Household Shrines and Altars!

We’re officially into the holidays now! One of the things that makes me happiest about the season is my beautiful Christmas tree, which has sparkling unicorns, dragonflies, fairies, gnomes, elves, birds, and golden snowflakes. Some of these beautiful ornaments were gifted by friends and family, and some I bought myself. Each item carries with it a memory that makes me happy. This year, I finally put up a special “2016” ornament with a photo of our beloved kitty, Coco, who crossed over that Christmas. Now that the sorrow has eased up, I am grateful to honor her here on the tree each year.

In writing this, I realized that the Christmas tree itself is a household shrine/altar in a way, because it is a power-point of positive energy; a thing of beauty to behold that shifts your energy and raises your vibration when you take it in. It represents hope, joy, happy memories, and magical things.

Holidays aside, it is so very helpful to have a shrine or altar in your home year-round, because this sacred space can help you elevate your consciousness, ground a very powerful energy into your environment, and aid you on the path of spiritual growth.

On a recent writing/research trip to Italy, one thing that I remembered from school, and witnessed in the museums and ancient sites I visited, is that everyone back in ancient times had a household shrine. It was a very common thing. Back then they had shrines to the goddesses, too; goddess worship was HUGE! I also had the realization that Mother Mary ended up being a symbol that embodied the energy of all of the different goddesses….she symbolically adapted all the traits of the great goddess herself. Many of the churches I visited in Rome were built over ancient temples, and it was amazing to go in there and tune into the powerful goddess (turned into Mary) energy. In one church, which was built over an ancient temple of Isis, I really felt the most powerful, loving, tender and caring divine feminine energy. It was bigger than Mary. It was the energy of the eternal goddess. Talk about power centers!!

Back to a household altar or shrine; the very bookcase I sit in front of for all my videos is my altar of sorts. I have a statue of the Shiva Nataraja, the Buddha, and a beautiful golden angel, as well as an amethyst crystal and many spiritual books I like. When I place something on there that doesn’t go (i.e. a dirty coffee mug), it feels off. This is a sacred space that makes me feel focused and at peace.

Any place that you can think of can be an altar in your home. I have a little corner in the living room with sacred objects. I have friends who have big huge altars in their living rooms – I mean entire walls of altars – and others who just have one quiet section with something meaningful to hold the space.

If you’re looking for creative ways to play with your household shrine or altar, you can place a candle, a picture of someone you love who crossed over, an inspiring painting, or images of spiritual avatars on it. Having an image of someone that inspires you, a guru in India or someone from any particular pantheon you are drawn to, can serve to remind you of their grace and strength and can be very charging – powerful enough to effectively raise your vibration.

While candles are fun and relaxing, the candle on your shrine or altar has a special significance. As you light that flame, it is a symbolic gesture indicating that you are lighting your inner flame, a beautiful spiritual principal that is very symbolic and holy.

Other things you can place on your altar are images of, or items that belonged to, family members who have passed, who may now serve as as spirit guides or ancestral guides. You can have a feather to symbolize angel energy, or a container or vessel of water as an offering to your guides and unseen friends and angels who are helping you on your path. You can place a little flower on your altar as a gift to your guides and a token of gratitude. In certain religions, offerings of fruit, like oranges or pomegranates, and incense invoke the presence of high level guides. No altar would be complete without a crystal or stone or two. These precious gems from the earth charge up the energy and keep the vibration high.

You can also place at your shrine or altar anything you want to have blessed; jewelry, mala beads. rosaries, essential oils, etc. Certain oils also attract certain energies; rosemary, for example, is good for bringing in high level fairy energy – good vibes –  and for heightening your psychic energy as well.

Some people pray at their altars; others center themselves and meditate in front of them. When you focus your energy in such a way, you create a vortex of positivity.

So whether you already have a shrine or altar, or are looking to create a new one, I hope this info helps. I made a follow-up video to this with more information on working a shrine/altar that I will send out next week, so keep an eye out for it!

And remember, if there’s anything in your life that you would like assistance with, I’m here to help with readings, energy healings, on-demand meditations and my psychic development training program. So just reach out!