Spiritual Altars

What is an altar?

The word altar comes from the Latin term altare, which means “high”, as well as the Latin verb adolere, which means “to ritually burn or sacrifice”. An altar is a special space where you can spend time on your spiritual practice. Altars are often used for self care, prayer, a daily ritual, meditation, yoga, or manifestation. They can include everything from candles to crystals to photos to books, and beyond.

The most important part of an altar is the intention behind it. It should be strategically placed and designed specifically to help you feel more aligned with your own personal growth journey. The elements used in your altar can represent your connection to your spirituality or the divine.

You don’t have to be religious or spiritual to use an altar. In fact, an altar could be a completely secular fireplace mantle, a writing desk, or a focal point of a room with family photos.

An altar can even be as simple as a quiet area in your garden where you place crystals, stones, flowers, and trinkets on the earth.

Regardless of its location or decoration, a spiritual altar should feel calming, grounding, and inspiring. It is a place you go to quiet your mind and escape from the chaos of the outer world.

NOTE

Altars and their items are meant to be used as tools to assist you, not do the job for you. If you consistently rely on objects to do the job for you such as finding peace, focusing and cleansing, then you are stifling your spiritual growth because you are expecting the object to do the job that you have the power within you to do. The more you realize the power within, the more you may find yourself needing to conduct your rituals the less. This is because you are awakening your inner power and expanding your subconscious. You have the power within to raise your vibration, to cleanse yourself, to find peace and the like. Never short change yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Altars Used for?

Altars have been used for everything from holiday rituals to religious practices to honoring the dead.

Christian altars are most commonly a place for breaking bread and honoring Communion, whereas Pagan altars were used for spell casting.

Hindu altars are the primary place for daily worship, and they can be found in temples and homes. Buddhist altars are a place for daily prayer. They can also include tablets and memories of dead ancestors.

A spiritual altar can have a vast variety of uses and meanings for different people. They all share some form of spiritual energy that can be catered to specific beliefs and preferences.

Altars are a place where you can simply honor silence for 5-10 minutes at the end of the day. It could also be a safe space where you can write, paint, meditate, or do yoga.

7 Steps to Designing a Personal Altar for Your Spiritual Practice

There are no rules for creating an altar. This process is deeply spiritual and personal. It should be catered to your specific spiritual practice or personal development journey. There are a few things that can guide you on the right path toward building your own altar.

1. What is your altar’s purpose?

Intention is imperative to achieve spiritual growth. A conscious objective for your altar helps guide your journey toward a desired result. You can set your intention internally or write it down for more clarity, for example:

I am creating an altar that will act as a reminder for my daily 10 minute meditation practice.
This altar is where I will journal about my gratitude and manifestations every morning.
This altar is a safe space for me to exercise my creativity.
This altar is where I will honor my ancestors, spiritual mentor, or monumental people in my life.
I am building an altar to deepen my connection with God or the Universe.
I am crafting a space where I can find more self-love.

Decide where your altar will be most useful and what elements will be most beneficial to guide you on your desired path.

2. Where should you place an altar in your house?

The space where an altar is placed should feel peaceful, perhaps a quiet area of your home where you can go to be in solitude. It can also be outdoors if you prefer a more natural setting.

Altars can be oriented in a specific cardinal direction for certain beliefs. Some spiritual beliefs orient their altars westward toward the setting sun. Someone who has an altar with living plants or a specific affinity for light may want to face their altar southward for the most sunshine in their home.

If your altar is more communal, you may want to place it on your fireplace mantle or in the kitchen for everyone to access. However, if you want a place to escape, you may want your altar to be in a spare room or even a closet that is hidden from outside energies.

3. What will your altar be built of?

An altar should technically be elevated off the ground. You can use a shelf, nightstand, side table, mantle, or windowsill to get started. You can even hang a shelf specifically for use as a small altar when you don’t have much floor space. A cost efficient option is to buy a small table or bench from a local thrift store and cover it with a tapestry or altar cloth.

4. Gather sacred objects for spiritual rituals

An altar can be filled with anything you want. Once you have set an intention, found a space, and decided on a base, you’re ready to gather objects that mean the most to you. This is where you can get creative and sentimental. Some of the most common elements used on spiritual altars include:

Crystals
Images
Divination Tools
Aromas
Sacred earth elements
Light
Meditation Tools
Tools for Self Care
Other Objects for Your Belief System

5. Place objects based on your goals

Arrange elements on your altar to refer back to your intention and your spiritual practice. Decide the focal point of the altar.

Next, you’ll want to place your larger elements like geodes, candles, flower vases, and statues. It’s best to keep tall objects in the back. Then begin placing your small elements like crystals, feathers, and accessories. Lastly, you will want to ensure your altar is visually appealing to you. It can be changed around at any time depending on your progression and practices.

6. Meditate with your altar and use it in spiritual practices

Infuse your altar with positive energy. Every object on Earth carries a specific vibrational energy that may need to be realigned with your purpose. This is a process that is difficult to instruct. It requires going into your own heart with meditation, then reflecting on the deeper purpose and symbolism of the altar you’ve created. What ritual do you want to form around this sacred space? What does the altar represent in the scheme of your life? What type of spirit or energy do you wish to have when you leave the altar?

Many yogis have found they can come to their altar after a really stressful or chaotic day and leave feeling completely renewed. Writers and creatives find they can sit at their altar when they’re feeling blocked, then leave with renewed inspiration. Families or couples may even gather at a meditation altar after a conflict to help remind each other of their mutual respect and love in spite of misunderstandings.

7. Maintain your altar’s energy

Finally, it is important you keep your altar both physically and spiritually clean. Physically, this may mean dusting, wiping down, or otherwise cleaning the objects on a regular basis. This is a sign of respect for any higher powers or spiritual guides that you may be seeking to connect with.

Spiritual cleansing may involve sage smudging or palo santo to clear the energy of the space before and/or after use. You can also use the fire of a candle or the power of mantra chanting to cleanse the space of any negative energy that may have inadvertently been introduced. Some prefer to do this on a regular basis, while others prefer to clear the altar in sync with the new moon as a sign of new beginnings.

A Sacred Altar is Where You Connect with the Divine

A spiritual altar is a place to reflect on your life, your goals, and your spirit. This can be a huge step in your journey. You can always return to your altar for a sense of calm and groundedness. No altar is the same. Use your internal guide to create an altar that feels safe and motivational for you personally. There are no rules, and most importantly, there are no limits to the sacred connection you can build with your new altar space.