In my time working at a metaphysical shop, I came into contact with many customers unsure of how to put together their first altar. Altars are a spiritual space in which you can honor your loved ones who have passed or deities you may worship; they can also be a space of meditation, a place to leave offerings, do spellwork, and more!
Building an altar may take some time, and it’s important to remember that every altar is unique! Whether you only have space for a small altar in your closet or a corner of your bedroom, or you face no limit to how big your altar can be, the size of this space isn’t what really matters, but rather what you fill it with.
Some people may choose to have an altar up for certain times of the year. For those who celebrate Dia de Los Muertos, November 1st and 2nd may be the time an altar goes up. For those who celebrate the Wheel of the Year, an altar may only be put up for holidays like Samhain and Yule. For others, an altar may stay up all year, shifting in appearance with the seasons. The time that your altar stays up may vary, and that’s okay! This is a very personal space, so it should operate in the way that best suits you, your schedule, and your needs.
No matter the time of year you decide to start building your altar, there are some basic, key items you can gather to begin. For starters, if you are someone who wants to use their altar to honor, connect with, or worship a deity or passed loved one, you might want to have physical representations of these figures. This can be pictures of your loved ones, or perhaps something they owned, or an item that is representative of them. The same can be done for deities, and if you’re willing to put in the money or have the money to spare, you could even incorporate a statue or work of art of your deity of choice. If you want to honor deities via your altar, but don’t know which deity to honor, research as many of them as you can. Are there any that particularly resonate with you or themes in your life? For example, my astrological birth chart is heavily ruled by the planet Venus, so I choose to honor Aphrodite on my altar. I do this with a statue I purchased of her, roses, and will leave offerings of dark chocolate when I can. I’m also hoping to incorporate seashells into my altar to accompany pieces of rose quartz, both symbolic of Aphrodite.
This brings us to the next basic altar item: pieces or symbols of nature. For many people, this means flowers or crystals. Crystals are an easy way to honor specific deities, or perhaps a birth stone to honor a lost relative. These stones are also an easy way to bring change into your life. Black tourmaline is great for protection, rose quartz for self love, and amethyst for calming your anxieties. The altar serves as a great place for storage of stones, charging stones, or clearing them. If stones aren’t your jam, herbs, flowers, or other plants can bring in various energies, as well as life to your altar and space.
Your altar can also be filled with candles or incense. These candles can be in memoriam for someone, to honor a deity, to charge your space with energy, prayer and manifestation, or even spellwork. This is also a great way to clear your space or bring in scents you love! These candles can also be specific colors to bring in or honor various things: pink candles for love or in honor of Aphrodite, black candles for protection, white candles for clearing energy or to help a loved one move on.
An altar can be filled with whatever items bring you spiritual peace and happiness. My altar serves as a home base to return to for spellwork, honoring my relatives who have passed, and as a space I can meet with spiritual guides. Your altar can be all of these things and more, none of these things, or something that falls in between. If you’re in the process of putting together your first altar, remember to start with just one thing so as to not get overwhelmed, and remember to not compare your altar to others. Because an altar is personal, as you begin the process of building it, you’ll intuitively know what’s best for yours.