Creation of a magical altar. Thanksgiving healing altar by preference

To worship Lakshmi, you need to sit in a comfortable position (sidhasana, padmasana, swastika-asana, vijrasana, virasana) near the altar with the image of the Goddess.

The altar can be made as follows: put a table in the eastern part of the room, install an image or statue of Goddess Lakshmi on it, preferably both.

You can place an image or statuette of her husband Vishnu next to Lakshmi. If possible, place an image of God Ganesha on your altar. It is very auspicious to say his mantras before starting any rituals.

An image or figurine of the God of Wealth Kubera will also complement and enhance your altar very well.

If you are a member of the Vedic spiritual tradition, then be sure to place an image of your Teacher and the Tree of Refuge on the altar.

Also, all five primordial elements should be on the altar: fire (candles, lamps, icon lamps), water (teas, drinks, juices, milk), air (incense, flowers, aroma lamp), earth (fruits, sweets), ether ( ritual objects: a bell, a shell, a singing bowl, a jew's harp).

Since Lakshmi loves various decorations, it is advisable to decorate figurines and images of Lakshmi: fresh flowers, stones, jewelry, wreaths.

It is very auspicious to keep money on the altar as a symbol of the material energy of Lakshmi.

Also on the altar there should be lit incense (Lakshmi blissful aromas) and, if possible, four candles, symbolizing Wealth, Spiritual powers, Luck and Profit.

Before the start of the Lakshmi Puja, offerings for the goddess Lakshmi should be placed on the altar: a bowl of fruit, flowers, sweets, drinks. All that Lakshmi loves as offerings.

Offerings to Lakshmi:sweet rice, sweets, coins, milk, coconuts, bananas, mangoes, gold jewelry, pearls, flowers (especially lotuses), bride jewelry (especially nose rings).

Lakshmi also loves all dairy products, honey, dates, figs, almonds, grapes, ghee. She likes incense, especially delicate floral scents such as rose, jasmine.

A special ritual bell or singing bowl is used to cleanse the area around the altar, but if you don't have one available, you can do mental cleansing. Visualizing the ringing of a bell or a singing bowl.

It is favorable to place sacred texts and spiritual books near the altar.

So Lakshmi stays where cleanliness is, the altar must be kept in perfect care, it is best to use a separate cloth for cleaning the altar, and store it in a special box.

If for some reason you cannot make an altar at home, then sit in your favorite, comfortable place for you (preferably in the southeast direction).

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Sadhana at the home altar

(Article by Guru Swami Vishnudevananda Giri)

The life of a sadhu takes place next to the altar, at the altar, it does not matter whether it is an external altar or an internal one, from visual images...

Your home Altar is, so to speak, a personal thing, unlike large temple, public altars. This is the place of your daily sacrament, your tantric mystery of creation and re-creation of your mystical reality.

This is a magical device for communication with the Absolute, gods, higher powers and archetypes of one's own and general subconscious. It is less formal, it may reflect your preferences and inclinations to a greater extent, although within reasonable limits. But it is very important for the spiritual life.

It is essential for every sadhu practitioner, much more than a TV set, computer or refrigerator. The life of a sadhu takes place next to the altar, at the altar, it does not matter if it is an external altar made of stone and wood or an internal altar of visual images, prana and awareness.

The altar is the center of the universe, the focus of everything pure, sublime, the source of being, from where the sage-sadhu creates his universe. The true altar is the vast nature of the mind in its nakedness and purity.

Until we discover the inner, intangible altar in ourselves, the outer altar is important.

When you created, installed the altar, correctly orienting it to the cardinal points, installing the central deity - your ishta-devata, placing the figures of other deities, setting up the image of the Tree of Refuge, mula-guru, param-guru, guru-acarya, setting the altar items - you did an important job.

You have a mystical tool for transforming yourself and the world. Nevertheless, do not rush without understanding, immediately “at will” and enthusiasm, formally, immediately perform complex, deep or obscure tantric practices at the altar - bhajans, pujas, stotras, kavachas, theurgical mysteries of invocation, even if you received a transmission from them from Guru.

Such an attempt will lead to the fact that in a week you will get bored with all this and you will find something more interesting for yourself. You must first "awaken" the altar itself, breathe prana, power and mystical bhava into it. To awaken oneself to the theurgical mystery work at the altar. You need to establish a connection with the deities in it.

To begin with, you can simply sit daily in relaxation for 5-15 minutes at the altar, doing nothing and simply contemplating the figures of the deities in front of you on the altar. Look at the murti - figurines of deities, at the Tree of Refuge with images of saints and ... enjoy! Drink inspiration with joy from this contemplation.

You can do this for a month or two until the mind learns to get bliss and inspiration from such sitting. The mind should rejoice, enjoy, be inspired by the contemplation of sacred images and objects. This very contemplation of sitting has a great purifying power, accustoming the mind to pure vision. When such joy comes, it means that the connection is being established.

Then you can do something simple on the altar, for example, before your daily sitting, light an incense stick, offer a flower, a fruit, a glass of water.

When you feel the joy of offerings, you can gradually begin to read in your own words simple prayers to the saints of Refuge, chapters from sacred texts, or a simple mantra that has a transmission. You can then perform simple bhajans at the altar or listen to them recorded and make simple offerings to the deities at the altar.

This at the initial stage is ENOUGH.

Thus the mind becomes accustomed to the mystical dimension, contact with the divine reality and its subtle forces. And only then can you study complex sadhanas, such as the bhajan-mandala, successfully perform complex rituals of worship, not to mention the tantric sadhanas of connecting shambhavi mudra, non-dual contemplation and worship or visualization of deities and self-transformation - theurgical practices, yoga of the illusory body, because your master teaches you, your tradition.

A magician of any direction needs to have an altar to become a practicing magician. It does not matter whether it is permanent or temporary, luxurious or discreet, the main thing is its presence.

Of course, each direction has its own nuances, and they must be observed, but today we will talk about the basis that is the same for all magicians.

So, altar- this is a place of power where you will practice magic. It is placed in the space where the ceremony will take place. On it are the magic tools needed during the ceremony.

Most often, the altar is a table. It can be made from any material, but wood is the best. The magical properties of the tree will also be transferred to the altar: oak will give strength and strength, willow - flexibility in achieving goals, juniper - a sacred tree (an altar from it will be a strong artifact). You can use other trees if their magical properties suit you. It happens that the tabletop for the altar is made of stone, again, given the magical properties of the stone. Most often, such countertops are made of onyx (greatness and wealth), granite (invincibility and eternity), quartz (energy amplification).

The shape of the altar can also be different: round, as a symbol of harmony and the Goddess, square or rectangular, as a symbol of the elements and the materialization of actions.

An important part of the altar is tablecloth. It can be made of natural plain fabric. Often the tablecloth is decorated with decorative trim, embroidered or painted patterns. You can depict on it pentagrams, symbols of the Elements or any other symbols that display the magical direction to which its owner belongs.

The location of the altar depends on the magical school to which the magician belongs. Most often it is placed in the center of the magic circle, as well as in the direction of the East or North. On the altar are the tools that the magician uses during the ceremony.

The left half of the altar is dedicated to the Goddess. The instruments dedicated to Her are located here:

Symbol or candle of the Goddess. The Goddess is the feminine principle of the universe, often identified with the Moon, Earth and Water. On the altar you can put a figurine of the Goddess or a candle of silver or white color - these are the colors of the Moon.

Place for offerings to the Goddess

Vessel with water symbolizes the element of water, jar of salt- The element of the Earth.

Bowl- has the same meaning as the boiler. She is a symbol of the Goddess and fertility, she is attributed to the element of Water. The bowl can hold water (which should be on the altar), it can also contain a ritual drink that is drunk during the ceremony. In addition, the cup serves as an object for divination, like a crystal ball.

The bowl can be made of silver, copper, gold, alabaster, sandstone, crystals, ceramics and other materials.

Bell is an ancient ritual instrument. The beat of the bell emits vibrations filled with power according to its material, tone and fullness.

The bell is a female symbol and is often used in rituals to invoke the Goddess. The bell ringing is able to reflect the negative spells of evil spirits, stop the storm and call on good energies. The bell is often rung in rituals to mark parts of rituals or to signal the start or end of a spell. Moreover, different types of bells can be involved.

The right half of the altar is dedicated to God. Tools dedicated to Him are located here:

Symbol or candle of God. God is the masculine principle of the universe, often identified with the Sun, Fire and Sky (Air). On the altar, you can put a statue of God or a candle of gold or yellow color - these are the colors of the Sun.

Place for offerings to God can serve as a beautiful bowl or saucer. Often fruits and flowers serve as offerings.

Wand- one of the essential magical tools. It has been used for thousands of years in religious and magical rites. This is a summoning tool. With the words and the raising of the wand, the Goddess and God can be invoked to oversee the ritual. The wand is used to direct energies, draw magical symbols or a circle on the ground, they indicate the direction of danger, balancing in the hand or on the palm of the magician, they can even stir the potion in the cauldron. The wand belongs to the element of Air and is a symbol of God.

Traditionally, wands are made from such types of trees as oak, hazel, willow, apple, cherry, elder, peach and others. You can also find silver or stone wands, they can be used confidently in magical rituals, but wooden wands have a longer history.

Magic dagger(Atam) has an ancient history, it is used to direct the energy that manifests itself during rituals and spells. It is rarely used to invoke the Gods or read prayers. Externally, the dagger is double-edged, with a black handle. Black color collects energy. When a dagger is used in a ritual to channel energy, some of that energy is collected in the hilt. Sometimes magicians apply magic symbols to their daggers, as well as to all other tools. Like many other magical tools, the dagger is imbued with the power generated by your touch and use. And yet, if you really want to, you can put magic words, runes and symbols on the tools to increase their power.

The sword is sometimes used by modern magicians, it has the same properties as a dagger, but due to its size, it can be difficult to use it at home. Due to the symbolic meaning of the dagger as an instrument of transformation, it is associated with the element of Fire.

white dagger(Bolin) - an ordinary working knife, the opposite of a purely ritual magical dagger. It is used for carving symbols on wood or candles, wax, clay, for cutting branches and medicinal herbs, and for cutting ropes, threads for magical purposes. As a rule, an ordinary dagger differs from a magic dagger by a white handle.

In the center of the altar are the following items:

Censer designed to burn incense. It can be in the form of a complex metal bowl on a chain, similar to those used in church services, or simply a seashell. If you have not found a suitable incense burner, then you can make it yourself. Any bowl half-filled with salt or sand will serve as an incense burner. Salt and sand absorb the heat of the burning and protect the bowl from cracks.

Fumigation is the cleansing with the smoke of sacred herbs. Thyme, lavender, wormwood, sage, juniper, cedar needles, marsh myrtle, etc. are considered plants intended for spiritual work. They are used in dried or finely crushed form, and frankincense is also used for fumigation. With the help of fumigation, you can purify, consecrate, bless objects, places or people.

The incense burner is a mandatory attribute of home rituals. For some magicians, it represents the element of Air. The incense burner is often placed on the altar in front of the images of the Gods.

red candle- the symbol of Fire. In ritual, it is the center of the universe, uniting all energies in itself.

Seal- it is usually a flat piece of gold, silver, copper, clay, wood, wax with symbols depicted in the center. This symbol can be a pentagram, the seals of the Spirits or Gods, or any other symbols that are sacred to the magician. They are used during various rituals.

Place for spells- this is an empty place on the altar, on which the magician performs manipulations, creates spells.

In addition to the above, each magician should have his own magic book or spell book.

Book of spells- a magical textbook that contains spells, examples of rituals, evocations, magic rules, runes and much more. Some textbooks are passed from one magician to another, usually at initiations, but today each magician collects spells on his own.

What is needed for this? Buy a blank book in a bookstore. If you did not find a clean book, then any clean student notebook will do. Write down in your spell book any invocations, rituals, spells, and all the magical information that you need to organize, find somewhere and save.

Handwriting spells and rites is a very good idea. And not only because you will be sure that you will read the work in its entirety, it will also make it easier for you to read by candlelight. Ideally, all rituals should be memorized or created spontaneously, but if you write your own rituals, you must be sure that they are written clearly so that you can later see them in the flame of a candle or a fire.

So, before you is a description of the main tools used in magical rituals. Interacting with them, pouring your power into them and uniting with their energies - all this will help you improve on the path of becoming yourself as a Magician.

By creating a magical altar, we create a whole world in the middle of the world, a very special place - in order to think there, practice magic, cast spells, meditate, laugh and communicate with the divine. The altar is a reflection of who we are energetically. It is also a visual trigger, a visible reminder that we are both celestial and terrestrial beings, both matter and spirit, and our energy, invisible and immeasurable, actually has the power and influence and is able to transform, direct and control.

There are several formal ways to build an altar, the easiest of which is to start by presenting four elements on it, associating each of them with a certain direction. Correlate East and Air, North and Fire, West and Water, Earth and South... where I live, I have to approach the issue geocentrically, following the flows of the energies of the Earth - on my altar in Sydney, East corresponds to Water, Fire - North, West - Earth, and South - Air.

Sometimes on my altar I charge magical instruments that at other times live on their own altars in the temporary temples I create everywhere.

(element of water) In a cup or goblet I hold water. For many years I have taken water from the sea, the sacred wells of Glastonberry, or collected rainwater for the altar, but any water will become sacred if you bless it. By doing this, you change its structure. A bowl of pure clear water represents this powerful cleansing element on the altar. Sea shells, pictures of a dolphin or a mermaid, or just a glass of water also activate the water element of the altar.

Other magical tools and things:

When the four elements or five elements are already presented on the altar, you can add something else to it - your intuition and what any thing wants to tell you should be the most important factor in choosing. Most witches would like to have on the altar - it can be intricate stone figurines, inexpensive brass figurines, the Empress or something that you draw yourself. All this should have some personal meaning for you, perhaps it will best represent God for you, and the Goddess.

Many magical altars also have a five-pointed star in a circle, representing the five elements that are brought together. Again, you can use a photograph, a piece of jewelry, a large pewter plate, or just a drawing scribbled with a stick - whatever makes sense to you personally.

You also have to choose for yourself - it can be a special altar cover bought in a store or a piece of an old favorite skirt, or something related to your memories, in a word, everything that will give you energy for the ritual. The color of the drapery also has a magical meaning and you can change it daily, seasonally, according to your mood or just to "be different". If you are going to cast some kind of large spell, then use the color that most closely matches the desired result.

A wonderful choice. Although this is probably the most stereotypical witch equipment, it is very practical and has true power. It can be used to cast spells or activate and purify your intent with fire, grind herbs for incense, or create a magical potion. You can also cook some magical delicacy in it. The three legs of the cauldron symbolize the triplicity of the goddess, as well as our wonderful feminine ability to create and give life.

However, the most magical of all are the things that we found, those that themselves "sought" for us - this is the most powerful magical tool possible. For example, I have a small elegant bird's nest, which I once found near the back door of my own house. When I work on creating home spells, it symbolizes home and hearth. A stone found in your favorite park, a shell picked up on the beach on your birthday, a crystal given to you, dried flowers, snakeskin - all this is suitable for business.

Your altar represents YOUR sacred place, which is why you must select its components in such a way that they activate exactly your magical power. There is no need for expensive instruments if you can tune in to magic by simply placing a seashell, an image of an angel or some symbol of the Goddess on the altar, as well as ordinary pure water. When I look around, I see magical tools everywhere, for everything I see can become a tool for me.

Creating an altar in itself is a sacred act that says a lot about you. Your altar can be as elaborate, ritualized, theatrical, simple, masculine, feminine, angelic, earthly, sexy, or pure as you want it to be. This is your sacred space. What do you want to say with it?

You can store yours and ribbons, cords, in special boxes or drawers in order to pull them out only when you intuitively feel that it is time to activate these particular energies. You can also make some supplies to have on hand when their due date comes - pelican feathers for Mabon, swan feathers for Imbolc, red cloth for Beltane for Friday love spells, moon water in a silver scrying bowl for a private conversation with Arianrhod, moon goddess of the Celts.

The most powerful magic is to honor your home as a living altar, for it is unique, personal and divine just like you. When we think of everything in the house as real magic, a magical tool, a working spell, our home becomes a sensually manifest zone. The experience of this magic is deeply dynamic and very sensual, it connects us with the goddess Vesta, who teaches us to be proud of the home that we have, that we love and that loves us. If you work with your home in this way, people will feel its healing energy as soon as they enter your door, as a result of which they will come to you again and again, bringing good luck and prosperity to your home.

May your home be blessed as well as you.

Special places of concentration were in the homes of all peoples and religions: Buddhists and Christians, Muslims, Jews and animists. Ten years ago, this tradition began to revive in the West, and today it is spreading again in our country. You can call this place of power at home an altar or a sanctuary, or it can be a "center of joy" or a "place of the soul."

What will it be like?
Absolutely any horizontal space is suitable for a “home altar”: a tabletop, a wide board, even a flat stone, covered with natural fabric: silk, linen or cotton. Place there items that have a symbolic meaning for you or simply warm your soul. For Christians, these are icons, for Buddhists, images of the Buddha. Confucians placed on their altars tablets with the names of the ancestors of five generations (we can replace their family photos). You can place African gods there if they are close to your spiritual world, or stones that please you, a figurine or an important book for you. There must be enough free space before the characters. The "altar" should be decorated, but not overloaded and necessarily well lit.

Where to arrange a place of power in the house?
In a country house, it is better to arrange such a “place for the soul” on the top floor so that no one is above it. In an ordinary apartment - on a high table or in a wall shelf. True, according to Buddhist tradition, for example, the image of the Buddha should be installed above the line of sight. But this is by no means the only solution.

Our ancestors honored red corner» (left corner obliquely from the entrance). Confucians and Taoists also believe that Qi energy is concentrated in the house, if you install a sacred image right in front of the front door.
But for us, the main thing is with what thoughts we equip our “home sanctuary”. A prerequisite is that it should be in a quiet and clean place where no one will interfere with concentration.

What to do next to the home place of power?
Meditate, pray, make important decisions, relax after a busy day - all this is best done next to your “place of power”.
And for it to really become like that, you should not approach it in a bad mood, with negative thoughts. If you are upset about something, first tune in to the fact that you need to get support. Then the place of your “pilgrimage” will become the most energetically clean area of ​​your apartment. After all, any energy tends to multiply, so every time you come there with bright joyful thoughts, the circle of influence of this place will expand and intensify. It is very useful to disconnect from worries, make an “empty head” and perform the ritual of offering gifts.

offerings
Gratitude is the key to prosperity. The ancient Romans knew this law, quite pragmatically formulating their relationship with the deities: I give you to give". Truly successful people and serious businessmen of our time know about this.
Offerings are materialized gratitude, a kind of ritual, during the performance of which the positive vital energy of the house increases many times over. It is not surprising that in ancient times much attention was paid to the detailed development of this action. To attract the vibrations of Harmony into your home and your life, it is useful to bring five different gifts to the “home altar”, in Chinese - u-gan.

Light- symbolizes victory over dark energy, glory and success.
You can light candles (according to ancient oriental tradition, they should be white, but they are also acceptable), an oil lamp or an aroma lamp.
Modern Feng Shui experts believe that even a flickering New Year's garland can be an offering of Light, but it is still better if the light is “live”, and not electric.

Water- a symbol of Life, femininity, flexibility.
"The Offering of Water" is one of the most "time-consuming", but very effective rituals. By practicing it every day, you can strengthen your own position in the house and in your family.
To do this, you must first of all "prepare the water" by filling a jug with clean water and stirring a pinch of saffron powder in it so that the liquid turns yellow. This ritual symbolizes the transformation of ordinary water into nectar. Then you should take seven identical bowls. They can be ceramic, crystal, steel or porcelain (but not plastic!). The size of the vessels does not matter.

In the morning, you need to put the bowls in a row, close to each other, “at the distance of a grain of rice,” and fill the prepared water to the brim, but so that it does not spill out. At the end of the day, the water must be poured out, the bowls should be wiped dry and placed upside down (upside down vessels are a symbol of poverty). The ritual will intensify if at the same time you read a prayer, say a mantra or affirmation.

Incense purify the atmosphere, neutralize negative emotions and impulses.
You can use ordinary sandalwood sticks, placing them on a wide stand, or a special incense burner, where you put pieces of incense or juniper needles. All these smells have been used all over the world since ancient times.
If you use an aroma lamp to offer Light, add a few drops of some cult oil to it - sandalwood, frankincense, juniper, iris. It's good if the oil is natural - synthetic fragrances have completely different vibrations, in addition, they can give you a headache. Used sticks or smoking sticks should be removed immediately.


Flowers increase the energy of Love and Beauty.
Of course, the flowers must be alive. According to tradition, white, yellow, pink, blue and blue flowers are considered preferable for offerings. Bright reds and spiked colors should be avoided. Chrysanthemums are considered the best gift in the East.
Every day it is necessary to change the water and remove the flowers at the first sign of wilting. If something good has happened in your life or something planned is happening, thank your “soul place” with at least one flower - carnation, iris or gerbera.

Dried flowers should not be kept in the house at all (especially in your cherished place) - no matter how beautiful the composition of them is, they spread impulses of sadness. A bouquet of artificial flowers with rounded petals and leaves may, in extreme cases, decorate the "altar", but is not considered an offering.

Food symbolizes material wealth, wealth. In Slavic beliefs, in addition, the offering of food in the best way improves the relationship of the owners with the patron spirits of the house. The best solution is round fruits, a variety of sweets, cookies. All products must be fresh and undamaged (a broken cookie or a mashed apple, for example, can “attract” the corresponding money problems).

Edible gifts need to be updated regularly. Buddhists, when offering food, repeat the universal mantra: "Om-mani-hum" to drive away wandering spirits.
Author - Tatyana Gavrilova

The altar in magic is the center of power, in which energy lines converge from all directions of the world. In a symbolic way, the altar is the center of the universe.

The witch's altar can be of any shape, but the most commonly used are triangular, square or round. If the ritual is performed in nature and you did not take anything with you, then a stump or a large boulder can serve as an altar in magic, however, before that they must be consecrated.

The altar is most often white, black, blue or green. It is covered with a cloth, but only from natural materials, leather is also suitable.

The "face" of the altar, as a rule, is directed to the east, since it is in this direction that the witch usually stands during the performance of her magical ritual.

On the magic altar, there must certainly be several obligatory items - a ritual knife, a protective amulet or talisman, a pentagram, a candle, a goblet and several objects that personify the forces of the elements - Earth, Water, Fire and Air.

Usually, the personification of the elements of the Earth is an oak branch, a little salt or a pinch of earth.

The symbol of the element of Water, of course, is a vessel with water, the symbol of the element of Fire is a candle, and the symbol of Air is incense. But there may be other options.

Also note that the objects symbolizing the elements are arranged in a certain order: in the east - Air (in other traditions - Earth), in the south - Fire, in the west - Water and in the north - Earth (in other traditions - Air).

The pentagram, as a rule, is located in the center of the magic altar, and a candle is placed in the center of the pentagram itself.

Among other things, a small saucer is usually placed on the altar, on which various gifts and sacrificial products are placed for the god, goddess and spirits.

The altar in magic should always be clean, and the objects on it should be placed logically. It is impossible to make sure that Water is on the side of Fire, and vice versa.

Before each magical action, the altar must be cleaned.