An alter can be as simple as a coffee table, fire place hearth, or stereo speaker.  Many adorn their sacred place with items that relate to their spirituality and gratefulness.  An alter marks a special spot all your own, in your home or out doors, that helps to create an atmosphere of calm within.  Prayer and meditation seem natural and comfortable.

It is important to know that the best place to have an alter is within yourself.  Sacred space is a mental state of being in which you talk to God, your Angels, or a higher power.  Atheist’s too, need inner peace, regardless of spiritual belief.  This peace within yourself would be your “inner alter.”

    Christians use alters for performing Baptisms and Communion, Buddhists use alters to meditate before and to burn incense.  Pagans cast ceremony ritual.

 An alter can be adorned with fresh flowers, favorite stones, and items that are precious.  This helps to create a magical feeling of calm and peace within.  Window seats can make wonderful alters.

·        The point of the home alter is that  a deep breath and gratefulness stir the heart..

·        A home alter is apart from the mundane, every day, life of your household.

·        Coffee tables make wonderful alters, and if they have a drawer all the better.

·        Your home alter can be placed in your dining room, spare bedroom, anywhere you can visualize it surrounded by light and sacred space.

ALTER TIPS FOR SPACE FRIENDLY SHARING

        To achieve maximum peaceful space, choose a spot for your alter where it can remain undisturbed. .

EXPECT QUESTIONS IF YOU GET THEATRICAL

·        Remember the more  theatrical you get with the love of massive candlesticks, linen altar cloths, loads of crystals, images of the Goddess, crucifixions of Jesus, it's going to be harder to hide or explain to visiting friends or family..

·        whatever is used for an alter, a coffee table, stereo speaker, plant stand or crate, you may consider smudging your sacred space with sage time to time.  This Native American purification herb acts as a way to freshen and clean the energy around your alter.   Purifying with sage also acts as a mental "closet cleaning"   to sweep out old stress and negative thoughts.

In a busy fractured life it is always welcome to have a spot of our own, in which we spend 10 to 20 minutes to regroup and start fresh.

Searching for books on Home Alters I found this one: