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This year has certainly been one crazy year, am I right?
My anxiety specifically, this year, as a new wife, brand new mother, postpartum woman & Black & female entrepreneur, had reached an all-time high. Since becoming a mother, however, I've become so much deeply in tune with my body and my mental & spiritual needs, my spiritual practice, as a result deepened. This really helped me intentionally return to Center and invoke a sense of stillness and calm amid unprecedented times of chaos and a national sense of uncertainty. I knew that in our new space (my husband and I purchased our first home in June 2020), I wanted a physical area where I could go to sit, reflect, commune with Spirit & the Ancestors and rid my body of the anxiety that’d been plaguing my mind, body and spirit for months. Given how much energy was being exhausted during the day, I was intention about curing a place in our home where I could simply refill my cup.
That’s when I decided to create my home alter.
In this post, I want to simply provide authentic suggestions as to what you should consider if you decide that you too want a home alter. By no means am I telling you that you must have one or that your spiritual practice requires one; rather, I felt compelled to share about the space I’ve created that has really assisted me in navigating some unchartered waters of heightened anxiety, stress & low-vibration moods. I invite you to consider creating a similar space in your home where you can release, reflect, and be intentional about the manifestations that you seek in your life. If you’re still reading this and I haven’t run you off with the concept of a “home alter,” continue on and make a mental/physical note of a few must-haves for any alter.
Still here? Fab!
Let’s get into it…
1. Incense
In the blog post about 5 Tips for Cleansing the Energy, I talked a bit about my love for incense as it has been used for centuries by people all over the world to cleanse the energy in a space and to connect oneself with the ancestral realm.
When you’re setting intentions as part of your spiritual practice and/or during a particular moon, it’s always nice to burn incense to calm the mind, focus your energy on your ritual or spiritual practice, cleanse the space of any lingering low-vibrational energy and set intentions with a clear mind, body and spirit.
2. Herbs
Dried herbs are also very important to cleansing and purifying the energy in your space, especially your alter. Internationally used for centuries, dried herbs leave your space feeling and smelling fresh, clean and energetically balanced. Check out this really cool infographic for a better understanding of which dried herbs are best for which intention.
Shop dried herbs with SoulfulVibesCo.com
3. Crystals
Although it’s recommended to have crystals all over your home, you definitely want to have a few crystals on your alter to maintain an energetic balance and place of peace and centeredness. The crystals that I have on my alter are the following:
Shop tumbled crystals at SoulfulVibesCo.com
4. Florida Water
One of the “alter basics”, Florida Water is also used to cleanse and purify any space in which it is used. Many mix Florida Water into their cleaning solutions to ensure that their space is both physically and energetically cleansed. Florida Water has a mild, yet refreshing scent and can also be used in oil diffusers or spray bottles with essential oils to create powerfully cleansing room/pillow sprays.
When used to cleanse an alter, I recommend diluting the water with distilled water & using a few drops of Lavender essential oil and Eucalyptus EO and spray your mix a few times around the alter before you proceed with your ritual/meditation. The spray dispels all negative energy, invokes a state of balance and prepares the mind for meditation and/or setting intentions.
Shop Florida Water with Cynthia Roy HERE
5. Candles
Candles are commonly used for their rich aromas, making anywhere they are lit a little cozier and calmer. Similarly when lit on an alter, candles invoke a stillness and a calm, similar to that of incense and dried herbs, that can ease the mind, body and spirit in preparation for meditation or a spiritual ritual.
Did you know that different candles align with different intentions & manifestations?
Check out the infographic to the left.
Also, my girl Cynthia @justcynroy hand-makes crystal & herbal-infused candles that are perfect for New/Full Moon rituals and daily meditation. These candles have different crystal/herbal infusions specific for purposes to help you better and more clearly visualize what exactly it is that you want to release and attract to your Self.
Click on the image to shop her candle collections!
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In a nutshell:
Use your alter to find peace in a world of particularly chaotic energy right now..
Use your alter at every New/Full/Supermoon to harness some of that lunar energy to set your intentions from an energetically-balanced & purified space.
Go to your alter right after an argument or when you experience low-vibrational moods like anger, fear, stress, anxiety and depression and release these heavy emotions while in communion with Spirit, the Ancestors and the Cosmos.
Spend time at your alter to journal, to meditate, to reflect, to release and to access higher vibrational frequencies.
Customize it to your specific needs considering whether you want an ancestral alter, one of energy cleansing & balancing with the cosmic help of crystals & dried sage, or a little of both!
Sending love and light!
Always, if you have questions, comment below and I’ll get right back to ya!