Creating an Altar

[Darkest Eve]

One of the things recommended by just about everyone in any of these traditions is creating an altar to the lwa (or saints, orichas, etc.) and/or your ancestors. This is the first step on a long road to building a relationship with these beings, and the path that they will take you down.

So, I thought it might be helpful to get this topic started, and get some input from those who have made them, and questions from those who are looking to make them.

A few to start us off:

When creating your first altar, did you create it for a specific lwa, or was it a more "general" altar, recognizing all (or several)?

Where in your home do you keep your altar, and why did you choose that location?

What are some items that you would recommend any altar contain for a specific path? (Vodou, Palo, Santeria, et al)

If anyone has pictures, those are good too. :) Hopefully this will help someone somewhere along the line!

[DixieWitch]

A few to start us off:

When creating your first altar, did you create it for a specific lwa, or was it a more "general" altar, recognizing all (or several)?

Where in your home do you keep your altar, and why did you choose that location?

What are some items that you would recommend any altar contain for a specific path? (Vodou, Palo, Santeria, et al)

If anyone has pictures, those are good too. :) Hopefully this will help someone somewhere along the line!

I was told to create my first altar for my ancestors. I got a wooden box from a hobby shop and a wooden fleur-de-lis to glue on it. Then I painted the whole thing black and added pictures of my ancestors along with items that belonged to them. I then was instructed to place a glass of water and a white candle next to it. Which I did. I put pictures of my altar on another post. here (http://mysticwicks.com/showpost.php?p=3566385&postcount=5)

It wasn't until I was "contacted" by Yemaya that I put up an altar to Her. Even though I was told through a reading that she was around me, I wasn't going to assume anything. I wanted to wait to hear from her to make sure it was okay with her.

Both my altars are side by side for now. They are on my fireplace mantle in the living room. I placed them here because this is the room I spend most of my time in (other than my sewing room!) I wanted my ancestors to feel like that are still part of the family.

I can't give any recommendations as to what supposed to be on an altar. But as far as my Yemaya altar, I am taking it day by day. I think she will let me know in her own way when I see something that should be there. Like when I saw the seashells and it was the first thing to come to mind.

[aranarose]

Like DixieWitch, my first altar on this path was an ancestral altar. In addition to pictures of ancestors, of which I don't have many, I went to the cemetery where most of my family is born, and got some graveyard dirt from their graves. I waited until it was clear that it was okay with them, of course. I have the dirt in a pot on my altar.

Over time, the altar has expanded so that it's no longer just an ancestral altar, but a general spirit altar, including the Lwa.

[~Elise~]

I have a set of bookshelves that are altars...on the ancestor altar-we have stuff from both our ancestors. We have some of his dad commedations from the Fire Dept, his badge from there. I have pics of our ancestors, things from their funerals (if we have them). In fact--we need a bigger shelf for this OR a different way to display them. We also have stuff from friends who have crossed over, like Flar from MW, etc.

Elise

[DixieWitch]

and as someone said in a previous thread, your ancestor altar doesn't have to be ancestors that goes back hundreds of years. My altar has pictures of both my grandfathers, my grandmother, great-grandfather, great-uncle, great-grandmother and great-aunt. And while I have been able to trace my ancestors way back to the 1600s on my mom's side, I have no pictures of them.

[Lajmar]

Like others here, I created an ancestor altar as one of my firsts. Its basic everyday wear is a simple white candle and a clear glass of water, and it sits on a small shelf against the western wall of my work room. Other offerings are placed there on occasion and as they request them(anything from a pack of cigs to a chocolate bar lol). Also at certain times of the year I will transfer everything to a larger spot to add photos, mementos, and general offerings. Technically one could say it is a general altar for the dead, since i also honor the forgotten dead here. For the Lwa, when I work with them, I tend to create temporary altars with items they specifically request or that are sacred to them outdoors or in the home.

[yemayashija]

One of the things recommended by just about everyone in any of these traditions is creating an altar to the lwa (or saints, orichas, etc.) and/or your ancestors. This is the first step on a long road to building a relationship with these beings, and the path that they will take you down.


A few to start us off:

When creating your first altar, did you create it for a specific lwa, or was it a more "general" altar, recognizing all (or several)?

Where in your home do you keep your altar, and why did you choose that location?

What are some items that you would recommend any altar contain for a specific path? (Vodou, Palo, Santeria, et al)

If anyone has pictures, those are good too. :) Hopefully this will help someone somewhere along the line!



Start by learning as much as you can about the likes and especially the dislikes of the deity you want to create an altar to. find out their colors and utilize them with a table cloth or painted decorations. incenses, herbs, toys, jewelry, mirrors or perfumes they prefer. whether they work or govern over water, wood, metal, etc. incorporate that in the design of your altar and personalize it! no two altars shoul ever be exactly the same. just make sure you do not incorporate items that are taboo for that deity or items they do not like. dolls are often dressed in the color and style dress of the deity, some of these are beautiful. I always include a light candle to provide energy to carry my devotions and prayers.

all altars start out very simple and grow as our knowledge and spirituality does. It is your chance to show your love and devotion, and your creativity!

P.S. one caution.....if a deity, say in Lukumi (santeria to some of you) is to be given HONEY.... taste the honey on your finger at the altar BEFORE you offer it to the Oricha!!!!!!!! they will not accept it otherwise.

[Ochareo!]

Start by learning as much as you can about the likes and especially the dislikes of the deity you want to create an altar to. find out their colors and utilize them with a table cloth or painted decorations. incenses, herbs, toys, jewelry, mirrors or perfumes they prefer. whether they work or govern over water, wood, metal, etc. incorporate that in the design of your altar and personalize it! no two altars shoul ever be exactly the same. just make sure you do not incorporate items that are taboo for that deity or items they do not like. dolls are often dressed in the color and style dress of the deity, some of these are beautiful. I always include a light candle to provide energy to carry my devotions and prayers.

all altars start out very simple and grow as our knowledge and spirituality does. It is your chance to show your love and devotion, and your creativity!

P.S. one caution.....if a deity, say in Lukumi (santeria to some of you) is to be given HONEY.... taste the honey on your finger at the altar BEFORE you offer it to the Oricha!!!!!!!! they will not accept it otherwise.


Well i was trying to post about alters....but for some reason I can cut and paste from my word doc to the message. Can anyone tell me why. Maybe I will just email it to yemayashija and she can post it for me.

Ochareo!

[yemayashija]

Well i was trying to post about alters....but for some reason I can cut and paste from my word doc to the message. Can anyone tell me why. Maybe I will just email it to yemayashija and she can post it for me.

Ochareo!

bendicion Ochareo:

I am going to post the document you sent me, as a new thread called "the boveda or spiritual altar" for all to read.

[Godgifu]

I'm not Voudou or Santeria, so don't really follow lwa, but even though my main deity is Kali, my altar is obviously much more hoodoo than Hindu :)

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Godgifu/?action=view&current=IMGP1461.jpg
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v112/Godgifu/?action=view&current=IMGP1457-1.jpg

My altar's in my bedroom, since it's the only place that's really my own in the house. Mostly I just did whatever seemed right and looked good. I keep a little dessert dish in front of the Kali candle to fill with food offerings, and two shot glasses to fill with beverages (usually whiskey.) The candle arrangement is after Gamache's recommending, and there's tobacco flakes scattered around the candles. The altar cloth is metallic gold and made from a fabric remnant from my local Hobby Lobby. Pushed towards the back of the altar are various ongoing spells(mostly jar and bottle types) and room towards the front for placing any new spells. Kali's candle is dressed with Kali oil from Lucky Mojo, and the two side candles are currently dressed in Special oil #20 but once I get my hands on some High Altar oil I intend to use that.

I am also thinking of getting some graveyard dirt (not from a specific grave but just from the yard) and sprinkling some of that on the altar, as Kali's sacred place is traditionally the cremation grounds, and graveyard is probably the best equivelent in the west.

I have to confess, I'm actually a little afraid to try making an ancestral altar. My family knows our geneology pretty thoroughly and there are literally thousands of ancestors we know about. Don't want to forget someone and offend them! (I can just imagine them griping, "You put Qusayy Zayd Mujammi on there but forgot Slaviboy Zupan ze Psov!? The nerve! Dishonor on your branch of the family!"
Best not to attract their attention more than needed. Some of them have been pretty bloodthirsty.

[Iris]

I don't have anything that belongs to anyone I know who died. Or any pictures.

So I'm not really sure what I am supposed to do!

[SanguineHalo]

Just a disclaimer. I'm used to thinking in very "You Shalt"/"You Shalt Not" ways in regards to magical practices and I'm trying to wean myself off that particular thought pattern, but it crops up, so I apologize in advance for any "Am I SUPPOSED to do this" questions. As far as I've read that has little place in Hoodoo.

I just set up my Altar. I don't think I'm knowledgeable enough to start working ongoing workings, but I wanted something I could see everyday. I haven't been "spoken" to by any specific dieties, I'm comfortable with my vague idea of "A Higher Power" that I don't have to name, but I find myself talking to my dad (has been passed for 3 years now in November) when I'm really upset, scared, excited, etc... So I put a picture of him, my two tarot decks, a big hunk of Calcite and a peice of Tektite. I've read about "offerings" on altars. Whiskey, beer, water etc.... but I couldn't find the reasoning behind that. Is that specific to diety altars or does it also apply to ancestoral altars (and is that what mine is if it's only my dad)? I bring my dad a can of Milwaukee's Best at his moseleum (sp?) on Father's Day, his Birthday and the day he died every year but I would like to put something out continuously.