How (and Why) to Create a Home Altar

You might already have altars around your home without even knowing it. Collections of photos of loved ones, past and present, flowers, candles, mementos gathered and displayed together on mantels, bookshelves and side tables could all be informal altars. Any special item in your home, intentionally displayed, that gives you a moment of reflection and connection could serve as an altar. 

I grew up in a pretty conservative flavor of Christianity. We had an altar at the front of the church, (I think?), and it’s taken me quite a long time to feel comfortable using the words altar and ritual to describe anything I do or have. I think it’s because, due to that upbringing, I had come to associate rituals and altars with ritual sacrifice, either in the form of animal or human (in the case of Abraham and one of his sons.) But in the past few years, I’ve begun to embrace rituals and altars and how they complement my spiritual practice. When I feel queasy about using the term altar to describe my altar, I call it my meditation station. Feel free to use that term if it makes you more comfortable. 

Let’s start with WHY a person might create a home altar and then you can decide if it’s even something you’re interested in! 

I use my altar as a way to bring sacredness into my ordinary life. For me, it’s a reminder that I’m not in this alone. That I’ve got the support of my ancestors, the plants and animals, the earth and sky, and the great mystery as I go about my day. It’s a reminder to take time out for connection with something bigger than myself, even if it’s just for a couple of moments. 

But here is my big why: we are facing epidemic levels of loneliness and division. I know this is very prevalent in the country I live in, the US, but I don’t doubt it’s an issue in other parts of the world as well. I’m afraid that when we threw out religion, we tossed connection to Spirit as well. I’m on a mission to help people, especially those who aren’t active participants in a faith tradition, to reconnect to their spirit. 

When we intentionally create a space in our homes with the purpose of connection, we are taking a step towards community and collective healing. We are taking a step towards open hearts and open minds.

Where to put the altar

My altar is in a space that I see throughout the day, but many people prefer to keep their altars in a private space. Different spiritual traditions have suggestions on altar placement and the cardinal directions. If you are a part of a tradition and you want to follow their rules, it should be easy to find their suggestions. Once you decide how you plan to use your altar, it may be easier to decide where to place it. But keep in mind: you should put it where you are most likely to enjoy it and interact with it. Maybe it’s a shelf in the bathroom that you will look at while you brush your teeth. Maybe it’s on your side table so that you can pray or meditate with it first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Maybe it’s in a little case that you keep closed unless you are intentionally spending time with it.

How to create the altar

First you will want to decide what you plan to do at your altar. Some folks create altars for their ancestors who have passed. They would include photos and mementos of those who have passed and maybe some of their ancestors’ favorite foods and drinks. A few years ago I created an altar for remembering my dad. I kept it out for one month. I had pictures of my dad and me with my dad, gifts he had given me, and a small plate of coffee beans, because he had loved coffee. (In retrospect, I should have included a cigarette, too!) When I sat at this altar, I just thought about my dad. We had a complicated relationship when he was alive, and spending a few minutes each day reminiscing about him helped me to reconnect with him and feel his loving support. 

Sometimes people create temporary altars for a project they are working on. When I committed to a writing project, I added things to my altar that would support me, including pictures of my paternal grandmother who was a writer, a crow feather to remind me to use my voice and a pen that my dad had given me. This altar helped remind me that I had made a commitment to myself and I could feel my ancestors and nature cheering me on. 

But most often, people just want an altar to sit and pray, meditate, think or journal near. I encourage you to set your altar up however you want. I don’t subscribe to rules around altars, but there are plenty of rules out there if you want them! Here are a couple of guides that people often use when choosing things to place on their altar. Feel free to add anything else that is important to you. You don’t need to spend ANY money to create an altar. 

5 Senses Altar

If you are arranging a 5 senses altar, you want to choose things that engage your senses. Here are some ideas to get your imagination flowing. 

Sight: photos, flowers, sacred words, symbols or images to gaze at.

Sound: a bell or singing bowl to ring or a drum nearby to play.

Smell: a scented candle, flowers, herbs, a smudge stick or essential oils.

Touch: something you might want to touch like a smooth rock, a crystal, a feather, or a favorite piece of fabric. Or maybe you bring the sensation of touch in by choosing a cozy blanket or scarf to wrap around you. 

Taste: a cup of tea or coffee that you sip while you sit at your altar, a mint to suck on or a bit of chocolate.

5 Elements Altar

Even more common is an altar that includes the 5 elements: earth, water, fire, air, ether/space*. When we bring the 5 elements into our altar, we are reminded that we are made up of the exact same things as the universe. 

*These are the 5 elements according to Yoga & Ayurveda. The 5 elements according to Traditional Chinese Medicine are fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. 

Earth: a plant, a handful of soil, a rock, flowers…anything that symbolizes earth to you.

Water: a vessel or bowl with water in it. Maybe it’s water from a special river, lake or ocean, collected rainwater, or just some good old tap water. (How lucky are we to turn a tap on in our houses and have potable water come out??)

Fire: lit candle, incense or smudge stick.

Air: a feather, lit incense, or attention to your own breath.

Ether/space: a bell, awareness of stillness & silence

The most important item for your altar is your own presence. If you create a beautiful altar but then never spend time with it, then, at best, it’s just decoration. I encourage you to decide when you will spend time with your altar and what you will do there. Allow it to be a treat in your day to spend time connecting to yourself and your Self. To connect with your ancestors, with nature, and with the universe.

If this topic sparks your interest, you may enjoy my January 1, 2024 online class: A Collective Ritual for Hope in the New Year.