Creating an altar for general magical practice is a very different process from creating an altar for working with specific spirits or deities. If we approach these two types of altars in the same way, we are going to end up confused and with a less effective workspace than we might otherwise like. The real difference here is the purpose behind the altar.
Many witches do not understand the real purpose of having an altar for their patron deity or for the spirits that they work with. They think of all altars serving essentially the same purpose. And while there’s no wrong way to make an altar and you can approach altars in this way, it doesn’t always have the most satisfying results. Altars become much more effective when you understand the underlying mechanisms and purpose behind why we create different altars in different ways. Today we are going to discuss the real differences between spirit or deity altars and more general altars, and how you can go about creating your own altar for spirit or deity work.
The Purpose Of The Altar
When asked what the purpose of a spirit-focused altar is, a lot of people will say that it’s to connect more deeply with the spirit or deity. Some will say it’s to make offerings, to give the spirit a place of importance in their home, and to remind them of the spirit frequently. While all of these things are true on some level, this is not the specific purpose of creating a spirit-focused altar. If you are creating your spirit-focused altar with only these things in mind, you are not going to be able to utilize this space as effectively as you should be able to.
Instead, the true purpose of creating a spirit-focused altar is to give you a focal point through which to connect yourself, through spirit and consciousness, to the spirit of your choice. Think about what I just said a little bit deeper. This type of altar is not about connecting with the spirit. It is about giving yourself a focal point to enhance your connection. This is an important distinction.
This altar is not about the spirit.
It is about you and what you need as the practitioner to create the strongest connection with them possible. This seems like a small detail, but it in fact is a massive mental shift that can change how you approach your altars entirely. Rather than approaching your altar as if it were a devotional act or something you were doing for your deity or spirit, it is something you are doing for yourself to allow you to connect more deeply with the spirit in question. The altar is for you, not for them. This means that every decision you make about your altar is not about what the spirit likes or doesn’t like, what they want, necessarily. It’s not about pleasing them. It is about finding a way to open the portal of your connection so that you can have a dedicated place to commune with them on a deeper level.
That is what these spirits actually want. And every suggestion they give you to connect with them on this level, whether it be offerings, incense, colors, statues, etc. All of these things are designed as keys to open that internal portal to connection. Think of your altar and everything that goes on it as a complex passcode to unlock the deeper spiritual capacity you have for connecting with this particular spirit or entity. Everything you add to your home altar should enhance your ability to connect. That is what we are going to be focusing on as we build a spirit work altar together today.
Making Your Altar
I’m not going to focus at all on discussing which spirits or deities you should be building altars for. I am assuming that you are reading this with some spirit or deity or collection of spirits in mind already, whether that be a pagan god or goddess, your ancestors, Goetic spirits, angels, or something else entirely. These steps will work no matter what spirits you are trying to connect with. If you don’t have a specific spirit or entity that you would like to work with right now, you are welcome to continue reading, but these steps will make far more sense and be far more applicable once you find a spiritual ally that you are ready to create a deeper connection with.
1. Choosing A Location
Before you begin building your altar, you have to know where your altar is going to be. For some of you, especially those of you dealing with limited space and flexibility, you will only have maybe one or two options for where to put your altar. You may need to create a very small altar or even a portable altar. If that’s the case, then don’t sweat it, put your personal altar wherever you can. It is better to have the altar even in an imperfect location than to not have the altar at all. Don’t be afraid to find creative ways to make your altar space work for you.
For those of you with more flexibility, you might want to look into the associated cardinal directions that your spirit is connected to. You might also consider the location within the home that best suits this deity and your work with them, such as placing the altar in the kitchen, in the office if your spirit work is business or money-focused, or in the bedroom.
Finally, consider how the location will affect your ability to connect with this spirit. Remember, your altar is all about enhancing your ability to connect with this entity. You may want to put your sacred altar space in your kitchen because your spirit is associated with the home and hearth but if the kitchen is an incredibly busy place where you’re going to be interrupted frequently by your spouse or children, then it may not be a great place to put your altar. If those kinds of interruptions don’t bother you and you’re happy to connect with your entity in a bustling environment, then that might work fine.
This is all about you and what you need to connect. If you need absolute silence and privacy, then put your altar somewhere that affords you that as much as possible. If the symbolic nature of the location matters more to you than having privacy then prioritize that. Place your altar in a location that will best allow you to connect with this entity. There is no wrong answer as long as you’re serving that goal.
2. Finding Your Effigy
Your next step is going to be to find an appropriate effigy, or perhaps even multiple effigies. Your effigy is an image or a statue that strongly draws to mind this spirit. It is one of the primary tools that we use to create this connection. Your effigy can be a painting, it can be a statue, it can be a symbol. Choose something that strongly evokes the feeling of this entity to you. When you look at it, it should make you feel closer to this entity on a visceral level.
Now, a lot of people will make the mistake of getting a very traditional-looking effigy because that is what they think they are supposed to do and if traditional imagery works well for you then, by all means, do that. But, if the traditional imagery that is available to you isn’t working for you or if it simply doesn’t resonate and connect the way that you want it to, search for an effigy that will really give you that sense of connection. Think deeply about how the energy of this spirit or deity feels to you. What do they make you feel? How do they behave? Are they the kind of entity you could see regally cast in marble? Are they chaotic and dark? Are they homey and comfortable? Their effigy should reflect the core pillars of your connection and how their energy presents to you.
Remember, we are using these things not to please the spirits themselves, but to help us connect more deeply by tapping into and using symbolism and energy. Find an effigy that feels personal and deeply powerful to you, and your altar will be considerably more effective.
3. Adding Evocative Objects & Symbols
The next step is to add additional symbols, objects, and sacred items to your altar. Now these objects can be both symbolic, in that they help you to tap into the felt sense of the spirit or entity, and they can be literal energetic tools to allow you to connect with them. As an example, you might associate Aphrodite with seashells and so you could place seashells on the altar as a symbol to bring her more strongly into your conscious mind. Alternatively, you might know that the goddess Hekate is associated with dandelions. And rather than you mentally connecting her with the idea of dandelions, you know that the energy of dandelions themselves helps to create a bridge between you and the goddess.
Many of the traditional items that are placed on our altars serve the purpose of creating this energetic bridge. Again, we are using our altar as a portal of connection by finding and using objects, herbs, and materia that help us to connect to these spirits. We are opening ourselves up for a much deeper spiritual experience of them. So look at what stones they are related to. What plants and herbs are they related to? What symbols, sigils, and seals are commonly used to call upon them? What animals are they associated with? You want to think about and use all of these elements to help you connect on a deeper level.
4. Candles & Offerings
Next, we want to think about candles and offerings. Candles are traditional, not only because the element of fire connects us deeply with the realm of energy and spirit, but also because they symbolize a kind of purity and safety on a deep, primal level. Fire has always been what sets humans apart from other animals. When we mastered fire, we elevated ourselves above the natural order, in some sense. So by utilizing fire on our altars, we are calling in that elevation of self, the striving for more that is inherent to the human spirit.
It does not matter what color candle you use. You can use colors that are associated with your spirit, like a red candle for Saint Expedite or a blue candle for Jupiter. If you want to keep it simple, you can use simple white or black candles. You can use a single candle or multiple candles. It does not matter. The presence of fire alone is an incredible amplifier in your practice.
Offerings and incense serve as amplifiers as well but in a different way. Offerings specifically help to open up a channel of reciprocity between ourselves and the spirit. Rather than simply asking and grasping for their energy, we are giving them something of ourselves, giving them something of our own energy to help open and initiate this connection. Your offerings do not need to be elaborate or expensive. If you can afford the time or money to make more elaborate offerings and you want to do so, then by all means, make those more elaborate offerings. But if you can’t, do not feel bad or like you’re letting your spirits down. The act of the offering is what is important. Making the gesture of offering something, of opening up that channel of reciprocity is what matters. Do what you can within your current limitations.
Remember, this is not about trying to please some extraordinarily finicky person. You are trying to open the spiritual channel to connect more deeply with the spirit. If you make an offering in the true spirit of reciprocity, not trying to offer as little as possible, not trying to shortchange them, or doing it only as an empty gesture, if you are truly making an offering in the spirit of generosity and reciprocity, then the offering will be received and it will help you to open the channels of connection with this spirit. If you can make offerings that are traditionally associated with the spirit that you are working with, that can help you both symbolically and energetically connect with them more deeply.
Find out what they like, what plants, foods, and drinks they have been traditionally offered, and do what you can to make those same offerings. This is in part about putting in the effort to get to know the spirit and to take their needs and desires into account, but it is also about tapping into the energetic current of the spirit. These offerings are associated with the spirit for a reason. They help to energetically connect you with the spirit by tapping into a current of energy that has been opened and utilized by countless practitioners before you. There is power in that. So if you can, make offerings that are thoughtful and personal to the spirit or deity that you are working with.
5. Working Your Altar
Finally, once your altar is made, it is time to actually begin working at that altar. Now this can take many, many forms. It can involve prayer, meditation, chanting, magical workings, deep breath work, intention setting, spiritual journey work, astral travel, pulling tarot cards, shadow work, studying, and many, many other practices. Your daily practice can be full of elaborate rituals and offerings and invocations, or it can be as simple as sitting down, stilling your mind, getting quiet, and just reaching out to connect with these spirits. Be open to experimenting with what helps you connect more deeply with your spirits or gods. Try different practices. Allow your altar work to evolve and grow with time. And know that as you work at this altar space, the presence of your spirits and the connection that you are building with them will strengthen over time.
An altar is not just a static thing that you are using to focus your mind. It is an energetic conduit that with repeated practice will amplify your connection to this spirit. The energy of your altar will grow and mature over time. The spirits you work with will imbue your effigy, the objects, and offerings on your altar, and this space as a whole with their energy to help you connect with them. A statue that has had years of devotion and practice poured into it is as powerful a magical object as you will find.
If at first, your altar is not creating fireworks of connection for you, that does not mean you have done it wrong. Even a simple altar can be incredibly powerful when worked with dedication. Building a relationship takes time. Building a connection takes time. So give yourself the time to do this work, to find the things that help you connect, to collect and imbue these objects and this location with the power and devotion that you are seeking. Let this be a part of your practice that evolves and grows as your connection to your spirit deepens.
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