about yourself, how you perceive things, and what
symbols and objects mean to you.Placing an Altar
What do you need to create an altar and make a sacred
space? Really, not much. There is no need to run out
and spend lots of money. Begin with what you have on
hand. Most people are pack rats of a sort and tend to
accumulate items they like. Look closely at your
possessions. You will be surprised at what you find.
The first thing you will need is something on which to
arrange the symbols and objects you choose for your
altar. An altar space can be anything: a small shelf, a
table, a covered box set in a corner, the top of a dresser,
or one corner of the coffee table. The important thing is
simply a flat surface, which does not need to be large or
elaborate.
If you wish your altar to be private, arrange it in a
place not readily visible to everyone, perhaps in your
bedroom. If you wish to energize certain rooms of your
home and do not care about your altars being seen, you
can place them wherever you wish.
It is not unusual to find tiny altars in kitchens today.
These may contain shiny copper molds, pictures of the
family and pets, or perhaps a small statue of the Virgin
Mary or the goddess Kuan Yin. At one time, the hearth
and cooking area was the most important part of every
house, for it was here that the precious fire was kept
burning and the food for survival cooked. And it was
here that one could find a small statue of the Goddess
and perhaps a kitchen deity. The symbolism is the same
as eight thousand years ago, when people placed
Goddess statues in the grain bins so that the food supply