About two years ago, I wrote an entry about subliminal altars at my original journaling site. For those of you who may not integrate the spiritual element into your daily life, you probably already have created subliminal altars all around you. Subliminal altars are those places in our homes that we carefully arrange objects that are important to us. For example, look around your computer desk, bookshelves, or dresser. These are all typical places were we create subliminal altars. You may have photos that are special to you or other items collected over the years that you just cannot part with.

Subliminal altars are the places that we subconsciously create to display the things we value most, and it doesn’t matter how much space we have…if it is an important object…we always somehow make room is display it. To some, it might be a collection of knickknacks from traveling, to others, it might be freshly cut flowers from the garden. The transformation of subliminal altars occurs when we consciously create a sacred space.

In Altars by Denise Linn, she discusses the different type of altars we can create in our homes, and her ideas go far beyond the traditional idea that altars are solely created in honor of our faith and spirituality. She covers the idea of creating altars in honor of our creativity, relationships, and major life transitions to name a few. You could even combine her ideas to make an altar that honors several different elements in your life.

For me personally, I have been considering creating an altar in honor of my creative pursuits. As Denise Linn states:

One of the most exhilarating and stimulating processes is the creation of an altar or a sacred place in your home devoted to creativity…Creativity is the heart and soul, the very essence of Spirit. It has been said that we are closest to Divine Spirit when we are creative. The possibilities for joyful self-expression are limitless when creating this type of altar.

And while the idea of actively creating an altar can seem overwhelming, as with all things in life, take small steps in creating your altar. Look around your house for elements that might already be part of an subliminal altar. To get you brainstorming, here are some items that you might find or might want to incorporate down the road as your budget allows:

• Candles
• Affirmations
  
• Collages
  
• Sculpture/Statues
  
• Plants
  
• Water
  
• Fountains
  
• Incense or essential oils
  
• Music Instruments
  
• Prayer bowls
  
• Stones, shells, and other elements from nature
  

You might even consider having two spots for a creative altar. One of the spots should be a stationary spot that you display the items that honor your creative self. The other spot is an active altar. One that might not be in use all the time such as an coffee table or the kitchen table for those of you who might be short on space.

Back when we used to live in apartments, our coffee table was often the place I would go to work on my collages, and over time, that coffee table started to hold a feeling of sacred divine energy. Thus, even though I don’t exactly have the space for it in my artist loft, I still managed to fit it in. In the upcoming weeks, I might share a couple shots of my creative altar in progress, and if you have one of your own, please feel free to drop me a note and share…