I've made a luck altar for some of my friends. A lot of them are going through big changes, so I think they could use some extra luck.

I've instinctively made altars ever since I was a little girl. When I was young, I'd arrange porcelain rabbits, jewelry, and My Little Ponies in elaborate patterns on top of my dresser. I never wore jewelry, just used it to make altars. I had a patchwork knowledge of symbolism from reading all of the books on mythology in my elementary school, but I mostly relied on instinct.

I kept making altars when I grew old enough to become a skeptic because it's fun, and it comforts me, and I do believe there's something to both magic and prayer. Even if that something is only the idea that someone cares enough to pray or make an altar for you.

So, I've made a luck altar, with lots of jade beads and tiger eye stones and statuettes of rats. `a href=/Images/ShareImages/luck_altar.jpg~Here's a picture of it.`/a~

Rats are lucky. Forget about rabbits. Rats are where it's at.

If you'd like to, you may email me your name, or internet handle, or some symbol you associate with yourself, and I'd be happy to put a reference to you in the bowl of people to whom the altar is dedicated. If you have serious troubles, I'll put your name in the wooden chalice, which is full of particularly lucky, well-being encouraging knick-knacks. A sort of spiritual intensive care unit.

-Abigail