IERO | A GUIDE TO SACRED SPACES

The altar.

That physical space that invokes the non-physical, the unseen, the divine. The sacred corner that is the vital center to any temple, church or sanctuary. It is the metaphorical phone booth to speak to God. It is the table of offerings to the spirits. It is the mirror to our own inner essence, that somehow always reveals what is holy within.

At this point in history, it doesn’t even matter how religious we are or what our backgrounds may be. Altars begin with the senses, and they are for everyone. They instill a sense of beauty and peace in any space, simply reminding us that we can be supported if we choose to. An altar is a place where the weary mind can come and empty itself of thinking. It is also a place to find solace from the madness of the world - and to pray, if you will, or ask for guidance, or listen to deep, fertile silence.

The altar is the heart of my home.
I simply could not imagine living without it.

A few years ago I had written and printed a small publication about making altars, as part of a practice of connecting with the Elements. It was a little foldout pamphlet that came together with my book, Ousia when it was launched in 2020. It was focused on the practice of creating an altar that invokes all of the Elements (Fire, Earth, Water, Air, Ether).

Since then, so many different kinds of things found themselves on my altar. I witnessed my own altars shape-shifting endlessly and I got to learn a lot more about tending to this small sacred space. Eventually I figured that I would have a few more things to share on the topic.

To me, there was no better way than to speak about it from the heart, in my own handwriting.
So I spent several months writing, doodling and taking notes on blank pages of paper.

The process in itself felt sacred, because it was so slow. It was simple enough to witness the details.
It was natural enough to let the unseen create happy accidents and imperfections.
laying the pages of drafts on the studio floor felt like an altar in itself.

Eventually, the right name for this project came to my consciousness.

IERO means “sacred” or “holy” in ancient greek.

With time and devotion, this publication was born and took form.
It is with a lot of gratitude that I get to share it with you today.

IERO is currently available for purchase.