or change. Grief altars are helpful in working through
emotional pain, whether that pain arises from the loss of
a loved one to death, divorce, or some other end of a
relationship. Event altars keep you focused on a goal,
such as paying off a mortgage or saving money for a
long-desired trip. Altars are reminders of where we need
to focus our attention, and that the spiritual is
intertwined with the mundane and is never separate
from it.
It does not matter how you view the word "spiritual"
in relationship to altars. Spiritual simply means
acknowledging that there is a Power or Force greater
than you. You may call it Goddess, God, or the Big Bang.
Building an altar is a way of consciously reminding
yourself that a powerful force of energy runs through
the universe that anyone can tap into with a little effort.
Whether you do positive or negative things with that
force is up to you. However, remember that the type of
energy you give out is what you get back, so it is safer
and more productive to do only positive things.
Perhaps one of the most important things to
remember about building an altar is that it should be
done with joy, anticipation, and a sense of wonder. By
your actions you are drawing spiritual energy into your
everyday life. This cannot help but make changes for the
better.
So build your altar as it pleases you, and be prepared
for your life to open and expand in a way you never
thought possible.
Symbols and Sacred Objects
Through the centuries, humans have used many
different symbols and objects as part of their individual