Souped up Sacred Spaces and Altars
First off, what is an altar?
An altar, to me, is a place where I can worship, do magic, meditate, allow myself to be spiritually comfortable, and where I can write in my Grimoire. There is so much potential for altar’s; they can be big, small, minimalist, grand. They can be in a backpack or on a tabletop or in a window sill. There’s so much potential when it comes to altars and that’s part of what makes them so fun.
Now that you know what an altar is, what can you do if you’re feeling stuck?
Take your altar down to the BARE BONES. Find anywhere between one and five items you feel are “vital” for your altar and try working with a space that’s very much minimalist.
Find a few items; crystals, jewelry, packs of herbs; whatever you like. And carry them around with you. Have an altar in your pocket with these items (I recommend putting them in a little reusable bag so they don’t fall out and get lost)
Instead of rearranging the stuff you’ve already got on there, rip everything off and start off fresh. Clearing the space off entirely and wiping it down is a good way to start over from the bare basics
What is this altar dedicated to? Is this an altar for a deity or for yourself? For the elements or earth in general? Finding a purpose in your altar helps with putting it together and feeling comfortable in the space
What do I actually plan to do here? Is it going to be a spot for meditation? For ritual work? For research? For all of the above? Make sure you have enough space to work depending on the purpose of the altar and your intentions for it
Dedicate an altar to you and your own energy. It can be an incredibly good way to implement some self care in your work. I always have my altar dedicated to me with my deities having very small parts on it. It’s very important to me that my magic and energy are my main tools in my craft
Make a travel altar! Find an altoids tin and decorate it, filling it with a few small items and taking that around with you or putting it under your bed.\
Make a painting, drawing, or write a poem to place on your altar. Flex your creative muscles! It doesn’t need to be perfect, magic oftentimes isn’t. Just do something you enjoy and find a way to implement it into your altar!
Don’t buy things! I want you to go outside, go for as long a walk as you want, and find things! Look on the side of the road, in the dirt, on the sidewalk. Find something you feel drawn to or you like and, as long as it’s not attached to a tree or animal (don’t pull branches off, don’t pick flowers, don’t take rocks from insects who are using them for shelter etc.) and take it to your altar. Find a spot for it and welcome it to the family. I’ve gotten many sticks, rocks, and a pinecone doing this.
Go ahead and buy stuff. I know I just said not to but there are times when spoiling yourself a bit is ok. Is there a candle holder you’ve been eyeballing? Maybe a crystal at a nearby shop you’ve had a craving for? Go get it (if you can). Witchcraft and sacred spaces isn’t about denying yourself, it’s about finding the things you think are important and sacred and using them. Don’t feel the need to be ashamed for splurging on occasion.
Show up. Be there as often as you can. There’s no point in having such a beautiful and amazing altar if you’re never there. Even if it’s just a few minutes a day; light a candle or just sit there. You don’t need to do a big fancy ritual everytime you’re at your altar, just sitting there can be relaxing and helpful.
And finally, step away. Sometime some of the worst things that I’ve done for my altar was worrying about it too much. Take some time away from it. Perhaps take it down completely for a few days while you clear your head and decide what you want from it.
Hello there darlings! I’ve recently been feeling kind of off about my altar so I thought I’d write up this little list of tips I’ve been giving myself for months while I make and re-make my altar. There are so many different ways an altar can be arranged or figured out and it’s amazing, so take my tips just as they are. Tips. If some of these things don’t work out for you, don’t do them.
Your sacred space is yours, make it so.
prguitarman
origamiaround
romaincrisis
