What is an altar or sacred space?
An altar is a space you create that becomes your sanctuary. Also known as a sacred space, you can retreat to it at any time. It is your safe space. It’s the place you can go to take a break from the stress of the day. It’s the place where you can have blissful moments of quiet alone time. It can be your designated meditation spot or where you practice yoga and do light stretching. You may sit at your altar to do some journaling and practice self-care rituals.
For pagans and wiccans, it becomes the place where we practice our magick and perform most of our spell-casting. For many, an altar or sacred space becomes a source of comfort and positive energy. No matter what life throws at you, or how terrible of a day you had, you know you can always take a minute to visit your sacred space and pause to reflect, unwind, and relax.
How do I create one & what can I decorate it with?
An altar or sacred space can be as simple as a drawer of a dresser, a window sill, table, or shelf. Mine is a small, cheap bookcase flipped on its side. I have an altar cloth to protect the surface from candle wax and other messes I make during rituals. You can find altar cloths in most metaphysical stores or online.
On top of my altar, I have candles; my favorite crystals, or ones I’m currently working with; a selenite wand; a firesafe cauldron; sage; palo santo; an abalone shell; and representations of the elements – a feather for air, candles and a lighter for fire, a chalice for water, and flowers and sea salt for earth. I use the bottom portion for storing my grimoire, extra tools, books and reference guides, as well as tarot and oracle cards.
You don’t have to buy a bunch of fancy things – a pen and notebook will work perfectly to begin. Finding pieces in nature like flowers, pinecones, and pebbles also make for a fun scavenger hunt and a creative way to dress up your altar without spending money. You can decorate with any plants or flowers you’re growing and nurture them to life. You may also find items right in your kitchen that you could use such as herbs and spices like lavender and bay leaves, certain fruits, and other botanicals. Thrift stores or dollar stores may have some great additions for your altar, too.
Some people choose to honor deities on their altar with statues or representations of them. Others choose to make shrines of loved ones who have passed or simply honor their ancestors by having a collection of photos, heirlooms, or items that belonged to them – especially ones that create a sense of connection, carry a heartfelt memory, or have a great significance.
A majority of wiccans decorate their altar to observe and honor each sabbat. For example, for the Samhain sabbat, which lands on Halloween, you could adorn your altar with: roses and brightly colored flowers (real or fake); sugar skulls; seasonal items like gourds, seeds, squash, and acorns; candles the color of autumn – deep red and orange; heirlooms or items that connect you to your ancestors; and the Earth and Moon tarot card. This is a great way to not only decorate your altar in unique ways and change it up often, but to also learn about each sabbat and discover how you can celebrate it.
I decorate my altar for each sabbat, and I also keep belongings from loved ones who have passed, as well as a moon phase calendar and some beautiful, magickal art hung on the wall behind it that I’ve collected over time.
How do I maintain my altar?
You can use Florida water or rose water to clean your sacred space by spraying it and wiping it down. Negative energy latches on to dust, so you want to make sure you’re keeping this space clean! To cleanse and rid your space of negative energy, you should burn sage, palo santo, mugwort, or another herb with cleansing properties, each time you sit at your altar.
Remember: your sacred space is just that – yours! Decorate it however you like and use it in any way you feel you drawn to. It should be a positive, inviting space that provides peace of mind whenever you step near it or into it. Visit your sacred space often, enjoy it, and use it as your place of love, stillness, and tranquility!
Triple Moon Leather Journal
$ 32.00
These old-world inspired leather journals contain handmade paper, making it perfect for writing down your intentions, spells, dreams, and thoughts. The cover is engraved with the triple moon symbol, representing the Goddess; the maiden, mother and crone. Measures 6x8 inches, stone color… read more
