Creating a sacred space can be as simple as claiming a space in your home that is just yours (like a nightstand, bookshelf, table, or even a hat box covered with a scarf). It can also include any number of items that bring you joy, raise your vibration, and align with your intentions.
Choose a Space
Altars are a beautiful way to store your crystals, candles and Tarot decks and can be as elaborate or simple in design as you wish. They are usually located in a private spot at home where they can be used for daily spiritual practice, meditation, creating manifestations or for gift-giving to your guides. This special area may be as small as a jar or drawer, a shelf or table or even an entire room. Ideally it is away from family members and pets so that the space can be used solely for your purposes. If you have had an astrological reading, you may want to consider the flying stars and auspicious directions when choosing your altar space.
Once you have chosen the location for your sacred space, clear it and arrange your items. If you are working with crystals on your altar, choose them based on their metaphysical properties and powers. It is helpful to keep them grouped together by their purpose, such as self-cleansing crystals in one container and grounding crystals in another.
It is also a good idea to lay down a protective cloth over the surface of your altar before using it to prevent any spilled incense or candle wax from damaging the surface. Lastly, it is important to keep your altar away from direct sunlight or rain to protect the objects from prolonged exposure as this can degrade them over time.
Once you have your sacred space set up, it is a great idea to create a ritual to perform each time you use it. This will help you to develop a habit and will support the ongoing benefits of your altar including feeling nourished, restored, calm, inspired, connected and grounded.
Set Your Intentions
As the name suggests, an altar is a place to display a collection of personal items and healing crystals. Altars are used for meditation, prayer and spiritual rituals. They can also serve as a way to honor someone or something that is special to you.
When setting up your sacred space, tune into your intention for the experience and how you want to feel during and after. This will help you find the right balance of elements to include on your altar, and ensure it supports your energy.
A great place to start is by choosing a crystal energy that aligns with your intention or ritual. For example, Rose Quartz is a beautiful stone for self-love and compassion, while Rhodonite and Sodalite can help amplify your feelings of love and self care.
You can then add any other objects that feel in alignment with your energy, such as candles for calming, herbs for smudging with sage or palo santo (be sure to keep them away from flammable surfaces), sea shells collected on holiday or a spiritual deity statue or image. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your design!
When you’ve finished, take a moment to meditate on the energies of your altar. This is a powerful practice that can help you feel grounded and centered.
If you’d like to further strengthen your intention, consider creating a simple grid with crystals such as Black Tourmaline and Amethyst for protection, Selenite for harmony and peace, Himalayan Pink Salt to cleanse, and Clear Quartz to enhance clarity. This is a wonderful way to set your intentions for the space, and will continue to amplify them each time you use it.
Cleanse the Space
Once your altar is set up and cleansed, you can use it to meditate, create crystal grids and perform earth magic ceremonies. Sacred spaces are powerful and they hold an energy that can affect the energy of the surrounding area. This is why you must be selective about where you place your altar–it should be in a location that is meaningful to you and aligns with your intentions.
Sacred spaces can be as small or large as you like and they don’t need to take up an entire room. A small table, a bookshelf or an area in your home that feels special is perfect for setting up an altar. You can also use a smudge bowl or a container filled with palo santo or sage to clear the space of any negative energies and invite fresh, positive vibes.
After clearing the space, you’ll need to decide what items you want to include on your altar. Many spiritualists find that having a balance of elements on an altar helps promote positivity. You can also add personal touches to your altar, such as flowers, a mirror, candles, incense or a framed quote. You may even choose to adorn your altar with a feather, which symbolizes spirit.
It’s a good idea to anoint your crystals once you’ve placed them on your altar. This will help them to retain their healing properties and will also bring a new, fresh energy to your ritual. You can anoint your crystals with pure essential oils, such as Black Tourmaline to protect and cleanse, selenite for harmony and peace or Himalayan Pink Salt to purify. You can even use jojoba or other massage oil to anoint your crystals.
Infuse Fresh Energy
If you’ve found that your spiritual practice feels flat, you may need to bring fresh energy into the space. This can be as simple as leaving offerings for your guides, or adding items to represent new intentions and energies. For instance, if your altar is devoted to divination, having tarot or oracle cards on hand can facilitate intuitive guidance and insight. Displaying uplifting words on your altar can also help you stay focused and energized throughout the day. The Large Range of crystals of Celestial Stones can be a good option if you want to buy more crystals.
Adding crystals to your altar can bring a new level of metaphysical energy and power. Choose the crystals that resonate with your intention. For example, self-cleansing crystals work well for clearing and recharging, while grounding crystals are great for grounding and connecting to the Earth’s energy. It’s important to keep your altar away from direct sunlight and rain to safeguard the crystals from prolonged exposure.
You can have as little or as many levels on your altar as you like. Traditionally, most spiritual altars have two levels that symbolize heaven and earth. However, it’s not uncommon to have more than two.
Whether your altar is a small table in the corner of your room or an entire room, it’s a powerful tool for facilitating a deeper connection with yourself and Source. The key ingredient is YOU. As you build your altar and connect with it daily, the experience will expand and grow with you. It’s okay if your altar changes or evolves, and it can even be a temporary set up, such as at a baby shower, yule tree, or birthday celebration. In fact, a lot of people create altars without even knowing it!
Swap in Complementary Objects
When you add new objects to your altar, they bring in their own vibrational frequency, which affects how you feel when you interact with them. It’s a good idea to keep your altar stocked with crystals, herbs and power objects that align well with your intentions. But don’t be afraid to mix it up! Whether you prefer to use your altar for meditation, crystal grids, or as an energy-enhancing focal point, you can make it look however you want.
The most important thing is to create a space that feels nourishing to you. If you aren’t comfortable seeing your altar, or if it brings up negative emotions, it won’t be a powerful tool for you. Instead, try to see it as an arena for your intentional work and consider how it can help you achieve your goals.
Many traditions suggest including objects that represent the five elements of life on your altar: flowers, crystals or stones for Earth, candles or fire for Air, shells or a glass of water from a natural source for Water, and feathers or incense for Spirit. Adding these objects to your altar can help you harmonize with the elements in your daily life and help you develop a deeper connection to Spirit.
Other items that you can add to your altar include spiritual texts (like your favorite poetry or mantras), a journal where you write your thoughts, or divination tools like tarot cards or a mala or Rosary beads. If you have a patron saint or deity you wish to honor, add their statue, photograph, or picture. The more you use your altar, the more it will evolve to match your needs and energies.