Leaving behind 2022 and entering into 2023 is a threshold moment. A passage. An opportunity to slow down. Reflect. Reorient ourselves.

An altar is a map for meaning-making. The word originates from the Latin word altus, which means ‘to raise up.’ Creating ritual altars allow us to put something down in order to take a step back and look at our lives. To mark a threshold moment.

At the center of my 2022 altar rests an acorn and mushroom- two powerful symbols of the year. The acorn- planting a seed, trusting that ‘mighty oaks from little acorns grow.’ And the mushroom, a nod to the power of plant medicine, as well as the rich mycelium network and community that supported me this year. Both acorns and mushrooms grow in dark places and need the rich, fertile soil as a foundation. 2022 was an insulated year that was largely ‘under the surface.’ I learned to surrender and become more comfortable in the liminal spaces of life while patiently germinating and growing.

The oak leaves symbolize trusting the process. Celebrating the full life cycle that an acorn completes to become an oak tree. 18 berries for the 18 months I’ve devoted to working on my book. Three pink flowers for my three mentors who have sat with me, shared their wisdom and teachings with me, and who continually encourage me to reach my fullest potential. Three yellow flowers for my three closest friends who have watered me and shared their sunshine with me as I germinated this year.

This altar was created from everything I foraged from my natural surroundings. Nature is abundant and beautiful, even in the winter. May we create the space to make meaning from the exquisite beauty that exists all around us. Celebrate all that is both impermanent and precious in this present moment. Cross these threshold moments together, sharing our stories with our hands outstretched and and our hearts full. So very full.