A Home Altar: Creating a Sacred Personal Space

Claim a space. Can you locate a space in your home that is out of the way? Maybe even a corner that goes ignored? Your area may have a random sock and a dust ball collection. This might be the right place to start a home altar. Start small; you don't need an entire wall with ornate wood carvings and gold-plated statues. The goal is to find an area minus lots of foot traffic.

Find furniture. Look around and decide if you could repurpose a table, shelf, dresser, footstool, or ottoman to transform it into an altar. Show some flexibility and imagination. Find a workable outlier and tailor it to your space.

Objects with origin purpose. Altar items may include deities, symbols, crystals, rocks, texts, textiles, candles, plants, lamps, singing bowls, and incense. Organized religions specify the placement of deities or gurus at a certain height with the other objects—research how to uphold sanctity according to dogma.

Consider framing photographs of ancestors and loved ones to honor familial and cultural memory. The use of artifacts may serve as conduits of worship, remembrance, or channeling energies. Let the space celebrate individuality. You're collaborating with all sides of yourself to resonate peace and calm.