Building An Altar
Building and tending an altar can be an effective way to bring the mind and heart into a routine that is a match for what the altar is intended to represent. This anchors the new energy into your physical space and into your mental, spiritual, and emotional space. Tending the altar becomes a meditation of sorts that can create new patterns for the brain to follow. Everything begins with a thought. The thought that gets the most attention wins. Going through the process of thinking about an intention, finding things that accurately represent what the intention is, and then creating a daily ritual that supports what that intention represents gives a lot of attention to the new thought or thoughts you are wanting to create and maintain.
There are some basic components to building an altar and then there is much freedom for creativity in how the altar is added to and tended. The first thing needed is space to build the altar. Second thing needed is a cloth or some thing that creates a perimeter, or designates the space for the altar. Third item - a candle set in the center. The rest of the altar items are for you to choose. The idea is that the altar looks like and carries the energy of what it is representing.
Create a ritual of tending to this altar that draws your focus to the thoughts and the feelings that you want to create and hold. Some examples of ritual components are:
There are some basic components to building an altar and then there is much freedom for creativity in how the altar is added to and tended. The first thing needed is space to build the altar. Second thing needed is a cloth or some thing that creates a perimeter, or designates the space for the altar. Third item - a candle set in the center. The rest of the altar items are for you to choose. The idea is that the altar looks like and carries the energy of what it is representing.
Create a ritual of tending to this altar that draws your focus to the thoughts and the feelings that you want to create and hold. Some examples of ritual components are:
- Saying good morning and good night to the altar. Waking the altar up and putting it to bed each night. This can be done by lighting the candle each morning and blowing it out each night.
- Spend time meditating on the altar pieces. Allow your senses, your mind, and your heart to be engaged by each piece.
- Move one or more pieces on the altar to other parts of the altar throughout the day. Return them all to their original places at night.
- Create or find a song to sing to the altar at certain points of the day.
- You can make this much more elaborate. Have fun with it. The more you put into the routine of the altar the more attention is put into creating your intention.
