How to: Create An Authentic, Sacred Altar In Your Space
You’re tapped into your spirituality— you’re drawn to crystals, astrology, ritual, and self-discovery. You show up daily, as the highest version of yourself. You love to learn and incorporate different spiritual practices into your daily routine to amplify the magic of your Being.
You work with crystal energy, journal, and meditate in your morning routine. But, what else can you do to advance your spiritual practice?
Devote a space in your home to build your sacred altar.
What’s A Sacred Altar?
Sacred altars are a beautiful way to expand your spiritual practice.
They’re a place of magical offerings, divine expression, and intuitive ritual. Walking past them reminds you of your divinity, your sacredness, and that you’re divinely guided on your spiritual journey.
Altars are beautiful representations of you. There’s no right way to construct a sacred altar. Build your sacred altar from an intuitive, personalized space.
Altars have existed through countless centuries, cultures, and religious & spiritual practices.
Altar translates to an “elevated, lifted space”. It’s simply a safe space (inside or outside) where you:
→ Meditate.
→ Charge your crystals.
→ Pray, chant, worship, or sing.
→ Flow during your yoga practice.
→ Clear your mind & ground yourself.
→ Carry out New Moon & Full Moon rituals.
→ Honor yourself & connect with your Divinity.
So, what comes to mind when you hear the term sacred altar?
Do you think of praying at the base of an altar in church? Do you recall a whimsical wedding ceremony where vows are exchanged at an altar? Maybe you’ve seen altars as an offering to a loved one that’s passed?
These are beautiful representations of sacred altars and reminders that there’s no correct way to build an altar. There’s only your way.
Who Benefits From Having A Sacred Altar?
Anyone.
Whether you resonate with being religious, spiritual, or neither, you can benefit from having a sacred altar in your home. It’s more of a question of do you feel called to build an altar.
If your answer’s yes, keep reading for tips on creating the altar of your dreams.
How Do You Create A Sacred Altar?
As always, we encourage you to think of building your sacred altar as an intuitive experience. One designed with you in mind, because your altar should be a beautiful reflection of you.
The more aligned with you, the better.
Where Do You Put Your Sacred Altar?
Find your favorite space in your home.
Is it the place you go in the mornings to sip your coffee and journal? Is it the quiet room you practice yoga and meditate? Or, is it outside in your backyard?
Find a small side table, a spot on your desk, or a shelf to start creating your sacred altar. Don’t get overwhelmed with the right way to build an altar, because there’s only *your* right way.
If you’re a beginner at building an altar, start small.
Tips & Tricks: Sit with yourself for a few minutes. Take a deep breath and ask yourself where you want to build your sacred altar. Trust whatever image comes to you first.
If you want to be more intentional about altar placement, you can put it in the directions that correlates to the four elements…
North: Earth (to call in wisdom)
South: Fire (to bring in motivation or direction)
East: Air (to call in new beginnings)
West: Water (to release or detoxify)
Your altar will grow and evolve over time— it’s alive and ever-changing, just like you.
What Do I Put On My Sacred Altar?
This is the best part— treasure hunting for sacred objects to decorate your altar!
Find objects that represent you. Let your creative juices pour out of you and into your altar.
Here’s our top 4 favorite items to adorn our altars with:
Flowers & Plants
Flowers and plants represent feminine energy, growth, beauty, pleasure, and evolution.
→ Spoil yourself (and your altar space) with local, in-season flowers.
→ Place your favorite plants on your altar and watch them grow as you do.
→ Homegrow herb bundles and let them rest on your altar for cleansing purposes.
→ Dry that special bouquet of flowers your partner gifted to you and set them on your altar.
Ask yourself, “What plants, herbs, or flowers are a divine expression of me?”
Candles
Candles represent the illumination of personal truths, warmth, hope, and light.
They come in many colors, shapes, and sizes, so find what resonates *most* with you.
→ Put green candles to represent growth, money, success, or grounding.
→ Decorate with pink candles to invite energies of love, femininity, and friendship.
→ Place black candles on your altar for protection, safety or to banish negative energies.
→ Spoil yourself (and your altar space) with homemade beeswax candles to clear negative energy and purify the air around you.
Ask yourself, “What candles do I feel called to incorporate into my rituals?”
Crystals
Crystals are powerful transmitters of vibration— each has a unique energy and purpose.
Grab your favorite crystals (the crystals you resonate with the most), and set them on your altar to increase its vibration.
→ Put rose quartz around for the energy of unconditional love.
→ Decorate with Lemurian to call in healing and spiritual attunement.
→ Place Moonstone on your altar for inner guidance or to clear your active mind.
→ Sprinkle palm stones around that you can hold in your hands during meditation.
Ask yourself, “What crystals do I intuitively feel should decorate my sacred altar?”
Pictures & Art
Pictures and art represent creativity, expression, emotion, and communication.
→ Place your favorite painting, or sculpture on your altar.
→ Personally create a work of art that embodies you and your creativity.
→ Adorn your sacred altar with nostalgic childhood pictures that bring you joy or photos of sweet loved ones who have passed.
Ask yourself, “What piece of art moves me or embodies my divine expression?”
Tips & Tricks: Altars represent the season of life you’re flowing through now.
If you’re in a season of self-discovery & self-love find items that embody love. If you’re experiencing pain, grief, or loss, find items that honor that portion of you.
Remember, my top four favorite sacred objects don’t have to be your top favorite. Maybe you place oracle decks, symbolic jewelry, money, or a book of poetry on your altar.
Get creative and enjoy the process. Think outside the box, and create an altar that feels intuitively aligned with you.
**BONUS**: The Gemini New Moon is quickly approaching on June 17th. New Moon Circles are the perfect time and place to build your altar. For the New Moon, you want to place your altar in the easterly part of your space or circle. This direction calls in new beginnings and the energy of initiation.
Here are some specific tips & tricks to decorate your sacred altar with the essence of the Gemini New Moon.
→ Adorn your altar with an Onyx bowl, to hold your magical items and crystals.
→ Pull a card from the Manifestation Card deck and place it in a card holder on your altar.
→ Prepare for an infusion of fresh energy by using a space-clearing spray around your altar.
→ Grab your Gemini Workbook and make space for more tips on how to set up your circle and set intentions for this New Moon.
→ Use a large crystal like Apophyllite to place on top of your intentions after you write them.
→ Leave your intentions on your altar for 30 days or until the next New Moon. Envision the crystal sending its energy out into the Universe to manifest.
Written with love by Jill Wintersteen
*Main Image by Rebecca Coursey Rugh