At some point in your spiritual journey, you may be led to create an altar in your home and business.

Altars are great conduits of spiritual power and serve as a bridge between yourself and the spirit world. In fact, some of the most powerful altars are the ones that mirror their owner.

There are many different kinds of altars but today I will share with you 5 essentials that every altar should have.

The elements

Your altar is a representation of you.

Because you hold within you the elements of earth, fire, wind, and water, these elements should be present on your altar in some way.

Here are some simple examples of ways to make sure elements are represented on your altar:

Water || The emotional body. Place a fresh glass of water on your altar daily and/or place seashells
Fire || The mental body. Place a candle on your altar. I prefer white when starting out. Light the candle during prayers or rituals at your altar
Air || The spiritual body. Lighting incense at your altar can help clear the energy of the room as well as charging the area of your altar. A feather can also be placed on the altar to represent this element.
Earth || The physical body. Crystals or live plants are great representations of grounding, earth energy.

Ancestors

Ancestor veneration is a custom that's practiced in many cultures all over the world.

When a loved one passes over, the connection that we have with them does not end. In many circumstances it is that aunt or grandpa in the ancestor realm, watching over you, that shields you from the unseen negativity that can impact on your life.

You are an extension of them and when properly cared for your ancestors can become powerful allies in the spiritual world.

Here are some things that you can put on your altar to honor your ancestors:

Pictures of ancestors || Place your deceased ancestors’ pictures in small frames on your altar. If you don’t have a picture, obituaries, or a small memo book with their name, birth date/death date written down
Personal items || Their favorite perfume, a pocket watch they carried everywhere, etc, are perfect ways to honor and represent your loved one.
Offerings || I will touch more on this subject below but let’s keep in mind that our ancestors, albeit no longer here physically, still exist in other planes of reality. The energy of our offerings can help release their karma thus propelling them towards their ascension, which is the true goal of us all.

Deities

Gods and goddesses are your sources of Divine power. Through interfacing with them, you will begin to unlock their qualities within you which in turn increases the efficiency and overall power of your altar.

As you develop spiritually you will find that you gravitate towards a certain pantheon or deity.

Good ways of developing this budding relationship are by:

Doing Research || Gods and goddesses often appear in our life once we have shown our dedication to our spiritual journey. Sometimes, they will leave very subtle hints that prompt you to investigate. As you read and become familiar with their stories, you may start to realize how much you resonate with the qualities they possess. This further helps to solidify the bond between yourself and the deity.
Communicating with the Deity || Prayer and meditation are synonymous with talking and listening. Opening a dialogue with a divine being can be life-changing and bring clarity to your spiritual purpose.
Putting Statues on Your Altar || There are hundreds of gods and goddesses that are known and popular. I recommend only getting statues for ones you really resonate with. Remember, your altar is an extension of you. Putting a deity statue on your altar creates a link between you and that divine being. You want to be sure their qualities are ones that you want in your life.
Giving Offerings || Gods and goddesses do not require energy exchanges the way ancestors do. When we give offerings to deities it is a representation of our dedication to them and a way of thanking them for extending their power to us.

Offerings

As you build your altar it becomes a portal to the spiritual world. As you regularly interface with your altar, you begin building bridges with your ancestors and the divine world. To fuel these connections, we give offerings.

Offerings can be given anywhere, however, giving offerings at the portal of your altar allows the energy of it to pass more easily into the spiritual world.

Different kinds of offerings are:

Food and Beverage || A good place to start is by offering the favorite foods and drinks of your ancestors. I always keep a can of coke and Lorna Doone cookies for my grandparents on my altar. As you grow spiritually you will be directed as to what foods are most appropriate for your altar.
Ancestor Money || Joss paper is paper that is burned at your altar to clear the negative karma of your ancestors and the energetic debt that often times passes through a family lineage.
Gifts || Jewelry, gold, and other trinkets can be gifted to Gods and ancestors through the portal of the altar as a way of thanking them. Once given, these gifts no longer belong to you and will stay on your altar.

Cleanliness

Your altar is a spiritual bridge between you and the divine and as you continue to build it becomes like an extension of yourself.

As such it is important to keep your altar and the area around it clean. When it comes to things of the spirit, intention, and awareness lead to manifestation.

So my question to you is what are you manifesting?

By not regularly dusting your altar or letting food spoil upon your altar, you are sending a message to the spiritual world that you want matters to be left unattended and that you are welcoming decay in areas of your life.

There is a simple rule that works in the case of your altar--treat IT as you would want to be treated. You will be surprised at the changes that come simply by regularly attending to your altar.

Final thoughts

A well-cared-for altar can be a powerful addition to any spiritual practice.

Remember, if you are starting out, make it simple. My first altar was a candle, a fresh glass of water, and a few pictures of deceased relatives. It wasn’t elaborate but was powerful because of my consistency in making offerings and the heartfelt intention of using it to “upgrade” my ancestors no matter where their souls were residing.

I wish you nothing but success as you build your altars.