Creating Sacred Space and Altars
by Ariel Spilsbury
“Magic is the art of sensing and shaping the subtle, unseen forces that flow through this world, awakening consciousness beyond the rational.” Starhawk
“Beauty is an alchemical principle because it draws us toward further and further refinement of consciousness. It is an alchemical distiller that assists us in determining what is real. Beauty opens the heart to receive the energy of love that literally exists in everything which you can learn to utilize in co-creation with nature. Beauty is indeed in the eye of the “be” holder, that is, the one who just “is” in the now moment, seeing the beauty that everywhere sings in raucous revelation of our reason for “being” in the first place.. that is, joy! Sensate beauty everywhere presents itself like an Empress, with such luxurious refinement, grace and voluptuous largesse, as would befit a priestess or priest of Aphrodite.” from The Alchemy of Ecstasy: Initiates Guide to the Goddess’ Mysteries by Ariel Spilsbury
Creating sacred space begins with an eye for beauty and resonance. Resonance is the sounding again due to similar structure and frequency. Just as one tuning fork will begin to vibrate when another one near it is struck, due to the phenomenon of resonance. A resonant field is evoked through setting a conscious intention in your space. Resonance begins with harmonious order. To provide this order one sees and artfully arranges the most subtle combinations of light, shade, image, flower, texture, timing, sound. To create sacred space, the eye is tuned to the beauty channel, so that everything is filtered through that lens. When creating sacred space one always asks, ‘How can I bring more beauty into this space, this encounter, this moment?’ Being sensitively attuned to subtle vibrations, one recognizes that flowers, color and scent raise the frequency of any space. Beauty is literally the vibrational food that is offered in love to all who enter your sacred space. When setting up sacred space always ask the question, “What would happen to “this” (altar, flower arrangement, painting) if I added light to the equation?” That can be moon light, candle light, sunlight. sundazzler light. Light is a key to evoking subtle forces. On a practical level, to maintain the resonance of any sacred space requires organizing, vacuuming and emphasizing the harmonious patterns, textures and colors available within the space.
The creation of altars requires the same attention to sensual beauty. An altar is a symbolic statement of intent and a focusing device. What you put on your altar could be looked at as a frequency space holder that makes a symbolic statement of your intention for that space. Therefore you want to choose symbols: statues, colors, geometries, crystals that communicate non-verbally your vibrational intention for that area. Symbols act as resonant structures. Symbols are fluid, open, non-fixed images which bring light into matter. Symbols act as a a bridge to spark memories, recollections, knowings and encoded patterns of awareness . Symbols encode a great amount of information in a small space. As a focusing device, altars can provide a central focus to hold ones attention for contemplation, inspiration or meditation of symbols and the qualities they represent. Altars also can provide a focusing device for the process of manifestation. Creating an altar focusing on that which you wish to manifest or making a dream altar to honor your dreams for example, can be a potent opening to new connections, growth and awareness.
Anywhere can be turned into a sacred space with the clarity of your intent. If you need to be low key, offices, for example can simply use color and scent and sound as symbolic statements of intent and resonant frequency holders. As to your home altars, you might wish to honor your current process of growth with as elaborate or simple an altar as you feel inspired to create.
