Ahead of the Oxford Conference for the Book, Square Books hosted literary enthusiasts and longtime friends of Anne Strand as she guided the audience through her life and the creation of her book: “Sacred Altars: An Artful Journey to Enchantment.”
“This book is for all who want to feel aware or alive within, whether they are religious or not, and for those on a human journey who want to feel connected to themselves, to others and to the universe,” Strand said, reading from the dedication section of “Sacred Altars.”
Strand is a retired psychotherapist, teacher, Episcopalian chaplain, artist and author with academic degrees in art, theology and psychology. “Sacred Altars” showcases her abstract expressionist works accompanied by excerpts from scientific and spiritual literature that immerse the reader in thoughtful meditation and self-reflection.
“When I call myself a mystical spiritualist, it implies that my work reflects and expresses a unity and a connection of things as one, attempting to access fields beyond the intellect and the physical senses alone,” Strand said.
In conversation with director of the Center for Southern Culture and esteemed Southern scholar Kathryn McKee as well as writer and publisher Neil White, Strand discussed the challenges she faced after suffering a stroke while completing her book.
“When I woke up, I couldn’t say my name. I couldn’t say any words at all, and this book is about connection. So I was not connected at all,” Strand said. “People came in, and I couldn’t say my name, so they left immediately.”
Although Strand lost her ability to articulate words, she was able to read and complete “Sacred Altars” while recovering from her stroke.
As publisher of Strand’s work, White described the process of deciding whether to print the book’s abstract expressionist prints in color or black and white. Ultimately, the pair decided to dedicate their resources toward printing through one of the top book publishing companies in the South to present Strand’s life work in the best light possible.
“It was well written, and it was meaningful. You can read a page anytime you want to, and you’ll get something meaningful out of it,” White said.
McKee shared her personal history with Strand.
“I have known Anne Strand for more than 20 years. We were part of a group at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church called the spiritual journeyers, and we met every Sunday for years and years. Anne was our guiding light,” McKee said.
When McKee asked the audience to raise their hands if they ever attended the Episcopal Church group led by Anne Strand, a majority of audience members did. McKee shared the immense impact that the religious group and her relationship with Strand have had on her spiritual life.
“When I was reading your book, I felt like you wrote it for me because so much of what we talked about in class has made its way in here, and I am so grateful to you for that,” McKee said.
Editor-in-chief of the Local Voice and designer and editor of “Sacred Altars,” Nature Humphries, spoke of her experience working with Strand and her connection to the book.
“It was a real gift working on this book, and I kind of almost see it as a meditative manual,” Humphries said. “I feel like I grew a lot with it, and I learned so much, and if you haven’t already read the book, please do because it’s very beautiful.”
As the discussion concluded, Strand presented several of her paintings, including “The Wound and the Cross,” as she read gems of wisdom included in her book. Strand signs each of her artistic pieces with the sigil “Grand-Mother-Wise-Woman” as a testament to both her role as a maternal figure and her years of rich life experience.
Strand encouraged the audience to embark on their own spiritual journeys through pursuing their creative passions along with meditative practices.
McKee concluded the discussion by reading an excerpt from Strand’s work.
“For when we are made one with everything, sacred altars spring up everywhere. Nobody can be lost. We are at home already,” McKee read from “Sacred Altars.”
“Sacred Altars: An Artful Journey to Enchantment” is available to purchase at Square Books.
