No matter where or with whom we live, we all need a sacred space in our homes. That one place where we can go that brings us peace and reminds us to release the stresses of the day. Creating this sacred place is as simple as having a quote or affirmation up on your fridge, an area to meditate or an altar where you can keep items and objects that reaffirm positive thinking into our world. The word “altar” gets a bad wrap because it’s usually associated with religion – when the purpose is simply to keep you focused on all good things that are available to you. I have an altar at home that I spend time meditating by – it’s the center of my sacred space. Every week or so, I rearrange the items that I keep there, almost to keep the energy clear. Everyone has their own style, but I wanted to share some ideas of that I use at home to make my altar a cozy and familiar place to bring me peace and centeredness when I need it most.
Crystals
I like to keep crystals all around my house. They’re beautiful to look at, wonderful to hold and just having them in my sacred space reminds me to stay grounded in all things. It’s like this little visual reminder to myself. Not to mention, it’s great to have them right there, so when I sit down to meditate I can just grab some in my hands to intensify my meditation. I always like to keep a selenite wand on my altar because it has incredible healing properties that clears energy blocks, keeping my space squeaky clean.
Candles, Icons & Affirmations
Sometimes just lighting a candle can be a great way to remind ourselves of something that we want to heal or change. So I always like to keep a candle on my altar, even if it’s just a votive. Lighting candles always brings me peace and reduces my anxiety when I’m feeling super anxious.
Many people like to keep some icon or photos of people or figures on their altar as a reminder to live life fully. My friend recently gave me a gift of a framed photo of Frida that I put up on Instagram, I immediately put it on my altar because it reminds me that the example of Frida’s life and the gift of friendship keeps me on the path of love rather than fear.
Affirmations are incredible. I’m always writing affirmations in my journal, dry erase boards, little notes here and there – so it’s just natural for me to put some affirmations on my altar because it almost acts as my vision board of what I want to manifest. Also, it’s a nice reminder when I am going into meditation and want to use a mantra that I feel connected to.
Incense, Sage & Palo Santo
Whenever I’m feeling down, uninspired, happy or relaxed, doing yoga or meditating, I love to burn an incense stick/cone or palo santo. It’s always a sure bet to put me in a calm mood, feeling good. Since my altar acts as the center of my sacred space, having sage ready and available for smudging is a must for me. If you’re not familiar with sage or palo santo, I wrote a little bit more about their uses in my guide to the 7 spiritual home essentials here.
Do you have an altar at home? What do you keep on it, I wanna know! I always like to know what is working well for you in your world.