materials: plywood, paper, adhesive, acrylic paint.

Just as spirituality is therapeutic for many, Psychotherapy, I believe, is a spiritual practice itself. This is something I’ve come to understand over the past several months as I wrap up my my undergraduate studies with Lesley University. I decided to study this idea directly, and this is what led to the creation of my final capstone piece: an altar.

 

First, some background:

Therapy and Religion (or spirituality, existential belief or whatever you want to call it) force one to confront there relationship with their community, their world, and their self. By going to therapy, one explores how their world has shaped them (and in turn, how they shape their world). I can think of few things more spiritual than somebody seeing how one fits into the interweaving nature of things.

When one gets taken away by a hymn or relates to an archetype of a tarot card or zodiac sign they’re using these spiritual symbols as a means of validating and giving name to their beliefs and behavior. Is this not unlike a diagnosis? Finally, as therapists, we are trying to create a space that feels welcoming and safe, were these deep experiences bloom. You’ve heard the phrase “the body is a temple”… therapy tries to apply this to the mind.

 

It was these thoughts that led to the creation of what I can best describe as an altar: a place to reflect on one’s experience as an individual and part of the collective. A place that is therapeutic and spiritual. It draws upon the Hebrew name my father gave me “Moyshe”. I was fascinated to learn that each letter of the Hebrew alphabet corresponds to a tarot card. The symbolism of the three tarot cards that spell Moyshe inspired the shape and color scheme of the piece. The cards—the Emperor, Judgement and the Hanged Man—to me, represent the balance of structure and surrender that lead to wisdom. The altar was originally designed to look much, much different, however, the Covid-19 crisis left me without the necessary resources. So, I built the altar out of my own art work that I had around the house. In many ways, this plays well into the theme of the work.

 

I did not expect to focus my capstone on spirituality. However, this is what came up. In many ways though, it is increasingly relevant to our work in these times. And for this reason and many more, I encourage anyone who comes across this work to ask themselves:

 

What would I do with an altar built just for me?