Like much of our work as priestesses, making an altar is a way of engaging the deep mind – the part of our psyche/soul which communicates with us through dreams and synchronicities. Making an altar is a way of literally making a space in our lives for our unfolding relationship with the Goddess, of letting our whole beings know that we are serious about this work.
To create your Goddess altar, find a place in your home where you can leave things undisturbed. Preferably make it somewhere that you can conveniently spend some quiet moments tending your altar and communing with the Goddess each day. If nowhere presents itself, perhaps you could find space on the wall to hang a small shrine or shelf.
Give the place a good clean and then place upon your altar some special things which will appeal to your senses and help attune your mind and body to the presence of the Goddess in your life. Possibilities to consider include: coloured cloth, candles, incense, flowers, shells, stones and other found items from the natural world, small offerings of food or drink, pictures, written affirmations, anything that speaks to you.
Investigate and gather/create images and symbols to awaken the priestess within. Use your intuition, keep your eyes and mind open for new ideas, maybe do a spot of research into ancient goddess images.
Many people like to have an icon of the Goddess on their altar, but it is not essential. There are now commercially produced goddess icons available in local shops and through the internet, or you may prefer to create your own using clay or other natural materials.
The four elements – earth, air, fire and water – are very useful foundation stones for a great deal of earth-centred/Goddess/pagan spirituality. You may like to have each of them represented on your altar.
Your altar space is an expression and a reflection of your unfolding relationship with the Goddess. It can be as simple or as lavish as you like, and is likely to change over time.
To increase the energy and effectiveness of your altar, you may wish to formally consecrate it. To consecrate means to make sacred. Ways to do this include: clearly affirming our intention aloud, ritually lighting candles and/or incense, making offerings of food or drink, sprinkling with blessed water, directing energy from our hands and hearts into the symbols on our altar, and most effectively and simply of all, by asking the Goddess to bless the altar and our intentions with Her beloved presence.
Resources:
Cycle 2 – Altars from Ariadne’s Thread by Shekinah Mountainwater pp42 to 63
The Twelve Wild Swans by Starhawk and Hilary Valentine pp63-65 (Guidance:Creating a home altar and Guidance: Working at the home altar)
© 2009 Catherine Ishara de Garis
