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Altars: The Gateway to Spirits

A quick guide on Altars

By Carlton BurnsPublished 2 years ago 4 min read
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Altars: The Gateway to Spirits
Photo by Blogging Guide on Unsplash

Altars are undeniably a staple in many cultures, religions, and practices. While they may be used in different ways, the general application is the same. An altar can be understood as a gateway between the physical and spiritual realms.

If you have ever been to church or a religious gathering, you'll most likely see an altar being used to call upon their understanding of a higher power. Many call upon that power for a myriad of reasons, all which can be assuaged by the power of that universal force.

My goal is not to disprove any religious or spiritual beliefs, since we are all born to form our own understanding of the divine. But due to a lot of information being misinterpreted, missing, or manipulated to form cult-like groups. There are different subjects in school to study, just as there are many layers of the divine.

I advocate people to do what's best for them, as long as it doesn't harm someone in the process. Perspective wise, the divine isn't something to be understood completely since its forever changing, expanding, growing, etc.

That does not mean there aren't things to comprehend from the divine, but since we are spirits in a human vessel, there's a limited perspective based on that condition. A condition agreed upon by each individual born here--which is a topic for another time!

Be that as it may, altars are a great tool for anyone to use. How the 'magic' behind it works, is very subtle, but very effective. As stated, its used as a gateway between realms, and that gateway gives the individual access to different forces.

By Vaibhav Raina on Unsplash

The different forces that can be accessed is nothing sinister unless you perceive them that way. These forces (entities) can be, but not limited to, loved ones that have passed, gods and goddesses, demons, faeries, whatever.

It goes without saying that you should build a rapport with these energies before working with them, so that you may not only recognize their attributes--but also any synchronicities in day to day life.

Its suggested by many teachers to connect with passed loved ones (Ancestors), since you had a relationship with them while they were alive, and you're connected by blood. They also know the struggles of human life and make great allies.

Using an altar is always an exchange of energy in the form of offerings you give. That can range from what you like to eat and drink, or what your loved ones enjoyed. Trusting your own intuition on this is a must--no need to overthink things.

As for how to set an altar up, the basics are to have the four elements. A cup of water; incense for air, candle for fire; and crystals/rocks for earth. Be creative with how you decorate the altar. Again, this all depends on you.

By Guillaume de Germain on Unsplash

If you plan to work with certain deities, definitely do research on these energies. You may find in many different mythologies that a lot of the gods and goddesses share similar attributes. And that's not coincidence since they're all similar in one way or form, but just with a different name and expression.

Due diligence is important here, so that you know how these energies work and what you can do to make them work for you. There is an energy exchange, same with working with Ancestors.

You can look up offerings that these Gods liked or trust your gut. In my personal experience, I've found its best to offer things current with the times. They're essentially extensions of our own divine nature and they can desire different tastes than offerings made hundreds of years ago.

It goes without saying you should be careful when working with these energies, as they may activate aspects of yourself you may or may not be ready to face. That ultimately depends on your confidence.

Feel free to explore different methods or create ones on your own. Magick is not meant to be boxed in under a set of limitations, whether set by others or the individual practicing. Trust yourself and go from there.

Thank you reading!

Resources

You can find more information about altars on the web if needed. These books below are good for learning about different deities, demons, and more.

The Dictionary of Demons by M. Belanger

Encyclopedia of Spirits by Judika Illes

Practical Sigil Magic by Frater U.D.

Visual Magick by Jan Fries

Goddess Book of Days by Diane Stein

list
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About the Creator

Carlton Burns

Writing has been one of the ways I’ve been able to express my thoughts, maybe as a form of self-therapy. In a sense I’m able to reflect on lessons learned and many mysteries uncovered on this journey of life.

https://linktr.ee/Carltonburns

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  • Reesha K Reese2 years ago

    👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

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