Working at our altar is work. It is soul work and magic work and ancient work. And it is work. To keep our altars energetically aligned we need to engage with them daily, at least. These are not just pretty vignettes to admire. An altar is not a shrine that you don’t interact with or a stagnant place of reverence. Altars are sacred places of engagement: of clearing, burning, writing, breathing, dancing, singing, asking, praying, listening.
Keep it relevant. Tend to your altar by keeping it relevant. As things are manifested, as needs and wants and desires change within allow your altar to reflect that without. Remove things from the altar that are no longer relevant. Maybe you will save these things and too do not be afraid to give them back to the Earth (if it came from the Earth) or bury them or allow yourself to gift them otherwise. They may have served their purpose fully. Be mindful of hoarding. And ensure your altar clearly reflects your intention.
Keep it tidy. Yes, add to your altar often. And remember to remove things from your altar too. Keep it tidy. A cluttered altar can reflect a cluttered mind, can dilute the intention and create a jumble of chaos where you (not to mention your guides, ancestors, goddesses) forget what an object was there for in the first place. Respect your altar as you respect your own body and space: clean it, dust it, brighten it up, change it around.
Keep it seasonal: When we align with the seasons we align with ancient rememberings and connection. Our ancestors, until recently, lived intimately with the cycles of the seasons as well as the moon. Add to your altar to exalt the seasonal energies and allow these energies to aid in your wishes and desires. You can work with the moon cycles in the same way.
Herbal Potions for Your Altar
Potions to Engage the Element of Air
Herbal Incense
Sacred smoke has been an aspect of connecting with Divine energies through the mists of time and is a specific way to honor the Element of Air. Using specific herbs to initiate a response, deepen an intention, to cleanse or bless is a knowing held in our grandmother’s hands and now passed to you.
Incense is the Divine Breath carrying our prayers, spells, invocation out to the Universe, awakening the Divine to co-create with us.
When creating a herbal incense, use only dried herbs and mix in small batches for specific and personal use (a little goes a long way!). Use herbs that are broken into small bits and you can blend further in a mortar and pestle, chanting the spell or intention into the herbs as you use this ancient tool to activate and synergize the herbs.
Name the blend, put a label on a glass jar to store it.
Use the incense blend often, especially when custom blending for a specific purpose.
To use, burn on incense charcoals on a heat proof dish or pot. The charcoal will get very hot so ensure it is well insulated (using sea salt or sand or dirt as a buffer) or free-standing on legs so that it will not burn the surface underneath.
Below is an introductory list of herbs that are indigenous to Irish/ Native European traditions and their associated metaphysical properties to be considered when working with them for magical purposes:
Dandelion leaf and flower: strength, vitality, determination
Blackberry leaves and flowers: nourishment, abundance and protection
Lady’s Mantle: cloak of Brighid, blessings of protection and sacred space
Vervain: holiest herbs of the Druids and Celts- used in all rituals to deepen the sense of the sacred, attract wealth, love and prosperity
Mullein: enlightenment, awareness, insight
Birch: beginnings, regeneration and rebirth
Oak: strength, courage and the ability to stand firm despite the odds, fortitude
Nettles: protection and respect
Yarrow: healing, courage, warrior
Mugwort: blessings of the moon, crone, wisdom and guidance
Borage: warrior’s courage, ease stress, induce joy
Mint: prosperity, enhance psychic abilities
Lavender- balancing, cleansing, soothing, inspire creativity
Comfrey- protection, to manifest, centering/ grounding, safety while traveling
Lemon balm- self-esteem, ward off depression, healing grief
Thyme: to invoke the fairies, for grace and courage
Foxglove: deep magic
Rose: sacred feminine, love, romance and especially self love, heart healing
Sage: masculine wisdom, courage, prosperity
Frankincense: centering, grounding, sacred gift, sacred masculine, illumination
Myrrh: cleansing, purifying, sacred erotic, shadow
To create your incense blend, first determine which herbs, choose a single herb or up to five, hold the powers that you wish to call in for your specific intention. Select those herbs and then create a specific recipe of approximately 8-10 parts. When I create incense, my part is normally a large pinch (a pinch in between my thumb and forefinger) although you can use a ritual spoon or a teaspoon or some other small measuring device for your parts.
Cleansing Energy Spritzer
1 oz of water (holy water, gem elixir, flower remedy, lunar water, flower water or any combination thereof)
10-15 drops of essential oil (optional). Some of my favorite essential oils for clearing and cleansing include basil, lavender, frankincense, cypress, lemon and thyme
Blend waters and essential oils in a 1 oz glass bottle with a mister top. Shake well (at least 33 times). Spray this lightly over your altar and in your space to cleanse and refresh. You can also this on your own body to cleanse and refresh, renew and invigorate your energy field.
Sacred Smoke Bundle
In the Native European and Irish Celtic tradition we have woven herbs together to create sacred bundles that can be burned for cleansing and clearing. Some traditional herbs that have been used in this way include mugwort (and other Artemesia family members), vervain, lavender, rosemary, rose petals and yarrow.
Potions to Engage the Element of Fire
Dress a candle
Pour your own all-natural soy wax candle and add any of the herbs mentioned above in the incense blend (NOTE: use just a light sprinkling of herbs onto your candle, for safety). You can also add small crystals of choice and/ or 3 or 9 drops of essential oil (see list above in spritzer recipe) for clearing and cleansing or otherwise for the intention that the oils hold. Burn the candle within 3 days of lighting, if not all at once. Practice caution always when burning a candle.
Alternatively, you can dress a store-bought candle or even a small tea light. Use herbs very sparingly for safety when dressing a candle.
Burn
I love a good burn when setting a new intention. When we burn away that which is no longer serving, we allow space for what we are calling in. Write down that which you would like to surrender and release, get rid of. Burn it in a heat-proof container with a bit of water in the bottom. Burning this on your altar is clearing and cleansing, activating.
Potions to Engage the Element of Water
Infused Lunar Waters
Steep an herb appropriate to your intention (see list of herbs above in incense recipe) in a cold water overnight infusion with the moon. Align with a moon cycle or choose a full moon infusion to begin. Use this lunar water as an offering on your altar.
Floral Water
Add a drop or two of an essential oil to water and place on your altar to keep the space energized and refreshed, again, selecting the essential oil for the properties you wish to engage.
Ritual Tea
Invite an ancestor, deity, goddess, guide to join you at your altar. Actually sit down with a cup of your favorite herb tea (or ancestral tea… in Ireland we drink a lot of milky black tea so that is a lovely ritual tea to share with them) and share the chats.
Potions to Engage the Element of Earth
Herb Bundle
When out on a walk in nature be aware of the herbs that are around you and collect a variety into a bundle, tie them together with intention and leave this as an offering on your altar.
Charm Jar
Take a small glass bottle and fill it with herb and other small objects that align with your intention for your altar. You can use natural found objects, small crystals and other stones, shells plus herbs. Create this with an invocation that you can call upon to manifest the intention and desires held in your heart and sacred space.
