Interesting... if your dreams are "isolated", I can assume that the theme of the dreams, is you.
You said you are a very shy person, so naturally your shyness and insecurities will be projected in your dreams.
In the dream interpretation websites, I searched for hood and mantle...
In general they signify distrust, wanting to be anonymous or secretive.
It is also a sign that you feel truly guilty about something and you are hiding both your guilt and what you have done.
The woman in your dreams, may be a person or a presence that eventually will help you see what you fail to see about yourself right now.
What if the hooded person is an aspect of your personality that you are trying to hide in fear of how others are going to react?
The altar if I understood correctly based on what I read, represents something similar.
According to Aunty Flo,
https://www.auntyflo.com/dream-dictionary/altar
"To dream of an altar signifies that you need to communicate with your inner self through meditation."
It actually indicates the relationship you have with your self.
If you saw someone on it, it means that someone is being punished and suffering for something they did. Could it be you as well?? or one aspect of your personality?
My general idea is that those dreams signify that you need to spend some time to work on yourself and uncover hidden aspects of your self that right now are frightening you.
Also to follow the path of enlightenment, you have to find what it is that makes you feel guilty, acknowledge your mistake and afterwards forgive yourself because you are a learning soul in a human body. You are bound to make mistakes and learn from them in order to go forward... not lament and let them consume you.
At some point you are going to receive some help if you haven't received it already.
The altar that is made of cold steel signifies that you are not on best terms with your self... In fact, your relationship is simply that.... cold... but you must find the reason behind this coldness...
I can only say that if you do find what really bothers you, you will be able to come to terms... this will be reflected in your following dreams...
try to keep a journal and see the difference from week to week or month to month...
Write the dreams that REALLY striked you as interesting, because there was something truly unique about them....
You are going to be fine... you are on your own journey... embrace it, own it, seize the opportunity...
I hope I helped a little...