Closing the Doors

The Doors! The Doors! In wisdom let us attend.

In the Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Orthodox Church the above line is spoken loudly. It calls for the doors of the church to be closed, that no one else may enter. In times past this was the point when all the unbaptized had left the building, as communion was a sacred mystery reserved for those who were full members of the Church. This is no longer the case today, but the words are still chanted.

These words came to mind today, as I have closed my altar doors for the next few weeks.

I don’t typically close them. I leave them open all the time, as this unit functions as both shrine and altar. Even in my new house in its awkward temporary position, I leave the doors open.

But this morning I cleaned my altar and closed it up. Navratri is over and I need to rest. I am taking a deliberate break from devotions. I’ll be honest, I don’t know exactly what “taking a break” means. But here is what I’m going to focus on:

*My Home: When we moved in five and half months ago I knew our set up would be temporary. We’re renovating the garage to be Adam’s office. I am hoping that the office will be finished by the end of the month. I had a baby (the night we moved in), so not everything has been Organized. Several rooms in our already very small house are still in boxes. There are stacks of things against walls.

I hate clutter. I hate it. I’ve often said there’s so much going on inside my head, that I can’t abide a mess outside my head too. I am hoping to get our home a little more organized and settled. Get the art up on the walls. Find a better spot for my altar. Make more sense out of the kitchen.

*My Body: I need more exercise. The cooler temperatures combined with the last of the light make me want to move my body before the hermitage of winter sets in. I am also itching to lose more of my pregnancy weight so I can some of my old clothes again. Not so much deep and meaningful as practical and seasonal.

*My Land: Our property is still lush, but the growing season has passed. Still, there is work to be done. The lawn needs mowing. Blackberry needs pruning. Some of the weeds need a good talking to. But I also just plain old need to get out more. So much of my time is spent in my house (chores, cooking, nursing) or in my car (to and from schools and activities). I feel a desperate urge to be OUT.

*My Self: I have some re-evaluating to do, spiritually. I have some more relationship work to do, this time with my gods in mind. I have feelings to feel.

What the above “goals” suggest to me is that I need to get grounded. I need to connect with my physical world. I need to clean and tinker with my spiritual container so that I can return to my Work (although being in this world is part of my Work as well) stronger, more focused, and with greater clarity.

The doors are closed! In wisdom shall I attend!