THE ART OF MAKING ALTARS & OFFERINGS IN NATURE

Hello my beautiful friends,

These days I am busy working on a project that has been in my life and soul for a while.
It is a small guide to creating altars and sacred spaces. A topic that is very dear to me, that has made quite a difference in the way I connect to the world of spirit and matter. Originally this took form as a small printed publication released a few years ago, which came together with my book, Ousía. Its main focus was sharing how to bring the energy of the Elements in our homes, in a tangible and symbolic way that we can connect to in our everyday lives.

Since then, I have received much more input and medicine from the art of keeping an altar in my house. Learning what matters, what makes it special, and just how open and creative this little sacred space can be - to bridge our inner and outer worlds together. I have been patiently and devotedly carving time in my days to write much more on the topic. Making drawings, writing by hand, alchemizing it all in the hope to also bring this publication back to life, in a now richer format.
I really cannot wait to share it with you.

In the meantime - just as I was writing in depth about what makes a sacred space special and how to create such sacred spaces in our home - I realized that there is also a lot of beauty and medicine in the art of creating such altars out in nature. Our home is our temple, that is certain - so it makes sense to start there. However, the more we open ourselves up to the aliveness that surrounds us, the more some places outside can start to feel like extensions of that temple.

There are places we visit which are sacred to our souls. That abundant forest. That mystical beach. That little quiet corner in the park. That sanctuary of calm that perhaps only you know. Take a moment to think about it. Which are the places that hold that special place in your Heart? Which places bring healing to you every time you visit them?

Within the context of our home, altar making is about creating a mirror to look ourselves into. A way to bring divine blessing energy into our space and everyday lives.

Outdoor altars are slightly different, as they offer a way to speak directly with Nature. To interact. To give thanks. To create portals of relatedness with the world that supports us. Another difference with outdoor altars is that they can be more creative and organic. Instead of using solid things as a base (such as furniture or shelves), we can interact with nature and create with what is already there: a rock, a hole in a tree, a boulder in the center of a river… An outdoor altar is made by tapping into our intuitive animal self who knows how to observe the details of the place. Such an altar may be simple and discreet composition, or become something like an ephemeral art installation in Nature.

Inspired? You can create an outdoor altar anywhere where your being feels supported. It can be very simple: you may just want to honor that little corner of the garden that you enjoy sitting in. Or you can take a special trip to that place you love that is so special to you.

Observe the land. Say hello. What is clearly surrounding you here?
What sounds, textures, smells can you experience? What are some of your favourite things about this place?

Tune into your intuition and think about what you wish to offer to this place from your Heart. That special place where you feel one with everything, wants to create sacredness with you, always.

This may look like: Wrapping prayer flags or beads around that tree that guards your home. Creating a special little place or nook in your favourite forest by putting some rocks together and leaving offerings in the middle. Co-creating with the materials and treasures that you find in your favourite place, to create artful gifts. A lot of beauty can be created with just a few stones, some twigs, some flowers placed with love and intention: a shrine, a mandala, a beautiful composition. Just be sure to use things that are part of the land itself so that you are not disturbing the environment.

You can create this little sacred space or offering in gratitude and let it disintegrate with the natural cycles of Nature. Or if you feel called, you can come back to it every so often and tend to it, like you would with a little shrine. Watch it evolve and change as the seasons flow. If this place is visited by other people, perhaps with time they might notice it, appreciate it and contribute.

We all need to be reminded of the sacredness of life.

Treat this place with kindness and care. Let it soften and nourish you. And if you feel that you can summon divine energy by doing this, why not accompany your altar with a prayer: for the healing of this planet, for resilience, for clean water and clean hearts, to nourish all the next generations and for all life to thrive.