A home altar, a sacred space to connect within, can be such an important addition to your home. It’s a place where you can honor those who are important to you, whisper an intention into the world at the start of your day or perform a sacred ritual.
My personal home altar is this old desk my mother used to do her homework on when she was little. The crystal wand I made myself from a stick I found in my garden in Australia (back when I called this place home), there is one crystal for every chakra and the tip is made of herkimer diamond.
Your altar can be anywhere, but preferably in a place you often find yourself, serving as a reminder to find connection throughout your day. You can set up your altar on a cabinet, a table, a little stool or even in your windowsill. Really, do not let lack of a place to set up hold you back and just begin with what you have in your house right now. Of course you can use any material you feel intuitively drawn to, but you can keep your zodiac sign in mind when creating your altar as well. If you are born under a fire (Aries, Leo or Sagittarius) or earth (Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo) element, an altar created from wood connects you to your element. Water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) and Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) elements can use any kind of cloth, a purple cloth, for instance, is used for spiritual fulfillment.
The four elements represented on my altar; an acorn for earth, a candle for fire, a feather for air and a seashell for water.
By having the four elements present on your altar you call in all energies of the earth, creating a balanced space.
Water – For movement, intuition, and fertility. Represented by water in a bowl or a seashell.
Fire – For passion, life-force, and transformation. Represented by candles, charcoal or incense.
Earth – For grounding, steadiness, and rest. Represented by sand, salt, an acorn, pine, stone, wood or flowers.
Air – For spirituality, freedom, and communication. Represented by feathers, incense or a burning candle
My altar has a lot of feathers, representing the element air, as this is my missing element in my natal chart (in astrology).
A Thai Buddhist amulet, or votive tablet, hangs from my altar.
There are many symbolic items you can have present on your altar. Think of a picture of a loved one, a souvenir from your travels, family jewelry or inspiring artworks. Anything that brings meaning to your life can be present on your altar, anything representing something you want to keep a connection to.
A rosequartz crystal grid sits at the foundation of my altar, inviting in unconditional love.
Some common symbolic items:
Feathers – These gifts from the sky will entice angels to come visit us, invoking angelic energy. They can also represent the spiritual meaning of the bird they originated from.
Ganesha – Symbolises wisdom and protection of travelers.
A bowl of water – Helps you move through difficult emotions
Crystals – In whatever flavor you’d like, there’s one for every need.
A bowl of basil – Supports fertility when you’re looking to get pregnant.
Hamsa hand – For protection
Candles – you can write down a wish or intention on the side of a candle and let it burn, with the flames traveling up into the ether ready to be received by the universe. A candle can also be used to commemorate someone you’ve lost, bringing strength and support. It is possible to use coloured candles to represent specific themes. Pink, for instance, is for love, green for wealth, and silver for pregnancy and motherhood. A white candle is neutral and always a good choice, representing purity and peace.
The prayer statue in the middle is filled with little gemstones I received from a palmreader in Australia, to protect me on my travels. The celestine sphere at the top helps connect to the divine realms and it is surrounded by little buddha figurines I received as gifts over the years (as you are always only supposed to be gifted buddhas).
Always remember that the power of an altar doesn’t lie in its symbols, it’s rather the intention you bring to it, the intention you carry forth from your heart. Your altar is a place you can come to every day, bringing mindfulness into your life. Don’t get stuck in the precise symbolic meaning of every little thing, and just let it be a space where you can come to connect within.
Enjoy creating this sacred space in your home! And don’t forget to share your results with me, I’d love to check them out!
With love,
Caressa
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