The Sacred Art of Building an Altar
How (and why) to use altars in your spiritual practice
Growing up, my dad would make us pancakes whenever we visited Tahoe. Aladdin & Jasmine Flying on a Magic Carpet pancakes, to be specific (aka two tall blobs atop a long blob). There was inevitably enough batter for one or two more pancakes when we were done eating—not enough to save, but a waste to trash. So, my dad would make the pancakes anyway, and we would break them into tiny pieces that we’d scatter along the railing of our deck. Then, we would sit in the deck chairs and watch as the Stellar Jays swooped down and claimed the offerings.
We didn’t call them offerings at the time, but looking back at it, that’s what they were, so I guess it’s no wonder that some of my first mediumship experiences took the form of talking to the Stellar Jays and hearing real wisdom in their squawked responses.
I still remember turning to my siblings and announcing, with the confidence only an uninhibited six-year-old can muster, “I can talk to the birds.” They didn’t believe me at the time, but they’re starting to come around.
This reciprocity with Spirits is at the heart of my practice. In fact, if I were to pick one word to sum up what living in alignment with authentic spirituality looks like for me, it woud be reciprocity. And there are few practices I’ve found that are as potent in cultivating this reciprocity as building, and tending, and altar.
The first altar I ever built is one many of us will recognize. Once a year, my siblings and I would gather to put out a beautiful red-and-green cloth. We topped it with offerings: cookies and milk for the Benevolent Spirit the altar was dedicated to, paired with carrots and water for their animal companions. Beside the offerings we would leave prayers in the form of a letter, detailing that which we hoped the Spirit would bring to us in return for our offerings. We tended this altar once a year, always on the same day: December 24th.
I no longer build altars for Santa Claus, but I do have many altars in my life. Here is a summary of the current altars I tend:
A protection altar by the front door to keep away unwelcome guests
An ancestral altar dedicated to all the Ascended Ancestors with whom I work
Altars for to the three Goddesses I serve: Hekate, Aphrodite, and Freyja
An abundance altar in the corner of my workplace to call in wealth and success
An altar for the Ancestors of the Four Elements, with whom I work quite closely
A seasonal altar that moves and changes based on the time of year (I’m currently in the process of dismantaling my Summer altar and planning my Autumn altar, which will be activated on the Equinox)
While not active at the moment, I will soon be rebuilding my dream altar (this one usually runs from the start of Scorpio season through to the end of Pisces season, when my dream magic is at its most active)
An altar dedicated to the guides who support my creative endeavors, which is currently built upon the first draft of a manuscript I’m in the process of querying
A kitchen altar for working with the kitchen witches of my ancestral lineage
A divination/mediumship altar that sits on my reading table to support clear and resonate readings for my clients
And, while also in the planning phase, my partner and I are working on building a relationship altar that we will tend when we have our weekly check-ins
This may sound like a lot, but I don’t tend each of these altars every day. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Before we jump to tending the altars, let’s talk about why we build altars in the first place.
Though they’ve taken many forms and held many names over the years, altars have appeared throughout cultures and can be traced back as far as Ancient Mesopotamia, where altars dedicated to various gods were found in the temples and altars dedicated to connecting with one’s ancestors were found in the home.1 Now, over 2,000 years later, we see altars used in much the same way.
For more on the history and use of altars across cultures, check out my Tending the Altars workshop on September 6th at The Yoga Room in Tahoe City!
In the Spiritism and Folk Magic traditions I was trained in, altars are dedicated spiritual spaces that can serve a variety of purposes. They can be a place to meditate and cultivate your intuition; a place to enchant and support your spellwork; a place to connect and communicate with your Guides, Good Spirits, and Ancestors; a place to show up in devotion to various Gods and Goddesses. The list goes on.
Generally speaking, altars are intentionally curated spaces of sacred significance that help us focus and strengthen our spiritual practice.
When we create an altar, we are creating a nexus for our spiritual practice. Every time we tend this altar, we are enhancing the power of this space, cultivating a hub of ever-increasing spiritual power and sacred significance. One of our greatest tools in magic is repetition, and when we come to the same place again and again for the same purpose, we infuse that space with energy and intention.
For example, my ability to communicate with my Guides and Ascended Ancestors is always strongest at the altar. This is partly because they know to meet me there, and partly because when I am there, I am offering myself in veneration to these Good Spirits. I fill the water glasses, light the candles, pour the tea, and let them know I am present and willing to receive their wisdom.
I consider my altars the spiritual heart of my practice, and tending these altars is a crucial part of keeping my practice alive and well. So what does tending an altar mean?
Ultimately, tending an altar is putting care, love, and dedication into the altar as a way of demonstrating your commitment to living in right relationship with your Good Spirits. What this looks like depends on your practice and your altars, but for my main altars, this looks like filling the water cups weekly and lighting a candle and pouring a hot cup of tea as close to daily as I can manage. Then, I sit at my altars and offer prayer, poetry, performance, treats, stories, or whatever I feel is most aligned on any given day.
For my additional altars, tending them might look like a monthly, seasonal, or even annual refresh. But the point is, I show up consistently with offerings and gratitude, even when I have nothing to ask of the Spirits. In return, my Good Spirits show up for me, consistently, with offerings and gratitude of their own.
This is reciprocity. This is devotion. This is magic.
Learn more about the practice of building and tending an altar at my upcoming Tending the Altars Workshop on September 6th at The Yoga Room in Tahoe City.
Create an altar for your Ascended Ancestors!
One of my main altars is my Ancestral Altar. This is an altar dedicated to my Wise and Well Ancestors that they may be present in my life and support my most divinely aligned path. I learned this practice from my teacher, Kaitlyn Graña, and am honored to share it with all of you.
What You’ll Need
A white cloth (can be any white fabric, from a fancy lace cloth to an old t-shirt)
A white candle (I prefer pillar, but any size will do)
A glass/cup of water
Optional: a mug for tea or coffee, a glass of alcohol, or whatever other food or drinks you think your Ancestors would love
Optional: anything else that feels sacred or connected to your ancestors, such as crystals, trinkets, photos, drawings, etc.
How to Create Your Altar
Consider where you want to create your altar. Is there a place that feels like the spiritual center of your home? A location you spend a lot of time in where you’d like to feel more connected to your Ancestors? Perhaps there’s a spot where your Ancestors already feel somewhat present (that’s the kitchen, for me). Find a spot that feels intuitively aligned; ideally a place you will see your altar regularly so you will remember to visit/tend it often.
Your altar can be on a table, bookshelf, dresser, etc. Wherever the surface, choose a place where your altar can remain sacred and unbothered. I.E. not somewhere that’s going to get covered in unwashed coffee mugs and unopened mail. Remember, this is an intentionally curated sacred space. Treat it as such.
Once you’ve chosen the location, lay the cloth down and place the candle and glass of water atop it. If you are using a mug or any sacred items, place them down as well.
Whenever I’m tending my altars, the first thing I do is ensure the water is fresh and clear. Next, I pour a hot cup of tea for my Good Spirits (many people use coffee, but I’ve got that British blood). Then, I light the candle and sit in front of my altar.
The first time you sit at your altar, take time to dedicate this space to your Ancestors. Here is a sample prayer I use, that you may edit as you see fit:
I dedicate this altar to my Ascended Ancestors, Wise and Well. May this place serve as a sacred home for you to gather, knowing you are loved, seen, and celebrated. May we come together in this space, that I may bring all I have to give and receive in turn your wisdom, blessings, guidance, and protection.
Beloved Ancestors, I call upon you and ask that you be guided by the light of this candle to gather here and bless this space with your sacred grace. Drink of this water and be nourished. Drink of this tea and know you are loved. Rest here and find ease in this, your sacred home.
Beloved Ancestors, protect this altar that it may be free of any energies, entities, or troubled spirits who would cause harm, intentionally or otherwise. Keep this space sacred, safe, and unseen from prying eyes.
Beloved Ancestors gather here that we may join together in magic, love, and reciprocity.
Thank you,
I love you,
and Blessed Be.
Once your altar is properly dedicated to the Ancestors, you can visit the altar and meet with them regularly. For me, this looks like a morning practice of pouring a cup of tea, lighting a candle, and reading them a poem. I then say a prayer of veneration and gratitude, and make any requests I have, before sitting in meditation and listening for their wisdom. On a weekly basis, I tidy the altar and refill the water cups. I also often bring additional offerings like fresh baked goods, seasonal fruit, or whatever else they request.
I invite you to create an altar and visit it regularly, taking note of how your relationship to your Ancestors transforms in the process.
If you’re interested in learning more about building altars, including an interactive practice to determine the type of altar you’re feeling called to make and how you might work with said altar, I invite you to join me for the Tending the Altars workshop on September 6th at the Yoga Room in Tahoe City. As you can tell, I love talking about altars, and I’m very excited to dive into them next week!
🫖 August 29th - Tarot & Tea Party
A favorite monthly affair, join us as we gather in magical community and consult the wisdom of the Tarot. Together, we’ll sip tea and look at the energy of the month ahead, pulling a collective reading for the Theme, Challenge, Blessing, Spiritual Remediation, and Allies of the month ahead. Once we’ve explored what September will bring, we’ll open the floor for individual questions, pulling cards and offering channeled readings for anyone who wishes to consult the oracle!
6:30-8:30pm at Spirit Rebel, Truckee
$25-60 sliding scale: sign up here
🔮 August 31st - Tarot Reading @ The Maker’s Market
Stop by and say hi at the Maker’s Market this month! I’ll be there from 3-7p on August 31st, offering Tarot & Mediumship readings. There’s live music, food trucks, and artisan vendors from all over Tahoe… it’s a lot of fun and I’d love to see you there!
3:00-7:00pm at Tahoe Backyard, King’s Beach
Free to come, readings available all afternoon: learn more here
🕯️ September 6th - Tending the Altars
Exploring the purpose of altars in an aligned spiritual practice. We’ll talk about different types of altars and their purposes, altars throughout history and from different lineages/cultures, and how to integrate altars into your spiritual practice. This will include a guided meditation and creative hands-on practice to explore what kind of altar you want to make as well as tips and tools for making it at home. We will also craft a group altar together and discuss making offerings and tending your altar.
5:30-7:30pm at The Yoga Room, Tahoe City
$30-50 sliding scale (suggested $40)
🔓 September 17th - Unlocking the Tarot
Join us for our monthly community class, giving you the tools to read Tarot with confidence! In September, the topic is “Structuring an Intuitive Reading.” We’ll look at how to open the circle, choosing a spread for your reading, shuffling and drawing cards with intuition, and how to close the circle. By the end, you’ll be ready to pull card with intuition and ease! It’s donation-based and open to all, so come by and get hands-on experience on how to read the Tarot!
6:30-7:30pm at Spirit Rebel, Truckee
Donation-based: sign up here or email sarahdittmore@gmail.com to reserve your spot
☁️ September 21st - Journey into Spirit
This is my second time hosting this workshop, and it’s a personal favorite. Through a combination of breath work and guided visualization, you'll journey to the realm where your Good Spirits await. Experience their profound wisdom first-hand as you engage face-to-face with your Spirit Guides and receive their guidance. When the journey is over, I will gently guide you back, ensuring a grounded return. Then we’ll move through a reflective journaling process to capture your insights and revelations. Lastly, you'll go home with practical strategies to integrate these newfound teachings into your daily life.
5:30-7:30pm at Tahoe Flow Arts & Fitness, Tahoe Vista
$45 per person
💦 September 28th - Down & In: The River Retreat
Co-hosted by Jess Floum and Sarah Dittmore, Down & In is a one-day retreat steeped in the magic of the Yuba River. Through embodied movement and connection with the Spirits of the Land, you’ll move out of the head and return to the Self, traveling down into the body, where you’ll deepen your sense of presence and immerse yourself in the wisdom of the Earth.
10am-6pm, Sierra Foothills
$375 per person, payment plans available
Tom Kha Kai from Siam Cuisine in Truckee has cured me of my cold
I’m currently watching Hilda on Netflix and, bestill my heart, it’s such a precious reperesentation of living in right relationship with the Spirits of the Land
I can’t get enough of living downtown. I rode my bike to the farmer’s, then walked the dog to the coffee shop before running by the bookstore to pick up a book for my friend. I just keep walking around thinking, “I love my life.”
Download 5 Calls and commit to regularly calling to let your elected officials know what you care about.
Join the BDS Movement and boycott companies profiting from the genocide in Gaza.
Donate to the Washiw Zulshish Goom Tahn Nu (Washoe Warrior Society)’s Land Back efforts and help open a Wašišiw Peoples’ House in Tahoe!
The Mesopotamian Temple, A. Leo Oppenheim, The Biblical Archaeologist 19447:3,54-63