No matter what walk of life you hail from, altars have always been of use in spiritual practices and devotions throughout centuries. Although many people tie the word Altar to a pagan descent or ideology, it has actually been a staple in Christianity and many Eastern religions. Altars can be loosely defined as any place of prayer or meditation that is typically constructed in honor or gratitude of something or someone, whether physical or mythical. Altars are also a practical space one can go to sit with themselves, their teams, their departed loved one, and their God(s) or Deity(s) of choice. There is no limit to what you can do on or with your altar space. Many practitioners utilize this space for spell work, manifestations, candle magic, divination, mediation, and much more. Even though we say there is no limit, many will tell you there is a minimum requirement when constructing an altar.
The typical must haves are listed below:
A representation of Water (a cup or glass of cold water)
A representation of Air (a feather or Incense Smoke)
A representation of Fire (a Candle or incense)
A representation of Earth (shell, dirt, or flower)
One thing that falls in each category is a must because we want things to be represented and also balanced. When we think of a medicine wheel we want at least one thing in each category so that all 4 elements are equal. Now many people, depending upon beliefs, will tell you that Spirit uses the water in the glass as a conduit in order to communicate clearly with you. While many of a first nation background will tell you that the smoke brings you prayers and voice to the ears of the creator so they can be heard. Whatever you resonate with it is important that you balance all things and this includes your altars.
Now many people will tell you that you need statues and representations of your God(s) or Deity(s) that you choose to worship or build relationships with. While this is not a must, it does help to aid in clearer intentions and direction of devotion. I personally don’t use statues at the moment, but rather construct, create, or find trinkets and little things I use to represent each person or being I choose to honor on my altars. I have found that in my personal space many of the Spirits, Gods, and Deities I have had the pleasure of working with all appreciate full hearted intention and pure gratitude and love in place of items. A thank you goes a long way! But I would be lying if I said they didn’t all love a personally constructed herbal candle dedicated as a thank you to them.
Whether you have a smaller altar space that fits on one wall shelf or 2 large altars that you practice from daily, the thing you need to keep in mind is if you are going broke on your altar space you are missing the point. You are spirit in a vessel and getting close to spirit through the use of an altar, in turns, helps you to get closer and back to your truest self, SPIRIT. So remember, simple is okay and still very effective!
For those looking for a longer list on what to include in your altar, besides the bare minimum, here you go:
Altar mat (cloth or fur)
Candles (different size, herbal, or color representations)
Crystals (Rocks or stone)
Statues (of Gods or Deity likenesses, as well as other mythical creatures)
Shelves (to elevate or separate subspaces or separate deities or Gods)
Casting Materials (Runes or Bone or other divination tools to be blessed or cleared)
Divination Cards (Oracle or Tarot cards used as divination tools to be blessed or cleared)
Selenite Plate/Dish (Used to place crystals or necklaces/bracelets in to be blessed or cleared)
Selenite Wands (Placed on the right/left/top/bottom of your alter space to keep clean and clear)
Incense burning supplies (Cones or sticks and the bowl, boat, or holder to catch ash)
Abundance bowl (Constructed in order to manifest and bring abundance forward)
Books (Anything you may be currently reading or journaling)
Mirror (Blacked out or not)
Crystal Ball (used for divination/scrying always cover when not in use can be fire hazard)
Altar broom (Small hand broom used when cleaning altars)
Remember the sky's the limit here! So make it fun and be creative! Your altar doesn’t have to look like anybody else's! Incorporate your heritage and your family in some way as well. Whether it be pictures, ashes, or trinkets. It just promotes love and unity which is half the point of an altar space in their first place. Once you have your altar built, start sitting there for 5 minutes a day. Even if you don’t know what to do or say, that’s okay. Five minutes of silence in the present moment with your gratitude and love while sitting in front your altar will open us so many doors you never dreamed possible. It may be weird and awkward at first, but it will become second nature and you will end up creating a unique experience with your team that you grow and expand into something much more.
Anyone looking for some basic alter supplies, check out the link below: