Place a small element altar (make sure to use weatherproof items) outside;
A bowl to collect rainwater for the birds,
A chime to catch the breeze,
A bird feeder and a candle to light in the evenings.
An outdoor God or goddess statue will complete your outside altar.
You can empower your altar, as a reflection of the positive aspects, of your changing life, by placing on it other small items, that carry happy memories for you.
These might include, stones, or shells, found on an enjoyable outing.
Or maybe presents from friends or family.
Or possibly a letter or even a printed email which was written in love.
Pictures or photographs of places and people that are endowed with emotional significance.
Holding these can restore the pleasure of the moment and fill you with confidence.
These are all magical objects because they are endowed with the power of good feeling.
Some practitioners keep a book, for example, a book of poetry, a copy of the psalms, the works of Shakespeare or the I Ching.
Whenever you lack inspiration, close your eyes and open your book.
The page will be chosen apparently at random but in fact, your deep unconscious mind has chosen the most appropriate answer by a process akin to psychokinesis.
Occasionally, you may wish to gently energize these personal artifacts by burning a candle scented with chamomile or lavender.
The domestic altars of many lands were originally the family hearth and an unused hearth will serve well as an altar.
They depended on their power on herbs and flowers gathered from the wayside in the days before petrol fumes.
Many witches who have a hearth do still keep it well swept and fresh with flowers or seasonal greenery.
Between your altar candles, you may like to place statues, a god and goddess figure from either your own spiritual background or from a culture that seems significant to you.
This will balance the yang, or male, energies with the yin, or female.
The god figure may be represented by a horn and the goddess by a large conch shell.
There are a great variety of deity figures in museum shops.
As well as New Age shops. and those selling goods from particular areas of the world.
You may, however, feel more comfortable with a ceramic animal, bird or reptile for which you feel an affinity.
A tiger for courage, an eagle for vision, a cat for mystery and independence, a snake for regeneration.
This is what Native Americans call our personal totem or power creature.
You may find some of these are, in some cultures, the symbols of divinities.
There is, for example, Bast, the cat-headed Egyptian goddess who protected women , especially in pregnancy and childbirth Bast was originally a lion goddess who symbolized the fertilizing rays of the Sun.
You may be uncomfortable with the idea of worshipping yourself or not feel you’re worth worshipping.
That should change! Everyone has a spark of the Divine inside them.
That is worth honoring. You are worth honoring as a vessel of the Divine as well.
Collect things that you associate with yourself. Photos you love, jewelry, trinkets; things you may not use anymore but still love fall into this category.
Items from your childhood are great to use as well if they remind you of happy times.
Favorite books? Favorite colors? Draw them all in to help assemble this self-care space to honor you.
Choose a place to set up your altar.
A small wall shelf somewhere is a great idea, if you want to keep it small and simple.
You can hang pictures or art on the wall above or around it. Decorate it however you like: add shells, drape scarves, add action figures…
This is for you.
Make sure there’s room for a candle.
A votive in a glass candleholder taller than the candle is a good idea, to protect the things around it from the flame.
Framed photo of yourself (size of your choice)
Representations of your activities (job, hobbies, and so on)
Representations of life events (such as rites of passage, medals, trophies, and so on)
2–3 of your favorite stones or crystals
Candle (color of your choice) and candleholder
Matches or lighter
1. Assemble your chosen items where you’ve chosen to set up your altar. Set the candle in the middle and arrange the other objects around them.
2. As you place them, take a moment to remember how proud or happy you felt at each life stage or achievement. Appreciate how hard you work at your job. Feel gratitude for your hobbies. As you build the altar to yourself, build the feeling of pride and love for yourself and the person you are.
3. When the altar is complete, center and ground. Light the candle. Look slowly and deliberately at the items you have collected and displayed.
4. Say: I honor myself. I honor my strength. I honor my past that has led me here. I honor my skills, my talents. I honor my determination. I honor my need for space and time to myself. I honor my rights. I honor my potential.
5. When you are done, you can extinguish the candle.
6. At least once a week, return to the altar and light the candle. Let your gaze travel over your collection that makes up the altar and be proud of who you are. Repeat the prayer above, if you like. Go to the altar when you feel worn out, are fighting low self-esteem, or doubting your awesomeness. Tip:
This altar is by no means static. It’s a work in progress. Add to it as often as you like.