Altar Magic
“If your altar is not active, your voice will not be strong”
A modern altar is a beautifully pieced together space, usually on a table or a shelf. This space holds things like divination tools, crystals, candles, special memorabilia, photos, flowers, statuettes, and much more. Altars are used for any kind of spiritual work like manifestation, healing, reading tarot, charging crystals, setting intentions, rituals, and meditation. Altars allow us to hold a space for powerful energies that we can use to assist us with our spiritual work, elevating us towards our sacred purpose. Using an altar in my own practice has greatly amplified the effectiveness of my own rituals and readings! In this post I’m going to share how to create an altar, what you can use it for, and how to energize it!
Creating Your Altar
Altar Cloths
At the base of your altar is your altar cloth. This is a special cloth that you’re going to lay all of your altar items on top of. Depending on what you’d like for your altar you can use a simple piece of fabric or purchase a cloth that has sacred symbols or designs. Using a cloth that has sacred geometry, symbols, the moon phases, astrological signs, etc, brings in the energies of that symbolism. This can be a very powerful tool in itself as it can be crafted into a crystal grid simply by adding your crystals to the design. On my own cloth I have Metatron’s Cube. This symbol brings in the angelic energies and principles of Archangel Metatron, which is very useful for me because of the type of spiritual work I do. It brings divine connection, healing, chakra alignment, and helps to raise my vibration. So every person’s altar is going to be very personal to their own interests and it will cater to the type of spiritual work they do! I highly recommend researching sacred symbols and finding one that speaks to you! Below are some examples of sacred symbolism!
The Four Elements
The four elements are Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. The energies of the elements can be honored in various ways and I highly recommend having them as part of your altar. Having gratitude for each element and honoring them allows us to bring in these gifts and use them for our spiritual practices. Everything on earth is possible because of the balance of these elements, so it it is important to balance these elements within ourselves. Adding these elements to our altars can help us to achieve this balance!
Fire
Water
Water Energies
Honor Using:
Chalice of Water
Seashells & Sand
Intuition
Emotions
Healing
Peace
Earth
Earth Energies
Honor Using:
Plants and Flowers
Coins or Pentacles
Grounding
Stability
Abundance
Fertility
Air
Altar Pieces
Statuettes
Statuettes are a great way to honor and harness the energies of gods, goddesses, ascended masters, angels, etc. Whomever it is you call upon, add them to your altar for support & as a symbol of honor and respect. My own altar has a candle of the divine masculine, and a quartz angel to resemble those energies.
Candles & Incense
Candles and incense are necessities when it comes to altars. Candles are part of activating the altar, once the candle is lit the altar is active. They bring the energy of transformation and purification. Candles are at the base of various spiritual practices all around the globe! Incense clear away any unwanted energies as they burn while bringing a pleasant aroma to your practice.
Crystals
Cleansing Bundle
Divination Tools
Crystals are a powerful addition to any altar, offering unique properties and energies that can aid in your spiritual practice. Different crystals have varying properties, such as promoting healing, providing protection, and enhancing intuition. By placing crystals on your altar, you can harness their energy and benefit from their vibrations. You can choose crystals that resonate with you, or ones that correspond to a particular intention or goal.
A cleansing bundle is a collection of herbs or plants that can be burned to cleanse the space and clear away negative energies. Sage, palo santo, and sweetgrass are popular choices for cleansing bundles, but you can also create your own bundle with herbs that resonate with you. Burning a cleansing bundle on your altar before beginning your practice can help create a sacred and energetically clear space for your spiritual work.
Divination tools such as tarot cards, oracle cards, and runes can be powerful additions to your altar. These tools can help you tap into your intuition, gain insight and guidance, and connect with your higher self. By keeping your divination tools on your altar, you are infusing them with your intention and making them a part of your sacred space. When you're ready to use them, you can pull a card or rune to receive guidance or clarity on a particular question or situation.