How To Make An Altar
Making altars grounds me. My shamanic Mesa (essentially a portable altar not in this picture) is wrapped in the material from a baby pillow that the hospital gave my mum and dad because I came a month early and there was no mattress in the bassinet. I chose this material because in my shamanic training my teacher taught me that the shamans of Peru who knew they were shamans from a young age would wrap their altar in their baby blanket, representing the transition from the biological mother to The Mother and how The Mother now holds them.
This is how I feel when I create an altar, which to me is essentially an area of devotion and a place for the soul. An external representation of the inner temple that resides within. A place to feed, listen to and honour our prayers and soul. It brings me so much comfort and creating it ritualistically allows me to step into the space of the soul. To quite literally create an altered space of being.
How to make an Altar:
1: Choose a place for your altar.
Size does not matter, intention does. If you live with others and it’s hard to find personal space, you can use a window sill or even a portable altar by your bedside table.
2: Create your altar
Choose sacred items to create your altar that make you feel connected to your soul. There are no rules, just choose whatever makes your soul feel good. This could be a candle, prayer card, statue, incense, books, flowers, anything that makes your heart open.
3: Tend to your altar
Your altar is a place where you can go to pray, meditate, ask for support and set your intentions for the day. It is an altered space – meaning, it has the power to shift you into the space of the soul. You can think of it as a physical anchor. A resting space for your soul. You might want to create a daily ritual where you light a candle, meditate or say a sort prayer. Don’t overthink it; just go with what feels good.
If you enjoy creating beautiful, devotional spaces and doing spiritual practice, you may wish to join my Rise Sister Rise Membership. You can learn more about it here.
