About
Build Altars
Inspired
by my love of creating altars and ritual, and fueled by my overwhelming
desire to share and teach what I myself am learning and practicing,
Build
Altars was born in the Spring of
2005. Here
you will find a schedule of classes, workshops and retreats, along
with tips, tools, resources and recommendations to inspire your
own unique creativity and wisdom along your path. It is my intention
that this website not
only inspire folks to
build altars and create their own rituals but to recognize that
within themselves lies the path to their greatest happiness and
their unique connection to the
divine, spirit, god, goddess, universe
and/or the
Great Mystery.
Heather
Sullivan
I
am an intuitive counselor,
artist, teacher
and ritual & altar consultant -
living in northern California. My work focuses on exploring the
creative process and ones unique connection to life intuitively
through art, nature, writing, magic, meditation, altar
work and ritual. I am committed to living a life that is
fun and easy for me. I spend my time painting, journaling, hiking
through the woods with my dog Ruby, learning to cook, crafting &
creating, enjoying salty bubble baths, making magic through ritual
and playing with my friends and my ridiculously sweet and handsome
husband.
Along
the way, I was fortunate enough to earn a bachelors degree in English
Literature from UC Santa Barbara, and a masters degree in Interdisciplinary
Art from San Francisco State University. I was also incredibly lucky
to have graduated from a 3 year program in Intuitive Development
with Mary Swanson at the School of Art & Magic. And just to
make things legal for performing marriage ceremonies, I am a registered
Minister with the Universal Life Church. See
Services
Philosophy
& Personal Practice
I
believe
that the Only True Path is the one
that feels BEST for YOU - for the good of all and
harm of none. I believe that as human beings we all have the ability
to transform & create our lives by developing conscious awareness
of our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs- and by making choices
that are in affinity with what our hearts truly desire. Once
we stop believing and feeding the lies we tell about ourselves
(such as "I'm not good enough", "it will never happen
for me", etc.), we can start introducing the thought that
life is about being happy, feeling
satisfied and experiencing joy, life can begin
to change. The things that make you happy are unique to you. Giving
yourself the benefit of the doubt by finding out what happiness
is for you and taking the steps to clear the "energy"
that is causing the interference is the greatest gift you will ever
give yourself in this lifetime.
My
personal practice is one of self-acceptance, self-awareness and
allowing. I believe that all of life is sacred. I believe that the
Divine has many faces and
can be found everywhere and in all things. For me, nature is my
church and I honor her changing seasons by spending time outside,
celebrating the turing of the Wheel
of the Year and by following the cycles of the Moon.
I connect to my highest self through active meditations, process
painting, dreams, journeys, nature, rituals, altars, gardening and
other creative practices. AND everyday I remind myself that I have
the right to my own experience. I choose to trust that if I stop
struggling, everything will become easier and life will work through
me in the things that feel the most
natural & good to me.
Story
of Transformation
I believe that there is no one thing that will wake
you up, but every moment is a "teaching moment"
and holds the possibility of transformation - and transformation
is power. Transformation for me happened through: backpacking
through Europe, discovering "Mother" nature, being an
english major in college - reading Walt Whitman, Tom Robbins
& Gertrude Stein, exploring Tibetan Buddhism and the value
of Personal Experience, the compassionate teachings of Pema
Chodran, Thich Nhat Hanh & Spirit
Rock, traveling abroad & across the US, working at
The Lair of the Bear, participating in The
Landmark Forum, doing Julia Cameran's The Artist Way,
getting a Masters degree in Interdisciplinary Art, learning Shamanic
Journeying, reading the stories of Shirley McClain & Edgar Cayce,
the work of Michele
Cassou & Process Painting, reading Natalie Goldberg, opening
up to Starhawk's
magic, and of course the amazing Mary
Swanson & The School of Art & Magic...and on and on.
This
website is dedicated to Mary Swanson, the Magical Universe and You.
heather &
mary, fall equinox retreat 2005
"Everything
was so easy...once I stopped struggling." - TUT
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