.
Whether by shining a glorifying light to your shadow or giving the much needed healing space to authentically express the parts and versions of you that are constantly repressed due to societal, patriarchal, and capitalistic expectations, the intention is to create and hold sacred space for you to remember your divine identity.
I summon you to elevate your most hidden parts. Honor their existence through your remembering. They are a part of you and deserve love and acceptance just as much as you desire it. My favorite way is to jump straight from acknowledgement to reverence (acceptance on 1000). Treat YOU like a God-is. Venerate the Goddess, Priestess, Queen within.
This blog space is a creative sanctuary for just that purpose. The Altaring Effect is my process supporting you in rising up out of your shadow and into a “high” or ‘higher’ place. Whatever that means to you. Because you define it! You are in charge because you and all of the parts that make up your YOUniverse are sovereign.