Altars

Spent some time at my altar today doing Japa and thought I would share a bit about why altars are so important to anyone who practices yoga or any form of spirituality.

Having an altar creates a sacred space for meditation free of negativity. This space is designated for meditation and therefore keeps it free from any other energy or associations.

If you want to create your own altar space at home, some things to keep in mind are the location and space around it. Your altar should be in a quiet space where you can focus and keep it separate from the stress and energy that life can bring. It should be placed so that when you are sitting at it, you are facing North or East for the best magnetic vibrations.

What should be placed on your altar should be chosen with love and intention. Lots of people have pictures of loved ones, statues of their Ishta Devata, or deity they resonate most with, and other spiritual objects such as mala beads, crystals, candles, and more.

Some other items that are traditionally placed on an altar include flowers (as an offering and symbol of life and devotion), a bell (which symbolizes the subtle inner sounds known as nada), a vessel of water (it becomes infused with the vibrations of your meditations and chants), an Arati lamp (representing Divine light and burning of the ego), Incense (representing the burning of our attachments), and Prasad, which is an offering of food, often sweets or fruit.

Here is a picture of my personal altar at home. Happy practicing🙏🏻