Bring The Magical To The Mundane: 5 Ways An Altar Can Change Your Home

Photo courtesy Kristen Bala

When you hear the word altar, what thoughts come to mind? For me, I recall the ornate marble structure that stood as a central focal point of our church growing up. It was a place that was pristine, holy and untouchable.

Now as a solitary witch, I think about altars in a completely different way. In fact, one day I realized I had them all over my house and didn’t even realize. There is the one behind the piano with candles and crystals. The one in my windowsill with plants and incense. And another one near the pantry with herbs, oils and a journal. Take a look around your house and see — I bet you have a few you didn’t even know you had.

An altar is a sacred place where you connect with the divine — whatever form that takes. It can be a place where you set things out that have special meaning. It’s where you reflect and honor important days such as holidays, moon cycles or sacred days of the year. What’s also special about an altar is it can help you transcend the mundane world and find that place where miracles happen.

Here are 5 ways an altar in your home can ignite those sparks of magic in the everyday ho-hum and beyond.

1) It opens the doorway for magic

Far from being like a chapter in a fantasy novel, an altar is about providing a sacred place for your intentions. If you are sitting around with baskets of dirty laundry, back-packs from school and piles of dishes, it’s unlikely you are going to feel very magical. From the moment you carve out that special place in your house for an altar, the work has already begun….in you!

2) You have a place to flex those creative juices

If I suggested you do a magical ritual on your bathroom floor you probably could, but would you want to? By creating a dedicated space for an altar, you are saying “Hey world, I want to invite some magic into my life, and here’s how I’m going to do it.” It can be as simple as lighting a candle, looking up at the moon and writing down a few wishes on some scrap pieces paper. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Magic is all about your intention, and an altar gets those wheels in motion.

3) It reminds you to be magical

Life can be mundane. Wake up, brush teeth, make breakfast, work, pay bills. It’s easy to get bogged down with routines. With a dedicated altar, you are continuously reminded to stop, reflect and invite magic into the everyday. It’s much easier to fly with a bottle of monarch butterfly wings on your altar!

4) It’s your place to be a little witchy

Whether you need a spot for your mini cauldron, a reminder to honor the summer solstice or favorite goddess — you’ve got a little place to do it. I like to place my altar in plain view where I can see it, but if you’ve got some judgey relatives over for the holidays, and your altar is small enough, you can move it wherever you need. Shimmied into the closet in under two minutes? Done.

5) It’s Fun!

During a time when the world feels upside down, who doesn’t need a little pick-me-up to keep things lively. An altar is a little haven where you can do whatever inspires you. Maybe you want to put out a mini disco ball, an intention to go roller skating this month, or a picture of you and your best friend in 9th grade. Whatever you place on your altar is a reminder to ignite something that is alive within you. It’s a place where you can “alter” your own sense of reality and transform it into something higher.

Photo courtesy Kristen Bala

Looking for ideas of things to place on your altar? Consider these:

• Items found in nature like feathers, acorns, sprig of herbs, shells
• Candles
• Bowl of salt for purification
• Incense, sage or palo santo
• Pictures of favorite goddesses or bodhisattvas
• Essential oil sprays
• Crystals
• Favorite items such as jewelry, tarot cards, pendulum
• Vase of fresh flowers
• Statues or figurines
• Moon calendar
• Journal or paper for intentions

Consider changing out the items on the new and full moons and according to the wheel of the year. This is another way an altar can keep you in tune with the cycles of nature. Enjoy!

Kristen Bala is an astrologer, writer and founder of The Deep End, an online sanctuary for wisdom and well-being. Learn more about Kristen and her work here.

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