Since my Ancestors’ shrine moved and is looking much better, I thought it was only right to give the Nature Spirits’ indoor shrine a facelift! After dusting, I started to find places for the various bones, shells, feathers, crystals, etc and realized that I should place things according to realm – land, sea, and sky! Or, as you see from my photo – sea, land, and sky.
Land, as the “middle realm,” is in the center. There’s a small wooden bowl for offerings, a variety of stones, minerals, and crystals, a lynx figure, a felted stone made of wool, an acorn cap, deer candle holder, and a variety of bones – all found in the forest and happy in their new home. To the left are representatives of the sea – the watery realms. There’s a large abalone shell that I adopted after its first human caretaker decided to give it away. There are also other seashells, including some from local mussels that I found. I would like to improve upon the shrine and add a bowl of water, but I’m waiting for just the right container to make itself known. To the right are the spirits of the sky and the upperworld. A sun candleholder, an incense holder, and a variety of feathers from “game birds.*” I wanted to display the feathers, and I discovered that corks from old wine bottlers are perfect for the job.
I’m very happy with this setup, and I sense that the Nature Spirits represented are as well.
* Game bird feathers and bones are legal to possess.
Author M. A. Phillips 
Looks lovely, I have nature and ancestors together. Do you have any thoughts on that?
Mine used to be together but they felt crowded. Like I said in my post on the Ancestor shrine, I moved that into the kitchen so that I could enjoy tea with them in the mornings. It felt right. However, I think keeping them together is just as right! After all, I consider my departed pets to be ancestors of the heart. There’s a gray area. Do what works best for you, and know that it may change down the road!
I also keep a family pet on the shrine. She taught me so much and gave all of us so much love.
I could see separating nature and ancestors if it gets too crowded. A lovely tea with the ancestors sounds awesome.
I love the idea of seperating things by Land, Sea, and Sky! I just may have to borrow that idea when I make my nature spirits shrine 😀